US to Aid NAIA Security Modernization with TSA Standards

The US has signed on to provide technical assistance for the modernization of security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country's main gateway, the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) said. In a statement, the USTDA said it signed an agreement with the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) to improve security screening infrastructure at NAIA. The USTDA will fund technical assistance needed to help NNIC assess and develop upgraded security screening systems at NAIA. “The technical assistance will facilitate project financing and US exports by providing US private-sector expertise for technical, operational and financial analyses,” it said. Recommendations from the analysis will include security screening concepts for all terminals that are aligned with US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) standards for last-point-of-departure airports. The assistance will also identify US suppliers of advanced screening equipment for deployment to the project. The project is expected to help improve passenger safety and screening efficiency, while aligning the airport with international aviation security standards. This project will enhance the protection of US citizens and goods traveling through NAIA, the USTDA said. “By working together to modernize security at NAIA, we are protecting travelers on both sides of the Pacific,” USTDA Deputy Director Thomas R. Hardy said. NAIA has set a capacity goal of 62 million passengers by 2028, after posting throughput of 52 million in 2025. At the Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum on Thursday, the Philippines and US also signed agreements to expand port infrastructure at Subic Bay, as well as to establish a national network of public Wi-Fi access points. Also on Thursday, the Philippines obtained a $60-million grant from the US to boost energy security and lower power costs. Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go and US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton signed the $60-million (P3.68 billion) Millennium Challenge Corp. Threshold Program Grant Agreement. “This support will help us address key policy and institutional gaps to strengthen the foundations of our energy sector,” Mr. Go said in a Department of Finance statement. The program will be implemented by the Department of Energy, National Power Corp., Energy Regulatory Commission, and the National Electrification Administration. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz