San Miguel Corp.-led New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) has secured US government support to upgrade security screening systems at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as the operator prepares the country’s main gateway for sharply higher passenger volumes.
The US Trade and Development Agency and NNIC signed an agreement for US-funded technical assistance to assess and develop upgraded security screening systems across NAIA’s terminals.
The study will provide technical, operational, and financial analyses and recommend security screening concepts aligned with US Transportation Security Administration standards for airports serving as the last point of departure for US-bound flights.
It will also identify US suppliers of advanced screening equipment that could be deployed at NAIA, while helping facilitate project financing and potential US exports.
“By working together to modernize security at NAIA, we are protecting travelers on both sides of the Pacific,” USTDA Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Thomas R. Hardy said.
“This project stops threats before they reach American shores, deepens cooperation with a vital ally, and exemplifies the partnerships that sustain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Hardy added.
NNIC President Ramon S. Ang said the technical assistance would help the airport operator assess how security screening can be improved and standardized as passenger volumes increase.
“We look forward to working closely with USTDA as we identify the systems and solutions that best fit NAIA’s needs and growing passenger volumes,” Ang said.
NAIA handled 52 million passengers in 2025, significantly above the 35 million passengers its facilities were originally designed to accommodate.
The airport’s modernization program aims to increase annual capacity to 62 million passengers by 2028 while upgrading aging facilities and systems to international standards.
The security project comes as NNIC seeks to modernize NAIA’s infrastructure while maintaining operations at one of Southeast Asia’s busiest airports.
The US partnership could also open opportunities for American security technology providers to participate in the airport’s modernization, linking the upgrade of NAIA’s screening systems with broader trade and investment cooperation between the Philippines and the United States.
For NNIC, the technical study is expected to provide a roadmap for upgrading screening infrastructure and equipment while ensuring that future systems can accommodate the airport’s expanding passenger capacity.
