A Guide to Access Control in the Philippines
Here in the Philippines, access control systems are being more and more recognized as integral to the security and performance set within business or working premises. In fact, many homes here in the Philippines are also using access control systems as a means to give homeowners peace of mind when it comes to their home’s potential vulnerabilities and the risks that may come.
Access control or AC is a form of security system in the Philippines. It also has two kinds: physical security and information security. Essentially, having this in your establishment would mean that you would be implementing selective restriction when it comes to accessing areas and resources. Access control systems are generally dependent on permission and authorization information. There are three types of factors of authenticating information:
- Something the user knows – password, pass-phrase, PIN
- Something the user has – smart card, key fob
- Something the user is – fingerprint, verification via Philippine biometric measurement
The Importance of Access Control
If you are running business operation here in the Philippines, access control is definitely something well-worth investing in. Utilizing an access control system in your business is a simple yet incredibly effective means of improving security measures, while at the same time, enhancing the managerial flow of people that both enter and exit the working vicinities. Access control systems provide for easy integration, letting you stay in charge while giving you peace of mind. Below are 7 of the most integral benefits and advantages that access control systems can provide for your business:
Protecting Your Employees
Safety is the greatest importance for the stability and overall growth of your business; it is the literal central lifeline that keeps operations running. The implementation of access control systems can allow for you to reinforce a safe working environment for you and all your employees, which at the end of the day, is a great relief on everybody’s part.
Reducing Risks of Theft by Restricting Unauthorized Access
According to statistical data from a study held by the ‘Association of Fraud Examiners’ in April of 2015, internal theft accounts for up to about 5% of annual revenues. And what is even more alarming, is that according to the data relations: the smaller the business, the more disproportionate the loss is to the flow of internal revenue margins.
Access control systems give you the opportunity to strictly control and enforce who has access to specific locations in your place of business. Employers can grant very limited access to any high-risk areas without suffering through the risks of internal theft and damage to stock assets as well as inventory.
Electronic History Logging and Reports
Access control systems can provide you with additional security because they have the ability to both log and track every time access is granted to the established working premises. The information that the access control system collects and records can be reviewed at later times, if necessary.
Reports can even be generated to see which specific employee has gained access to which area and at what exact time. Access control systems create audit trails that enable you to electronically or digitally manage the time and attendance of each and every one of your employees. Muster reports also allow you to instantly be notified and informed of who exactly is within the premises, in the event of a shutdown or other emergency cases.
Eliminating the Common Problems with Physical Keys
With the abilities of an access control system, there will no longer be a need for keys. An access control system can simply be managed with swipe cards, buttons, and fingerprints. Your business facilities will see an enhanced safety from dangerous potential intruders. With this mind, you no longer have to worry about the hassles of tracking who has hold of the keys and if reproductions of office keys have been made.
Customizing Individual Schedules
The installation of an access control system can allow you to minimize your exposure to common risks and predicaments by strictly never granting more access than what is required for each specific individual user in any given situation.
Whether it is the case that you want to grant your employees access to the building within specific hours, or give access to cleaners and short-term employees, or suddenly need to give a certain employee 24hour access, or give employees access to the main working spaces but not to the managerial offices and other off-limit premises, these can all be made simple and easy with the implementation of an access control system.
Providing Remote Access
One of the most convenient aspects of using an access control system is that your system can easily allow you to let in individuals when you are not there yourself. Technician and contractors may sometimes need access to certain areas of your building, and nobody that is on the site has the level of access to let them in. But no matter where you are, access control systems can provide remote access to your business.
Reducing the Cost for Energy Bills and Preserving the Environment
One of the greatest benefits of using an access control system is that they can significantly lower your electricity bill costs. This is simply achieved by arranging for the access control system to exchange data with the building management system.
Given that the access control system is informed on which areas of the building are occupied, it can easily configure the building management system to switch off unnecessary lighting and other appliances in unoccupied areas.
Types of Access Control Systems in the Philippines
Various types of access control systems exist, in order to fit you and your organization’s needs. Below is a rundown of some of the most common ones.
Visitor Management System
If you own an office, hotel, inn, resort, or the like, the first thing that guests will encounter is your employees at the lobby. If your building has countless visitors going in and out throughout the day, it might be difficult to monitor them if you’re still relying on a manual system. Your lobby personnel won’t be able to handle guests at peak times. During the new normal where social distancing is a must, this can become a problem.
A visitor management system can help remove the manual process and replace it with a more efficient digital registration process. Instead of log-books and excel sheets, your lobby staff can take a picture of a guest using a webcam, scan their ID, and give them a visitor card to restrict their access to your building—all in just a few minutes.
If you want to make your log-in process touchless, you can also pre-register guests in advance in your visitor management system.
Vehicle Access Control System
Aside from your lobby, employees and guests can also get in through your parking lot. Some business owners neglect the safety and security of this area which results in an increase in crime and a decrease in customer relations. But you can make your parking lot more secure with a visitor management system so audit trail reports can be found in one place.
A vehicle access control system will help control and monitor the vehicles going in and out of your parking area. Without access cards, employees and guests can’t go in freely.
You can also take advantage of the anti-passback features so a card can only be used to exit once it is swiped during entry. This way, an authorized person can’t help outsiders enter using the same card. Because you can monitor and control entry from a workstation, this reduces the need for direct contact with the drivers.
A system that controls access to vehicles can be used to track personnel, manage buses and trucks, and monitor the use of warehouse vehicles.
Door Access System
An access control system will give you the capacity to choose who has access, select which doors can be accessed, restrict the times an entry point can be accessed, and implement special conditions before granting entry. This makes it a great contactless solution to secure your building, unlike with manual lock and keys where you can’t track the user without security personnel guarding the door.
