MANILA, Philippines - With the cause of a five-hour blackout still unknown, an official of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 has urged NAIA-3 authorities to consult a feng shui expert or geomancer to take away the “bad luck” that officials blamed for the problems that have hampered operations in the facility.

Some officials have expressed concern over the series of mishaps such as a collapsed ceiling, one death and another seriously injured when both victims jumped from the 3rd level of the airport on separate occasions, while a woman tried to hang herself from a staircase.

Two years ago, a security guard died inside the terminal after he was thrown off a motorcycle.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Jose Angel Honrado recently attributed to bad luck the blackout that hampered operations at the airport for five hours last Saturday night to Sunday morning.

The official, who refused to be identified, had recommended to NAIA-3 manager Octavio Lina to consult a feng shui expert.

Lina said he might suggest the idea to Honrado for approval.

The official said that the feng shui expert could identify what could be wrong with the building’s design and even exorcise the terminal of “evil spirits” with rituals to appease these spirits.

The source said that local shamans could be tapped to make sure they have covered all the bases.

Superstitious airport officials pointed out that when NAIA-3 was constructed, a whole community and a chapel across the street were demolished and the “desecration” now needs to be rectified, although a new and bigger church had already been built on the site of the previous one.

The idea came after the more than five-hour blackout hit the airport and stranded thousands of passengers due to the delayed and cancelled domestic flights.