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I read an undated article online that talked about the changes in the hours of operation at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport. It also touched on the efforts by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to improve the lighting in the airport’s parking area for the safety and security of its users, as recommended by the OIC of the CAAP in Dumaguete.
Also, according to the article, the airport recently acquired two brand-new Oshkosh Striker fire trucks. Considering the size, and not too much the needs at this airport, an Oshkosh Striker 1500 is an exceptionally reliable firetruck to have. If it is maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, it should remain in service for a long time. The article was somewhat dated but the things I will talk about here are currently relevant.
While lights and fire trucks are a necessity, this article was written to bring forward things at this airport that have seemingly been neglected.
In October 2018, I walked into the office of the CAAP OIC to complain about the fact that the welcome sign that greets the public as they enter the airport is faded. It has been there for years but has never had a new coat of paint or, better still, been replaced. On either side of the sign, vegetation has grown, and threatens to obscure the sign in a little more time.
Ordinarily, this would be overlooked by anyone coming into the airport, if not for the ₱20.00 they collect from motorists who come to pick up arriving passengers. When I asked the official at that office at that time, as to where that money went, he replied that it went into maintenance.
Well, doesn’t the sign require maintenance, too? He couldn’t answer that.
I told him I was willing to bet that by the time I came back to Dumaguete in 2019, that sign would still have been untouched. He smiled in disagreement.
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Then I told him that I was also willing to bet that at that very instant, if I were to go into any of the public restrooms at the terminal, I would not find toilet paper in all the stalls. He didn’t have a reaction to that. Whether he agreed or disagreed, it would have been a huge gamble on his part.
He then tried to hand me a small piece of paper, suggesting that I write my complaint down so he can give it to his boss. I asked him if that was better than me actually telling him so he can personally tell his boss the seriousness of my complaint? He smiled again.
A couple of days later, I was with a pilot friend. We talked about airplanes, and the conversation went into the complaint I made at the airport, then he mentioned the terminal fee.
I have travelled in and out of this airport myself but never thought much of the ₱150.00 terminal fee that all passengers have to cough up. The fee is included in the ticket, that’s why passengers are not too aware of it.
The airlines remit this money to the government. I guess this is their way of making it painless.
Yes, what about the terminal fee? Being conscious of this now is a shock because, while it may be forgivable that they could not do much with the ₱20.00 gate fee, it is utterly unforgivable that each flight of approximately 165 passengers, netting up to ₱24,750 in terminal fees, still isn’t enough.
Considering that there are anywhere from four to six flights daily, that equates to anywhere from ₱99,000 to ₱148,500 everyday that planes fly out of the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport.
Note that both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific operate the Airbus A320 or similar–165-passenger capacity, thereabouts.
In the case of Cebu Pacific, they have reduced the leg room considerably to fit more seats. If you are anywhere from five feet 11 inches, to over six feet tall, you’d have to crunch your knees against the back of the seat infront of you, or ask your seat neighbors if you could park them in their space, although you’d have be spreadeagled to do so.
Now, hopefully, you can see that the amount of money made is considerable if all we want is a nice welcome sign that needs only to be maintained once every year, maybe; some vegetation that needs trimming every three months, maybe; grass mowing/trimming; and of course, restroom maintenance that includes toilet paper holders and toilet paper.
But they couldn’t even do that.
If there ever was a script that all government officials follow, it would be similar to this: “Yes, we collect a fee, but it does not come directly to us. We just get an appropriation, a budget, and we’d have to work with that allocation. It’s not so simple.”
As the public, we only care about how they use the money we pay them.
I think they owe it to us to provide us with the best-looking, cleanest, and most functional facilities. At the very least, the very minimum, they should at least keep the restrooms clean, functional, and well stocked.
The day I left, almost a week after I walked into that office to complain, I went into the men’s room, and snapped some pictures. You judge for yourself.
On two other occasions since, I’ve been to the terminal and each time, I made it a point to go into the men’s room just to see if anything had been done with them. Nothing’s been done.
I am not even going to include later pictures here because they look exactly the same as the ones taken before.
It really makes me wonder if these managers have been chosen because of their inherent abilities to manage, or only because they have special degrees and qualifications which, in this case, means absolutely diddly-squat.
I believe it is perfectly fine to show visitors most aspects of our lives as Filipinos, except our concept of sanitation.
To me it is absolutely ridiculous that we are educated, act sophisticated, and cultured, etc., and then think it’s okay that our restrooms do not have good running water, no toilet paper, no hand dryers or paper towels, and where the toilets do not flush.
If it’s any consolation for the CAAP management, it’s not only the airport that has such pitiful deficiencies but ALMOST all government buildings.
The government loves it when it has a new building, its officials clawing at each other for credit, posing for photographs while proudly cutting the ribbon, their smiles immortalized in color. Years later, when the paint fades and the fixtures start falling apart, no one cares, even at the cost of their pride. But what pride, huh?
Last Monday, we flew out of Dumaguete. While waiting in the pre-departure area, I saw that the side of the room where the restroom doors were, was now covered by a temporary plywood barrier; behind it, construction was obviously going on from the sound of drills and hammers and the loud voices of construction workers.
They are renovating the restrooms. How exciting.
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A sign advised passengers to use the restrooms in the check-in area. I had to go, so I grabbed my ticket, and went back out there. I’ve never used the restroom in the check-in area before. I wondered if it was in better shape than the one in the pre-departure area that they were now renovating.
I was totally appalled at what I saw. It was worse and the smell was just atrocious. I held my breath while in there, and hurried out. I didn’t bother to use the sink because I had some hand sanitizer in my hip bag, anyway.
I consider this a pride breaker–an embarrassment to us all as educated, sophisticated, and cultured Filipinos.
Whew! How can we make these public officials help us keep our chins up, and present ourselves as civilized enough to have already developed salubrious habits?
For most first-time visitors, the airport passenger terminal will be their first look at Dumaguete City. For some, their first impression of the City will be formed there. It would be nice if we can make that first impression one of beauty and cleanliness, a reflection of our pride.
This is the way it is now. I am excited to see the way it would be after the renovation work.
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Author’s email: [email protected]
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