Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Philippines is set to expand the coverage of its airspace monitoring, particularly over the West Philippine Sea.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philppines (CAAP) Deputy Director General for Operations Rodante Joya admitted that there are a number of blind spots in the country’s airspace, with only three operating radars.
One of these blind spots is the airspace over the West Philippine Sea.
Joya says they plan to put up seven more radars as well as a satellite-based, auto-dependent surveillance broadcast, which will be set up in Pag-asa Island.
CAAP officials said that approximately 200 daily commercial flights pass through the area unmonitored.
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According to the deputy director, the agency’s actions are in line with its duty to maintain the safety and security of all commercial flights in Philippine airspace.
Joya said they’re waiting approval of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the National Security Council, since the system will be set up in an area that is also claimed by China.
The CAAP official also recounted that when the agency inspected Pag-asa Island on January 7, the Chinese navy issued a warning saying they were entering Chinese territory about 40 nautical miles away from the airstrip.
The DFA has been informed of the incident.
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