The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) encourages all travelers to leave rudeness behind. With that, the government agency is embarking on a civility campaign called DisipliNAIA to combate unacceptable airport behavior.

The aim of the program is to encourage people to become good airport citizens and to raise awareness about good manners and right conduct among all airport users, whether it be MIAA employees and third-party partners to passengers, transport services, and even to well-wishers.

From following the rule of the yellow lines, proper queueing and following airport security protocols, to picking up one’s trash and taking back one’s bag so that someone can take a seat, DisipliNAIA aims to correct many issues and problems airport users are dissatisfied about in the airport.

The brainchild of MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal, DisipliNAIA is a campaign to return to Filipino positive values, especially respect for other people and mindfulness of one’s action at all times.

“We are going back to basics—basics in a sense na gawin natin ang tama, gawin ang nararapat, even when nobody is watching, even without people telling us what to do,” he said. “There may be cynics who would say that the initiative might not take off. Fine, but the important thing is we are doing something, we are responding to the demand of the times. Culture is difficult to change because as we all say, that’s what we grew up with. But if we are all in this together, nothing is impossible to achieve.”

Believing that discipline should start from home, the MIAA will conduct regular civility and service excellence workshops among thousands of its employees, partners, and stakeholders.

“There’s no intention of giving out memos,” says Monreal. “That’s the reason why we’re having this DisipliNAIA. Even without penalties or sanctions, we should take upon ourselves our own responsibility to comply with what is required of us.”

Airport users will also see many posters, videos, and billboards to remind them that they are in the DisipliNAIA zone, and as such must observe respect and mindfulness towards other people and towards airport facilities.

From January to June 2019, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) saw traffic of over 60,000 international flights and 76,000 domestic flights, equivalent to 12.7 million international flight passengers and 11.6 domestic flight passengers.