Self-flagellation and more at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

OK, we have already absorbed the news that our international airport in Manila is the fourth-worst airport in the world. Reams have been written excoriating the conditions that make it so, in newspapers, online rants and political speeches. We have been properly mortified.

In all fairness, since this categorization, some improvements have been made like better restrooms, simpler security procedures without compromising safety, general comfort with air-conditioning working, the airport equipment operating, etc. True, these are recent events after all the criticism before.

Now the move to privatize it has begun, and it is hoped it will be the success it promises to be by elevating our airport to the status of the airports of our Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) neighbors, other Asian countries and the current modern world of air travel at last.

We are talking of physical improvements, but we also desperately hope that the culture of the airport experience will be similarly elevated from its current status. We mean the people who staff it need improvement.

With all the seemingly promising moves taken, we should now stop our self-flagellation at any minor glitch, or visible rat or bedbug bite that may have occurred and just address the issue and find the solution without making it seem to be apocalyptic

Similarly and more essentially, let us take simple but effective solutions that remove opportunities for corruption, which unfortunately has been the culture we know from there over the years.

From planting bullets, to stealing watches, to swallowing filched currency, to asking for bribes, to trafficking. And there is more behind the scenes.

As for the current hysteria over cockroach/rat intrusions, one need only call the attention of the pest control services under contract with the airport, and make them provide the solution. There is no need to cancel the contract, fire the pest control company and look for another one. Because that is where the fun begins for those who know how to do it for their benefit.

Similarly, if bedbugs were found in furniture, use the proper disinfectant, spray, insect repellent to do away with them.

The same for any other pests. One rat and one cockroach were reportedly seen, and the hue and cry seems to indicate an epidemic. It is not. We are a tropical country, these creatures are bound to be around, all we need is to control them with the modern means of scientific and practical methods available.

And please, no need for a congressional investigation with grandstanding questions, punished airport officials and lurid headlines of infestation. This is a puerile drama that no one needs.

If the insect/rat intrusions are not handled in a pragmatic way, there will be worse to come than bedbugs, rats and whatever else. I mean taxpayers’ money used wantonly and self-servingly to supposedly solve the problem by giving new contracts.

Already, we have heard a move has been made to change all the chairs because of the bedbugs seen in a few of them. This step was attempted and turned down before the bedbug headlines. It is a wonder why the bedbug news came after the new chair proposal was turned down. Could it be to reinforce the need for new chairs?

And if the contracts of the exterminators are canceled and changed for new ones for one rat, one cockroach and bedbugs, expect chicanery in the process. In fact, metaphorical extermination of some recidivists of graft may be the better option.

Unfortunately, despite the new and improved physical changes, the culture of airport corruption remains latent. Everyone knows there are vested interests there that will do everything to keep their interests safe and profitable. These vested interests using disgruntled employees sanctioned for their offenses, managed to oust a reformist manager through the Ombudsman not long after he initiated reforms.

Is it karma or just desserts that this reformist manager may come back with the new airport concessionaire? That possibility may bring the latent corruption to rise to feverish activity if happy days for some are about to end.

Meanwhile, I just took a trip to Iloilo and back, and everything was seamless. The escalators worked, the baggage came out within 10 minutes, and the atmosphere was quiet and efficient. No bedbug bit me, no rat made its presence seen or felt and no cockroach became visible despite everyone eating and drinking all around the departure area.

It is not that they are not there because this is a tropical country where the warmth favors them and they are here. And by the way, cockroaches are said to be able to survive even nuclear bombs. In this light, all that can be done is to control them with the modern means at our disposal, if seen or bothered by them, as one does in one’s own house in this tropical country.

So, enough said about one rat, one cockroach and bedbugs. But everything to be said about the expectation of a new culture of honesty and pragmatism in the coming new facility. Meanwhile, hold on to sanity, honesty and common sense.