The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) declared on October 13, 2023, a temporary suspension on the mandatory footwear removal policy at all airports across the nation. The pause comes as the Department of Transportation reviews the procedure.
From now on, passengers will need to remove their shoes only if an alarm sounds during the security screening or under heightened security conditions.
Introduced in July 2023, the mandatory shoe removal policy aimed to uncover prohibited items that could potentially be hidden within footwear. The decision for such stringent measures was influenced by past incidents, notably the 2001 case where Richard Reid, an Al-Qaeda operative, tried to detonate an explosive concealed in his shoe aboard a passenger plane.
Recent events, such as the discovery of ammunition and suspected drugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on August 10, 2023, further underscored the need for enhanced security. The same day, another individual was caught at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport attempting to smuggle marijuana within his shoes.