With a door access system, employees and guests can be accountable for their activities. If someone tries to get in a door by forcing it, it will trigger an alarm to your security personnel so they can take action.
Door access systems add another layer of security by providing a variety of identifiers. For example, a person would need to input their PIN or provide a fingerprint before being granted entry.
One of the advantages of a door access system is that it can be integrated with other access control systems. You can use it for HR management to track attendance while restricting the time employees can use their cards to enter secure areas.
Lift Access System
If you own an establishment, chances are, you might need a lift access system. Most businesses maximize space by building multiple floors, so this security solution is essential.
With a lift access system, you can customize access to particular floors through employee and visitor cards. For instance, a hotel guest can gain entry to floors where their room, the swimming pool, the gym, or the restaurant is located. But they can’t go to the back office and kitchen area without special permission. Compared to that, managers can have access to all floors. If a card gets lost, you can simply remove it from the system to render it ineffective.
A lift access system can be used with other access control methods such as a door access system. You can also make use of CCTV cameras to spot people who are attempting to go to restricted floors.
Components of Access Control Systems
Access control is the Philippines’ best source for impenetrable and reliable security. In order to fully understand how access control systems work, let us dive into a brief overview of its standard components.
Access Cards
An access card can be seen as an ‘electronic key’. Access cards are used by persons in order to be given access to the doors that are locked and secured by the access control system. Each access card is encoded with unique data marks and is approximately the size of a generic credit card that is easily kept in a purse or wallet.
Card Readers
These are the devices that are used in electronically identifying and reading access cards. Card readers are typically of the ‘insertion’ type which requires a person to insert his or her access card into the reader. There are also ‘proximity’ types that only require you to hold the card within about 3 to 6 inches close to the proximity of the reader. Card readers are typically mounted on the exterior and non-secured side of the door that they are in control of.
Access Control Keypads
This is used in addition or in substitute of card readers. The access control keypad contains numeric keys that are similar to the keys of a touch-tone phone. Access control keypads require that a person enter a correct numerical code in order to gain entry access. For systems that implement control keypads and card readers, it is required that both security points be correct for entry. While sole access control keypads only need the input of the correct digit code.
Electronic Lock Hardware
This is the equipment that is utilized in electrically locking and unlocking the doors that are controlled by the access control system. There are a wide variety and several types of electronic lock hardware. These include electric locks, electric strikes, electromagnetic locks, electric exit devices, and many more. The specific arrangement and type of hardware to be used for a door are determined by its construction conditions.
In most cases, electronic lock hardware is designed to control entrance for a building or secured space. In order to comply with building and fire hazard codes, the installed electronic lock hardware never restricts the ability to freely exit the building at any time.
Access Control Field Panels
These are also known as ‘intelligent controllers’, and are installed in each building where access control is to be utilized. Card readers, electronic lock hardware, and other devices are all universally controlled by access control field panels.
Access control field panels are used in terms of processing access control activity. The number of access control field panels to be provided depends on the number of doors that need to be controlled. Access control field panels are commonly installed in electrical and communication closets.
Access Control Server Computer
This can be metaphorically labeled as the ‘brain’ of the access control system. The access control server acts as the central database and file manager for the access control system. It is also in charge of recording the system’s activity and distributing information to and from the access control field panels.
Typically, single access control server computers can be used in controlling a large number of card readers and controlled doors. The access control server computer is generally a standard computer that runs on a special access control system application software. For most cases, this computer is solely dedicated for full-time use and coordination with the access control system.
Installing and Operating Access Control in the Philippines
Whether for home security or for business operations here in the Philippines, access control systems are relatively easy to install. Plus, it is flawless when it comes to operating.
Running the cables
The most important place to start is with the wiring. Begin with running the internet, power, and signal cables.
Installing the locks
Depending on the type and material of the door, have the integrator install a magnetic lock, electric strike, or electrified mortise lock. This process may include efforts as to cutting the door frame for lock application.
Installing the access control panel to the communications room
If you are faced with 2 doors, you are still able to just install one access control panel due to the fact that most of them can handle multiple doors in its system. The integrator may also install back up power supplies or any other additional security hardware equipment depending on your building’s specifications for supplementary assistance.
Installing readers on the doors
Generally speaking, installing the readers simply involves them having to be screwed on the wall and connected to a power outlet source. However, there are some readers that require internet connection in order to be fully running and operational.
Setting up and testing the access control system
Once the server is finally installed, set up and ready, finalize the installation by configuring the access control system’s software and run a few basic tests if the doors lock and unlock correctly.
Upon completing the installation process, you can now run through these general procedures when implementing the access control system to your organization:
- Test the system with a few co-workers.
- Set up an access schedule.
- Establish rules for the access control software.
- Send an announcement email.
- On-board your employees on the running system.
Access Control Solutions with ELID
ELID is a trusted manufacturer of security access, integrated security systems, and access control here in the Philippines. The company has been involved as a formidable, highly-reputable, and highly-reliable source of security system product and installation since 1989. The design and delivery of products used in access control here in the Philippines are of the highest quality. With continuous in-house research and development, our products and services are top of the line.
ELID has a great understanding of how much access control systems are important to keep any building or location secure. Our access control solutions are used to restrict access of people and vehicles to specific areas during specified times of the day. We provide a wide range of access control systems: everything from simple and humble stand-alone systems to high security and computer-based network systems that are ideal for both small-scale and as well as large-scale corporations.
- Door Access Systems
- Vehicle Access Systems
- Lift Access Systems
- Biometric Systems
ELID (Electronic Identification) is one of the most esteemed and leading manufacturers of state-of-the-art Electronic Identification Systems here in Asia. Our growth is fueled by our vision to continue serving as a world-renowned manufacturer of electronic identification systems.
Click here to find out more about how ELID can assist with your security needs.