THE United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has directed airlines to advise passengers traveling to Manila that aviation security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) does not meet international standards.

In a statement posted on its website on December 26, the DHS said a team of security experts from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) who assessed Naia’s security measures found that the airport “does not maintain and carry out effective security consistent with the security standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).”

Read: Full DHS statement

The Philippines’ Department of Transportation (DOTr), in reaction, assured that they were working on complying with the recommendations of the TSA team, which include: the installation of new equipment; the conduct of new background check procedures for newly hired airport personnel; and a change in the security culture among long-time Naia personnel.

The new equipment - X-ray machines, walk-through metal detectors, and alarm systems - are expected to be installed in the second quarter of 2019, the department said.

“While waiting for the delivery of needed security equipment, Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade has given direct instructions to implement manual interventions such as the hiring of additional MIAA-contracted guards 24/7,” DOTr said in a statement.