The travel advisory by the US Homeland Security circulating on social media citing NAIA as not maintaining and carrying out effective aviation security measures is an old public advisory issued last year, the Office for Transportation Security said on Thursday.
The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) today clarified that a public travel advisory from the United States Department of Homeland Security citing the inadequate security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which was reposted and circulating on social media, is an old advisory issued in December 2018.
According to OTS spokesman Kim Marquez, the agency cannot establish if it has connection to the recent Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issue.
"But the same advisory was sent to us for comment, but what we always tell them is luma na po yung advisory (that is an old issue) and we are in constant communication with the United States-Transportation Security Administration (US-TSA), kaya we will be informed kung may mga issue na mag-crop up (we will be informed if there is some new issue that will crop up)," Marquez said.
The reposted old travel advisory on social media read: "Passengers are advised that the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila, Republic of the Philippines, does not maintain and carry out effective aviation security measures."
Marquez said that per the last assessment in August 2022, the US-TSA is very satisfied with the premier airport security.
Philippine airport authorities, the OTS said, have continued working together with the US and other foreign counterparts to improve the overall status of security at the country's international gateways.
During the joint security assessment in August last year by the OTS and TSA, the latter commended the OTS and other airport authorities for maintaining adequate security measures, emphasizing "that the Philippines was the first country in Asia to have its advanced security screening technologies placed in strategic areas."
The OTS noted that the continued cooperation and constant coordination between the agency, Manila International Airport Authority, and the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group, led to the sustained compliance to international standards and recommended practices in civil aviation security.
Marquez said that during the visit of OTS Administrator Ma. O Aplasca to the United States, he was able to meet with TSA Administrator David Pekoske to discuss joint security initiatives to enhance both countries' aviation security.
Aplasca was also able to secure donation of additional security equipment, and pledge from the US government in the form of capability enhancement and training assistance for the Philippines, without any cost to the government.
Tags: #oldtraveladvisory, #inadequatesecurity, #otsclarifiesreport, #repostedonsocialmedia