Monday, July 25, 2011

The Fine Art of Neglect

(Subtitle: Troubled Scenes from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1)

I usually travel abroad on Philippine Airlines so rarely do I get a glimpse of NAIA Terminal 1. On this trip though, I got a promo ticket via EVA Air. I traveled alone and I had a lot of time to look around. I just wanted to take a photo of the bathroom to see if there were positive results from the online clamor to get it renovated. But photographing that led me to inspect the stained chairs which brought my focus to the dirty carpets. After that, I couldn't stop, everywhere I looked there was soot, grime, and third-world solutions. Much has been said about the need to fix this historical eyesore, but I'll let these shots shout for me. 



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33 comments:

  1. Welcome to the Candie ShopJuly 26, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    your photos are beautiful! only you can make flaws look like art! haha

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  2. What I sawJuly 26, 2011 at 11:58 AM

    woow! that is one filthy airport!

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  3. AnonymousJuly 26, 2011 at 2:44 PM

    HUH TLGAN GANYAN NG ITSURA NG NAIA1 SOBRA NAMAN NAPABAYAAN

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  4. AnonymousJuly 26, 2011 at 5:22 PM

    made in the philippines

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  5. PaprikaJuly 26, 2011 at 8:18 PM

    The smudge (or what I think is smudge) on the left side of the 6th photo reminds me of a dinosaur.

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  6. Mona ChangJuly 27, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    hmmmm,,,naku grabe naman pala talaga ang sitwasyon ng NAIA 1,kung ganyan...sana maiayos na yung mga depektibong parte ng ating mga paliparan.

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  7. BobbyJuly 27, 2011 at 9:54 PM

    Naia earns approximately 8 billion pesos a year... Saan napupunta yan?

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  8. Jhon Mark RamosJuly 28, 2011 at 10:42 AM

    wow!!dapat bigyang pansin to ng gobyerno! PAGING PNOY!!

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  9. MiDniGHt DriVerJuly 28, 2011 at 10:42 AM

    ang bubungad sa mga turista....... napakagandang NAIA. FAIL!

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  10. jonalyn tolentinoJuly 28, 2011 at 10:44 AM

    yan ang pilipinas! :(

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  11. ZeeJuly 28, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    Only in the Philippines. hahaha!! No wonder NAIA is voted as one of the worst airport in the world.

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  12. AnonymousJuly 28, 2011 at 10:47 AM

    welcome to the philippines. hayy.. nakakalungkot ganyan nangyari sa airport natin. tsk

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  13. sweet_appleJuly 28, 2011 at 10:49 AM

    Nakakahiya. Airport is the 1st thing na makikita sa bansa natin..
    1st impression plang bagsak na.

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  14. UnknownJuly 28, 2011 at 10:50 AM

    This is why I prefer to have PAL or Cebu Pacific flights. Their [PAL and Cebu Pacific] airports are more spacious and comfortable than NAIA1. Parang haunted airport ung NAIA1.

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  15. AnonymousJuly 28, 2011 at 10:51 AM

    where do terminal fees go?

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  16. chi busqueJuly 28, 2011 at 10:53 AM

    Over super duper long due... Fix this airport please!!! i keep showing other countries with beautiful scenery of the Philippines then.. BAM! our airport sapul! baka mawalan na ng gana mga turista.

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  17. MelJuly 28, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    I wish the country could somehow find the resources to remedy this.... But in reality, it's time to close down Terminal 1 for good.

    After all, airports is where first impressions of the country are made.

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  18. the.anonymous.me.jopsJuly 28, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES... BERIGUD!

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  19. AnonymousJuly 28, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    Ewwww... Gross!

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  20. AnonymousJuly 28, 2011 at 11:02 AM

    not only the buildings but also with the imigration officers and other people who are working at NAIA 1.i got a tragic experience wirh one of the imigration officers there. the plane took off without me becauae the imigration officer who is sitting outside the airplanr gates. he is looking for my birth certificate a proof daw na relative q ang nanay ko.i already showed him my drivers license but still he refuses to let me in and to think na may departure na nakakatatak na sa passport q a sign that i was approved by the front desk imigration officers. and i heard dami fixers jan sa NAIA 1.hinihingan ng pera mga na ooff load. poor philippines

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  21. maja murijinJuly 28, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    I hope the government will do something about this soon. It doesn't have to be stylish if there is very little budget to work around with but at the very least well maintained and clean.

    http://talesofwanderingfootprints.blogspot.com

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  22. Memory TeeJuly 28, 2011 at 12:07 PM

    Bakit napabayaan ang NAIA 1? ang NAIA 3 ang ganda.. sana maayos na ito asap..

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  23. En RouteJuly 28, 2011 at 12:36 PM

    That is one decrepit airport. Hello, DOT! Stop worrying about your logo already. I think this entry's very strong in communicating the dismal state of NAIA 1.

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  24. AnonymousJuly 28, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    It looks like you had a photo shoot in an abandoned building!

    Y

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  25. firstwivesclubJuly 28, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    what an eyesore. tsk.

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  26. MusaJuly 28, 2011 at 1:29 PM

    Thanks for your violent reactions. I think the government, especially our dear president, needs to see what a liability NAIA 1 has become. First impressions count and once tourists see this, they will think the worst of us. We owe it to ourselves to have a great airport. We're a great country with millions of smiling people. This does not represent us.

    Millions of people pay to go through this airport. It's time that money went to good use.

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  27. MusaJuly 28, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    Hi Paprika, yes that's what I thought too. A dinosaur chasing a bird.

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  28. MusaJuly 28, 2011 at 1:31 PM

    Lastly, please spread the word but let's stay positive. I'm certain that once enough people talk about it- something will be done.

    I think we should turn NAIA1 into a museum. Retire, renovate, and repurpose!

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  29. AnonymousJuly 28, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    Partida implemented na ang 5S at naseminar na ang mga empleyado na MIAA nyan tungkol sa 5S. But still nothing has changed.

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  30. tianoAugust 2, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    i can attest, these fotos were not recent. most especially those pix at ramp area, window panes and ceilings and walls. these structures were already renovated or at least fixed. NAIA 1 and all of the NAIA terminals are now a sight to see and appreciate. sad to say most of those people commenting negatively about NAIA terminal 1 has not even seen the whole terminal.. (may masabi lang!) hehehe

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  31. MusaAugust 5, 2011 at 9:54 PM

    Hi Tiano, these photos were taken the day of my flight on July 22, 2011. Indeed, it was only the part of the terminal where I passed going into my gate. Perhaps, the rest has been fixed. However, it only takes one awful part to ruin a whole. Half a rotted onion is still a rotted onion.

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  32. AnonymousAugust 28, 2011 at 2:48 AM

    Hi Musa,

    Cool Name. Mr. President should have this cleaned first why? Yup, you got it because it is named after his Dad. And only a true friend can say, chong may muta ka sa ilong! Right? Right. Or maybe I mixed my metaphors. ;)

    Makoy

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  33. jayvee f.August 28, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    useless to renovate as they're scrapping NAIA within 5 years anyway.

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