The Zamboanga City Integrated Bus Terminal installed Saturday, April 17, its brand new and Italian-made walk through security body scanner.
Defense and Protection Systems Philippines, Inc. or DPSPI sent technicians to Zamboanga City to personally install and orient terminal staff on the use of the body scanner. DPSPI is also the supplier of the currently installed baggage x-ray machine at ZC-IBT arrival building and among its top clients for baggage x-ray machines and walk through body scanners are the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the US Embassy – Manila, Asian Development Bank, Canadian Embassy – Manila, and Philippine Airlines among others.
The said body scanner is installed beside the baggage x-ray machine at the arrival building of the terminal complex. The installation of both equipment in the arrival building was based on the recommendation made by the security forces to Mayor Beng Climaco as there is a need to check on arriving passengers at the terminal including the baggages.
Later this year, another baggage x-ray machine and walk-through scanner would be installed at the departure building as the purchase of the said equipment is already funded in the 2021 annual budget of the City.
ZC – IBT Supervising Transportation Regulation Officer Rafael Derick Garcellano Evangelista III said that with the security equipment presently installed in the arrival building, all arriving passengers will have to undergo body security and baggage check. According to him, since September last year, a number of passengers were carrying bladed weapons coming into Zamboanga City through buses and these were all intercepted through the baggage x-ray machine. The bladed weapons were confiscated from the owners immediately after the baggage check. (IBT Press Release)