What to expect from an upgraded NAIA-1

Work on the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 will finally start in January. The Department of Transportation and Communications has awarded the P1.2 billion rehabilitation contract to DMCI Holdings of the Consunjis. DMCI outbid two other bidders for the project, including the Yuchengco's listed construction company EEI. What's to be expected from an upgraded terminal? Additional exit taxiways that will allow planes to leave the main runway quicker so that there will be more takeoffs and landings, new toilets, and confidence the 30-year-old terminal's ceilings won't collapse. The rehab deadline is December 2014, in time for the APEV summit. The Consunji Group won't be alone as the Cobonpue, Layug and Pineda Group, which submitted an unsolicited rehab plan for the airport, will be on board as design consultants. -- Mornings@ANC, December 24, 2013