OFW LOUNGE. Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 General Manager Eric Jose Ines (2nd from left) shows the artist rendition of the proposed Overseas Filipino Workers Lounge at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City to Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday (April 23, 2024). Flanking them are Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. (left) and Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe. (Photo courtesy of Speaker’s office)
MANILA – The San Miguel Corporation (SMC) consortium will provide an even bigger space at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City for departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
House Speaker Martin Romualdez lauded SMC, led by chief executive officer Ramon S. Ang, for its plan to construct an OFW lounge similar to that of Terminal 1 in Parañaque City.
“We are very grateful to Mr. Ramon Ang and [his daughter] Ma’m Cecille for accommodating not only the OFW lounge here, but they want to accommodate a larger space that’s almost double the area,” Romualdez told reporters during his visit to Terminal 3 on Tuesday.
“Mas malaki pa ang gustong ibigay. Naliliitan sila sa unang plano, sa request, so, talagang nakikita natin na mas magiging maayos at maganda ang operation dito sa NAIA (They want to provide a larger space, they find the original plan small, so, we can really see that NAIA operations will be better),” he added.
Romualdez said the T3 OFW Lounge can accommodate around 200 passengers and would be operational by the end of June.
“It would be provided with complete amenities so departing OFWs could have a comfortable place to stay before departing,” he said.
Romualdez also thanked the airport management for making sure “that our migrant workers who are traveling through the NAIA terminals are accommodated as VIPs (very important persons) should be.”
The Speaker, accompanied by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, passed by Terminal 3 Tuesday afternoon to see for themselves the progress in the construction of the planned OFW lounge there.
SMC-SAP & Co. Consortium of San Miguel Holdings Corp., RMM Asian Logistics, Inc., RLW Aviation Development, Inc., and Incheon International Airport Corp bagged the PHP170.6-billion PPP (public-private partnership) project aimed at a comprehensive rehabilitation and operation of NAIA.
On Monday, the Office of Speaker Romualdez delivered an initial donation consisting of a 55-inch and a 65-inch television sets that would be installed at the NAIA Terminal 1 OFW lounge to provide entertainment for the departing migrant workers.
A subsequent donation of four TV sets will be delivered to the T3 OFW lounge.
"The rehabilitation and operation of NAIA under this PPP framework demonstrate the unwavering commitment of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to fostering sustainable growth and innovation in our transportation infrastructure," he said.
As the winning bidder for the PPP project, the SMC-led group will improve the NAIA complex, including facilities such as the runway, taxiway, ramp areas, and firefighting facility.
It is also expected to increase the airport's current annual passenger capacity from 32 million to 60 million. (PNA)
