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OTS needs 'major revamp' vs erring officers: official

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Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Travelers arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City on March 3, 2023. 📷Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/06/20230303-airport-travel-jc-2899.jpg"/><figcaption>Travelers arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City on March 3, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file</figcaption></figure></div>The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) needs a major revamp, including the training of the security screening officers (SSO) and their work benefits, according to OTS Administrator Undersecretary Ma.O Aplasca.SSOs are trained for only 10 days and deployed immediately for field practice. Most have been assigned in the same area for years.“Itong screening officers have been there (NAIA) for so long already. Some of them in their position for 10 years, hindi nalilipat. Nagkakaroon ng familiarity. So kailangan ilipat sa ibang position. This week we will take effect a major revamp. We started with supervisors [and] susunod na screening supervisors,” Aplasca said.Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said his attention was called by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the issue of theft involving the OTS screeners assigned at NAIA. He assured that there will be changes in the organization.Bautista added that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is also offered training to the screeners.“We are alarmed. We are very sorry about it. We are sad na nangyayari &#x27;yan dahil it affects even the tourism. We are coordinating with DOT Sec. Christina Frasco. The other day, I was communciating with Sec. Frasco kahit nasa Berlin siya ngayon ay pinag-uusapan namin kung paano ma-iimprove ang service ng employees ng OTS at ng MIAA (Manila International Airport Authority),” Bautista said.The agency is also looking into removing the pockets of the screeners. Bautista said he has done this before during his stint as an executive of Philippine Airlines.“No pocket policy. Ibig sabihin, &#x27;yung suot nila walang bulsa kasi nagawa po namin yan nung ako ay nasa private sector sa mga service providers. Siguro pwede natin gawin &#x27;yan sa mga OTS. It will take some time kasi bibigyan natin sila ng uniporme at kailangan natin ng ibang budget for that,” Bautista said.Most of the screeners who were involved in theft complaints are recently hired and are in a contractual employment status, the OTS confirmed. One of them had to juggle three jobs to sustain their family.SSOs, who are recent hires, receive around P15,000 a month with no security of tenure. The department is planning to ask the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) if they could hire regular or permanent employees with higher pay.“Ang isa sa mga reasons kaya nangyayari &#x27;yan dahil maliit ang sweldo. Pero sabi ko nga, hindi &#x27;yan reason para magnakaw ang mga tao natin. Karamihan ay contractual... Ang problem natin ay maraming employees na hindi pwede maging regular employees ng gobyerno dahil hindi sila makapagcomply ng requirements ng civil service—hindi lang ito problema sa OTS dahil sa mga ibang agencies ng gobyerno, problema rin &#x27;yan,” Bautista said.House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in a interview March 5, recommended to fire all OTS personnel assigned at NAIA.Romualdez is set to meet with DOTr and OTS to discuss the recent incidents, which he says “has become a national embarrassment.”<div>&#x27;COMMENDABLE SSOs&#x27;</div>The OTS is under the spotlight as foreign tourists complained of having their cash or jewelry stolen by the agency’s SSO assigned at NAIA.The year alone, two Thai tourists claimed cash was stolen from their bags while transiting at NAIA from Bangkok to Japan. The incidents happened in two separate occasions and an SSO was arrested for hiding a wristwatch that a Chinese tourist left on a tray at a screening area.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/02/23/another-thai-passenger-claims-theft-by-ots-screeners">Another Thai passenger claims being a victim of theft by OTS screening officers</a></li></ul>On Monday, Aplasca presented commendable security screening officers during the agency’s flag ceremony at their main office in Pasay City.“Masaya tayo na hindi naman lahat ng mga taga-OTS ay kapareho ng mga nahuli natin over the past few days. But going back to reality, it is a fact, it is a reality na mayroon tayong problema sa ating security screening officers and maybe may problema dito sa central office,” Aplasca tells the OTS staff.Eleven SSOs were given a commendation award.<ul>	<li>SSO Aldean Bassig assigned at Terminal 3 for turning over P200,000 cash and other valuable items left behind at the security screening checkpoint on February 22, 2023;</li>	<li>SSO Elvira Leones of NAIA Terminal 2 for turning over P59,500 left behind at the screening checkpoint on February 26, 2023;</li>	<li>SSO Antonette Ibad of NAIA Terminal 4 for turning over P1,500 cash left behind at the security screening checkpoint on March 01, 2023;</li>	<li>SSO Joben Gamis of Davao International Airport for turning over 212,000 yen and other valuable items on March 02, 2023;</li>	<li>SSO Mhay Raga, along with SSO Jeanalyn Alejandro of Caticlan Airport for turning over a gold bracelet left behind at the screening checkpoint on February 18, 2023;</li>	<li>SSO Isidro Manlavi Jr, along with SSO Diosdado Iso and Mark Anthony Manlavi of Busuanga Airport for returning a $300 and P1,500 cash on March 02, 2023.</li>	<li>SSOs Iso and Manlavi, along with SSO Danica Mae Tenajeros and Jessa May Dungao also returned P2,180 cash left behind by another passenger at Busuanga Airport on March 02, 2023.</li></ul>OTS also recognized the efforts of the police officers who assisted them in identifying and arresting erring SSOs.

SSOs are trained for only 10 days and deployed immediately for field practice. Most have been assigned in the same area for years.

OTS needs 'major revamp' vs erring officers: official

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OTS needs 'major revamp' vs erring officers: official

Jacque Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 07, 2023 05:50 AM PHT

Read More:

NAIA

MIAA

security screening officer

office for transportation security

DOTr

DOT

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