ROXAS CALLS FOR SENATE HEARINGS ON US FAA ADVISORY
ADVISORY TO AFFECT TOURIST, INVESTOR ARRIVALS

Senator Mar Roxas expressed concern on the immediate impact of the United States Federal Aviation Authority's (US FAA) ratings downgrade of the Philippines' aviation industry, saying it had implications on travel, tourism and investments.

He filed Senate Resolution No. 271, which seeks an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the findings of the US FAA advisory, "in order to ensure that corrective measures are put in place to improve the state of our national and domestic airports."

Roxas said an inquiry is needed to enable the public to know "who dropped the ball" on such a critical matter as airport and aviation safety. For example, the Liberal Party President said that the ATO should reveal what it has done since receiving the FAA advisory to improve the quality of airports nationwide.

"Ano ang mga reglamento, ano ang mag ginawa nila para mag-comply sila? Hinimay ba nila ito, kung ano ang bagay na kailangan pa ng pagbabago sa batas, kung ano ang nangangailangan ng karagdagang badyet, at kung ano ang dapat may administrative action?" Roxas asked.

"Apparently, a long time ago, the FAA gave a list of requirements, but these have not been met. Mga simpleng bagay lang ito, at malaking pananagutan ang mga ahensya na nanunungkulan dito," he added.

Roxas stressed that airport safety "is of critical importance to our country's bid to attract more tourists and foreign investors as well as provide better services to Filipino travelers including millions of overseas Filipinos."

"It is not enough to just be compliant or up to minimum standards. As a result of globalization, we have to be on a par with the world's best," he said.

"We will look at whether our ATO and other agencies are receiving enough funding to comply with FAA standards, and if this can be boosted to help them upgrade and improve on Philippine aviation," he added.

The resolution cited that the US Government held consultations with the Philippine Government as early as July 2007 after the US FAA conducted its assessment on Philippine civil aviation safety. US FAA raised serious concerns that the Philippines did not meet the minimum safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

The Philippines was eventually downgraded from Category One to Category Two, "the consequence of which is that the operating specification of Philippine carriers flying the United States would be frozen, and Philippine flights to the US would be subjected to heightened US FAA surveillance while in the US."