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US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim on Thursday said he expects the country to comply with global air security standards as it vowed to help improve safety mechanisms in airports.

“We are collaborating closely with the Philippines Department of Transportation and related agencies, and have every confidence in their leadership and their commitment to improve aviation security," Kim said in a statement.

"Philippine authorities have worked diligently to improve security measures and we fully expect that they will soon meet ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards," he added.

US Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday warned Americans security measures at the NAIA do not meet ICAO standards.

"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced the determination that aviation security at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which serves as a last-point-of-departure airport for flights to the United States, does not maintain and carry out effective security consistent with the security standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)," DHS said in its website.

" This determination was based on assessments by a team of security experts from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)," said DHS.

DHS said in coordination with the Department of State and the Department of Transportation, TSA representatives have been working with the Philippine government to assist airport and transportation authorities in bringing up to international security standards.

"TSA will continue to work with the Philippines and assist its aviation authorities with correcting the security deficiencies at the airport. In addition, TSA will continue to assess security measures at the airport and take appropriate actions as warranted," said DHS

Among the recommendations of TSA were installation of new x-ray machines, walk-through metal detectors and alarm systems, new background check procedures for newly-hired airport personnel which will include neighborhood and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency checks for those implementing security control and submission of new NBI clearances

The TSA, according to the Department of Transportation, recommended ' change in the "security culture" among longtime Ninoy Aquino International Airport personnel in the area of consistent implementation and observance of strict security procedures.

In a press conference, Manila International Airport Authority manager Ed Monreal said "there's no cause for alarm" as authorities put in place security enhancements."

"There is nothing among these recommendations that cannot be applied," he said.

Monreal said the airport is ''very, very safe." "We have not received any threats," he said. DMS