The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) announced on Tuesday that airport security personnel are no longer allowed to touch passengers’ passports during terminal entry, following reports of damaged travel documents.
"To better protect your travel documents and reduce unnecessary contact, all NAIA security personnel have been instructed not to touch passports during terminal entry and security verification," said NAIA in an advisory.
"Passengers will simply be asked to show their valid ID or travel document by holding it up themselves," it added.
The new policy follows a viral social media post involving an elderly man who was allegedly denied boarding on a flight to Bali, Indonesia, due to a tear on his passport.
"The recent incident involving a torn passport occurred at an airline check-in counter at NAIA Terminal 3. There has been no report of any mishandling involving NAIA security personnel," it said.
The airport operator said it will continue to "take proactive measures to ensure the safety and security of all passengers," adding that they are working closely with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to strengthen procedures and prevent similar incidents from happening again.
