9/11: How the World Has Reshaped Since 2001

On September 11, 2001, the extremist group Al-Qaeda launched four coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States. Among these, two hijacked commercial planes were intentionally flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The tragic events resulted in a total of 2,977 deaths, a toll that included 20 Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who perished inside the towers and aboard the hijacked flights. 

The tragedy triggered a global overhaul of aviation security. To safeguard commercial flights, airports worldwide introduced stringent departure and arrival protocols that remain standard today. These measures include thorough baggage screening, strict passenger identity checks, and heavily restricted gate access. Additionally, the strict regulation of liquids in carry-on baggage was implemented globally in 2006.

In the Philippines, the ripples of 9/11 fundamentally altered national transit security. In 2004, the government established the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) under Executive Order 277. The agency was designated as the single authority responsible for enforcing rigorous security regulations across all Philippine airports, seaports, and land transportation hubs to protect the public from evolving global threats.