Downgrade of RP aviation safety rating alarms PCCI

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) yesterday called on the government to take the necessary reforms at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) because the downgrade of the government’s aviation safety rating by the US and the consequent blacklisting of Philippine-registered carriers to 27 EU countries will have a long term negative impact on Philippine carriers.

“For the country to regain the Category 1 status, CAAP, as a regulatory body on aviation, needs more qualified technical personnel to do oversight functions, particularly random inspections on Philippine carriers,” PCCI vice president for service Angelito Colona said.

The findings of the international aviation organization was a result of the government’s failure to create a technically-competent and efficient civil aviation authority in the country, the PCCI said.

Since the US findings showed that it is the Philippine regulatory body that is not competent to oversee airline operations, PCCI further recommended that US and EU carriers be suspended from operating into the Philippines. 

“The downgrading evaluation on CAAP implies that if (CAAP) is not capable of handling foreign airlines operations, therefore the government should suspend operations of these airlines in the Philippines as well,” the group said.

The group warned that if the issue is not addressed immediately, it will curtail some of the gains of the tourism industry and create a negative image of the Philippines as an unsafe destination with untrustworthy facilities and infrastructure.

PCCI said there may be a need to amend RA 9497, the law which created CAAP.  They said there is a need for private sector representation in the Board of Directors of CAAP in order to provide sound leadership in the agency.