Palace forms task force for NAIA 3 opening

MANILA, Philippines - After 10 years of controversy-marred construction, preparations are now underway for the opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) International Passenger Terminal 3. This came as Malacañang announced the creation of a Presidential Task Force to oversee the said preparations. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, in his weekly briefing, said that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed and issued Executive order 732 on June 9 which aims to amend Executive Order 778. EO 778 had mandated the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to administer and operate Terminal 3. With EO 732, the task force will take over from MIAA in exercising administrative supervision and control over Terminal 3. It will also provide policy directions and executive guidance on all matters relating to the opening. "Now the fact that there's now a task force created means that merong light on the other side of the tunnel, that Terminal 3 is about to be opened. That's why gumawa ng task force si Presidente and soon enough we will announce kung sino ba ang head ng task force," Ermita said. Under EO 732, the MIAA will provide administrative support and technical assistance to the task force while the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will release funds for the operations of the task force. The funds will be drawn from the Office of the President. The Terminal 3 was initially set to have a soft opening on March 31, 2006. The terminal was constructed in 1998 by Philippine International Air Terminals Corporation (Piatco), a consortium that submitted a winning counter-bid to build the terminal against the unsolicited proposal of Asia's Emerging Dragon Corporation (AEDC), the corporation then formed by five Filipino-Chinese business tycoons. In December 2004, the Supreme Court had nullified the build-operate-transfer contract between Piatco and the government due to onerous amendments to the original contract, which eventually led to the government takeover of the terminal that resulted in the expropriation proceedings. This ensued in the cases filed by Piatco and its German investor, Fraport AG, before local and international courts. In December 2005, the High Court, however, issued a ruling ordering the government to compensate Piatco so that it will be able to take over Terminal III. - GMANews.TV