Airport CCTV Rehab Delayed Anew

By Raoul Esperas, ABS-CBN

MANILA -- Rehabilitation of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has been delayed anew, after the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) disqualified two winning bidders for the P450-million CCTV rehabilitation project.

Ret. Gen. Vicente Guerzon, senior assistant general manager of MIAA, in an interview with ABS-CBN News, said one winning bidder for the CCTV rehabilitation project was disqualified by the MIAA Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).

The second winning bidder was likewise disqualified by MIAA-BAC due to technical reasons, as well as for failing a post-evaluation check.

MIAA, under the administration of General Manager Jose Angel Honrado, initiated the CCTV rehabilitation project more than four years ago, after airport authorities discovered that most of the cameras installed in the airport complex are either defective or are not working at all.

The rehabilitation project also aims to upgrade old black and white CCTV cameras to newer models.

Airport incidents that were not captured by CCTV cameras include the brawl involving Ramon Tulfo and actors Raymart Santiago and Claudine Baretto, as well as the killing of a local executive.

Guerzon explained that the third winning bidder is now undergoing post evaluation check by MIAA BAC. However, sources disclosed that it may also be disqualified for failing to meet the technical specifications required by airport authorities for all cameras to be installed within the airport complex.

Guerzon said that under the terms of reference, a winning bidder will be given 240 days to complete the installation of cameras in NAIA terminals.

A total of 747 cameras will initially be installed in all three terminals, most of which should be equipped with motion detection and thermal scanning to monitor unauthorized intrusions at the perimeter fence.

Guerzon said they do not expect the project to be finished within the remaining period under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

There have been several cases of intrusions by alleged psychologically troubled persons at the airport complex, all of whom were able to penetrate the perimeter fence undetected.

Most of intruders were able to stray into the tarmac area, while the latest involved a person climbing the wheel of the landing gear of a departing plane at NAIA Terminal 1.