NAIA terminal 3 ceiling falls off one more time

MANILA, Philippines - The structural integrity of the new international airport was put on the spot anew after a ceiling material fell at the arrival baggage claim area early morning Wednesday. No one was hurt after a gypsum board used for architectural covering for a beam fell off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, a little over a month since it first opened for commercial use in July 22. In a statement, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Wednesday said what was first thought as a piece of a ceiling turned out to be a 7 x 1-meter gypsum board or a light construction material used to cover structural supports. MIAA General Manager Alfonso G. Cusi said, "We consider it as a very minor incident and, therefore, should not be a cause for alarm. Nobody was hurt or injured in the process." "Our people together with the building contractor, Takenaka, are now working together to fix it," he said. He said a probable cause is the change in temperature considering that the facility was mothballed for six years. "During the six-year period, the intermittent change in temperature inside the building from very hot and humid to cold may also have caused the material to loosen and expand accordingly." "Our inspection team, which goes around the terminal on a regular basis, is doing its best to have an accurate assessment of the condition of the entire building, structural and architectural for that matter, so we can already undertake more corrective measures as necessary. We admit, however, that this will entail more than just a visual assessment to achieve this," Mr. Cusi said. The new terminal hosts three low-cost carriers, Cebu Pacific, PAL (Philippine Airlines) Express and Air Philippines. The terminal was supposed to open in March 2006, but its ceiling collapsed days before the opening, raising doubts on its structural integrity and delayed the opening to July. — BusinessWorld