Rename NAIA? It’s all up to Congress, says MIAA chief

MANILA, Philippines — Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal on Monday said the agency would defer to the decision of Congress on the recent proposal to rename the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“Yan po siguro ay pwedeng pagpaubaya na lang sa ating mga mambabatas dahil sila po ang may karapatan at patuntunan para i-suggest kung anuman ang panibagong pangalan ng ating paliparan,” Monreal said during the Laging Handa briefing on Monday.

(We would just leave it to the lawmakers who have the authority to decide and come up with a new name for the airport).

Earlier, Presidential son and Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte and two other lawmakers filed a measure seeking to rename NAIA to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas.

“NAIA is the international gateway of the Philippines, being the biggest and largest international airport in the country. As such, there is a need to identify the same belonging to the Philippines. Hence, the proposed renaming to ‘Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas’,” the bill’s explanatory note read.

But the proposal was met with widespread criticism, with some lawmakers questioning its timing.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We are facing a pandemic and we are thinking of renaming an airport? I believe we can do better than that,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier said in a statement.

gsg