Airport chief suspends visitor’s pass issuance at NAIA

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal is temporarily suspending the issuance of passes to visitors at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), it was announced Saturday. (PNA photo)

MANILA — Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal is temporarily suspending the issuance of passes to visitors at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), it was announced Saturday.

Aiport employees are being issued with duty passes or access cards, while the public who wish to meet or send off a passenger is being issued a visitor’s pass.

MIAA Public Affairs Department’s officer-in-charge Ma. Consuelo Bungag told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Saturday that the move aims to give MIAA time to review its pass issuance guidelines.

“(The temporary suspension) will also provide time to enhance the security features of the visitor’s pass and to make it tamper-proof,” she added.

Bungag said Monreal signed the order on Friday. The order also reiterates strict adherence to the policies in using the access cards.

“The IDs of NAIA employees will stay. No problem with that, as long as they will not use it to meet or send off a passenger. The IDs were issued to them, so they could do their duties as airport workers,” Bungag said.

The pass and IDs of employees working at NAIA also indicate the areas where they have access. Monreal reminded the employees and stakeholders to confine their movements within the areas indicated in the duty pass.

MIAA strictly prohibits the use of employee’s IDs to send off or fetch a passenger.

Monreal will deploy a team to monitor compliance with the guidelines. Those who may be found violating may have their IDs confiscated or canceled, and they may also be banned from the airport’s premises.

Meanwhile, according to MIAA, while the issuance of visitor’s pass is temporarily suspended, the public may request for the “Meet and Assist Service” from the MIAA Public Affairs office.

Those who will be meeting official guests, on the other hand, will be required to submit an official request from the head of the agency, and this is subject to Monreal’s approval.