Netizens reacted negatively after a photo showing a “no recording” sign inside the Bureau of Immigration (BI) circulated on social media.
The image was made viral by Manuel Quezon III when he posted it on Twitter.
The sign said, “The use of cellular phones or video recording devices, and sharing of photos/videos of any Immigration Personnel is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.”
It read, “Any form of slander against the immigration Personnel is prohibited under the Cyberbullying Law. Posting of photos/videos without the consent of the immigration personnel is a direct violation of the Data Privacy Act.”
Netizens think the signs were made after NAIA officers were caught pickpocketing a Thai national.
Bawal daw kunan ng video ang pagnanakaw nila. Charot lang!! https://t.co/s6dM9Qd1I9
— Suzette S. Doctolero (@SuziDoctolero) March 4, 2023
wow if that video of the tourist exposing immigration personnel of stealing their money didnt go viral we wouldnt know how many times theyve done this. also, theres still no significant actions taken with your staff posting a kpop grp's confidential personal infos publicly online https://t.co/HEEkWKTDjU
— ★ ๋࣭ ⭑⚝ (@linoristics) March 5, 2023
https://twitter.com/gs_tontix/status/1632009511761494016?s=20
https://twitter.com/Wonwongiggles/status/1632249236535525378?s=20
Patawa. D govt officials in d BI are posting on NON-TRANSPARENCY AND NON-ACCOUNTABILITY animoy protecting MAGNANAKAW. Instead of accepting CONSTRUCTIVE criticsm and to catch thieves ay seems as if protector pa sila. Hindi ganyan sabi sa Data privacy law https://t.co/G1M2TDwYZW pic.twitter.com/Y6Qr1ZRpEG
— 透明性、説明責任、誠実性フィリピン (@NanoskiVerdini) March 4, 2023
sooo… they've caught several people trying to do this because they've already put up a big sign. now this implies there were a lot of things happening that they don't want being caught on video lol https://t.co/D28AosWvWa
— Tarnished Taveren (@ka_fredo) March 4, 2023
https://twitter.com/alexzabague/status/1632062037042819072?s=20
https://twitter.com/jjonglotuss/status/1632047314767577088?s=20
A separate sign was also seen.
!!! pic.twitter.com/nD39eNDaVQ
— Manuel L. Quezon III (@mlq3) March 4, 2023
Officials at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have announced that they will be increasing their security measures in response to a series of thefts committed by airport personnel.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has publicly condemned two incidents in which Office for Transportation Security (OTS) Security Screening Officers were caught stealing money and a watch from passengers.
“Even though these people manning the screening areas are employees of the OTS and not of the MIAA, they still operate in NAIA which we administer,” MIAA general manager Cesar Chiong said in a statement.
“It happened under our roof, so it is critical that we resolve these issues so as not to cause alarm among passengers and affect their confidence to travel to the Philippines. More importantly, it negates all efforts of the MIAA to improve the image of NAIA,” Chiong added.
MIAA announced on March 2, 2023, that it would implement various measures to enhance airport security. One of these measures is the “no pockets policy” for security personnel’s uniforms and jackets. Additionally, the MIAA has instructed installing an extra camera above the screening machines at the airport’s Terminal 2 transit area.
They have also removed a film covering glass panels that had been obscuring the transparency of the security screening process.
Manila airport is infamous for its scams and stressful experiences and is considered Asia’s third most stressful airport.