3 Senate resos filed seeking probe into NAIA air traffic mess

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla filed separate resolutions on Tuesday seeking to launch an investigation into the supposed power outage that caused flight disruptions at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on January 1.

In filing proposed Senate Resolution 390, Villanueva said failure to address airspace traffic management will continuously impact the facilitation of cargo via air and it may also hinder the continuous promotion of tourism in the country whether to local or foreign tourists.

The lawmaker noted that NAIA has been regarded as the worst international airport for three years from 2011 to 2013, fourth in the world in 2014, and fifth worst in the world in 2016.

This, he said, affects both the airport and the country's reputation to travelers.

"Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Senate of the Philippines, that the appropriate Committee/s of the Senate of the Philippines conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the recent technical glitch in the country's air traffic management system, with a view to improving the Philippines' overall air traffic services, utilizing it as an engine of further economic growth, and aligning the relevant agencies' plans with the goals of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 to spur the economy, revitalize the tourism sector, and create more opportunities for job generation," Villanueva wrote.

Villanueva said that the 2023 to 2028 Philippine Development Plan (PDP) indicated the need to strategically develop airports to address future demands and meet aerodrome design safety standards, develop and connect gateway airports to feeder airports to facilitate access to various tourist destinations, adopt level of service standards in all airports to quantitatively measure the adequacy of facilities and plans for interventions, and to continue the "night-rating" of airports to alleviate traffic congestion, among others.

Meanwhile, Estrada stressed in proposed Senate Resolution 392 that the latest incident "aggravates the already unpleasant image of the NAIA" which was regularly labeled as one of the worst and most stressful airports in the world.

The lawmaker raised the need for remedial legislation and urgent action from the authorities to "save it from becoming a national disgrace."

"The latest mess becomes yet another stumbling clock for the recovery and revitalization of the tourism industry, which is among the most severely affected sectors during the onslaught of the novel Coronavirus pandemic," he said.

"The ten-hour technical glitch spells massive losses for the national economy, not limited to the immediate aftermath of the fiasco, but hurts the overall image of the country as a viable tourism destination, commercial and investment hub," he added.

Further, Estrada said there is a need for the installation of more sophisticated technologies, effective backup mechanisms, and competent manpower and experts to man the facilities to ensure uninterrupted airport operations and to defend it against cybersecurity attacks, sabotage, disasters and other threats.

"There is a need to properly and comprehensively identify the needed infrastructure and government-and/or private sector support to modernize and fully equip the country's main gateway at the soonest possible time to ensure the highest quality of service for all its users and transform it as one of the world's best," Estrada said. 

In his resolution, Revilla said it is imperative to determine the country's preparedness for technical glitches that affect air traffic, which ultimately impact not only the safety and convenience of passengers but could likewise directly jeopardize our national security.

"The thousands of lives affected by delayed flights is a cause of concern especially because many of the passengers are returning Filipinos whose jobs are on the line after missing their flights. There should thus be thorough investigation as to the country's management plan involving any similar incidents," he said.

"In an archipelagic country such as ours, travelers depend on air transportation for the ease and convenience thereof. An inquiry into the recent mishap is vital so that similar incidents that are detrimental to public interest will be avoided," he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said she was inclined to file a Senate resolution to determine why things "went terribly wrong during such an important time of the year."

"CAAP recognized that the system is 'outdated' and that this has actually been brought to the attention of both Presidents Duterte and Marcos. Therefore, this may not be just an ordinary 'glitch,' as the early diagnosis said," Hontiveros said.

"Dismissing it as a simple 'bug' ignores the systemic problems at our airports. Let us not take the easy way out and blame the equipment outright. The fact that the back up also failed could mean there are more unseen problems down the line," she added.

Before pushing for an upgrade, Hontiveros said the government should identify if the problem was compounded by human error or negligence in maintaining the equipment.

"This is a complex system that requires simulations, repeated trials, refining policies based on feedback, and possibly, even more testing. Our vulnerability to cyber attacks using the current system must also be assessed, as there have been many cases abroad where it pushed air traffic control systems offline.  I have raised a similar call before regarding our national grid," she said.

Hontiveros said this should be a wake-up call for the airport authorities to review the aggressive schedules of airlines during busy seasons and asked if the "outdated" facilities are truly able to handle this amount of activity.

"A transparent report on this systems crash is in the public interest.  If, after a thorough investigation, an upgrade is indeed part of the solution, then Congress can address this during the budget process," she said.

"Clearly, someone has to be held accountable. All agencies involved, such as CAAP, DOTR, DOT, DOE, and DMW must all do their part to review the resilience of our air travel systems so we can create a better recovery strategy for everyone visiting the Philippines," she added.

In an interview on PTV’s public briefing, CAAP Deputy Director General Edgardo Diaz said the agency is ready for any inquiries.

“Kami po ay nakahanda. We welcome all the inquiries na gagawin ng anumang sektor ng ating gobyerno… mapa Senado o sa ating mga kasamahan sa gobyerno,” Diaz said.

(We are ready. We welcome all the inquiries to be conducted by any sector of our government… be it the Senate or any of our colleagues in the government.)

“We are willing to talk with them and to show them whatever they want,” he added.

Compensation

Meanwhile, a transport group on Tuesday called on passengers to file for damages against the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) after their flights were delayed and canceled due to technical problems at the agency’s facility.

Commuter network The Passenger Forum convener Primo Morillo said in a statement that passengers cannot receive compensation because the Air Passenger Bill of Rights only provides compensation when airlines are at fault. 

“...Worse, as airlines are not to blame, they cannot get any compensation,” he said.

“With this airport glitch, we cannot blame anyone but the government institutions in charge of ensuring the smooth operations of air traffic in the country. As the CAAP is a GOCC, they have their own funds and thus, they must pay for the damages incurred by their shortcomings,” he added.

According to Morillo, the delayed and canceled flights resulted in additional expenses for hotel accommodation and food, among others.

“These are clearly things that demand damages,” he said.

On the issue of compensation, CAAP’s Diaz said that the matter is still being discussed as a full assessment of the incident is still ongoing.

On Sunday, January 1, flights to and from Manila were put on hold due to technical issues with CAAP's air navigation facilities. Flights were delayed, diverted or canceled.

Around 65,000 passengers were affected by the closure of the Philippine airspace that transportation officials attributed to an "outdated" system.

Malacañang on Monday said a thorough probe is being done by concerned agencies following the incident. —with Joviland Rita and Ted Cordero/KG/VBL, GMA Integrated News