MCIA division managers support embattled exec

CEBU, Philippines — Claiming that the charges against embattled Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) general manager Steve Dicdican were unfounded, airport officials rally behind their boss and asked the National Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss the charges.

“I hope that the NBI and the Ombudsman will put the lives of the Cebuanos first and let GM Dicdican lead the airport while the battle against COVID-19 is ongoing.  For me, preventively suspending a proven leader is not the most appropriate action, at least not at the moment,” said MCIAA assistant general manager Glenn Napuli.

Armando Radoc, manager of the Administrative Department and officer-in-charge of Airport Police Force Division, said that Dicdican is an indefatigable leader and a truly well-rounded manager of the MCIA in all areas of business and functions - be it security and safety, technology and equipment, human resources, and overall operations.

“Not even the pandemic hindered his pursuit towards MCIAA's continuous development. It is very unfortunate that GM Steve's leadership of the MCIAA during this critical time is being threatened,” Radoc said.

Gerard Montecillo, manager of Corporate Planning Division, said Dicdican raised the bar of performance-driven leadership.

Dicdican, he said, is goal-oriented, pro-active, approachable and empowering and motivates them to do more for the development of the agency and its people.

For Maria Lilibeth Antepuesto, manager of the Human Resource Management Division, described Dicdican is a visionary and a dynamic leader who knows how to achieve his big dreams for the airport.

During this pandemic, Antepuesto said Dicdican continues to work hard to help jumpstart the economy, helping to make sure that the opportunity to provide jobs is available.

Engr. Achilles Ponce, manager of the Engineering Department, said they fondly call GM Steve as their 'Kuya'.

“Albeit young, he knows how to push us to our limits. And when the going gets tough, he never ceases to save us, guide us, even on personal issues. By far, he is a true leader and gentleman, the best MCIAA's ever had,” Ponce said.

The airport division managers made their declaration of “wholehearted commitment and support for Dicdican” on MCIAA Facebook account with hash tags #IStandForDignityDevelopmentPerformance and #IStandWithGMSteve.

Napuli told The Freeman that GMR-Megawide-Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) never, not even a single minute, operated the MCIA and what GMCAC has been partially operating is only the passenger terminals 1 and 2.

This is contrary to the allegations made by the NBI and Ombudsman that foreigners through GMCAC is managing and operating the MCIA and Dicdican allowed it.

He said that Dicdican was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte only in 2016, two years after the PPP project was awarded to GMCAC.

“GM Dicdican was never part of how the PPP contract was crafted as it was still during the time of former President Benigno Aquino in 2014 when it was signed and approved,” Napuli said.

He explained that GMCAC is only partially operating because MCIAA still retains the security and regulatory functions in all terminals and what the GMCAC does is purely the commercial aspects.

Napuli said it is still the MCIA authority that fixes the rates of the regulatory fees (Terminal Fee and Tacking Fee) for the use of T1 and T2; GMCAC officers and employees cannot enter the T1 and T2 without approval from MCIAA; and MCIAA issues policies and regulations that GMCAC will have to comply.

 “Contrary to the allegations, MCIAA with its 894 personnel (regular and outsourced) continues to operate and manage the airport and never GMCAC or any foreigner. COA would have issued disallowances have MCIAA not operated the airport and still paid 894 personnel monthly,” Napuli said.

Napuli said the allegations relied upon by the NBI and the Ombudsman that GMCAC operates and manages the airport is very wrong.

As of yesterday, the Ombudsman order dated December 16, 2020 placing Dicdican under six months preventive suspension has not been served yet.- FPL (FREEMAN)