MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Manuel Roxas II on Wednesday called for a Senate inquiry into the immediate impact of the downgrading by the United States’ Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) of the country’s aviation safety rating.

In Senate Resolution 271, Roxas said the inquiry seeks “to ensure that corrective measures are put in place to improve the state of our national and domestic airports” through legislation

Senator Joker Arroyo, on the other hand, blamed the Air Transportation Office (ATO) for the FAA downgrade, saying it never asked Congress for more money for capital outlay or equipment to improve aviation safety.

“What the ATO asked for in the 2007 and 2008 budgets Malacañang gave, the House gave, and the Senate gave in full. In short, what ATO asked for, they got,” he said.

But a breakdown of the 2008 ATO budget shows P853 million for personnel services, P754 million for maintenance and operating expenses, and only P21 million for capital outlay or equipment.

“Precisely, the FAA is complaining that we do not have the facilities to maintain international safety standards. And what did ATO ask for -- P21 million or $572,000 only. In 2007, ATO asked only for P7.37 million or $180,000.” Arroyo said.

Together with the P424 million for airport and navigational facilities, the P72 million for ATO flight check aircraft, and the P21 million for capital outlay, Arroyo said the overall expenditure for safety is only P577 million.

He said that is equivalent to $12.5 million only. “No wonder the FAA is concerned,” he said.

“Neither the Department of Transportation and Communication nor the ATO told the Senate anything about the impending downgrade which they already knew during the budget hearings in October. What they did is that just before the Christmas recess, they stampeded Congress to pass the Civil Aviation Authority Act lest, according to them, we be downgraded. Congress acted on it with practically no debate. Still, the FAA downgraded us,” he said

“That is the picture. That is the sad result,” he added.

Roxas, chair of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, said an inquiry is needed to let the public to know “who dropped the ball” on such a critical matter as airport and aviation safety.

For instance, the Liberal Party president said, the ATO should reveal what it has done since receiving the FAA advisory to improve the quality of airports nationwide.

“Apparently, a long time ago, the FAA gave a list of requirements, but these have not been met. These are simple items but the concerned officials in these agencies have a [lot to be] accountable [for],” he said.

“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 added.

In its January 8 report, the FAA downgraded the Philippines’ aviation safety rating from Category 1 to Category 2, preventing Philippine carriers from expanding operations in the US. The downgrade came after the FAA conducted its assessment on Philippine aviation safety in July 2007.