Naia opens place for mass sendoffs

OVERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) may now relish their fleeting moments with relatives, even by the jeepload, as the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) formally opened on Wednesday a place for a proper sendoff at the country’s premier airport.

Bowing to the local culture of a community-wide goodbye, the MIAA opened the east and west wings of the departure area at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1 to allow a convenient place for people to see off their loved ones.

“Actually, this was built for the benefit of passengers. People are sending them off so we have two areas (for them),” said the MIAA general manager, Ed Monreal.

The west wing, apart from being a well-wishers’ area, also houses a one-stop shop for OFWs.

On the other hand, the east wing is specifically for “passengers who want to bring in their families (at the terminal) before leaving,” Monreal said.

More restrictions

Entry to the west wing, however, had been subjected to more restrictions because it was where OFWs could have their papers processed in booths maintained by government agencies, including the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

Two banks and a restaurant have also taken up space at the west wing.

Monreal noted that the booths and the banks were previously situated at the lobby of the departure area.

“These are just options for our passengers. They can still stay outside, but they can stay indoors. Let’s just hope that these areas don’t fill up too much and get crammed,” he said.

Construction of the areas cost P7.2 million, with work starting on March 30 after bidding for the project was completed in January, according to the terminal manager, Dante Basanta.

The areas occupy about 700 square meters of the terminal.

Previously, the terminal had an OFW lounge and a Windows of the World Area where airport visitors were allowed to see off departures, but these were torn down when the P1.3-billion rehabilitation of the terminal began.

Basanta said the construction of the lounges was not included in the rehabilitation because the previous project basically involved a makeover and structural reinforcement of the 30-year-old terminal.

Built in 1981, the terminal was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. It has an average annual volume of 4 million departing passengers on around 20,000 international flights.

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