Palace says PH airspace shutdown being probed

Malacañang on Monday said a thorough probe is being done by concerned agencies following the temporary shutdown of the Philippine airspace on Sunday.

"A thorough investigation is being conducted by appropriate agencies," Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Cheloy Garafil told reporters in a message.

At least 282 flights were canceled, diverted, or delayed on New Year's Day after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) had recorded a technical issue at the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) at 9:50 a.m.

The  technical problem affected some 56,000 passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Transport officials have said an ‘outdated’ system caused the glitch that caused the closure of the Philippine airspace.

According to CAAP Director General Manuel Tamayo, one of the uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) failed and that troubleshooting activities had to be done to solve the issue.

Some airlines, however, still advised passengers to expect more flight delays and cancellations due to the glitch.—LDF, GMA Integrated News