I agree with PAL president Ramon Ang’s remarks that our country may never get an upgrade from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to the prevalence of birds and the resulting bird strikes near and around Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Inquirer, 9/3/12). Nowhere in the world can you find a bird sanctuary so near and so close to an airport, only in the Philippines.
Moreover, the bird sanctuary puts the lives of local and international airplane passengers at risk anytime of the day.
Aesthetics-wise, the small mangrove forest beside the Coastal Road in Las Piñas, with heaps of garbage strewn all over its surroundings, is an eyesore to motorists and passersby.
For an upgrade to Category 1 status and for Philippine tourism to flourish, the bird sanctuary should be sacrificed by the government and concerned environmentalists.
—PEDRO REFUERZO JR.,
jn_refuerzo@yahoo,com