I was in Bacolod City last weekend to attend some personal businesses there. No scheduled photoshoot, No festival, no press event. Just purely a personal business trip. Everything went smooth as planned until I was about to leave the City of Smiles.
I rode a van from the old Bacolod City Airport going to the New Bacolod Silay Airport, some 30 minutes drive north of the Negros Occidental capital. The preliminary security check went fine without any hassle. The check in process was a breeze. But the final security check is a nightmare.
For a person like me who has been traveling frequently. I know how the regular security measures are being implemented. And I understand why they are doing this. I don’t mind getting frisked at the airports, or taking off my footwear before getting inside the pre-departure area. I know they are part of security measures.
But what happened to me at the Bacolod Airport is different. First, I was so shocked to see that their 2 X-ray machines stationed at the final security check is busted. If I am not mistaken, the new airport at the City of Smiles was opened only this January 2008. Goodness, it has not yet even passed the half year mark and the equipments are no longer functioning.
OK, now that the machines are not working, I expect the security officers would do an “extra mile” in performing their duties. But no, I was wrong. The security personnel only opened my bag and just viewed what’s on top of it. She didn’t even care to check what’s buried at the bottom of my bag. I bet, she didn’t even know I had one camera and one extra lens in my bag.
But the security lapse didn’t end here. Knowing for a fact that there was no X-ray machine, I was also expecting to see a bomb sniffing or a drug sniffing dog, but there was none.
Then I passed through the large metal detector. I am not sure if it’s turned on or not. What surprised me is that, they did not oblige me to take off my shoes. I was already about to take off my sneakers when I overheard a lady guard telling me that there’s no need to take off shoes.
What? Is there a re policy overturning the old rule of taking off footwear? That is the very reason why, as much as possible I only wear flip flops during flight. Because it’s a hassle to take off shoes at the airport.
A male security then did frisk me but didn’t even bother to ask what’s inside my pocket. That time, in contained my mobile phone, coins, keys, ID, calling cards.
After a cup of coffee, I decided to get out of the pre departure are and go to the viewing deck. (Yep, Bacolod Airport has a nice viewing deck). When my Manila-bound plane has arrived, I then went back to the pre departure area. And since I went out, Normally, I have to subject myself to all the mandatory security procedures. The guards checked my bag as usual. But to my surprise, the male guard no longer did a body check. Hmmm. That rang the alarm bell in me. What if I had a knife in my pocket? Worse, what if I carried a handgun?
The security personnel of Bacolod Silay Airport must beef up their security procedures. And should implement all the necessary checks all the time. Because we do not know when terror attacks happen. Better be secured than sorry.
WARNING!!! If you are reading this from another blog, it is possible that this has been copied without my permission. BYAHILO: Ito ang Trip Ko!