EDITORIAL - Banned

There has been no Philippine-registered carrier flying to the 27 member states of the European Union for the past decade, so the flight ban imposed recently by the European Commission has no immediate impact on the country’s airlines. But the ban, which puts the Philippines in the same league as Sudan, cannot be taken lightly. It must spur authorities to speed up measures to make the country meet international standards on aviation safety.

The European Commission acknowledged recent efforts being undertaken by the Philippine government to improve aviation safety but emphasized that the efforts were not enough. The ban, the EC said, was due to “serious and persistent non-compliance of the civil aviation authorities in terms of overseeing and checks on aircraft.” The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, whose new head Alfonso Cusi took his oath for a post with a four-year fixed term on the eve of the election ban on midnight appointments, will have to do more, especially because other countries have done their homework and have avoided inclusion in the ban. While Philippine-registered carriers are not flying to EU states, the ban will affect any plans the airlines might have of doing so.

The ban is an indictment not of the airlines but of those in charge of ensuring aviation safety. This is another blow for the country, which has lagged behind its neighbors for several years now in attracting travelers. The Philippines is already way behind its neighbors in terms of airport facilities, unable to open even a single terminal at the NAIA without the project getting bogged down in a corruption scandal. Outside Metro Manila, animals wander into runways and kites pose a risk to flight safety. The country still has not fully recovered from the takeover of the NAIA air traffic control tower in November 2003 by former Air Transportation Office chief Panfilo Villaruel Jr. and a naval officer. The two, who denounced corruption in government, were shot dead by a counterterrorist team shortly after Villaruel told a radio interview that he was ready to surrender.

European diplomats have expressed optimism that the Philippines will be able to meet international safety standards and the country can be stricken off the aviation watch list. The ban should be seen as a challenge to intensify efforts to meet those standards.