Senator Nancy Binay stresses NAIA rehabilitation over name change

Senator Nancy Binay stated on Monday that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport should undergo rehabilitation instead of being given a new name.

Binay’s remarks were in response to a question of whether NAIA will be renamed now that the airport will be privately operated and maintained by the winning bidders for the P170.6 billion NAIA rehabilitation project—the San Miguel Corporation and South Korea's Incheon International Airport Corporation.

The Department of Transportation earlier announced that the SMC SAP & Co. Consortium won the public-private partnership project after it proposed an 82.16-percent revenue-sharing scheme to the government.

“The country should prioritize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport's rehabilitation and that moves to change its name should be put on the back-burner,” said Binay.

She noted the need to scrap the proposals to change NAIA’s name and instead focus on the modernization aspect.

Binay also warned that changing NAIA’s name will likely pose “negative implications” in the international communities and may confuse visiting foreigners or tourists.

Expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr. previously filed House Bill 610, seeking to rename NAIA after the late Ferdinand E. Marcos, the President's father and namesake, in June 2022.

Binay, however, warned any proposal to rename NAIA would have to undergo a rigorous process at the National Historical Commission.

She noted that a law is required to rename the airport, citing that NAIA’s current name was replaced by Manila International Airport by Republic Act 6639.