SOS: Disaster at the airport - JAYWALKER by Art A. Borjal

Before a major airplane accident happens because of the outmoded and defective radar system at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the authorities must act now – IMMEDIATELY – to upgrade the facilities of the most important and most sensitive Manila Approach Control. The radar system was installed about 20 years ago, and it was not brandnew then, but a second-hand equipment donated by Japan.

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Right now, the radar system is vulnerable to equipment deficiencies. In other words, it could break down any time. And this is most tragic, because the Manila Approach Control services all the airlines, both foreign and local, using the NAIA, Clark, and sometimes, Subic airports. While there are technical people trained to handle the radar system’s maintenance and repairs, their efforts might become futile if the parts needed are already obsolete or are no longer available.

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Right now, the radar system is working below acceptable performance. In other words, air traffic controllers are forced to accept its present condition and performance because they have to service all the airlines using these premier airports. Note that the air controllers handle about 350 to 400 flights a day, excluding aircrafts on visual.

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What the authorities concerned should realize is that the airline industry continues to grow and expand. To keep pace with the growth of modern aviation, the needed amount should now be invested to improve our present radar equipment, before a major accident happens, and lives are lost, due to our defective and long-outmoded radar system.

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Let me thank the many Good Samaritans who enabled the Good Samaritan Foundation to lend a helping hand to the following indigent beneficiaries, all of whom come from the poorest of the poor:

* Aurora Baylon, who was one of the victims at the Payatas garbage dump incident, P1,000 to enable her and three daughters to return to their hometown in Ilocos Sur

* Ramil Cabrera, a sight-impaired college student who is graduating this year from Trinity College, Quezon City, P1,500 for his school expenses

* Fidel Berog, a young amputee from a squatters area in Parañaque, P2,000 for his expenses as a high school student and for two pairs of imported crutch tips for his crutches

* Marielle Paraiso of Caloocan City, child of a recently widowed mother, P2,000 for her school expenses

* Kathylene Nicandro of Bacolod City, the girl I featured in my book Walking Through the Pathways of Life, who already underwent two kidney transplants, P3,000 for her regular dialysis

* Wilson Dominguez of Iriga City, P1,426 for his tuition fee at the University of Northeastern Philippines in the Bicol region

* Pedro Elmido of Negros Oriental, both of whose legs are paralyzed, a wheelchair for his mobility

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In the meantime, the Good Samaritan Foundation has turned over P20,000 to Lydda Ajon, the public school teacher from Basilan City, who lost her right arm through the savagery of the Abu Sayyaf who kidnapped her and several other persons. The money came from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, through AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Angelo Reyes, and was supposed to be used to provide her with an artificial arm.

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Upon thorough evaluation, though, by the prosthesis manufacturer, Lydda’s amputated arm extends so far away, beyond her shoulders, making an artificial arm merely a decorative fixture, not functional. She has thus been dissuaded to give up the idea of a prosthesis, and she has accepted her fate of being without a right arm. This explains why the Good Samaritan Foundation decided to give the P20,000 to Lydda, as financial assistance for her family. By the way, I heard Lydda is now acting as guidance counsellor to the wounded soldiers who are still recuperating at the V. Luna Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

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Now, let me also thank, and ask God to bless, the following kindhearted persons who continue to support the socially-oriented projects of the Good Samaritan Foundation:

* Movie star and stage personality Paolo Contis, P2,000 (PNB #075508)

* Mrs. Clara L. Guerrero, 75 years old, who, before she died last July 30, expressed her last wish to donate P10,000 to the Good Samaritan Foundation

* An anonymous donor from Ayala Alabang, P3,000 (ABN-AMRO #000199160

* Col. Flor Henson (Ret.) of Metro Manila and Pampanga, P3,000

* An anonymous gentleman, who, whenever he sees me at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, hands over a donation to the less fortunate in life, P1,000

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I was still in my pre-teen years, when I became aware of the many Catholic-oriented activities of the Catholic Action of the Philippines. I am happy to learn from my good friend, Sonia Saldivar-Ronda, who is the incumbent president of the lay organization, that the Catholic Action is still going strong. In fact, last September 24, the year-long celebration of the Catholic Action was launched at Villa San Miguel, followed by fellowship at Club Filipino.

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Just the listing of Catholic Action’s past presidents, some of whom have gone to the Far Beyond, gives an idea of how prestigious and lofty are the programs of this old lay organization. The past presidents include Justice Pastor Endencia, Dr. Jose Ma. Hernandez, Atty. Ernesto Escaler, Sen. Francisco ‘Soc’ Rodrigo, Ambassador Oscar Ledesma, Justice Emilio Gancayco, Justice Jose Y. Feria, Sec. Jose Ma. Concepcion, Ambassador Henrietta de Villa, and Antonio de los Reyes.

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Have you ever wondered how Catholic Action of the Philippines was established? In 1950, the Philippine Catholic Hierarchy noticed the growing number of committed lay organizations and movements. It has established Catholic Action, which was assigned the job of organizing all the Church-mandated lay organizations into a national federation. And the federation’s foremost goal was to further enhance communication and rapport between the clergy and the laity.

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In 1973, there was a restructuring of the entire lay apostolate. Eventually, the name Catholic Action of the Philippines was dropped, and it became known as the Council of the Laity of the Philippines. Then, in 1995, it was further renamed as the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas, or Laiko, becoming the implementing arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

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Art A. Borjal’s e-mail address: [email protected]