MANILA, (PNA) — President Benigno S Aquino III on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the security preparations in the country’s passenger terminals as he led ranking government officials in inspecting the Manila North Harbor, the South West Integrated Bus Terminal, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 a day before the commemoration of All Saints’ Day.
President Aquino was accompanied by Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, among others,hen he conducted the inspection.
In a chance interview at NAIA Terminal 3, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the President seems to be contented with the way authorities laid out their security preparations for “Undas”.
“Generally, mukhang satisfied, otherwise you would see it in his face kung meron siyang nakikitang malaking pagkukulang… Mukhang okay naman ‘yung naging appreciation niya sa pagpre-prepare po natin,” Abaya said.
Aquino first inspected the x-ray machine of the air terminal’s initial security check before proceeding to the passenger check-in counters, and to the final security check. The President also inspected the airport’s comfort rooms and other amenities the terminal has to offer its passengers.
“Titingnan niya mula sa point of view ng pasahero. Marami siyang naitatanong at pinupuna, at maski papaano ay napaghahandaan naman po natin,” Abaya added.
For his part, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the police have not received any specific threat during this long holiday.
“Well, iyong threat it’s not much of a physical or security threat. Wala namang alert, ano, in specific regarding a particular plan or a particular operation,” Roxas said.
He added: “But it’s really just na sa dami ng tao na bibiyahe nitong dalawa, tatlong araw na ito ay sa traffic, sa dami ng tao, labas pasok sa mga ports and airports — iyong alert level lang talaga kailangan na manatili at isa ‘yan sa mga sinigurado ng Pangulo na nanatiling alert iyong ating mga nasa x-ray, iyong ating mga pulis, iyong ating mga Aviation Security Group at iba pa na nanatiling alert”.
Roxas said authorities in air, sea, and land terminals, and even in the communities are in their highest state of readiness for any eventuality that may arise during the long holiday.