Snaking lines, shabby departure lounges and congested runways are the few perils of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Being named as one of the world’s worst airport has prompted President Benigno Aquino III, who’s father the airport is named after, to finally review the country’s crumbling infrastructure as it attempts to become one of Asia’s top performers.
The recent flooding also found citizens urging the government to invest in flood-preventive infrastructure. The current situation in airports shows underlying signs of ‘chronic underinvestment’ in the Philippine economy. However, economists said that corruption, bureaucratic red-tape and poor infrastructure have hindered local and foreign investment. President Aquino’s efforts to battle corruption have led to a series of credit-rating upgrades, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Philippine president also pledged, in his State of the Nation Address just last month, to boost tourism by developing infrastructure such as rail links, expressways and new airports that will be funded by the country’s state-run pension fund, worth 50 million pesos ($1.2 billion). His top policy priority, to develop Manila’s international airports, remains one of the biggest challenges.
