New airport chief satisfied with security measures

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Alfonso Cusi assured the public yesterday that security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the Manila Domestic Airport remains tight to protect them from any terrorist attacks and sabotage operations.

"Having passed the latest audit of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) means that all the security measures at the country’s premier airports are in compliance with the international standards required," Cusi said in an interview over the weekend at the NAIA.

"At present, I am satisfied with the security here. That is why we were able to pass the TSA audit," Cusi said.

The TSA, an organization under the United States Homeland Security, is the agency tasked by the US government to conduct security assessments of airports worldwide.

The organization inspects airports and assess the safety of ports being used by all airlines, specially those owned and operated by American airline companies.

"What we have to do now is to always remain compliant so that our operations will not be affected," he stressed.

It can be recalled that last December, the NAIA was not able to meet the standards of the TSA. It was given a 90-day notice to improve the security standards.

The US warned that non-compliance with TSA standards would mean an issuance by the American government of a negative travel advisory against the Philippines. This would have greatly affected the airline industry in the Philippines.

Several reasons were cited by the TSA why NAIA failed its security audit. The TSA said the airport authority had no national civil aviation security program, and had no single authority in handling security at the premier airport.

Last May, just before the general elections, the NAIA passed all the standards set by the TSA.