MANILA, Philippines – The lack of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 is making the public indignant about government neglect, following the shooting of Labangan Mayor Ukol Talumpa, his wife, and a number of others.

But do we remember when was the last time the public was told there was no CCTVs in this gateway to the Philippines? A year and a half ago.

Specifically: during the scuffle between newspaper columnist Ramon Tulfo and the group of showbiz couple Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago.

At the time, there was no recording of the incident, where Tulfo claimed he was attacked by the Santiagos after he recorded on his cellphone how Claudine was berating airport staff, and how Tulfos’ brothers came to his rescue.

Then Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas explained to reporters the lack of CCTV cameras at the airport: an unfinished deal with the Takenaka Corporation to upgrade the systems of the airport terminal.

Referring to the setting up of the CCTV cameras, Roxas said: “Ito ‘yung hindi tinapos ng Takenaka. Kaya nasolusyonan naman ito. ‘Yung unang hakbang, which is to negotiate na tapusin ‘yung dapat ninyong tapusin, na in-agree-han ng Takenaka na tatapusin nila.” (This was left unfinished by Takenaka. We have solved this. The first step was to negotiate that Takenaka finish it, and they agreed to complete it.)

Roxas indicated that CCTVs would be in place in 2013. He said, had the incident happened “next year,” this would have been caught on camera, in full color – “even [in] 3-dimensional” shots.

“Nagkataon lang na ngayon nangyari itong suntukan. Pero kung next year nangyari ‘yung suntukan, eh di nakuha sila live, in action, colored…” he said. (It just so happened that the fight happened now. If this punching match happened next year, then it would have been caught live, in action, in color…)

One and a half years later, however, this statement remains unfulfilled.

According to an October 31 report on the NAIA3 upgrades, work on the upgrades was to start only in November this year. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said an agreement had already been made with the Takenaka Corporation, though only an initial downpayment of 20% of the total cost was given to Takenaka at that time. 

The agreement was for the completion of 23 systems, including the flight information display, baggage handling and reconciliation, fire alarm and protection, and passenger boarding bridges, among others.

The completion of upgrades to the NAIA terminal is set for July 2014. – Rappler.com