DOTC: Improved NAIA-3 to be fully operational by Aug. 2014

Local travelers need to wait only one more year before enjoying a newly rehabilitated Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The Department of Transporation and Communications expects the Ninoy Aquino International Airport's Terminal 3 to be fully operational by August 2014, after reaching an agreement with Japanese contractor Takenaka Corp.

In a news release, the DOTC said the NAIA-3 will double its annual capacity to 13 million domestic and foreign passengers by then.

"With this agreement in place, the DOTC commits to having Terminal 3 fully operational by August 2014," it said.

Under the agreement, Takenaka, the original subcontractor, will complete the works within 12 months.

“The full operation of Terminal 3 will allow a faster and more pleasant experience for passengers flying in and out of Manila,” the DOTC added.

Takenaka will undertake the long-stalled completion project, which includes baggage handling, flight information displays, computer terminals, gate coordination, and fire protection systems.

DOTC is also undertaking the adoption of a world-class aviation system known as the CNS/ATM (Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management), which is being implemented and will be fully operational by November 2015.

Also, the Transportation Department is bidding out the following projects: