The argument that developing countries should prioritize functional infrastructure improvements (longer runways, basic capacity) over prestige projects (showcase terminals), because practical investments have higher economic multiplier effects through increased accessibility and lower costs. ## Core Insight Cebu Pacific CEO Michael B. Szucs's "don't build a Changi" statement captures a critical infrastructure philosophy: **function over form**. Longer runways in provincial airports would allow larger aircraft to operate, which: 1. **Increases capacity** — More passengers per flight 2. **Reduces fares** — Economies of scale lower per-passenger costs 3. **Attracts airlines** — More viable routes become profitable 4. **Brings tourists** — Lower barriers to provincial tourism 5. **Distributes growth** — Economic benefits spread beyond Manila/Cebu ## The Prestige vs. Pragmatism Tradeoff | Prestige Approach | Pragmatic Approach | |---|---| | Showcase terminals (Changi-style) | Longer runways in provincial airports | | High cost, concentrated benefit | Lower cost, distributed benefit | | Political visibility | Economic multiplier | | Single-point improvement | Network-wide upgrade | ## Philippine Context The Philippine context sharpens this argument: - [[Corruption-Driven Infrastructure Freeze]] — Infrastructure spending already constrained by governance concerns - Provincial airports as growth bottleneck — limited runway length restricts aircraft size - Tourism-dependent regional economies need air access, not architectural statements ## Cross-Domain Applications - **Economic Policy**: Function-over-form principle applies broadly to public infrastructure investment - **First-Principles Thinking**: What actually increases passenger throughput? Runways, not terminals - **Personal Strategy**: Applies to personal infrastructure too. Invest in functional capacity, not impressive appearance ## Related Concepts - [[Corruption-Driven Infrastructure Freeze]] — Why Philippine infrastructure spending is constrained - [[Make-or-Break Economic Year]] — 2026 as pivotal for infrastructure recovery - [[BPO AI Disruption Complacency]] — Provincial infrastructure enabling distributed economic development ## Source - **[[3 Archives/Readwise/Documents/"Let's not think that we've got to build a Changi.".md|"Let's not think that we've got to build a Changi."]]** — InsiderPH reporting Cebu Pacific CEO Michael B. Szucs at Aviation Leadership Summit, Singapore Airshow, February 3, 2026 — https://x.com/insiderphdotcom/status/2018655896356937828/