Filipinos arriving from abroad (INQUIRER file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — The chairs in Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (Naia) arrival area will be removed next month.
Eric Ines, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), on Monday said he ordered the removal to avoid the presence of unwanted personalities in the area.
“Kasi po, ‘yung po, merong mga hindi naghahatid o hindi nagsusundo e nakaupo lang po doon. Nakaistambay lang po doon at marami po ‘yung mga tao na ‘di namin kilala na wala naman pong talagang rason. Eh, nagso-solicit lang po ng kung ano-anong kalokohan po doon,” Ines said over radio dwPM.
(It’s because there are people who are not there to fetch or pick up someone. They just sit there. They just loiter there, and there are a lot of people who don’t have a reason to be there. They’re just doing solicitations.)
“Kaya pinapatanggal ko na po ‘yung mga silya sa arrival area ng Terminal 3, effective next week, after ng Holy Week,” he added.
(That’s why I ordered the removal of chairs from the arrival area of Terminal 3, effective next week, after Holy Week.)
Holy Week this year begins March 25 (Holy Monday) until March 31 (Easter Sunday).
Ines also said he ordered the reduction of seats in the departure area of NAIA Terminal 3 as he reminded people to also avoid loitering in the area.
“Babawasan din po namin (ang chairs). Meron naman pong mauupuan sa departure. Pero sana po, i-limit na lang po natin ‘yung matagal na paghatid, lalo na po ‘yung salubong. Minsan, isa lang ang dadating, halos lima o anim ang sasalubong,” he added.
(We will also reduce the chairs there. There is also a place to sit at the departure. But I hope we will limit the long-term influx of travelers, especially the fetching. Sometimes, only one person arrives, and five or six people pick up.)
In late February, the chairs of NAIA Terminal 3 and Terminal 2 were also reported to be hounded with bed bugs.
READ: Miaa takes action as ‘surot’ issue bites Naia Terminals 2 and 3
The bed bug issue prompted the removal of rattan chairs in NAIA Terminal 2, while MIAA also looked into canceling its contracts with pest control and housekeeping service providers.