President Marcos could justify the plan to privatize Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) due to the mess that happened on New Year’s day, Party-list Bayan Muna and ACT Teachers said.
“This breakdown can now be used by Pres. Marcos as a justification to pursue Pres. Duterte’s disastrous program of privatization,” Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares said in a statement.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) released a statement that the main cause of delayed, canceled, or diverted flights are power outages and technical issues in the navigation system, which Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares said that it only implies the incompetence of the government in ensuring public transport.
Colmenares emphasizes that instead of privatizing NAIA, the solution should focus more on providing efficient transportation because privatization would only give an opportunity to corrupt officials. This issue according to him should immediately be addressed.
“Pres. Marcos’ early pronouncement to sell NAIA to private corporations will ensure the loss of another major government asset and increasing transport costs beyond the means of the poor,” he added.
Department of Transportation announced the pursuance of the Marcos administration about the NAIA privatization on December 30, with that the former House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, said that the “timing is quite fishy.”
“Di natin masisisi ang mamamayan na mag isip na ito ay sinadya para mapabilis ang pagbebenta nito kahit di kinukonsulta ang mamamayan at ipaliwanag ang ireresulta nitong pagtaas pa ng singil sa pasahe sa eroplano.” She noted that privatization will increase fees for consumers. (Reports from Bombo Ica Nuñez)
