PGMA signed into law the other day Republic Act 9497, which created Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines or CAAP. CAAP will replace my current agency-employer, Air Transportation Office. This is good news for us in ATO as well as to the whole aviation industry in the country.
The new law grants fiscal autonomy to the CAAP, which means that most of the funds collected by the agency would be used solely for our operations. Lack of funds or budget has always been the hindrance in the development of ATO. We cannot upgrade to better facilities and equipment as well as hire new personnel to augment the vacancies in different technical positions. There have been problems in the payment of our overtime services since October 2004. In fact, overtime services rendered since January 2007 has not been paid. Many of our equipment are outdated and unreliable.
One example is the RADAR in Tagaytay, which is used for more than 20 years, as surveillance and aid for Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) at Area Control Center (ACC) in controlling aircrafts beyond the 60 mile radius of NAIA. As of now, it is very unreliable. Targets on the screen would appear and disappear anytime. Sometimes, one or two aircrafts would go missing at a time. The ACC ATCs have to resort to procedural process of controlling airplanes, meaning they just have to rely on their minds to picture the airplanes in the air without the aid of a radar screen. It’s like we are back in the ancient times. What an alarming thought. The fact that these ATCs could manage it really amazes me and I really admire them. They have a right to demand higher pay for their skills. Anyway, procurement of new radar is already under way, but this should have been done five years ago, considering the time for installation and initial testing.
I do not know if you were aware with the news last year that there were delays in flights. Higher authorities turned deaf ears to the recommendations for a replacement of the then outdated AFTN (Aeronautical Fixed Telephone Network), the system used to send/receive flight data to other countries’ airports. If not for the broadcast of those delays, AFTN would not be replaced/upgraded to CADAS (Comsoft Aeronautical Data Access System). Often times, disaster has to occur before ATO is heard. If we were not downgraded by the FAA, I’m not sure if approval of CAAP would be fast-tracked. We’ve been lobbying for it for the past years just to have fiscal autonomy. Now, finally, we wouldn’t have to deal with so many bureaucracies in planning and implementing projects. . For as long as CAAP would not be mismanaged or infested with corrupt, self-serving officials***, like in NAPOCOR and other government corporations, it would lead us to a safer, reliable, world-class aviation.
As an employee, I am glad because also included in the law is that technical personnel would be exempted from the government Salary Standardization Law so that the agency could compete with the private sector in hiring qualified personnel. This is sound. In our department alone, lots have resigned for the past two years to go abroad or transfer to the private sector for bigger pay. Also, the prospect of upgrading the facilities and equipment is to my advantage. Who would want to maintain outdated equipment, right? Plus, I know it would professionalize the personnel and modernize our operations. I am thrilled to have a better working environment. As of now, the bosses are still busy drafting proposals for the implementing rules and regulations. Hopefully by the second half of the year, we would start to feel the changes. I am just excited and hopeful.
*** This is my biggest fear. Considering projects in ATO, from airports to equipments, involve big amount of money. Income of ATO is also in billions of pesos. Now that CAAP is free from DBM, I hope it wouldn’t be just one source of funds for the election campaign in 2010. I also hope that our board of directors, which will mostly be political appointees (DOTC, DOJ, DOF, DFA, DOT Secretaries), will have great management skills and true dedication to the advancement of Philippine aviation.
I know that you may think I am too paranoid or having read too many conspiracy-filled stories, but we know that these things happen in our government today. I am just keeping my fingers crossed.
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