Solons urged to dig into open skies bills

The Save Our Skies (SOS) movement urged the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday to thoroughly scrutinize bills calling for open skies or progressive liberalization following admission by the US-funded lobby group Freedom to Fly Coalition (FFC) that it drafted the open skies measure and assisted congressional committees.

Robert Lim Joseph, president of SOS, a non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of the tourism industry, also supported the move to amend Executive Order 32 that would change the composition of the Philippine panel that holds talks on aviation matters with other countries.

Joseph said the admission by FFC president Mila Abad, given under oath, during the hearing conducted by the Senate committee on foreign relations and public services last week that the "basic draft" of the open skies bill submitted to Congress came from their group should warn legislators and policymakers.

"Our lawmakers should scrutinize all aviation-related bills for any provisions inimical to national interests, specially those espoused by FFC. It has already been confirmed that FFC is foreign-funded and its advocacy on air transport favors foreign airlines over our local aviation industry," he said.

Abad admitted before the Senate committees that officials of FFC get financial support from the US-funded AGILE (Accelerating Growth, Investment and Liberalization with Equity). Besides Abad, the other officers of FFC include Narzalina Lim, Victor Limlingan, Ma. Cherrylyn Rodolfo and Jose Claro Tesoro. Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) board member Albert Lim is also an FFC member, Abad confirmed.

Joseph said legislators should now be wary of the group (FFC) after its ties with foreign interests were unmasked by the Senate.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III revealed that he was approached two years ago by FFC leaders to file a bill calling for a more liberalized air policy.

The senator said he filed the bill thinking that the group’s advocacy was legitimate. It was found out only now that FFC is backed by the US government, particularly in its open skies campaign, as well as other countries.

Joseph also supported the move of Sen. Tito Guingona to have EO 32 amended. Joseph disclosed during the same hearing that then Transportation Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez pushed for EO 32 since it benefited him.