Phl, Israel ink new air pact

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Israel on Monday signed an agreement formalizing the air services pact finalized late last year to boost the movement of tourists between Manila and Tel Aviv.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and Israel Ambassador Menashe Bar On signed the agreement.

Israel is the biggest tourist destination of Filipinos in the Eastern Mediterranean Europe, but there were no direct flights between Manila and Tel Aviv, prompting Filipinos and Israelis to take connecting flights.

Last November, the Philippines successfully negotiated the new air services agreement with Israel, allowing airlines from Manila to fly to Tel Aviv. This updated the air services agreement signed by the two countries in 1951.

“This agreement will allow Filipinos the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the Pope and make the pilgrimage to the Holy Land an easier one,” the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines said in a statement.

The agreement also gave designated airlines of the Philippines and Israel 21 flights per week. The Philippines and Israel agreed on co-terminal and stop-over rights to any third country for the 21 flights. They also agreed on three fifth freedom flights per week on one intermediate point in Mumbai and one beyond point in Madrid.

The Philippines and Israel believe that the signing of the new air services agreement would result in trade opportunities and help Filipinos working in Israel who wish to come home more often and visit their families.

“The agreement is expected to encourage both countries to explore each other’s’ tourist destinations as well as provide more jobs in the economic and tourism sectors,” the embassy added.

Last year, the Philippines also signed air service agreements with Japan, Italy, Macau, Brazil and Australia.

President Aquino signed Executive Order 29 authorizing the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Philippine air panels to pursue more aggressively the international civil aviation liberalization policy.

Air passenger traffic in the Philippines inched up by one percent to 19.84 million in the first half of the year from 19.64 million in the same period last year.

The volume of domestic passengers retreated by two percent to 10.77 million in the first half of the year from 11.01 million in the same period last year.

On the other hand, the volume of international passengers rose five percent to 9.07 million in the first half of the year from 8.63 million in the same period last year.

Incoming international passengers reached 4.4 million, while outgoing international passengers totaled 4.67 million.

The Philippines intends to attract 10 million foreign tourists by 2016.