Dismissal of government officials identified with AGILE-funded groups sought

The call of the Senate to eject all AGILE (Accelerating Growth, Investment and Liberalization with Equity) representatives from government offices should also apply to public officials identified with AGILE-funded lobby groups like the Freedom to Fly Coalition (FFC), according to an aviation industry group.

The group, the Save Our Skies (SOS) Movement, said "if AGILE representatives, who are outsiders, are able to influence policies, how much more with insiders." SOS is a non-government organization promoting the local aviation and tourism industry and pushing for air policies that are fair and equitable.

Last week, the Senate, sitting as committee of the whole, recommended to Malacañang and other heads of government agencies that allowed AGILE to maintain offices inside their premises to evict AGILE personnel and deport executives who are undocumented aliens.

SOS president Robert Lim Joseph said one such government official who is allegedly identified with the lobby group FFC is Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) board member Alberto Lim.

Joseph said prior to his appointment to the CAB, Lim has reportedly represented the FFC before various government agencies like the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in its lobbying efforts.

"We believe Lim or the FFC worked for his appointment to the CAB to influence aviation policies in favor of his group (FFC)," he said.

Published reports said Lim’s appointment to the CAB was reportedly pushed by former acting Tourism Secretary Narzalina Lim, a member of Malacañang’s search committee. Lim herself is an incorporator and one of the founders of the FFC.

No less than the Senate has confirmed that the CAB is among the government agencies penetrated by AGILE, whose funding comes from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Development Alternatives, Inc., a Maryland-based consulting firm.

The SOS also said former CAB member Victor Limlingan, another active official of FFC, was responsible for granting air rights to foreign airlines that were highly disadvantageous to local carriers.

Earlier, Sen. Robert Barbers said that AGILE has been pushing for an open skies policy through the FFC.

FFC’s connection to DAI/AGILE was confirmed in a letter from Dr. David Tardif-Doughlin, AGILE managing director, to Dr. Joseph Ryan, a ranking AGILE executive, seeking approval for a P3.7 million six-month budget for the public relations firm Policy Research Information Strategy and Media Services, Inc. (PRISM) to promote FFC’s advocacy work.

The letter bragged about the success of the FFC in its lobbying efforts, including promoting and pushing for the open skies agenda.