Proper security protocols in place at key PH transport facilities

Transportation hubs in the Philippines are safe, according to security services of key public transportation agencies.  The assurance was made in light of the recent armed and arson attack at Resorts World in Pasay City that killed 37 people, including the lone attacker.

At the “Tapatan sa Aristocrat” on June 5, transportation officials from the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Metro Rail Transit 3, Philippine National Railways, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Manila International Airport Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Office of Transport Security (OTS) assured the public that proper security protocols are in place in all major air, land and sea facilities and gateways across the country.

“Sa atin, pag mayroon tayong nakukuhang delikadong information, vina-validate namin yan… Yun pong sinasabi mong threats, yung threats lagi pong nariyan yan. Omnipresent yan. Hindi tayo pwedeng mag relax. (We validate information that we receive. Threats are always there. That’s omnipresent. We can’t relax.) So if you noticed, even the President, alerto siya (was alert),” said OTS Undersecretary Art Evangelista.

Evangelista added that airports observe meticulous security procedures before passengers are allowed to enter the aircraft. There are even independent screening protocols laid out by airline companies before planes depart.

“If you notice sa airport, nag o-observe kami ng three-tier defense system. Meron kaming checkpoint bago mag-terminal. Meron kaming screening point bago ka pumasok sa terminal. At doon sa final [post], may screening point pa roon. Hindi pa satisfied ang airline, mayroon rin silang sariling screening point bago ka pumasok ng eroplano. Ganun katindi ang screening sa airport (At the airport, we observe a three-tier defense system. We have a checkpoint before you reach the terminal; another before you enter the terminal; and the final one there’s a screening point. Airlines are not easily satisfied so they have their own screening point before you enter the plane. That’s how strict airport screening is.),” Undersecretary Evangelista explains.

Similarly, the PCG has been observing stringent measures to identify potential threats on ports. They have stationed K-9 dogs to detect explosive devices and narcotics in every vessel.

“Sa port security, meron po tayong tinatawag na layering katulad po din sa airport. Meron po tayong frisking. Meron po tayong X-ray machines at saka ibang sistema upang malaman po natin kung may threat o wala. At higit po sa lahat, lingid po sa kaalaman ng karamihan, ang Philippine Coast Guard ang may pinakamaraming inventory ng K-9 na aso sa Pilipinas (For port security, we have what we call layering like what we have at the airport. We implement frisking; we have x-ray machines and other systems to identify if there’s a threat or not. Also, unknown to most, the Philippine Coast Guard has the most inventory of K-9 dogs in the Philippines.),” explained PCG Commodore Joel Garcia.

The PCG also conducts constant periodic review of its security protocol to ensure that port monitoring is ensured.

For its part, the LRTA said its management is beefing procurement of emergency response equipment necessary for rescue and other untoward incidents.

“In-activate namin and we are lining up trainings and quick-response teams. Because as we all know, marami sa ikinamatay ng mga tao sa Resorts World ay due to suffocation. And the LRTA Administrator also ordered the procurement of breathing apparatus and rescue equipment na bini-bid na po natin yan. Siguro in a few weeks i-de-deliver na (We activated training and quick-response teams. As we all know, most deaths at Resorts World were due to suffocation. The LRTA administrator has ordered procurement of breathing apparatus and rescue equipment that we are now bidding out. Maybe in a few weeks they will be delivered.),” said Dominic Cabigting, Administration department head of LRTA.

Image courtesy of dfrsce at FreeDigitalPhotos.net