The US Federal Aviation Administration have downgraded the Philippines’ Air Safety Ratings from category one to category two. Based on the official report conducted by the US Aviation watchdog, the concerned authorities from the Air Transportation Office of the Philippines failed to maintain the basic implementing guidelines of the International Aviation Standard which is being strictly implemented in all airports around the world.
The FAA action caused the sacking of the Air Transportation Office Chief Daniel Dimagiba and severely affected the country’s flag carrier, the Philippine Airlines and the promising tourism boom. To some, the downgrading is a wake-up call on the government lack of concern to maintain and implement necessary authoritative principles and equipments that makes its airport safe in compliance with the International Aviation Standard.
But according to the reports, the FAA action was politicized because the Hawaiian Airlines, a US based Airline Company is trying to enter the country’s airline industry and awaiting approval from the president. The plan if pushed through, the Hawaiian Airlines will service passengers from the Philippines in a regular basis. In effect, the services of the Philippines Airlines to the US will be limited by almost half.
This is not the first time that the Philippines were downgraded by the FAA. It was in 1995 when the US Aviation watchdog downgraded the Philippines to category two. In this latest case, the government is up on its sleeve to resolve the matter once in for all.