Charles Teves
Filipinos have rejected the proposal of renaming the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to the Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport after Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. filed a bill seeking to do so.
On June 30, House Bill (HB) No. 610 was filed, the same day Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines.
The proposed Act shall be known as “An (Act) Renaming the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport.”
Teves said the airport was constructed during Marcos Sr.’s term.
Teves said it is only right to name the country’s main terminal to Marcos Sr. because it was constructed during his time. The late Marcos served as president from 1965 to 1986.
“It is more appropriate to rename it to the person who has contributed to the idea and execution of the said noble project. This project was done during the time of the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.,” the bill’s explanatory note read.
The late dictator served from 1965 to 1986 as president. The country’s main terminal was under construction in 1947 under the administration of President Manuel Roxas. It was initially used as a United States Air Force base and later renamed Manila International Airport.
So, the airport was there in 1948. Marcos didn’t build it.
— Miss Maggie (@MiaMagdalena) July 5, 2022
Teves was on record calling the dictator “one of the best, if not the best, President” the Philippines ever had.
If the bill is enacted, the renaming will happen 15 days after being published in the Official Gazette.
The MIA was renamed NAIA under the administration of former President Corazon Aquino in 1987. Her husband was assassinated on the airport’s tarmac in 1983.
Past attempts to rename the airport haven’t been realized.
Upon learning of the proposal, the public couldn’t believe the new administration was prioritizing renaming the airport when other pressing issues were more paramount.
https://twitter.com/mark_nikolai/status/1544687206731657216?s=20&t=ZcPLDclIocXzZR1NNY3YZg
Marcos Magnanakaw International Airport
— Trolly Aguitar (@TrollyAguitar) July 6, 2022
https://twitter.com/ethanreddavid/status/1544672931955224576?s=20&t=ZcPLDclIocXzZR1NNY3YZg
Changing NINOY Aquino Intl to Marcos intl Airport, the first NASTY mistake Marcos Jr will do. ABUSING his power for personal reasons
— Peter N. Ibanez (@Admrpeter22) July 6, 2022
Tricia Robredo shared the same sentiment as most netizens.
Tricia Robredo, daughter of former Vice President Leni Robredo, reacts to the proposal of Negros Oriental Rep Arnolfo Teves Jr. to rename the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Ferdinand E Marcos International Airport.
Related story: https://t.co/B9bo9QzFgh pic.twitter.com/s1oicbcSGn
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) July 6, 2022
Even the supporters of the late dictator do not want the airport named after him.
Kahit kaming mga Marcos Loyalists don't like the idea of changing NAIA to FEMIA. We want its original apolitical name, MIA(Manila International Airport) or better yet PIA(Philippine International Airport).
— Sir-Al-Cee (@AlfonsoCorpuz) July 5, 2022
Stop this nonsense bill seeking to change the name of the Ninoy Aquino Int’l Airport to Ferdinand E Marcos Intl Airport! Stop naming public venues and streets after politicians! Just rename the airport to Manila International Airport! Stop the lunacy in the Philippines!
— ilda (@ilda_talk) July 5, 2022
There is no question that Pres. Marcos inherited a faulty Philippine economy, so the news about renaming the airport seems insensitive to the public. Last month, the inflation rate in the country rose to 6.1 percent. The last time it was this high was in November of 2018.
Other regions such as the Cordillera Administrative Region and Central Luzon currently suffer a much higher inflation rate at 7.5 percent.
Meanwhile, gas and diesel prices jumped by a whopping 53.9 percent and 92.5 percent, respectively.
