Manila: Operator New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) announced Tuesday it is conducting an audit of all security bollards at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and will redesign the departure drop-off areas at Terminals 1 and 2 to enhance curbside safety.
According to Philippines News Agency, the bollards project at the country's main gateway in 2019, apparently costing PHP8 million, became a subject of scrutiny after a vehicle crashed outside Terminal 1 on Sunday. The crash at the departure entrance of Terminal 1 in Para±aque City tragically resulted in the death of a four-year-old girl and a 29-year-old male, with four others, including the girl's mother, sustaining injuries.
The audit will determine where reinforcements, such as deeper foundations or structural upgrades, are needed for existing bollards, along with similar protective barriers, particularly in high foot-traffic areas, the NNIC said. The San Miguel Corporation-led NNIC also stated it is modifying the current diagonal passenger drop-off layout at Terminals 1 and 2 departure areas to a safer parallel unloading configuration. "Together with the planned bollard reinforcements, this adjustment will provide an added layer of protection for passengers, well-wishers, airport staff, and others who regularly access the terminal curbside," NNIC added in a statement.
The NNIC emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "While safeguards were already in place, we recognize that there is always room to improve. We are taking concrete steps to help ensure incidents like this do not happen again." NNIC assumed operations of NAIA in September 2024 through a public-private partnership aimed at modernizing and improving the country's main international gateway.
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday, Manila International Authority general manager Eric Ines mentioned that the bollards were installed upon the recommendation of the Australian Security Audit. He admitted that the installation of the bollards is not deep enough. "Our current engineer said if deep excavation would be made (for the installation of bollards at the departure area), it would go through the main arrival area," Ines explained.
Ines noted that while the NNIC addresses the problem, he has ordered the deployment of additional police officers at the Terminal 1 departure area. "Usually there is one or two policemen manning the area. I instructed the deployment of additional personnel, so that once in a while, they could check on the drivers, if they have parked correctly," he said.
