MANILA - The Manila International Airport Authority on Thursday assured airport employees affected by the privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be given incentives on top of salary increases with their transfer to the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp.

The Department of Transportation earlier assured that personnel of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) will still have their jobs once the government turns over the operations and maintenance of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. on September 14.

MIAA Spokesperson Atty. Chris Bendijo  in a televised briefing said affected employees will be given a 25 percent increase in their basic salary.

“Number two, mayroon po silang matatanggap na signing bonus, which is two times the monthly basic salary that they have, times number of years minus the retirement benefit that they will be getting at mayroon din po tayong separation incentive pay para nang sa ganoon naman po, iyong mga lilipat po sa pribadong sektor ay mayroon naman po silang kahit papaano baon na cash incentive,” MIAA Spokesperson Atty. Chris Bendijo said in a televised briefing.

“Now, we even with that offer ‘no, alam naman din po natin, mayroon din pong mga empleyado na ayaw pong lumipat sa pribadong sektor at kung sakaling ito po iyong desisyon ng ating mga empleyado, ang MIAA naman po ay magkakaroon ng obligasyon na number one, either hanapan po sila ng available position sa ibang ahensiya ng ating pamahalaan or number two, kung mayroon pa pong available na position dito sa MIAA na kanilang puwedeng gampanan, puwede rin naman po nating ialok sa kanila ito,” he continued.

“Definitely po, we can assure everybody that we really want to avoid iyon pong mawawalan ng trabaho.”

Bendijo says NAIA personnel whose employment will be transferred to the private concessionaire have signed their employment contract earlier this week.

“Patuloy rin po ang ating mga coordination sa mga local government units dahil nga po magiging pribado na iyong mag-o-operate ng ating terminal, pati rin po iyong ating ugnayan sa ating private concessionaire, ang New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation, ay patuloy po nating ginagawa para po masigurado natin na come turnover itong September 14 ay wala pong disruption na mangyayari, tuluy-tuloy po ang ating operation. At patuloy naman po ang MIA ‘no na nakaalalay po dito, gagampanan po natin ang ating bagong role as regulator sa pagpapatakbo ng ating paliparan,” he said.

The DOTr earlier said at least 77.5 percent of the employees of the MIAA have agreed on the employment offered by the San Miguel-led NNIC.

Transportation Undersecretary Roberto Lim said the airport police and other essential MIAA employees will be retained as organic personnel.