MIAA clarifies: Electrical audit to determine if additional budget is needed

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Thursday clarified that it is not immediately asking Congress for additional funds to procure electric generator sets to improve the power system at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

That's after Senate public services committee chairperson Grace Poe questioned MIAA’s  “request” for a P1 billion budget for the procurement of power generators for NAIA terminals in case of a power failure.

Interviewed on GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita, MIAA officer-in-charge Senior Assistant General Manager Bryan Co said that the P1 billion amount he mentioned that the agency needs is an estimate of how much is needed “to invest in terms of how we will improve our power system in NAIA.”

However, Co said that a full electric audit, ordered by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, will determine if the MIAA will actually have to seek Congress’ help for additional funds.

“Based on the results of that [audit] doon natin malalaman if we will be needing to ask Congress for a supplemental budget kung kukulangin ang pondo ng MIAA,” he said.

(That's when we'll know if we need to ask Congress if we need a supplemental budget.)

“Only after ma-determine na kulang ang pondo ng MIAA tsaka lang tayo pupunta sa [Congress]… kasi ang MIAA may sariling source of revenue,” he said.

(If we determine that the fund is not enough, that's when we will go to Congress... because MIAA has its own source of revenue.)

Co said that some of the MIAA’s funding requirements for power system improvement could be covered by the agency’s corporate operating budget.

The MIAA earlier said it is preparing the terms of reference for the electrical audit, which will take 60 to 90 days.

The electrical audit of NAIA terminals was conducted in 2017 and not all of the audit's recommendations were implemented, according to Co.

“Titignan ano ang mga rason bakit ‘di na-implement,” he said.

(We will find out why it was not implemented.)

The MIAA OIC said that the electrical audit will determine how many megawatts of power generator sets it will need to cover 100% of NAIA Terminal 3’s power requirements.

Co said that only 30% of NAIA Terminal 3’s power needs are being supplied by its current generator sets.

“Sa Terminals 1, 2, at 4 kaya naman nila ang 100%,” he said.

(Terminals 1, 2, and 4 are covered 100%.)

On May 1, a power outage hit NAIA Terminal 3 due to a “fault current”, resulting in the cancellation of dozens of flights.

The MIAA said it is not ruling out sabotage as a reason behind the power outage. —Ted Cordero/ VAL, GMA Integrated News