In an apparent bid to deal with any emergency in the South China Sea, aviation authorities have placed the Puerto Princesa International Airport under possible military use.
Toward this end, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) removed the Puerto Princesa airport from among the facilities under the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.
The move would easily allow the Caap to convert the airport from civilian to military use in a short time—if needed.
At Monday’s Philippine Air Force retirees’ day ceremonies in Clark, Pampanga, Caap Director General William Hotchkiss III said the aviation regulating body was closely monitoring China’s encroachments on West Philippine Sea islets within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Hotchkiss, a guest of honor in the event, pointed out that the Chinese encroachments were threatening to escalate the dispute among China, the Philippines and other countries with claims to the disputed territories.
“We in Caap are monitoring these events very closely so that we can react with expediency in case of any emergency or eventuality,” he said.
Hotchkiss added: “On this note, we have removed Puerto Princesa International Airport from among airports under the PPP. By this act, Caap can convert this airport from civilian to military use in a short time.”
Hotchkiss reiterated his proposed memorandum of agreement with the PAF to make Caap its reserve unit.
He pointed out that the Air Force’s flight plan 2028 road map for modernization as well as the Caap’s flight plan 2020 complemented each other.