MIAA to limit airport access to curb illegal acts

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is planning to limit the access to airport terminals of airport personnel and agents of other pertinent government agencies, supposedly to stop the illegal facilitation of passengers happening in the country’s premier airport. Airport general manager Jose Angel Honrado said Thursday the MIAA may reduce the number of access passes it issues due to reported instances of corruption and facilitation of passengers at the airport. “We want to sanitize the restricted areas to prevent facilitation and corruption," Honrado said, adding that too many people, including those who do not have business inside the terminal, have access to exclusive areas of the terminal. Access passes are normally issued to airport and airline personnel; government employees from the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine bureaus; the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation; the Senate and House of Representatives; the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp.; and the airport media. In line with this, Honrado said he plans to revoke all of the access passes issued to government and private entities. These passes, he said, will only be issues to personnel who have essential tasks in the airport, and their access will also be limited only to areas where they are required. Honrado also said he will revoke all “All Areas" passes issued, including those given to airport officials. Only the general manager (Honrado), the senior assistant general manager, the assistant general managers and terminal managers will be given such passes. Even department heads and division managers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport whose functions does not require their presence at the airport terminals will no longer be issued access passes, he said. Meanwhile, “On Duty" passes given to airport and airline personnel will be replaced with passes for specific areas only to prevent entry to exclusive areas by unauthorized personnel. “Even access passes for government officials will be limited to the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice, ambassadors and heads of missions," Honrado said. “OB (Official Business) Passes issued to the office of Senators and the House of Representatives will no longer be renewed," he added. Beginning next year as well, even the access of accredited journalists to the airport will be limited. Honrado is set to meet airport stakeholders to discuss his plans to decongest the airport to curb illegal passenger facilitation.—With Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV