MANILA – The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) will soon hire an additional 300 security screening officers to be stationed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

"We requested the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) to allow us to hire over 1,000 screeners, and they approved 700. We are just waiting for their go signal to initially hire 300, and the target is within the first quarter," OTS officer in charge Jose Briones, Jr. told the Philippine News Agency in an interview Wednesday.

He added that he is hoping they could hire the other 400 within the year.

Briones noted that the countrys main gateway really needs additional screeners, as every checkpoint should be manned by seven personnel.

"When some of them get sick or have an emergency, they do not have a reliever. So we tend to close a checkpoint when they are absent," he added.

The OTS chief said if they would be able to hire over 1,000, the others would augment the security screening in other airports across the country.

Briones said he is thankful to the DBM for enabling them to hire contractuals.

It can be recalled that several screeners got involved in the alleged theft, and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista previously pointed out the low pay that screeners have been getting.

Briones, for his part, said he understands their plight and is thinking of their welfare.

As such, he recently promoted over 100 personnel to fill in the positions of those who retired, resigned, and whose contracts were not renewed.

"Raising their status would boost their morale, and of course, the promotion would somehow increase their pay," Briones said.