By Robina Asido

The newest 24-hour transit hotel and spa operated by Jipang Group of Companies, a Japanese-owned corporation, formally opened its doors at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday.

The grand opening of the Wings Transit Hotel and Spa on Tuesday was witnessed by the Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, New NAIA Infra Corp. vice president Cecille Ang and the officers of Jipang Group of Companies, led by its founder Koichi Matsuda and his family.

As he welcomed the guests during the ceremony, Patrick Del Rosario, group operations manager of the Wings Transit Hotel and Spa said that their facility is "more than just a hotel" but it is also "a haven designed for travelers seeking rest, refreshment, and genuine Japanese - Filipino hospitality."

Calixto-Rubiano welcomed the opening of the Wings Transit Hotel and Spa in Pasay City, noting that its presence at NAIA Terminal 3 "provides travelers with a convenient space where they can rest, refresh, and recharge."

"Pasay City has been the gateway. Every day, we welcome travelers from different parts of the Philippines and from all over the world. Whether people are starting their vacation or returning home to their families," she said.

"Facilities like this help make travel a little easier. And more blessed. At the same time, every new establishment that opens in Pasay contributes to the growing growth of our local economy. especially since we are in route to our city's journey towards becoming a smart, sustainable, and eco-city," she added.

In her message, Ang expressed confidence that with the opening of the Wings Transit Hotel and Spa at the NAIA Terminal 3, the recreational ranking of the airport will surely improve.

"Our ranking when it comes to FNB (food and beverage) has actually gone up because of the new restaurants. But one thing that hasn't gone up yet is really the recreational component. And I'm sure with this Wings opening, that metric will finally be okay," she said.

In an interview with the Philippines Shimbun, Kaycee Matsuda-Cusi, director Of External Affairs of the Jipang Group of Companies confirmed that the Wings Transit Hotel and Spa located at the 4th floor of NAIA Terminal 3 is the only branch their company have opened so far in the country.

"The wings is actually the flagship of the Transit Hotel and Spa. We only have one Wings because we want to prioritize quality and it needs attention and really, we're still refining the processes and facilities. So we only have one for now, but we hope that we can open more soon," she said.

"Given the opportunity, We very much welcome the chance to open in other places in the Philippines also. We want to bring, we think that particularly because of the demands of travel, the demographics have completely changed. People don't travel just to get from one place to another. They want to enjoy the whole experience. And people seek those same joys of traveling even if that's in Palawan or Cebu. So we hope that we can get the opportunity to bring that uplifting travel experience to them as well," she added.

Aside from the resting facilities and spa, Matsuda-Cusi said the facility also offers popular Japanese alcoholic beverages like Shochu and "small batches of Sake".

"I'd like to highlight our own Kochi. We actually, our Japanese farmers, are the ones who grow the rice from Pinamalayan, Mindoro, which is where the most fragrant rice in the Philippines is developed. We make small batches of our sake, and Shochu," she said. PHS