The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has ordered the immediate inspection of all ports under its jurisdiction nationwide and assured the public of their safety from any potential chemical blast.
PPA General Manager Daniel Jay Santiago is calling such an inspection as urgent following the explosion of a warehouse in the Port of Beirut on August 4 that killed more than 100 people and injured over 4,000. Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosion was fueled by a stockpile of over 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate that were confiscated from a ship and stored for approximately six years at the port.