Terminal 1

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has four separate terminals located along the border of Pasay and Parañaque cities. One is the Domestic Terminal. Terminal 2, better known as the Centennial Terminal because it was finished during the 100th anniversary of the Philippine declaration of independence, is for the exclusive use of Philippine Airlines. Terminal 3, which just opened this year and is the most controversial because of construction and legal issues which haven't been completely resolved yet, is currently being used by Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines and PAL Express. And this is Terminal 1, which is for all other international carriers. I took this from the air-conditioned upper floor of the waiting area the night that my sister and nieces arrived. The covered pedestrian walk links the waiting area to the arrivals area, which has large signs with the alphabet on them—the idea is, if you're an arriving passenger and someone's picking you up, you wait under the sign with your surname's initial. Duty Free Philippines has a small shop there in case you forgot to buy pasalubong (gifts) for your host, family or friends. Above the shop—where the flags and globes of light are—is the departure area. Unless I'm the one traveling, I absolutely hate going to that level—it means that yet another of the people I love is leaving. My sister and nieces flew out yesterday afternoon. I miss their laughter already.