Don’t press - don’t squeeze

As an experienced air traveller, I have grown accustomed to the necessities and realities of security checks especially in our local airports.

Regardless of the “inconvenience” or lack of courtesy, I just say that people are just doing their job. Unfortunately, my latest pass through NAIA Terminal 3 yesterday early morning ruined my composure and triggered a near violent response. While going through the line at the X-ray and metal detector I found myself having to go through twice which is normal.

But for some strange reason, the officer doing the checking decided to check me for possible concealed metal items. What got my attention was the fact that unlike the many “friskings” I’ve experienced hundreds of times, this guy was applying pressure.

There didn’t seem to be any malice in it, but it was just strange. Unfortunately, strange quickly turned into pain as he pressed hard below my left ankle as if checking if I had an ankle holster or a knife. He did not realize that I had an open wound that’s been inflamed for a week and when he ended up squeezing the wound I instinctively yelled out half a curse! 

Thank GOD that he has tempered my temper with age and faith because the pain was so sudden and so sharp that it may not have ended well for me and the security scanner. After regaining my composure I walked back to the guy and pointed out that while I appreciated his fervor in doing his job well, there is a difference between Frisking and Pressing/Squeezing. His first mistake was that he was too distracted in conversation with his colleagues at 5:50 a.m. and was not concentrated on looking and assessing individuals going through the metal detectors. His second mistake was that he did not show good manners and proper training for failing to say “Good Morning.” Third mistake was that he did not send me back in the line until all metal items were removed from my body or my pockets and only then should he have proceeded to frisk me. The good news is that we parted ways in a civil manner. Unfortunately bad news came  from my associate who joined me a few minutes later fuming!

My friend Dr. Eugene Mende was also lined up at the same X-ray and metal detector area when a man in an “airport security uniform” cut in front of him to get a plastic tray and without saying  so much as an “excuse me”, just let in a family of five. Dr. Mende was shocked that the parents and three kids were given such VIP treatment in spite of the fact that there was a long line of people including elderly seniors. As the VIP family passed through the metal detector, the machine kept pinging, telling the scanners that they should be checking those five VIPs but they did not. When it was Dr. Mende’s turn at the metal detector, the machine sent out the same ping or alarm. The security officer told Dr. Mende to go back in line, remove his belt etc before being frisked!!! I have always faulted the Airport Security office primarily for officers who lack GMRC or good manners and right conduct, lack professionalism and pride of work. But when they send out individuals who don’t know the difference between frisking and squeezing, it won’t be long before the NAIA managers and the OTS Chief find themselves in front of a Judge or a legislator on the grounds of sexual harassment or slight physical injury, not to mention a bad review from ICAO or International Civil Aviation Organization due to security lapses because of the escort services for fake VIPs at NAIA Terminal 3.

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The story I just shared is not an isolated case or limited to our airports. We simply don’t hear about the trauma or embarrassment felt by thousands of Filipinos who have to submit themselves to the “paws” of untrained or insensitive security guards. My neighbor Arps De Vera recently called my attention to what he sees time and again at the biggest malls in Metro Manila, where guards just routinely frisk people out of compliance without even being aware that how they conduct the frisk can be humiliating or offensive for some regardless of gender. Some security guards according to Arps are even busy chit chatting or laughing while doing their “job” without thinking that this adds to the “violation” felt by some. In terms of tourism, many mall operators don’t realize the bad impression that armed security guards and body searches or frisks leave on foreigners who are very particular about their personal space, privacy or modesty. I believe that safety and security must always be a priority, but it should never be used as an excuse by government officials and business owners not to invest in proper training and education of their security personnel and officers. That would be too lame, too lazy and too arrogant!

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Today will be our last day to stage the final BMeg Fiestahan event for 2019 where I am a volunteer speaker, and we are doing it in Ilagan, Isabela. In spite of the very challenging atmosphere for backyard hog raisers, my friends at BMeg continue to go all over the Philippines staging BMeg Fiestahans in order to educate Filipinos on the correct and scientific way to raise hogs especially how to combat or prevent the entry of ASF or African Swine Fever in backyard piggeries and small farms. People don’t realize that 65% of the country’s pork requirements is supplied by small backyard farms that have 50 sows or less. Unfortunately they are also most susceptible to the outbreak due to lack of information and awareness. The good news is that all the media coverage and alarming statistics on culled pigs have made many raisers more vigilant and careful. Some of my friends at BMeg now spend more time traveling and teaching than being at home, but they don’t complain because what they do now will directly impact the future! Truly “Alagang BMeg.”

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