The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Friday stated it is able to present technical assist to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) if requested following the air visitors system glitch on New Year’s Day.
The PAF issued the comment after National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos recommended that the army must be allowed to assist the CAAP in occasions of regarding conditions.
“As a force provider, the PAF can deliver support to other requesting agencies under the direction of higher headquarters, and within our current capabilities. If the PAF will be requested or called upon to provide personnel or technical support within what we are currently capable of, then by all means we will provide our services,” PAF spokesperson Colonel Ma. Consuelo Castillo advised GMA News Online.
Castillo stated that it has a written settlement with the CAAP which “generally prescribes joint use of equipment and resources and mutual assistance in the performance of their missions.”
“In recent years, coordination has been ongoing between representatives of the two parties for the enhancement of their MOA (memorandum of agreement) to include specific provisions that will allow enhanced integration of capabilities and sharing of critical data for a one sky picture for a better air defense posture,” Castillo stated.
The Air Force official stated coordination is steady for future integration. She added the PAF’s present radars and techniques shouldn’t be appropriate with the information utilized by CAAP for air visitors administration.
“Thus, it (PAF) could not provide back-up services in case the same incident happens,” she stated.
“Perhaps this incident is an impetus that will channel the needed government support for the expeditious acquisition of needed technologies for CAAP-PAF systems upgrade and integration that will help effectively address future events of the same nature,” she added.
During the Senate listening to Thursday on the Ninoy Aquino International Airport fiasco, Carlos stated she requested former Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. why the army can’t assistance on points regarding civil aviation.
The Senate public companies committee on Thursday launched an investigation into the fiasco that occurred within the nation’s fundamental gateway on January 1.
At least 282 flights have been canceled, diverted, or delayed on New Year’s Day because the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) recorded a technical difficulty on the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) at 9:50 a.m. Some 56,000 passengers have been affected on the NAIA.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
