Senators inspect CAAP’s air traffic management center

FILE PHOTO: Commercial planes prepare to take off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Monday, January 2, 2023, as officials of the Philippines’ main gateway try to restore normal operations after the airport’s air traffic management system broke down on New Year’s Day, canceling more than 300 flights. Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Senators inspected the air traffic management center of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Pasay City on Monday.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senators Grace Poe, JV Ejercito, Raffy Tulfo, and Risa Hontiveros were present during the inspection.

They were accompanied by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

Poe pointed out after the inspection that the automatic voltage regulator (AVR), which supplies power to the air traffic control system, has not been replaced since August 2020.

“What did we realize? It’s been more than two years since there was proper maintenance that was done. It’s been more than a few months since the AVR conked out and there was no replacement,” she said in a press briefing after the inspection.

The lady senator added that they want to pass a measure creating the National Transport Safety Board, an independent body that can look into transportation-related accidents.

“Kasi ngayon, ‘di ba CAAP ‘yung iniimbestigahan pero syempre wala namang mag-iimbestiga, mga CAAP din ang nag-iimbestiga sa sarili nila,” she noted.

(Because now, CAAP is being investigated but the ones investigating are CAAP officials themselves.)

“Not that we are undermining or doubting the credibility of [Director General Manuel] Tamayo but of course, it is better to have an independent body,” she continued.

Poe likewise shared that the National Economic and Development Authority approved its P2.2 billion public-private partnership project for the maintenance and upgrade of the country’s air traffic control system.

To recall, CAAP’s air traffic management system broke down on January 1 which affected at least 65,000 passengers whose flights were either delayed, canceled, or diverted.

The Senate committee on public services, chaired by Poe, launched an investigation of the airport fiasco last month.

READ: Senate starts probe into New Year’s Day air traffic control system collapse

Poe said then that CAAP is “almost 100 percent responsible” for the turmoil.

KGA/abc