7 hurt as ceiling at Naia terminal 1 collapses on Good Friday

MANILA, Philippines — A section of the ceiling at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1’s arrival extension area collapsed on Good Friday, April 3.

The Facebook post of the uploader, Johnmark Florendo, showed that a portion of the ceiling fell onto the airport’s waiting chairs.

Florendo, a rental agent at Naia, told the INQUIRER in a phone interview that he saw around seven individuals, including a senior citizen, injured in the incident this Friday morning.

“They were sitting there on the chairs opposite [the collapsed ceiling],” Florendo narrated, speaking Filipino.

READ: LOOK: Thousands of travelers show up at Naia; most got tickets in advance

NNIC confirms 7 individuals injured

In a statement sent to the INQUIRER on Friday afternoon, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) General Manager Lito Alvarez confirmed that seven individuals sustained injuries in the incident, which occurred around 10:43 a.m.

Alvarez said the affected individuals immediately received medical attention, and “all are in stable condition.”

“We are extending all necessary assistance to those affected. The safety and well-being of passengers, airport workers, and visitors remain our top priority,” the general manager of Naia’s private operator said.

“The area was immediately cordoned off, and NNIC’s engineering team has since inspected the surrounding section and confirmed that it is safe for normal operations,” Alvarez added.

DOTr orders probe

Following the incident, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) released a statement, saying that it has directed the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to coordinate with the NNIC to conduct an investigation.

“Transportation Secretary [Giovanni] Banoy Lopez has immediately instructed MIAA and NNIC to ensure the safety and security of all passengers and airport personnel and to submit a detailed report explaining the cause of the incident,” the DOTr said in the statement.

The agency said the operation at Naia Terminal 1 remains normal.

The DOTr added that it expects the MIAA and NNIC to implement appropriate measures to avoid such incidents from happening again. 

Meanwhile, Alvarez said the NNIC’s investigation to determine the cause of the incident is ongoing.

The NNIC is also closely coordinating with relevant authorities and “will take the necessary action based on the findings,” said its general manager. /jpv

This is a developing story.