Manila International Airport Authority Acting General Manager Eric Jose Ines (Video screenshot)
MANILA – The operator of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Thursday admitted the lack of generator sets at the country's main gateway and is looking for ways to address it.
"Parang nagkaroon kami ng dilemma kung ano ba ang uunahin. Kasi pag pinagsabay namin yung napaka lakas na aircon baka mamaya mag trip ulit, kapos tayo ngayon sa generator. So yon ang bottom line nun – kulang tayo sa generator (The MIAA has a dilemma on what to do first. If we simultaneously use air conditioning units, it might cause tripping, and we lack generators. That's the bottom line – we lack gensets)," Manila International Airport Authority Acting General Manager Eric Jose Ines told reporters in an interview.
"Susubukan namin mag renta, hanggang maaari, hanggang magkaroon ng permanenteng generator. Kasi hindi basta-basta pwede magkabit ng generator (We will try to rent, as much as possible, until there's a permanent generator. Because we can't just put up a generator."
Ines said the MIAA assistant general manager for engineering has suggested that they also rent air conditioning boosters.
"We would place these strategically on ends of the north and south wings and in the middle. This could probably help," he said.
"Pasensya lang. Magtitiis muna ang mga pasahero natin. Sapagkat talagang malubha ang init (Apologies. We ask for patience from our passengers because it is really hot)."
On March 27, or Holy Wednesday, NAIA Terminal 2 experienced power fluctuations.
MIAA reported that the power fluctuations lasted for more than three hours, and passengers experienced hot temperatures and humidity as the terminal's air conditioning units were affected.
The MIAA attributed the incident to the elevated heat index, saying "the terminal circuit breaker kept tripping due to high power loads caused by the elevated heat index outside the terminal."
According to Ines, the fluctuations on March 27 made them see the need for a genset with a capacity of 6 megawatts so it would function continuously even in case of tripping.
"However, this is too expensive. So now, we are checking if the consortium (the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp.) would agree in helping us," he said.
Ines expressed hope that they could work with the consortium regarding this sooner than the turnover of airport operations in September. (PNA)
