Following the recent inaugural AsBAA Safety Day and Pilot's Day, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) deputy director general Captain Donaldo Mendoza recognised the role of business aviation in connecting the archipelagic country, where for years air travel has transported people and cargo safely and efficiently to their destinations, and in building its economy. Speaking at the Philippine Aviation Safety Day he said many of the 85 airports across the country are serviced by general and business aviation operators helping transport VVIPs and supporting industries such as oil and gas, mining and agriculture.

Philippine airports scored 70.19 per cent at the ICAO Global Safety Audit, higher than the 64.85 per cent global average. “This means our airports are performing more safely than most and are adhering to global aviation safety practices,” said Mendoza, who added that aviation regulators and operators are duty-bound to uphold safety and improve safety standards. Of the general and business aviation sector he went on to say: “Creating and/or adopting a new set of regulations is a development that will not only modernise our policies but also ensure that organisations are meeting highly professional codes of safety practices. As the country's aviation industry continues to grow and become more lucrative, I believe that adopting a separate set of regulations for business and general aviation operations is a measure that will support this growth.”

A number of speakers went on to comment. AsBAA vice chairman Phil Balmer said: “The value of business aviation is indirect and therefore hard to measure. Nonetheless, it affects communities and increases efficiency, hence its vital role in business and humanitarian action.” He was followed by director general of the International Aviation Council Kurt Edwards who explained that IS-BAO and IS-BAH are voluntary standards adopted by those who want to improve performance and safety. They require the establishment of a safety management system, or a systematic approach to managing safety, including the necessary organisational structures, accountabilities, policies and procedures.

AsBAA's Philippine Chapter is headed by INAEC Aviation Corporation president Benjamin Lopez who said: “As members of IBAC, AsBAA and all its chapters advocate the benefits of business and general aviation to the country and aim to uphold international standards for a better and safer business and general aviation industry. Adopting the standards of IS-BAO and IS-BAH through local regulations is a positive step in that direction.”

Citing a recent incident when a Xiamen Air Boeing 737 skidded off the Ninoy Aquino International airport main runway, Committee on Public Services chair senator Grace Poe underscored the need to create a Transport Safety Board that can investigate incidents involving transportation, such as aircraft, railroads, pipelines, highways and marine vessels. On addressing the demand for alternative airports and the improvement of existing ones, she reported the filing of SBN 1440, creating the Philippine Airports Authority, which has the objectives of, among others, adopting internationally acceptable standards of airport accommodation and service and upgrading and providing safe, efficient and reliable airport facilities for domestic and international air travel.

Poe also called for public-private sector partnerships to move the country forward in terms of infrastructure. She cited Cebu Mactan International airport as an example of how transparent public-private sector cooperation can result in necessary and welcome infrastructure in a relatively short period of time.

Through his representative, the chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Transportation congressman Cesar Sarmiento echoed Poe's call for better infrastructure, citing the need to pursue and put in place an overall long-term aviation plan on the location, design and construction of airports and streamline the functions of existing and future aviation bodies, including setting minimum standards for the operation and maintenance of aircraft and ensuring the convenience of passengers from booking until the completion of their flights.

Former US Navy Blue Angels commanding officer Greg Wooldridge shared how to get to the top one per cent of the industry, particularly in terms of aviation safety and performance. He encouraged his audience of pilots and aircraft operators to break down barriers and promote open communication among team members, while Philippine Air Force (PAF) chief of air staff major general Allen T Paredes talked about the operational readiness of the PAF to meet emergencies and threats.

The Aviation Safety Day and Pilots' Day was sponsored by ACTSI, Embraer, Hawker Pacific, the Malampaya Consortium Partners, AON, MedAire, Aerolink, Universal Weather and Aviation, Ascent Urban Air Mobility and Inaec Aviation.