Group calls for renaming of NAIA back to MIA

Group calls for renaming of NAIA back to MIA (Photo by Mithril Cloud at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0)

At the Usaping Balita media forum on Thursday, lawyer Lorenzo Gadon said the restoration of the airport’s name back to MIA is for the “sake of political correctness as well as rebranding for future, for the identification of the country it represents.”

“May petisyon kami na ginagawa, marami nang nakapirma. May mga nakausap na rin kaming congressmen na tutulong to change the name of NAIA back to MIA,” he said.

Renaming the airport back to MIA would “shake off the jinx” that comes with its current name, Gadon said.

He cited NAIA’s reputation as the worst airport in the world and the so-called ‘laglag bala’ scam victimizing locals and foreigners.

The campaign includes collecting signatures both online and print for the plea, he added.

In 1987, during the term of former President Corazon Aquino, MIA was renamed after her late husband who was shot at the tarmac upon his arrival from the US.

He said restoring the old airport’s name would “bring back its legacy as a name to our international gateway, enhancement of the country’s reputation abroad, and promotion of greater unity here in the Philippines.”

“‘Di naman lahat ng tao sa buong mundo, nalalaman yung istorya about Ninoy Aquino. To clarify things, dapat talaga Manila International Airport. Ninoy is not officially declared as a hero so why name Ninoy Aquino International Airport? Wala nang dahilan dyan,” he said.