Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines: Revving Up, Soaring High Civil Aviation…
Maintenance is sometimes overlooked as something that is easily done and demands nothing but the routine checking of certain things; making sure that something properly works or functions. But that is not the case for the Civil Aviation Authority of the P
“Our function can be likened to that of the LTO or the Marina. We issue permits and licenses to airmen. As a service provider we operate 88 airports nationwide except Manila, Cebu, Clark, Subic, Poro Point, and Caticlan. We also operate air navigational services. Radars, towers, and air traffic controllers fall under the jurisdiction of CAAP,” says Ramon Gutierrez, director general of CAAP.
The thing that differentiates the role of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and CAAP is through the way the two agencies handle airports.
“DOTC handles all construction and development of airports. CAAP is for maintenance and operation,” explains Gutierrez.
Celebrating its 4th anniversary this March, CAAP enters this year filled with major changes and upgrades. With international standards constantly upgrading, CAAP is gearing up to make sure that our airports are up to par and are not left behind by our Asian neighbors.
By virtue of Republic Act 9497 or the Civil Aviation Act of 2008, the Air Transportation Office (ATO), an arm of the DOTC, was abolished and the CAAP was created to accommodate the growing demands of the aviation industry and to relegate the duty of providing standards for aviation professionals.
“CAAP is a Government Oned and Controlled Corporation with full fiscal autonomy. So whatever income we derive is also what we spend. For the years 2008 to 2010, we were able to remit P1.4 billion to the government. That means the CAAP is actually delivering the needed assistance and revenue for the treasury,” says Gutierrez.
CAAP works closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) , the governing body of the aviation industry in the United States and also with the International Civil Aviation Organization, a special arm of the United Nations, which certifies and grants accreditation levels to certain airports that meet their critical standard. CAAP exists in order to be within those standards and sometimes even go beyond it.
“CAAP was created to address certain issues of the old ATO. It was then an agency of the DOTC and it did not have the flexibility to react to the demands of the fast-growing aviation industry,” says Gutierrez.
With over 88 airports under their watch the task of the CAAP is not an easy one. Especially now that the burgeoning aviation industry is poised to take flight in the country and the increasing number of companies or entrepreneurs who want to enter the aviation industry proves that claim. The demand for quality airports that meet international standards is a must for the country in order for it not to get left behind.
“We are trying to rectify issues and address recommendations that were raised. My technical team will join me on a visit to the FAA in Washington DC next month to present our action plan. We would seek the help of our embassy there. We have to do a technical and diplomatic approach,” says Gutierrez.
With the Department of Tourism’s new campaign to usher in a new age of travel for the Philippines, the need to have topnotch airports is of utmost importance. That is why airports in different parts of the country are opening up in order to provide more gateways for tourists to choose from and not just be limited to NAIA, Clark or Mactan airports. The airports are the first and the last
It is our commitment to the nation and to the Filipino people to do our best in order to serve them better and to give them something to be proud of. We are one with the government’s vision of the country being a hub for progress and economic sustainability and we would be contributing to this by doing our best to improve our gateways and our airports and in regulating the aviation industry and making sure that they are in check and at par with international standards.
places that a tourist sees in our country, and so the need to improve them and to raise them to a higher standard is important.
“Our plan is to night rate provincial airports that have the potential to become a tourist destination in coordination with the airlines. The coordination is done with DOT because we have budgetary constraints,” explains Gutierrez.
Director General Gutierrez believes that the Philippines is poised for flight on the road to change. He has faith that our airports would one day be like those of our Asian neighbors if not better. For him,
the government just needs to provide a sufficient budget to be able to reach that goal of having world-class airports.
“Everything comes with a price, even progress. But then the result of that would be worth it. You really have to spend money and that’s the reality of it,” says Gutierrez.
Wi th new developments and improvements coming up , Gutierrez pledges that they would continue to strive hard in order to serve the country better and to make known to the world that the Philippines has what it takes to be at par with the world’s best. The CAAP would continually render service to meet the challenging demands of the aviation industry and in order to keep the industry in check and in the league with that of the world.
“It is our commitment to the nation and to the Filipino people to do our best in order to serve them better and to give them something to be proud of. We are one with the government’s vision of the country being a hub for progress and economic sustainability and we would be contributing to this by doing our best to improve our gateways and our airports and in regulating the aviation industry and making sure that they are in check and at par with international standards,” Gutierrez says.