RP aviation rating can be restored to category 1 status - ICAO

MANILA, Philippines - International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) president Roberto Kobeh Gonzales has expressed optimism that the country’s aviation rating can be restored to category 1 status within the year.                                                                                                                        

“If you ask me if I am optimistic regarding returning the country to category 1 status my answer is yes,” Gonzales said in a press briefing at the Sofiel Hotel last Friday.

“You have to be optimistic and tell the people of this country that they have to be optimistic too and support your policies.”         

Earlier last Friday, Gonzales made a courtesy call on President Aquino in Malacañang.                                           

Gonzales said they discussed the challenges in Philippine aviation, which is expected to grow 10 percent this year and 7.5 percent in the next two year.

“The President is aware of the importance of air transport for a country with 7,000 islands and also the important role in the integration of the country internationally,” he said.

Gonzales noted that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has complied with the majority of the significant safety concerns raised by the European Union.

Some Philippine air carriers were blacklisted by the EU because the former Air Transportation Office failed to conduct oversight functions. Gonzales clarified, however, that ICAO does not evaluate airlines.

CAAP head Alfonso Cusi said they have addressed 77 out of the 88 safety concerns listed by the European Union and have submitted a corrective action plan last August.

He said that the union found the plan to be “generally fully satisfactory.”

Among the 12 remaining issues is the hiring of highly skilled people with experience in the aviation industry to conduct oversight functions on airline companies.

Cusi said they are considering to outsource inspection duties to address the administrative issues that have to be resolved.