Like this:

it’s funny that my devotions for the day is about waiting. i often feel like i’ve been waiting all my life for something or another. as a daughter of a pilot, we get nearly free tickets– it’s just that we’re chance passengers and lately, i’ve been finding myself on standby just to see if i made it to the flight that i want. so far, i’ve just been bumped off a flight once, right now at the mactan international airport. i don’t mind, because we’re on the waiting list for the next flight, thirty minutes from now, so i’ll find out if we made it to that.

it has only occurred  to me (and my sisters) yesterday morning, that the waiting area for the passengers in the NAIA 2 airport were not well thought out. imagine, waiting for over an hour, seated on un-cushioned metal benches right in front of a huge aircon vent in full blast. it’s hypothermia waiting to happen. our body-warmth couldn’t compete with the continuous assault of cold air, and there was nowhere else to wait at, unless we’d rather sit on the colder marble floor.

whoever designed that airport was brilliant, has good modern tastes, and apparently, has never had to wait for a flight before. because that hour of waiting in the NAIA 2 domestic terminal was the most uncomfortable hour i’ve ever had to spend anywhere. i had to go to the toilets to warm-up under the hand dryer.

if i were going to design a waiting area, i would make it as comfortable as possible. waiting is hard enough, i should know, and in this country, punctuality is an under-appreciated virtue since no one’s there to appreciate it, so i always end up waiting. airport benches would be cushioned, with a comfortable temperature, has a TV in an educational or news channel, have drinks available, and would have a lot of electrical outlets. i don’t think putting newspapers and magazines would be good, since they would be likely stolen. i would make waiting a pleasure– for people to take that time to meditate and relax– but without encouraging idleness or loitering.

OVER-ALL GRADE: F

LAST WORDS AND RECOMMENDATION: if you’re expecting to wait at the NAIA 2 terminal, i would suggest you bring your own cushion, and a heavy jacket, and even a beanie to protect yourself from the cold.

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