DoTr chief underscores safe, sustainable air travel
‘Enhanced cooperation among civil aviation regulatory agencies in Europe and Southeast Asia would hopefully lead to improved aviation safety and environmental sustainability while strengthening our resilience to shocks and disruptions in the region’
In light of the increasing volume of air travel, Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DoTr), Jaime Bautista is underscoring the importance of safe and sustainable air transportation.
The DoTr secretary was the keynote speaker during the 3rd European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) forum, at the Hilton Manila on Tuesday, 23 April. The event was hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines in partnership with EASA.
Bautista referenced data from the International Aviation Transport Association, indicating that overall aviation traffic rose by 36.9 percent in 2023 over the previous year.
Furthermore, air traffic reached 94.1 percent worldwide, almost twice as much as it was prior to pre-pandemic levels.
“This enhanced cooperation among civil aviation regulatory agencies in Europe and Southeast Asia would hopefully lead to improved aviation safety and environmental sustainability while strengthening our resilience to shocks and disruptions in the region,” Bautista said.
More than 80 delegates from various countries, including Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the United States, attended this event.
Safe, sustainable connectivity in SEA
“Safe and Sustainable Connectivity in Southeast Asia” was the focus of the EASA Forum, which emphasized the critical importance of regional integration and air transport connections in achieving seamless skies.
In keeping with the Long-Term Aspirational Goal established by the International Civil Aviation Organization, it also examined the existing state of affairs in Southeast Asia with reference to the Beijing Declaration and its progress toward sustainable aviation.
CAAP is also hosting 24-25 April the 21st Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme — South East Asia (COSCAP-SEA) Steering Committee Meeting.
Both the EASA Forum and the COSCAP-SEA meeting are being held in the country for the first time.
A highlight of the COSCAP-SEA meeting is the scheduled assumption of CAAP director general Capt. Manuel L. Tamayo to the chairmanship of the steering committee. He will replace Ho Minh Tan, deputy director general of CAA Vietnam, who currently serves as the Chairperson of COSCAP-SEA.
Enhancing operational safety standards in Southeast Asia is the overall goal of the ICAO Regional Technical Cooperation Program COSCAPSEA. It is administered by a program document and is supported by a trust fund.