Power fluctuations hit NAIA

MANILA, Philippines —  Passengers sweltered as power fluctuations hit the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 at around 10 a.m. yesterday.

The fluctuations were caused by a circuit breaker tripping, according to Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) spokesman Chris Bendijo.

The elevated heat index outside the terminal led to high power loads that caused the circuit breaker to trip, he noted.

Other potential causes are being investigated.

Electrical engineers worked for an hour to calibrate the circuit breaker, he added.

NAIA’s power generators kicked in, continuing operations at check-in counters and X-ray machines, but the cooling system was a problem.

The airport’s power is now back to normal after more than three hours of limited power supply.

Passengers reported that escalators were not working at the NAIA Terminal 3.

Energy utility provider Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said it is ready to provide support to MIAA following the power fluctuations.

MIAA said the power fluctuations affected the air handling units at the departure area, but no flight delays or cancellations were reported.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and MIAA general manager Eric Ines inspected the airport prior to the fluctuations.

The MIAA is upgrading the airport’s electrical system and assured the public that this would cause no significant impact on flight operations.

Scheduled maintenance activities are being conducted by MIAA at NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3, International Cargo Terminal, MIAA administration building and the airfield to upgrade NAIA’s electrical systems.

Meanwhile, the campaign against rats at the airport was proven effective, Bendijo said.

“We cannot discount the fact that we have food concessionaires which necessarily attract rodents. Numerous traps were set up and the number of trapped (rats) decreased both in numbers and sizes, which is a sign that the measures are effective,” he said.

He also noted that based on a Bureau of Quarantine report, the bed bugs that infested some lounge chairs at NAIA did not come from the Philippines.

“I am only relying on the statement of the Bureau of Quarantine about the possibility of infestation (of bed bugs) by introduction,” he added.

Transport officials inspected on Monday and Tuesday the facilities of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) as part of Oplan Biyaheng Ayos.

They verified the functionality of all critical systems within CAAP’s Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) facilities.

The CNS/ATM plays a pivotal role in enabling aircraft to transmit accurate location data for safe takeoffs, landings and air traffic control.

To bolster operational readiness, CAAP director general Manuel Tamayo implemented a “no leave policy” directive for essential operational staff this Holy Week.

Scam

Filipinos should be wary of the proliferation of travel scams this Holy Week, according to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary for communications Hector Villacorta.

“If you are very eager to travel, the scammers are also eager to scam you, so be careful,” Villacorta said yesterday during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum.

He urged people to call DOTr hotline 1326 if unscrupulous persons try to defraud them.

The DOTr coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of the Interior and Local Government and private sector group Scam Watch Pilipinas in the campaign against travel scams.

Travelers

More than 100,000 travelers have been reported at seaports nationwide, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

As of yesterday noon, there were 64,179 outbound passengers and 55,719 inbound passengers at ports, or a total of 119,898 passengers.

This is a jump from the 19,979 outbound passengers and 14,462 inbound passengers or 34,441 travelers recorded from Tuesday midnight to yesterday morning.

PCG deployed 3,395 personnel from 15 districts to maintain order and security.

The agency had inspected 639 vessels and 1,077 motorized boats.

The PCG placed all its 15 districts, stations and substations on heightened alert from March 24 to 31, in line with the DOTr’s Oplan Byaheng Ayos: Semana Santa.

In Bulacan, first aid stations have been placed at pilgrimage sites in the province as devotees and visitors converge this Holy Week, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Bulacan.

These first aid stations have been set up at the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Sto. Cristo Chapel in Paombong, Basilica Minore in Malolos and near the Bulacan provincial government compound in Malolos.

Air Force reservists have also been deployed at the Divine Mercy from March 27 to 29, according to the Philippine Air Force’s Weng Barillo.

They will augment the PDRRMO for medical-related cases, Barillo said.?

In Camp Olivas in Pampanga, the regional police office reported strict inspections of bus terminals in Central Luzon with the expected influx of travelers this Holy Week.

Police personnel have also been deployed to malls and churches, Central Luzon regional police director Brig. Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr. said.

The Central Luzon police force is also prepared to implement the public safety campaign for the summer holiday season, from April 1 to May 31, dubbed “Ligtas SUMVAC 2024.”

Meanwhile, Metro Manila police units are on heightened alert this Holy Week, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

“We are declaring heightened alert in order to use all of our human resources, logistics and finances,” NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a chance interview. “–  Bella Cariaso, Evelyn Macairan, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Nillicent Bautista, Bella Cariaso, Emmanuel Tupas