PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an immediate investigation into the procurement and installation of bollards at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, following a tragic incident in which an SUV plowed through the barriers, killing two people, including a four-year-old child.
In a Malacañang press briefing on Tuesday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that the vehicle barriers were installed in 2019 under the Duterte administration and then-Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
The President has instructed relevant agencies to examine the procurement process and verify whether the bollards met appropriate safety standards.
“It is heartbreaking that lives were lost due to what appears to be defective bollards at NAIA Terminal 1,” Castro said, adding that Secretary Vince Dizon has been tasked to urgently inspect and replace the barriers to ensure public safety.
Surveillance footage showed the SUV easily breaching the metal bollards before hitting bystanders. The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) acknowledged that the bollards were not deeply embedded, citing structural limitations beneath the departure area.
Airport operator New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) is currently assessing alternative solutions. In the meantime, more police officers have been deployed at the terminal, and NNIC has committed to covering the victims’ medical expenses.