BONG REVILLA DENOUNCES POOR PROCEDURES
AND MEASURES AT NAIA

In the wake of recent brawling incident involving tri-media commentator Ramon Tulfo and celebrity couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto, Congressional Oversight Committee on the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (COCAAP) Chairman Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. today lambasted the laxity at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), as well as the apparent poor service of the country's airline companies.

According to the senator, the controversial scuffle bared how slack the security measures inside NAIA which justifies the downgrade status given by US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the blacklisting of the European Aviation. He specifically cited the non-operational CCTV camera in the baggage carousel area of the NAIA Terminal 3 and the airport security personnel's mishandling of the incident. "Both parties could have been pacified and there could have been no injuries if only the airport security personnel acted promptly and properly. What made it worse is the non-functional CCTV camera that could have helped determine who made the first violent move," said Revilla.

The lawmaker also expressed dismay over the series of blunders of airline companies which include cancellation and delaying of flights, overbooking and off-loaded luggage. He disclosed that he himself experienced the disorderly procedures of a local airline company when he went recently to Boracay to speak in the convention of the Confederation of Non-Stock Savings and Loan Associations, Inc. (CONSLA).

"Mauunawaan naman natin kung delayed ang flight, pero hindi naman yata maganda na ililipat ka ng point of destination. Imbes na sa Caticlan Airport, sa Kalibo Airport ka babagsak na halos dalawang oras papuntang Caticlan kung saan ka magbabangka pa patungong Boracay. Paano kung may appointment ka at dapat mong makarating ng takdang oras? Paano na iyung susundo sa iyo na alam ay Caticlan Airport ka pupunta at sa ganoong oras? Ang ginawa natin ay naghagilap tayo ng private plane para hindi tayo mapahiya sa mga kausap natin," he explained. "May mga nagreklamo rin sa atin na matapos ang mahigit isang oras na pagpila para mag- check-in, pagdating sa counter saka nila malalaman na delayed na nga ng ilang oras ang flight nila, sa ibang airport pa sila lalapag. Puwede nga namang i-page ka agad o lapitan na sila ng airline personnel. Sa ibang bansa, kapag may nangyaring aberya, todo-hingi ng pasensiya ang airline company bukod pa sa mga insentibong ibibigay nito sa mga pasahero."

Revilla, who is also the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services said he will monitor the actions being undertaken by CAAP to address the slip-ups of the airline companies and the NAIA management. "If we really want to boost tourism in our country, we must find ways to improve the services of our airline companies and the security measures inside our airports. There must be proper procedures in handling troubled airline passengers. Paano kung mas grabe pa ang mangyayari, halimbawa, may banta na ng terorismo? Mahihirapan tayong matugunan ito kung walang sapat na mga hakbang-pangseguridad ang ating mga paliparan," he added.