|
By Jonathan M. Hicap Reporter
If there is anybody who should be
held accountable for the downgrade of the country’s aviation
safety rating, it should be Nilo Jatico, former chief of the Air
Transportation Office (ATO), and not Daniel Dimagiba, the agency’s
officer-in-charge (OIC) who was recently axed by President Gloria
Arroyo.
Transportation and Communications
Secretary Leandro Mendoza is now officer-in-charge of that office.
A source from a local airline
said it was Jatico who served the longest at the ATO from 2003,
until Malacañang suspended him in September last year for failing
to liquidate his cash advances. Dimagiba was only appointed OIC in
October last year.
“It should be Jatico who should
answer all the issues on why the country’s air safety was
downgraded to Category 2,” the source said.
Unfortunately, it was Dimagiba
who met with officials of the United States Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) and signed the record of discussions that
detailed the lapses in the country’s aviation safety. David
Hanley, manager of the Flight Standards Division of the FAA Great
Lakes Region, signed on behalf of the FAA.
The FAA downgraded the
country’s status to Category 2, which means that the country’s
aviation safety standards don’t meet standards set by the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Based on the record of
discussions, the US and Philippine panels agreed that the country
meets international standards with the impending passage of a law
that would create the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
However, the country’s aviation
regulations don’t meet international standards. Both parties
agreed that after the FAA’s visit to the country in 2002, “the
ATO’s regulatory update initiative ceased.”
It was also found out that there
is no updated copy of the Airworthiness Inspectors Handbook.
The FAA’s report also stated
that there is no library or librarian responsible for keeping
inspector handbooks current. Other deficiencies noted include: lack
of qualified technical personnel including airworthiness inspectors
and operations inspectors; certification files did not contain
evidence of emergency evacuation, ditching and other demonstration
requirements; ATO has no inspector guidance, training or system for
issuing airframe and powerplant licenses; and there is no method
or ability to administer practical tests.
“When the deficiencies
identified have been corrected and a successful reassessment
completed, the Philippines’ compliance with international
standards will be reported as Category 1 and expansions of the FAA
operations specifications will again be permitted,” the report
concluded.
|
