Cayetano wants Marcos Sr., Ninoy Aquino business parks in NAIA

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to turn a part of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) into business parks named after late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.  and late senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr.

Cayetano made the proposal during the Senate finance committee hearing on DPWH's proposed P717 billion budget for 2023.

"One of the proposals during Duterte administration is if matuloy 'yung Bulacan and Cavite airport, gawin nang park kahit kalahati ng NAIA. Ito ang magiging lungs, Central Park ng Pilipinas, tapos iyong kalahati ibenta as Central Business District," he said.

(It has been proposed that if the Bulacan and Cavite airport pushes through, half of NAIA should be turned into a park which will serve as lungs, Central Park of the Philippines. Then the other half should be sold as Central Business District.)

"Actually ako may amended proposal, 'yung kalahati gawing park, 'yung kalahati hatiin sa dalawa: iyong una, gawing Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. business park. 'Yung kalahati, gawing Ninoy Aquino business park para magcompete iyong mga negosyante rather than boycott boycott," he added.

(I have an amended proposal, make the other half of the business park divided into two: Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. business park and the Ninoy Aquino business park so businessmen would compete rather than boycott a certain brand.)

Cayetano said this is better than debating whether NAIA should be renamed or not.

"Tignan na lang natin kung saan sila pupunta roon sa dalawa, di ba? Competition works, eh. Sa nag-aaway sa internet kung ire-rename o hindi, pareho naman naging part of our history,  so double bashing ito mamaya, both sides," he said.

(Let us see where investors would go between the two. Competition works. Those debating on the internet whether the airport should be renamed or not, both of them were part of our history, so [this would mean] double bashing on me later, from both sides.)

There have been calls to rename NAIA to Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport or back to Manila International Airport.

NAIA was named after late senator and opposition leader Ninoy Aquino who was assassinated in the airport when he returned to the country on August 21, 1983.

Cayetano further said the proposal of having Marcos and Aquino business parks is in line with his advocacy for more open, productive spaces for families and friends.

"Having said that, I would just like to emphasize na, lupa ang pinag-uusapan rito, whether it is national or local government, ito ay pinakamura for DPWH kasi site development. It might be very therapeutic for DPWH kung stressful iyong high impact projects. Parks could be mabuti para sa atin," he said.

(What I am saying is that this involves land and it would be most cost efficient for DPWH since it involves site development. It could even be therapeutic amid stressful high impact projects. Parks could be good for us.)

Senator Sonny Angara, Finance committee chairman, agreed that there should be more open space facilities but for sports activities, while Senator Imee Marcos said green landscapes should be a part of the DPWH's policy.

DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan thanked the senators for their support for such a paradigm shift.—AOL, GMA News