Reflecting a heart dedicated to overseas Filipino workers (OFW), First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos led the opening of the new OFW Lounge at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.

She was elated at the almost magical transformation of the previously much-maligned main gateway done by concessionaire New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC). 

“We finally got it right, an international airport we can all be proud of!” she wrote on social media after being given a tour of the airport. 

She was also inspired by the smiles of the OFWs waiting for their flights. “You should’ve seen the smiles of our OFW kababayans… like they finally felt the [love] they truly deserve,” she said. 

A project led by the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the OFW Lounge provides a comfortable area for Filipinos waiting for their flights, affording them privacy, a place to rest, eat and pray, as well as to recharge their mobile devices before returning to the countries where they work. 

Free meals, drinks

The First Lady marvelled at “the new OFW Lounge at NAIA Terminal 1 that offers free meals and drinks, free WiFi, charging stations, baggage storage, multi-faith prayer rooms, and in-room flight announcements.” 

“Everything our modern-day heroes need to feel cared for before and after those long flights (is in there),” she said. 

Mrs. Marcos was joined by DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano, and NNIC and San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang. 

“A big thank you to RSA (Ang) and everyone else who made this possible!” she said.