OTS to get full-body scanners for Phl airports

MANILA, Philippines - Airports in the Philippines may soon have full-body scanners and other equipment to help prevent terrorist attacks, the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) said yesterday.

In a statement, the OTS said major airports in the country will have passive millimeter wave scanners, which are full-body imaging devices, by next month at the latest.

Passive scanners use radiation emitted from the human body or objects to create images. They do not show anatomical details, unlike the active millimeter wave scanners, which raise privacy concerns since they allow screeners to see even implants in the body and other medical equipment that is normally hidden.

The OTS said it is also waiting for the delivery of bottled liquid scanners, which identify chemicals in liquids; explosive trace detectors, which detect explosive materials in small amounts; and new X-ray scanners to replace old or outmoded scanners.

The OTS, which is under the Department of Transportation and Communications, did not state when the bidding or negotiation for the equipment took place and how much they cost.

The OTS is in charge of inspecting electronic gadgets of travelers after the US imposed a similar policy when it received reports that some terrorist groups plan to blow up airplanes bound for the US, particularly those coming from the Middle East and Europe. These plans involve smuggling explosives in electronic gadgets.