President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked for an investigation into the poor-quality bollards installed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.
The order came after a tragic accident where two people, including a 5-year-old girl, died after being hit by an SUV.
According to Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro, the government is very sorry about the accident. She said the investigation will check if the bollards failed to meet safety standards.
The bollards were installed in July 2019 during the term of former Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade.
“Following the President’s order, the process of how the bollards were bought and their technical details are now being investigated,” said Castro. She added that Secretary Vince Dizon was told to lead the inspection of the bollards and quickly replace them to ensure public safety.
She also said the government will not ignore any kind of neglect, especially if corruption is involved in government projects.
If someone is found responsible, proper legal action will be taken immediately.
Initial reports say the SUV driver lost control and crashed into the bollards outside the airport.
One possible reason for the accident is that the bollards were not strong enough to stop the vehicle.
