US Homeland Security lifts security travel notice on NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has lifted the public notice on its security concerns at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

In a statement late Thursday, the DHS said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan has ordered the immediate rescission of a public notice, issued in December 2018, which identified NAIA’s “failure to adequately implement and maintain international security standards”.

READ: U.S. Homeland Security issues alert on travel to PH

“After months of direct engagement with the United States, the Government of the Philippines has made significant improvements to the security operations of [Manila],” the statement read.

“Both the Manila International Airport Authority and the Government of the Philippines civil aviation security authorities have demonstrated they are willing to work toward sustaining those improvements,” it added.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had recommended the installation of new equipment such as X-ray machines, walk-through metal detectors and alarm systems to help achieve compliance with its security standards.

According to the DHS, the TSA also provided aviation security advisors to the Philippine government “to assist with development and implementation of corrective measure” at NAIA.

“DHS and TSA remain committed to working with the Government of the Philippines to help ensure a strong security posture at MNL and enhance global aviation security,” the statement said.

In a tweet Thursday night, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. lauded the DOTr for “doing in 6 months what US Homeland expected would take years.“

US Homeland Security lifted security concerns about NAIA. Congratulations US Amb Kim Sung for all the help; PH Amb Babe Romualdez in Washington for the unrelenting pressure; and DOTr Sec Tugade for doing in 6 months what US Homeland expected would take years. What a winning team.

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) August 8, 2019

US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim also took to Twitter to congratulate the Manila International Airport Authority, which operates the four terminals at NAIA, and the TSA “for working together so effectively to improve security conditions at NAIA to achieve standards and practices established by the International Civil Aviation Organization.”  /muf

I want to congratulate our colleagues at @MIAAGovPH and @TSA for working together so effectively to improve security conditions at NAIA to achieve standards and practices established by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

— Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson (@USAmbPH) August 8, 2019