Of airports and legacies

Every Filipino, whether visitors to the Queen City of the South or not; Cebuano or otherwise; traveling for business or pleasure, can take pride in this masterpiece of a gateway.

The first thing that will catch one’s eye is the wooden roof with wave-like curves, supported by towering Y-shaped steel pillars; imagine Noah’s ark, but inverted. It’s a reminder of one favorite beach with its curves mimicking the waves of the sea or the finely-woven crafts, including the famed banig that Cebu has been producing for centuries.

I am referring to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) Terminal 2, operated by GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC). The airport is touted as the “World’s Friendliest Resort Airport,” and I finally experienced the new terminal four years since the terminal opened its doors to the public in July 2018.

The rave is real. This is one Philippine airport passengers will happily look forward to experiencing. You can leave the airport anxiety outside because here, you can simply enjoy an efficient and comfortable time.

The height of the wave-shaped roofs, whose bottom stands six meters above ground, form parallel lines running the length of the whole terminal.

There’s a skylight in the middle where light seeps through, or if you’re flying out at night, you might be lucky to see a star-studded evening sky.

Because of the high ceiling, you feel an atmosphere of “airiness.” It’s a place you feel you can breathe and not feel congested – as airports should be, right?

But as you look up, don’t forget to look down, too.

The flooring of Terminal 2, says Andrew Acquaah-Harrison, chief executive advisor at MCIA, resembles fine sand found on the beaches of Cebu with real Mother of Pearl shells embedded in the polished concrete floor.

These shells glisten under the sun on some days, especially when the sun is scorchingly bright, says Andrew.

Glulam

The most distinctive physical feature of the airport though is still the ceiling. One is reminded of European industrial architecture in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century – with the efficient use of iron and glass, for example.

There’s a lot of wood – glued laminated timber or glulam in particular, with its warm colors – a cool toned shade of blonde and cappuccino brown.

In industry parlance, glulam is a stress-rated engineered wood beam composed of wood laminations or “lams,” that are bonded together with moisture-resistant and strong structural adhesives.

“Pound for pound, glulam is stronger than steel and has greater strength and stiffness than comparably sized dimensional lumber,” according to the Engineered Wood Association, a US-based trade group.

It is versatile, from simple to curved, from straight to complex.

Science

Beyond aesthetics, there’s a lot of science in this terminal.

It starts at the departure area. The driveway is designed in such a way that cars don’t pile up.

There’s a link bridge from the driveway to the airport for well-wishers, with a bridge canopy made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, a fluorine-based plastic designed to have high corrosion resistance and strength over varying temperatures.

This, Andrew explains, results in more visibility and protection for both passengers and their families from the elements.

The escalators in the terminal create a flat platform of four steps at both the top and the bottom, which is seemingly simple, but absolutely convenient for travelers as it gives enough space for luggage.

The security counters are also automated; you don’t have to wait for the trays to be handed back to you.

World-class gateway

MCIA Terminal 2 reminded me of gateways abroad – seamless and efficient, and I hope we see more of this in our local and international airports.

My trip to Cebu was a quick weekend trip to visit my grandfather’s grave in what turned out to be an old decrepit and dirty maze-like public cemetery, which I am sure has seen better days.

He was a war veteran, my late grandfather. The Philippines of his time must have been starkly different. Cebu itself has gone through changes through the decades. Perhaps, he will no longer recognize it. Sprawling rice fields and land as far as the eye can see are now filled with towering office buildings, malls, and resorts.

What airport or seaport did they use in his time? I wonder, too. For sure, it’s certainly nothing like the gateways we have in the country now.

But this is how it is to be in a constantly changing, turning, and moving world, and today’s generation must constantly improve life, structure, and things of decades past.

There’s still a lot of work to do. An airport is just one. It isn’t just a simple project, and it’s certainly more than just a business.

It’s a legacy, and if the government does it right – not just in Cebu, but elsewhere in the country – then it leaves a great and lasting legacy for generations and generations of Filipinos to come.

Iris Gonzales’ email address is [email protected].

Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at eyesgonzales.com