President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. emphasized that the country’s airports must live up to the beauty of the Philippines’ tourist destinations, citing the ongoing rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as a key step in enhancing the country’s image and services.
“Kaya’t hindi sapat na magaganda ang tourist spot natin. Kailangan ganon din kaganda ang mga airport natin,” Marcos said in his latest vlog, underscoring the importance of a positive first and last impression for travelers entering and leaving the country. He also noted that improvements are not limited to NAIA, as regional airports are also undergoing upgrades.
The President’s statement comes as NAIA’s operations have officially been turned over to the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), a consortium composed of San Miguel Holdings Corp., RMM Asian Logistics Inc., RLW Aviation Development Inc., and South Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corp. The group signed a ₱170.6-billion public-private partnership agreement with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in March 2024, with operations formally starting in September of the same year.
Meanwhile, Marcos also addressed the much-anticipated rehabilitation of EDSA, the country’s most congested highway. He announced a one-month postponement of the project, originally set to begin on June 13, 2025, due to the absence of comprehensive rerouting plans and full preparedness from local government units.
“Hangga’t wala akong nakikitang solid na mga rerouting plans at masiguro na handang-handa na ang mga LGU, ‘wag muna natin gawin,” the President said, stressing the need to prevent excessive disruption to commuters.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon added that the President has directed the shortening of the proposed two-year rehabilitation to just six months, aiming for a faster yet efficient overhaul of the 23.8-kilometer EDSA stretch. The ₱8.7-billion project is set to introduce flood-mitigation measures, a 24-hour odd-even traffic scheme, and toll-free access to certain Skyway Stage 3 sections.
A 2014 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and NEDA had estimated daily traffic losses in Metro Manila at ₱2.4 billion—a figure that experts say is likely even higher now.
