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PRESIDENT Arroyo’s intention to reinstate the open skies
policy in the airports in the Clark and Subic economic
zones may be implemented soon, according to
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri on
Thursday.
He said
the implementing order, Executive Order 500-B, “is ready
for signing, which the President might do when she gets
back” from visits to New Zealand and Australia.
The
“pocket” open skies policy, limited to both airports,
still faces stiff opposition from local airline
operators, he added. This is due to the fact that
foreign airlines that will use these airports are
low-cost carriers serving the Asian region, and the
locals have no corresponding privileges in their
countries of origin.
Neri has
been actively campaigning for a more vibrant airline
industry, but claimed the Civil Aeronautics Board, which
regulates the air sector, has been tied down by
regulations that prevent entry of new airlines in the
main international airports.
Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Philippines,
Asian Spirit and Pacific East Asia Cargo Airlines have
collectively branded EO 500-B a “threat to the national
interest” because of privileges granted to foreign
airlines without requiring them to grant reciprocal
obligations to Filipino airlines.
Aviation
industry expert Enrico L. Basilio said the issue of
reciprocity had been the most contentious. He is
cochairman of the National Competitiveness Council’s
infrastructure group.
The
limited open skies policy was one of four policy
recommendations of the council to President Arroyo. The
other three are designation of all Road-RORO Terminal
System routes as part of the national road network,
certification to Congress of the amendment to the
Philippine Ports Authority Charter, and the
fast-tracking of RORO port development.
Nearly
500,000 passengers arrived at Diosdado Macapagal
International Airport (DMIA) in Clark last year, an
increase of more than 110 percent from the 225,000
passengers in 2005, mostly tourists and businessmen from
Hong Kong,
Korea,
Malaysia and Singapore.
US-based
cargo carrier UPS likewise made DMIA its main
intra-Asian hub to link major Asian cities with the
global operations center in Louisville, Kentucky and
Cologne, Germany. |
