STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON ANOTHER NAIA DISRUPTION

Nagka-long holiday lang, aberya nanaman?

When we held a senate investigation on disruptions at the NAIA, concerned government agencies assured us major problems like the one we experienced on New Year's Day won't happen again. Pangakong napako nanaman ang tugtugin.

One of the recent operational problems occured on January 1, a holiday. Today is May 1, Labor Day, another holiday. Coincidence lang ba na napupurnada ang lakad ng mga kababayan natin kapag mga araw ng bakasyon? May kaugnayan ba rito ang pinaplanong privatization ng NAIA? O talagang dinededma tayo ng mga pabayang namamahala sa NAIA kaya wala nang tamang pagpaplano para sa mga airport?

Ano pa man ang dahilan, malinaw na hindi uubra ang economic recovery na hinahangad natin matapos ang pandemya kung magpapatuloy ang ganitong mga kapalpakan!

I hope the flight cancellations won't affect the jobs of our OFWs, especially in destination countries where employers cancel contracts based on strict re-entry rules. In case this happens, it should be the duty of the government to negotiate on their behalf to ensure that their jobs are protected.