MANILA, Philippines – Just weeks after taking over the operations of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the San Miguel-led New NAIA Infra Corporation (NNIC) has already hiked parking rates sharply, with the overnight fee surging to four times the previous amount.
An internal memo, dated September 30, shows that NNIC has increased parking rates as follows, effective Tuesday, October 1:
| New rates | Cars | Motorcycles | Buses |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 2 hours | P50 | P20 | P100 |
| Succeeding hours (per hour) | P25 | P10 | P50 |
| Overnight parking (every 24 hours) | P1,200 | P480 | P2,400 |
According to the memo signed by NNIC general manager Angelito Alvarez, the adjustments are intended to “ensure continued maintenance and improvements” to airport facilities. Notices showing the same fees were also plastered in the airport’s parking areas.
The steep increase is most evident in the overnight parking rate for cars, which jumped from P300 to P1,200, a 300% rise.
Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) spokesperson Chris Bendijo explained that the agency only has regulatory control over the first two hours of parking fees, with NNIC having discretion over subsequent charges.
“Really, it is determined by the concessionaire, and alam ‘nyo naman kapag nagpapatakbo tayo ng negosyo (you know that when you’re running a business, it’s) market-driven,” Bendijo said in an interview with DZBB.
MIAA previously managed the operations of NAIA, but control has since shifted to a consortium led by San Miguel Corporation after it won the bid to rehabilitate and operate the country’s primary international gateway for up to 25 years. Despite the change in management, MIAA continues to serve as the airport’s regulatory body.
Bendijo said the new airport operator should “take into consideration” the public outcry against the jump in parking rates, “perhaps in making a few adjustments moving forward.”
“Kung talaga naman pong sobrang taas, baka naman wala nang gumamit ng pasilidad,” he added.
(If the rates are perceived as too high, this might discourage people from using the facility altogether.)
Bendijo also suggested that the steep parking charges might be an attempt to prevent the use of parking spaces by “colorum” vehicles — illegally operated public transport units that sometimes occupy parking slots for long periods.
San Miguel tycoon Ramon Ang has promised to improve parking facilities at the airport, with plans to construct new infrastructure that will more than double the parking capacity of Terminals 1 and 3. These improvements are sorely needed, given the deteriorating state of the existing facilities — so much so that, in April, a fire broke out in the Terminal 3 parking lot, destroying 19 vehicles.
NNIC has yet to release a statement regarding the parking rate hike. The new airport operator is also set to sharply increase terminal fees for domestic and international passengers starting September 2025. (READ: NAIA now turned over to San Miguel’s group. Here’s what to expect.) – Rappler.com
