News that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will soon be utilizing facial recognition technology is eagerly anticipated by travelers. It is not only President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. nor the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are excited with this good news coming after the tragedy that happened in one of NAIA’s terminals last month but regular air travellers as well.

The facial recognition system is expected to be in place by December and will greatly benefit the OFWs travelling back to spend Christmas with their families in the country.  According to President Marcos Jr. the measure would minimize the hassle of carrying multiple documents and immigration process would be faster and more convenient.

The Chief Executive, accompanied by Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon and SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang visited the NAIA to inspect the transformation and on-going rehabilitation works in the country’s premier gateway under the NNIC.  He visited the Immigration Area, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Immigration Annex, OFW Lounge and OFW Rest Area, Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) area, and Arrival curbside area.

For his part, Secretary Dizon lauded Mr. Ang and NNIC for underwriting the cost of the facial recognition system.

“Since the turnover of the management and operations of NAIA to SMC subsidiary New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) last year, there have been many improvements reported in the media  and those shared by friends who experienced the impact of these upgrades during their recent travels,” Dizon said.

In the previous months, NNIC has improved the Immigration Area, the OFW Lounge, internet connectivity,  traffic system,  power supply system,  procured emergency vehicles,  increased the number of  “follow-me” vehicles, among others.

In the near future, the NNIC will also introduce advanced systems that will streamline airport operations after it partnered with a global leader in airport technology.

A new terminal, the NAIA Terminal 5 will rise at the site occupied by Philippine Village Hotel.  Demolition of the hotel structure is expected to be completed in five months according to earlier reports. RSA was quoted saying the construction of Terminal 5 can be finished in 30 months. It will host domestic flights and help decongest Terminal 2.

The rehabilitation of the NAIA is considered the fastest public-private partnership project being undertaken.   “This is the biggest PPP that the country has ever done. And by the way, this is the fastest that we were able to do,” the President said.

Following a vehicular crash last month, the departure drop-off zone at NAIA Terminal 1 now follows an updated parallel configuration.

Even as NNIC and RSA are busy with the NAIA rehabilitation, RSA and the SMC subsidiary extended assistance to the families of the injured and casualties. RSA and notably her daughter Cecille personally shouldered the medical expenses of the individuals who were injured and provide financial assistance to the families of those who died in the incident.

On another note,  the Million Trees Foundation, Inc. (MTFI) lauds SMC under RSA’s leadership for bagging two major awards in the 2025 Global Good Governance (3G) Awards.

SMC was recognized with the 3G Leadership Award in CSR and 3G Best Sustainability Reporting Award by the Cambridge-IFA based in the U.K. The CSR award commended SMC’s leadership in high-impact community programs, while the sustainability prize was for its detailed disclosures on environmental and social practices.

SMC was chosen over other global nominees and places the conglomerate at par with other sustainability leaders globally.

“To be counted among a distinguished line-up of globally recognized and successful companies is an honor. We thank Cambridge IFA behind the Global Good Governance Awards. As a company, we have also worked to grow not just in scale, but also in purpose — to be a force for good and help in nation-building,” RSA said.

The 3G Awards commends individuals, governments, public and private institutions and NGOs that demonstrate making governance and sustainability a strategic priority of their organizations.

Over the years, SMC’s commitment to integrate sustainable practices across all aspects of its business operations has been recognized by other award-giving organizations. The recognitions are testaments to SMC’s dedication to corporate governance, environment stewardship, and social responsibility.

“More than awards, they are reminders to stay true to our values, to run our businesses responsibly and to build a more inclusive and sustainable future,” RSA had said.

MTFI is privileged to have SMC as an institutional partner in the Foundation’s various projects on environment protection and sustainability.  Its endowment has financed the construction of the Multi-purpose Hall at the Million Trees Nursery and Eco-Learning Center inside the La Mesa Watershed compound.

Our goal of planting 15 million trees more by 2030 also gets a boost from several tree-planting initiatives of SMC and its subsidiaries throughout the country.

SMC’s environment protection programs also include rehabilitation of rivers like the Pasig River, Pampanga River, San Juan River and rivers in Pampanga and Bulacan as well as in Laguna.

Congratulations to SMC for its immense contribution to attain a sustainable development for the country!