The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) will no longer renew the contract of MIASCOR Ground Handling Corporation following recent incidents of baggage pilferage involving some MIASCOR employees.
MIASCOR said it will appeal the decision, handed down in a letter signed by MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal and addressed to MIASCOR president Fidel Herman Reyes dated January 19. The non-renewal was prompted by President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement on January 18 that he wanted MIASCOR ’s contract terminated after a pilfering incident in Clark International Airport (CRK) involving six staff of MIASCOR.
Duterte issued the directive during a meeting with Clark International Airport Authority (CIAC) president Alexander Caguiran, other airport officials, and luggage theft victim Jovinal dela Cruz.
Dela Cruz, an overseas Filipino worker, arrived on December 23, 2017; his baggage followed the day after. In a Facebook post this month, Dela Cruz complained his baggage had been looted.
On January 10, MIASCOR compensated Dela Cruz for the lost items amounting to P82,824.
READ: 6 Miascor staff axed, charged with theft at Clark airport
Upon investigation by CIAC and MIASCOR , the six passenger service agents who admitted to pilfering the baggage of Dela Cruz were terminated on January 13. On the same day, CIAC filed criminal charges of theft against the six MIASCOR employees. MIASCOR also filed separate charges of qualified theft against the same employees.
MIASCOR statement
MIASCOR said it will “formally issue an appeal to the President to kindly reconsider his position on behalf of our almost 4,000 regular employees and their families who will be affected. It is unfortunate that the actions of six erring employees in Clark International Airport have negatively impacted the Company.”
It said it will “do everything it can to remedy the situation.”
The company said it regrets the recent incident at Clark airport and once again extended its apologies to Delacruz. “MIASCOR Management immediately reached out to him upon learning about this unfortunate incident and we have already reached an amicable settlement. The Company, together with airport authorities, also acted very quickly and placed those allegedly involved under preventive suspension. They have since been terminated and criminal and administrative charges have been filed against them.”
MIASCOR noted it does “not tolerate this type of behavior from any of our employees” and is “committed to conducting its business with the highest standards of compliance and ethics. And every employee is expected to demonstrate professionalism, honesty and integrity.”
It added, “The recent incident does not define what MIASCOR stands for and how it operates. MIASCOR has been in operations since 1974 and has presence in several key airports in the country, including NAIA, providing aviation services. Many of our customers and the traveling public can attest to our service excellence and through the years the Company has been a major contributor to the growth of the country’s aviation and tourism industry.”
Transition
MIASCOR ’s lease and concession agreement with MIAA started on July 8, 2014 and expired in March 2017. Since then, MIASCOR ’s contract has been renewed monthly.
In a press conference on January 19, Monreal said MIASCOR has 60 days from January 19 to vacate and return all premises it occupies inside the airport complex and its terminals. The two-month period will allow for a smooth transition so as not to disrupt operations of MIASCOR ’s airline-clients and in consideration of MIASCOR employees.
MIASCOR services Malaysia Airlines, Asiana, Air Hong Kong, Federal Express, United Airlines, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Japan, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Jeju Air, Qantas, and Cebu Pacific at NAIA, according to Monreal.
Cebu Pacific, in a statement, said it is working with MIAA and MIASCOR “to ensure smooth transition of airport ground services following the announcement of the non-renewal of the lease and concession agreement by MIAA.”
It added, “The safety and security of our passengers is our highest priority. We are confident that with the assistance of the airport authorities and other stakeholders that there will be no interruption to service continuity.”
Monreal said MIAA will not be signing up a new ground handler with current players (Dnata, Macroasia Airport Services Corp., Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc., Orbit Air Syatems, Inc., and Sky Logistics Philippines, Inc.) capable of handling demand of airlines.
Duterte, meanwhile, threatened to fire airport officials if another pilferage incident occurs and said the Bureau of Customs should also be strict.
Requirement for body cameras
In a related development, the Department of Transportation, in a meeting with airport officials, airport ground handling companies, manpower service providers, and security managers on January 19 gave security companies five days to clean their ranks.
Tugade also ordered baggage handlers to wear body cameras. Airport officials were asked to produce an initial 100 cameras, while security companies were ordered to buy their own.
“Huwag nila sasabihing mahal, alam ko magkano kinikita nila. Service provider sila, dapat lang na ibalik naman nila sa tao ang portion ng kita nila (Don’t tell me cameras are expensive; I know how much they make. They’re service providers; they should give back to the public some of what they earn.),” Tugade said.
He directed airport service providers to submit a list of employees and guards. “Kapag meron dyan na may record o kaso, tanggal buong kumpanya (If there’s someone there with a record or case, the entire company will be taken out),” warned Tugade.
New guidelines
Tugade also bared new guidelines for personnel in-charge of baggage handling.
From now on, personnel uniforms must not have pockets, and boots or shoes must not be loose. Cellphones are no longer allowed while on duty; wearing jewelry is also prohibited.
“Para saan ba yung cellphone? Dapat radyo lang ang hawak nila (What is the cellphone for? They should only have radios),” Tugade said. “Yung iba pa, papasok na walang alahas, pag labas meron na (Some enter the airport without jewelry then leave with jewelry).”
Tugade, who was among those called during the January 18 meeting in Malacañang, said that like the President, he cannot tolerate unscrupulous airport employees.
“The President is pissed off and he said, kapag may nahuli, magkakatanggalan sa trabaho (if we catch someone doing something wrong they will lose their jobs),” Tugade said.
For his part, MIAA’s Monreal said they will strictly implement instructions of Duterte and Tugade to put an end to illegal practices at the airports. “Let this be a warning to all players at the airport that one more mistake will put their jobs and businesses at stake.” – Roumina Pablo
