'Merry Christmas' streamers to greet passengers at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines - Streamers, not airport personnel, would greet arriving and departing passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) this holiday season.

Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said it was initially in jest when he told dzRH anchor Joe Taruc in an interview yesterday morning that he would be putting up holiday streamers at the NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3, but he later realized that this is actually a bright idea.

“Come Monday, we would already install ‘Merry Christmas’ streamers at the arrival and departure areas of the three NAIA terminals,” Alvarez said.

The strategy was thought of by the Bureau of Customs to discourage their personnel assigned at the NAIA from greeting the travelers this holiday season, which is often perceived to be a subtle way of asking for gifts or money.

Alvarez said with the streamers, the BOC would still be able to spread holiday cheer without worrying about a possible extortion racket.

“With the BOC, Christmas greetings have a different implication,” Alvarez said, adding that while there are workers who are simply being polite to the passengers, there are also those who use their greetings as a way to hint for Christmas presents, money or token.

The Customs chief, however, was quick to stress that this practice has already been broken because up until yesterday morning, he hasn’t received any extortion complaint against BOC personnel.