The sky’s not the limit

The new Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Ed Monreal, a former Cathay Pacific Airways executive, knows the ins and outs of the airport’s Terminal 1. He saw it rise from the ground in the ‘80s and as station manager of Cathay, he virtually spent all his waking hours in the airport.

He, therefore, knew what was intrinsically wrong with it, and what it needed to be at par with the region’s other airports. His being, in his own words, a “former critic” of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was one of his best qualifications for the herculean task of running it.

Small wonder that when he was appointed as GM of the MIAA (which includes Terminals 1, 2 and 3),  he wanted the airport to be not just a hub but to be a structure of service to the airlines and its passengers. He turned his attention to the “tanim bala” scare, which was driving away tourists and making airlines nervous.

Monreal said those caught with bullets in their luggage were not detained like criminals — their possession of bullets was documented, and the bullets confiscated. And just like that, fewer and fewer cases of “tanim bala” surfaced. With no one in danger of being detained because of “tanim bala,” no one had to “bribe” anyone lest he miss his flight.

When complimented for the changes in NAIA, the more presentable surroundings — the humming air-conditioners, the cleaner bathrooms — Monreal said gallantly, “in fairness, those changes were started by the past administration.”

And when asked why NAIA had so many problems still, he said the bureaucracy was a major contributor to the headaches. “Even if you choose the lowest bidder for a project, you’re not free from future suits,” he shakes his head.

But having worked with an airline, and seen all its inherent operational challenges — from delays to lost luggage, from safety issues to passenger concerns — Monreal is on familiar ground at the NAIA.

There are plans to upgrade the runways (there are two) and to install navigational lights on the tarmac to guide planes upon touchdown. At present, it is the tower that guides approaching aircraft. He is certain there will be a new airport before the end of the Duterte administration, but is not certain where it will be — Sangley or Bulacan or another site. But it will likely be within a 10-km. radius of the business district.

The NAIA is also push-button ready for emergencies. About two months ago, a Middle Eastern carrier mistakenly radioed an emergency situation to the NAIA, and all systems were activated to respond to it — SWAT, ambulances, fire trucks. It turned out to be a hoax, and the involved airline was penalized. But the incident showed that the NAIA emergency teams were not sleeping on the job.

It is good that a former critic of the airport now runs it.

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Working in tandem with Monreal is Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines deputy director general Captain Manuel Antonio “Skee” Tamayo, a former Philippine Airlines executive and a senior pilot himself. He has flown six heads of state — Presidents Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Noynoy Aquino, Rodrigo Duterte and Pope Francis. He was the pilot-in-command during President Duterte’s trip to Peru for the APEC Summit.

His job is to make sure our skies are safe, and that our Category 1 Rating with the US Federal Aviation Administration and our pass for Philippine aircraft to fly to Europe are maintained.

This upgrade is attributed by Tamayo to the past CAAP board headed by Lt. Gen. William Hotchkiss. He continues to work with groups from both Boeing and Airbus, which give advice about the standards Philippine aircraft must keep if they are to continue being in Category 1.

“An upgrade doesn’t mean we stop there. We can always improve on our scores,” says Tamayo, whose most memorable flight ever was the return flight of Pope Francis from Tacloban to Manila as a storm was fast approaching the city.  (In fact, shortly after the Pope’s plane took off,  the next plane bearing government officials met an accident on the runway due to the bad weather. It was a total wreck.)

Composed, authoritative yet relaxed, Tamayo looks tailor-made to be in the controls of any high-pressure job. Jullie Yap Daza says that if she becomes Chief Executive, she will request that only Captain Tamayo fly the presidential plane.

Christmas at Essensa Towers

In keeping up with the holiday tradition and to further boost camaraderie, friendship and community spirit, Essensa recently held its annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the lobby of both the Lawton and Cameron Towers in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The celebration gathered together the apartment owners, residents and guests for a fun-filled evening with separate activities lined up for adults and children. The event also doubled as an early community Christmas party with Santa handing out gifts to the kids.

Present at the event were the officers of the Essensa East Forbes Condominium Corp. like president Bryan Cockrell, vice chairman Robert Sun, treasurer Gonzalo Ocampo and board members Amy Ward, Mary Anne Colayco  and Tami Leung.

Essensa was designed by renowned Pritzker Prize-winning architect, I. M. Pei, who is the architect behind the Louvre in Paris and the Bank of China in Hong Kong.

(You may e-mail me at [email protected].)