DEPARTURE TRAGEDY A set of barriers installed at the passenger entrance of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 has failed to prevent this sport utility vehicle from hitting people sending off their loved ones on May 4. 鈥擥rig C. Montegrande
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� President Marcos has ordered an investigation into the bollards or vehicle barriers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1 that gave way during the tragic vehicle crash on Sunday that left two people dead, including a 5-year-old girl who was there to see her father off, and four others injured.
Malaca帽ang said the protective bollards were installed during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019.
鈥淚t is heartbreaking that people died because of these allegedly defective bollards installed at the Naia Terminal 1. These were installed in July 2019 during the past administration and the term of ex-Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade,鈥� Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro said on Tuesday.
READ: Girl, 5, one of two killed in Naia car accident
The contract for the P8-million installation of bollards in the curbsides of all four terminals of the Naia complex was signed on March 27, 2019, and the project was completed four months later on July 26.
In a press briefing, Castro said the investigation into the bollards would include their specifications and the actual procurement process for the protective devices.
She said, 鈥淎s ordered by the President,鈥� an investigation into how the procurement process went and the specifications should be conducted. Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon will promptly act on this,鈥� the Palace official said. 鈥淭his also includes the inspection of the bollards and the immediate replacement of the bollards to ensure everyone鈥檚 safety.鈥�
Dizon on Monday said he 鈥渋mmediately noticed鈥� that the bollards failed to stop the sport utility vehicle (SUV) from crashing into the departure area.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not sturdy, obviously, because the [SUV] was able to pass through,鈥� he noted.
Ideally, the bollards should be strong enough to withstand the impact of a crash and stop a vehicle from entering the area it is protecting.
Dangerous
On Monday, Dizon said the Manila International Airport Authority and New Naia Infra Corp.鈥攖he private consortium among San Miguel Holdings Corp., RMM Asian Logistics Inc., RLW Aviation Development Inc., and Incheon International Airport Corp. that runs the airport complex鈥攁lready launched an investigation into the faulty bollards.
However, a retired airport engineer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, warned that installing purely metal or metal-and-concrete combination bollards at the departure area could pose more danger to people.
鈥淭he departure curbside is practically a flyover, and it could not host plenty of 鈥榬eal鈥� bollards. Such bollards found on roads are lengthy and heavy and sometimes connected to each other below ground,鈥� he said.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want them bursting into the arrival area during an earthquake or when the curbside above gets weak, and hitting people and vehicles below,鈥� he added.
While he agreed with Dizon鈥檚 plan to institute parallel parking on the departure curbside, he suggested that the secretary consider instead banning all parking from the area for security reasons.
Dizon announced changes in the curbside parking after visiting on Tuesday afternoon the wake in Lipa City of the 5-year-old victim.
New measures
The airport vehicle accident came three days after a multiple vehicle collision along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) that killed 10 people and hurt 37 others on May 1.
The Land Transportation Office has permanently revoked the driver鈥檚 license of the bus driver involved in the deadly SCTEx collision, while the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ordered regular and mandatory drug tests for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers, the reduction of driving hours for public utility buses from six to four hours, strict road safety checks for all vehicles, and the immediate 90-day suspension of the driver鈥檚 licenses of abusive motorists.
The transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) appealed for a reconsideration of the mandatory drug tests for PUV drivers, while some senatorial candidates warned that it might end up as a money-making scheme.
However, Castro pointed out that the mandatory drug testing is meant to protect passengers and other road users, including motorists themselves.
鈥淎lthough this will be studied, please do not judge this at this time as a mere money-making strategy,鈥� she said.
Decisive action
The twin tragedies also prompted the President to address the issue in a recorded message on Monday afternoon, in which he ordered the DOTr to 鈥渕ove decisively鈥� and prevent a repeat of the recent road accidents.
Marcos said the road accidents 鈥渟hould never have happened鈥� and assured the public that the government will 鈥渁ct not only with sympathy, but with resolve鈥� so that these tragedies will never happen again.
He tasked the DOTr to identify and to hold accountable those responsible and to put in place the necessary reforms to prevent further loss of life.
Among the measures that the President cited were the review of the driver鈥檚 license issuance process and a nationwide audit of compliance by bus operators with safety and maintenance standards. 鈥攚ith a report from Inquirer Research