An Open Skies policy revisited

I guess everyone is eager to hear from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) what kind of reforms is forthcoming from the remaining 18 months in Malacañang that would have a huge impact on our economy. One such wish comes from Cebuanos who had hoped that one of these reforms would come in the form of an "Open Skies policy." Ten years ago, the Province of Cebu batted for this since Emilio "Lito" Osmeña was governor of Cebu, for the Cory and Ramos administrations to accept an "Open Skies policy", a policy which the Philippine government didn’t agree to adopt in the last Air Talks in 1995 because we were not ready to adopt it.

We note with anxiety the news last Monday in the front page of the Philippine STAR, which reported that next month, the Philippines and the United States government would be holding "Air Talks" in the US. However, the latest news report on the Open Skies issue comes from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin who said, The Philippines is not yet ready for an open skies policy for passenger flights with the US and thus, the country’s air panel will try to convince the US side to defer its implementation for another five years. As the report goes, "If the open skies policy agreement is not postponed, the agreement takes effect in October. So the question is: will the Philippines ever be ready for an Open Skies Policy?

The problem with our bureaucrats is they’ve become too comfortable with the status quo for so long they won’t dare try something new. Worse of all, they don’t even give us clear-cut explanation (they just say that we’re not ready for it!) as to why the Philippines is not ready for an Open Skies policy… afraid perhaps that they just might end up quoting Philippines Airlines (PAL) or some other local airline executives who through all these years lived under the mantle of government protection, thus, tourism industry insiders bewail the fact that our tourism is linked through an umbilical cord with the number of airplanes or seats our local airlines have on service.

Last week, President Arroyo was in Davao City and its officialdom through the Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP) urged President Arroyo to declare Davao International Airport as a site for a "Pocket Open Skies" policy to spur economic growth in Mindanao. DIDP officials believe that the new airport would not be fully used unless foreign carriers were allowed to land in Davao’s spanking new airport.

Let me say that I fully agree with the observations of our friends from Davao because those are parallel to the thinking of Cebuanos on this very issue. Years ago, we called to have a "Partial" Open Skies Policy for the Mactan International Airport, but alas, no one cared to listen. Now it’s Davao’s turn to ask for this… calling it a "Pocket" Open Skies Policy.

Actually, the whole trouble has its roots from Imperial Manila’s virtually grabbing everything juicy in this country and all the crumbs are left for the rest of the country. Let me point out clearly that 97 percent of all international flights coming to and from the Philippines lands at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Authority (NAIA)… the rest or should I say, the crumbs are given to Mactan International Airport, Laoag, Davao or Zamboanga. In short, what Cebuanos or Davaoeños are asking Imperial Manila is to equally share their flights to the rest of the Philippines and not grab all the flights to land only in NAIA, Centennial Terminal or the new PIATCO terminals in Metro Manila.

In short, many of us believe that the Philippine tourism industry is a hundred times bigger than the airline business. But through the years, thanks to the lobby by PAL, the government always took their side and admittedly, even with that government protection, PAL folded up in 1998. Well, it’s Visit Philippines 2003 and best of all, Air Talks with the Philippines and the US are being scheduled for next month… so the question to ask President Arroyo is, game ka na ba? I’m sure that Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon has something to say about this.

While we don’t want the Philippine government to be pushed in an Open Skies policy if they truly believe that we’re not ready for it… however, the status quo is no longer acceptable if we are on a reform mode. Hence, I’d like to suggest to the Arroyo administration that she should consider seriously looking at a "partial or pocket" Open Skies Policy for Mactan and Davao and see if this should bring more tourists into the country? If her advisers do not want this… then she should distribute eventually all the international flights that come to the Philippines… otherwise… we in the south would always clamor to open-up the skies of the Philippines.

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The Blackbox:

Indeed, we got a lot of response from our articles about the speech that Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (Jaza) made before the FINEX group the other week… and it seems that he is exactly what many Filipinos are looking for… a man who can see opportunity where others only saw gloom and doom. Well, here’s some of the letters e-mailed to us on this issue.

"To: [email protected]

Subject: Your column about JAZA is very encouraging. What can we do to make him run in 2004? He’s the best choice. [email protected]

Here’s another one,

"Hi I read your article from philstar.com about why not Jaza, I think its about time that a patriotic person from Ayala families should lead our country, not FPJ… or traditional politicians… or movie star turned politician… About Juan Luna’s painting it should be exhibited here in Canada or US and other cities so that people who send money to their relatives back in the Philippines, (that comprises the $8 billion remittances) will have the luxury of seeing public money go to waste. From Lapulapumagellan @yahoo.com"

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For e-mail response to this article, write to [email protected]. Bobbit Avila’s columns can also be accessed through www.thefreeman.com. He also hosts a weekly talk show entitled, "Straight from the Sky" shown every Monday only in Metro Cebu on Channel 15 on SkyCable at 8 p.m.