Wednesday, March 14, 2012

News Update Japan’s Takenaka Corp. raises hope of making NAIA-3 fully operational

The contract between Japan’s Takenaka Corp. and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for the civil works of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 augurs well for completing the unfinished facility, Malacañang said Tuesday.
“Hopefully, kapag natapos na po ito, T3 will be fully operational,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters at a briefing in Malacañang.
This development is a good thing because 23 areas in NAIA-3 are not operating, Valte cited, indicating a waste of infrastructure.
She noted once the civil works of NAIA-3 is complete, the airport can handle up to 6,000 passengers per hour. “The terminal is not operating at full capacity. It is supposed to accommodate an X-amount, an X-number of passengers,” she said.
DOTC and Takenaka on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Japanese contractor to finish the civil works needed for NAIA-3 to become fully operational.
Part of the MOU is the “Civil Works Agreement
Estimate of 23 Systems,” which covers the delivery of 23 airport systems critical to make T3 fully-operational, the department said in a statement Monday. http://www.gov.ph/2012/03/12/dotc-takenaka-seal-deal-to-make-naia-terminal-3-operational-soon/
The agreement would be executed within 30 days from the date the MOU was signed.
Takenaka was thorough and sincere in negotiating with the Philippine government, Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas III noted. “It was their cooperation that this deal was signed in record time,” he said.
The 23 airport systems include baggage handling and reconciliation, flight information display, building management system, local area network, fire alarm and protection, and passenger loading bridges.
Takenaka was the original contractor commissioned by Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) to build NAIA-3 in 1998. Construction was stopped in 2002 after allegations of anomalies cropped up.
Wanting to fully-utilize NAIA-3, DOTC started negotiating again with Takenaka Corp. last year.
Once completed, the 182,500-sqm airport terminal would be able to service up to 33,000 passengers a day or 6,000 passengers per hour. Its 34 air bridges and 20 contact gates would be able to service 28 planes at the same time.
Some of NAIA-1’s operations would be transferred to NAIA-3 once Takenaka delivers on the 23 systems.
Passenger traffic in NAIA-1 would be decongested and make Philippine air transport system more convenient and efficient, according to DOTC.
Takenaka is one of Japan’s “big five contractors.” A family enterprise, the company built some of the most significant buildings in Japan including Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Dome, Fukuoka Dome, and Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel. — VS