MANILA, Philippines—People at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were treated to an early Valentine’s Day drama on Thursday after a male nurse used the airport’s premises to propose marriage to his girlfriend of two years, a flight attendant.

Eugene Padua, 26, of Taytay, Rizal, a nurse at UST Hospital, proposed marriage to his girlfriend, Marian Ocampo, 23, of Zambales, a flight attendant of Asiana Airlines of four years, right at the NAIA Terminal 1 arrival area.

Ocampo arrived at 11:46 a.m. on Flight OZ-701 from Seoul, South Korea, according to Connie Bungag, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) media affairs officer.

As soon as Ocampo and her fellow flight attendants stepped out of the arrival area a few minutes past noon, she was immediately met by Padua, according to witnesses.

Brass quintet

The groom-to-be was accompanied by a brass quintet playing their theme song, Christopher Cross’ “Swept Away.”

Padua was carrying a bouquet of yellow roses and calla lily flowers, his girlfriend’s favorite.

At a nearby aisle, friends unfurled a tarpaulin, revealing a photo montage of the couple with the words, “Will You Marry Me?”

Curious passengers and airport personnel who were in the area kept their distance as they watched Padua formally ask Ocampo to marry him. The flight attendant accepted.

Kiss

“All were watching, some even teary-eyed, as the event unfolded. The couple were later asked by the gushing crowd to kiss, which they did as the people around were clapping their hands,” Bungag said.

The couple have been “steadies” for two years, according to the MIAA media affairs officer.

“In the two years that we have been together, I have never picked her up from the airport whenever she would come home from a flight. I thought that the airport was the best place to propose that’s why I opted to do it here,” Padua was quoted by Bungag as saying.

Go-signal

The airport security office gave its go-signal to the marriage proposal on the condition that it be quick and would not disrupt operations.

MIAA General Manager Alfonso Cusi was pleased when he heard about the proposal.

“It’s very timely since Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. We at the NAIA are happy to be part of a joyous and memorable moment in the lives of Mr. Padua and Ms Ocampo. I wish to send them my congratulations and my best wishes. As the general manager of the airport, I personally am moved that memorable events in the lives of our kababayan happen here at the NAIA,” Cusi said in a statement.

Not the first

Tirso Serrano, MIAA assistant general manager for corporate development and public affairs, said it was not the first time that someone proposed at NAIA.

Last September, Serrano recalled that the nephew of a former governor of Isabela proposed to his girlfriend who was arriving at the NAIA Centennial Terminal 2.

“Proposals being done at the NAIA prove that we are the friendliest and most accommodating airport. Proposals done at the NAIA are starting to become a trend and we are happy to be a part of a memorable moment in their lives as a couple,” he said.

An airport policeman, who was among those who watched Padua propose to his girlfriend, described what happened as “sweet.” He expressed the hope that the couple “will be happy.”