Passengers arrive at NAIA Terminal 1 on Dec. 21, 2021 (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will monitor the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of Transport (OTS) in their efforts to prevent more theft incidents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Tuesday.
“We cannot let these embarrassing incidents fester and continue to discourage tourists from visiting our very beautiful country. But the OTS has recognized that there is indeed a problem and that it needs to be addressed at the soonest possible time,” Romualdez said.
In February 2023, there were two cases of theft recorded at NAIA, allegedly by employees. A Thai tourist lost 20,000 yen or P8,000 stolen and a Chinese tourist lost a watch.
“We will monitor closely the corrective actions of the DOTr and the OTS to ensure all travelers in and out of our country get the honest and efficient service that they deserve,” Romualdez said.
During a meeting with the OTS, Romualdez said that the office would need to have more measures to ensure travel security, including the use of body cameras and the deployment of the Philippine Coast Guard with the screening personnel.