WHEN top airport officials led by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Bryan Co made the rounds of the NAIA Terminals in connection with the ‘Undas 2023’ preparations, members of the Airport Press Club got the chance to meet and have a short interview with ret. Chief Superintendent Jose A. Briones, Jr., the newly installed Administrator of the Office for Transport Security (OTS).
It was such a welcome surprise. Briones turned out to be so low-key.
He was so softspoken, very humble, kind and so accommodating to the airport reporters whom he obviously met for the first time too.
Come to think of it, Briones is actually an old hand at the OTS, having served as its Director, having been appointed to the post by then President Rodrigo Duterte.
Prior to that, he was formerly assigned as Deputy Regional Director for Administration at the Police Regional Office 12 in Mindanao until his retirement with the rank of Police Chief Superintendent.
After his retirement, Briones was appointed by President Duterte to the OTS and assumed the post after taking his oath before then-OTS Administrator Usec. Arturo Evangelista, on July 16, 2018.
When asked how it happened that days after supposedly resigning, former OTS chief Ma. O Aplasca issued and signed a memo lifting the mandatory shoe removal. A copy of the ‘secret’ memo circulated and reached the APC Viber group.
The said memo directed the temporary suspension of the shoe removal policy when passing through the final security check, which Aplasca himself suddenly implemented to the surprise of many, including airport officials themselves.
It was learned from Briones that Aplasca had been ‘cautioned’ for signing the said memo precisely because he had, in effect, already resigned.
According to Briones, the said memo came out at a time when the OTS had yet to get a copy of the acceptance of Aplasca’s resignation by Malacanang. The said ‘acceptance’ of Aplasca’s resignation, he said, was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on behalf of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Now, the OTS reissued the same memo only this time, it bore the signature of Briones as the new OTS administrator. The memo contained the same details.
The memo said that the controversial ‘mandatory shoe removal policy’ that was implemented on June 9, 2023, is being suspended ‘until further announcement.’
The exceptions are when there is heightened alert under security condition (SECCO) II and III; SOP work instructions for flight crew members and passengers using body scanners and to resolve cases where the alarm sounds off as one passes through the screening area.
An example would be if one passes through the x-ray and, after removing all the contents of his pockets, the alarm still sounds off. It is during instances like this when one could be asked to remove his shoes so they, too, can be subjected to screening.
So far, even after passenger volume peaked during the past recent days, there have been no complaints about passengers losing their money or things at the OTS-manned screening areas of the NAIA Terminals.
Notably too, the OTS personnel nowadays are more courteous under the stewardship of Administrator Briones.
Indeed, their job performance at a time of passenger surge sans any complaints is laudable. Kudos!!!
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