DMCI to shoulder cost of repairs for NAIA Terminal 1’s ceiling leaks

Newly renovated NAIA (Photo courtesy of Undersecretary Abigail Valte and the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines)

MANILA — The contractor of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, DM Consunji (DMCI), said it will be shouldering the cost of repairs for the leaking ceiling in its departure area.

To recall, the leaking ceiling first started inconveniencing passengers last Wednesday (May 29) when a thunderstorm struck over Pasay City.

Since then, the contractor and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has apologized to passengers and at the same time sought for their patience and understanding while the problem is being addressed.

Minor repairs have also been accomplished to temporarily prevent the ceiling leaks from further bothering passengers.

NAIA Terminal 1 manager Dante Basanta in an earlier interview told reporters that the cause of the area’s leaking ceiling was due to the contractor stripping off its waterproofing.

DMCI, for its part, explained it did not expect that it would rain.

At present, the terminal’s leaking ceiling has yet to undergo complete repair.

No timetable has been set.

Last March, MIAA said that about 80 percent of repairs at the airport have already been done under its Php1.3-billion rehabilitation project.

The terminal currently has new facilities including flight information display boards, check in counters, weighing and feeder conveyors, new chillers, better lighting, and renovated lavatories.