MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III made a surprise security inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Monday, as the surge of passengers for the Holy Week break continued.
Aquino made the inspection prior to his departure for the Asean Summit in Cambodia Monday night.
Accompanied by DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas, Aquino was briefed by Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado and Terminal 3 Manager Octavio Lina on security procedures at the X-ray machine for passengers and baggage at the final security check.
Honrado said security personnel prevented passengers from bringing onboard banned items such as aerosols, alcohol, pointed materials, hair spray, balloons and even umbrellas.
The security procedures are being implemented at the terminal to ensure the safety of all travelers, he stressed.
Honrado told the President the NAIA passenger terminals are handling a combined peak capacity of 522 domestic flights a day; international flights are seen to peak at 200 to 220 international flights in the next three days.
Honrado said this represents an almost 100 percent capacity of the airports, which on ordinary days---outside of Holy Week--- have a 75-80 percent capacity.
Domestic travelers this season were recorded at 45,000 arrivals and departures on Naia 3; 30,000 arrivals and departures on Naia 2, and about 6,000 arrivals and departures on the Manila Domestic Airport for an estimated 80,000 daily arrivals and departures.
These numbers represent a 25-percent increase in the number of passengers compared to the normal daily arrivals and departures.
With the surge of travelers at the NAIA terminals, Honrado adviSED passengers to check in early or at least more than two hours before their scheduled departures so as not to miss their flights.
“Because of the tight booking, those who miss their flights would have difficulty getting a rebooking,” he added.
The NAIA system, he said, is prepared to cope with any contingency, securing the help of the National Police and the Metro Manila Development Authority to help ease vehicular traffic at the approaches to the terminals.
Standby power is available during contingencies, although Honrado sees nothing in the weather to threaten the power supply, such as a lightning strike on any of the transformers in the surrounding areas.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is on heightened alert, but not on red alert during the whole Lenten Season.
“We have not received any threat or similar criminal act,” he said.
“We would like to maintain a high state of alert, not declare a red alert because being on 24-hour duty, at eight-hour shift, might lessen the efficiency of the police and other employees,” Honrado said.
source: interaksyon.com
