In response to a letter sent by an airport official to the Parañaque City government, a councilor has proposed some changes in an existing ordinance which bans the breeding of domesticated birds within a one–mile radius of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and the Manila Domestic Terminal.
In a phone interview, Councilor Eric Baes yesterday said he wanted the area covered by the ordinance to be expanded to 2.5 miles.
“We recognize that this [bird breeding] is a source of livelihood for some of our residents. They can still do so but [not in areas close to the] airport terminals,” Baes told the Inquirer.
In a draft ordinance he submitted to the council secretariat last month, Baes also recommended that aside from bird breeding, the flying of remote controlled toy planes, kites and even bee culture be included in the ban.
According to the councilor, he was concerned about the possibility of a bird strike bringing down an aircraft in an area located beside the country’s busiest airport terminals.
The result, he added, would be catastrophic, considering the number of residents who live near the airports.
Baes said he also pushed for the inclusion of bee culture in the proposed ordinance after he saw a recent TV news report about a swarm of bees which was spotted at the Naia Terminal 3.
As for kites and remote controlled toy planes, these could also disrupt flights, he added.
The proposed ordinance is expected to be taken up by a council committee anytime soon.
Baes said he would also schedule public hearings so that airport officials and residents could offer their opinion on the matter.
The proposed ordinance stemmed from a letter sent by Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Jose Angel Honrado to Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. over security concerns at the country’s airports.