Another score for the Philippine government
RP aviation faces European blacklist
Manila Standard Today, March 18, 2010
by Vito Barcelo
The Philippines faces being blacklisted by the European Community over aviation safety issues, according to Alfonso Cusi, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
In a draft resolution circulated among the European community, the air safety committee had proposed blacklisting the Philippines because of its failure to resolve aviation safety issues, Cusi said.
But the Europeans have been assured that the Philippine aviation industry meets international safety standards, said Cusi who attended a conference in Brussels convened by the European Community’.
“Our delegation will prove that the Philippine aviation system meets safety standards and that the blacklisting is not necessary,” Cusi said.
Cusi met with European Union Ambassador Alistair MacDonald and informed him of the steps taken to address the safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The Philippines will invite the EU Air Safety Committee to conduct its own safety inspection of Philippine airports, Cusi said.
Cusi’s agency will apply with the international aviation regulators for the lifting of the significant safety concern during the ICAO Aviation Safety Conference to be held on March 29-31 in Montreal.
The Federal Aviation Administration assessed the now-defunct Air Transportation Office in July 2007 and raised serious concerns about ATO’s inability to conduct consistent, effective safety oversight.