The Manila International Airport Authority is hiring more people to beef up its security personnel following the recent recommendations made by the US Transportation Security Administration for additional security measures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“Yes, we will be hiring additional people. Kulang po tayo sa numero,” said MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal in a press conference at NAIA Terminal 1.
Monreal said its current 1,345 security personnel is not enough to man the airport so they decided to hire at least 176 more. He added that the present security personnel will be placed under a re-training program.
The hiring of additional personnel and re-training were among the 16 recommendations made by a seven-man team from the US Department of Homeland
Security’s Transportation Security Administration who visited the airport last September and earlier this month to conduct an assessment on NAIA’s security protocol.
Meanwhile, Monreal clarified to members of the media that “they did not pass security protocol.”
“There is no such thing. There is no downgrading and we want also to clarify that the safety of passengers is not the issue on this matter because the TSA concerns only the security and the safety concern is for ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization),” he said.
Monreal said the recommendations of the TSA also include the installation of new equipment such as X-ray machines, walk-through metal detectors, and alarm systems.
Another recommendation was the conduct of new background check procedures for newly hired airport personnel, which will include neighborhood and NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) checks for those implementing security control, and submission of new National Bureau of Investigation clearances for all MIAA access pass holders.
“We sent the NBI to help us here for the access pass holders for their clearances,” said Monreal.
The TSA also recommended a change in the “security culture” among long-time NAIA personnel in the area of consistent implementation and observance of strict security procedures. In this regard, re-trainings have been, and continue to be, conducted to instill in every personnel the need to be consistent in every aspect of security.
“More importantly, we see this as an opportunity to further pursue our campaign for culture change among our stakeholders and other airport users in NAIA,” said Monreal.
Since Monday, tight security measures were being implemented at the airport.
All vehicles going to the arrival and departure area and those going to the restricted area are thoroughly inspected using extended mirror for chasis checking while the compartment are required to be opened by security.
Monreal reminded the head of security to ensure the pre-deployment briefing be strictly implemented for all security agencies under contract with MIAA.
“We therefore strongly appeal to all, to cooperate with security enhancements that we are now undertaking and submit themselves to security inspection when warranted,” he said.