THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) prefers outsourcing some airport operations to outright privatization, at least for now.
“The Philippines is open to airport privatization but this needs careful study to protect” the public interest, according to MIAA assistant general manager Tirso Serrano.
The focus is on maximizing “whatever we have by outsourcing some operations to the private sector,” Serrano said.
MIAA is identifying which operations will be contracted out and those to be retained by government.
Right now, People’s Aircargo and Warehousing, Inc and GlobeGround-Pags Manila or Pair-Pags handle the warehousing and ground handling of cargoes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Earlier, Malaysian airport authorities urged member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to follow their lead and privatize major airports. They noted that privatized airports generally have higher service standards.
Since 1992, the private sector has been running Malaysian airports.
MIAA officials are now actively marketing NAIA Terminal 3 to the international community. Three airlines are reportedly interested in using the facility despite its legal troubles. It may be recalled that allegations of impropriety led the Supreme Court to nullify the contract won by Philippine International Air Terminals Co Inc, the project’s main contractor, in 2003, with the decision ruled as final the following year.
MIAA is also embarking on expanding its passenger and cargo terminals with both passage and cargo traffic nearing saturation.
