Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 3) – The government is preventing a repeat of the New Year’s Day air traffic breakdown with the approval of a ₱2.12-billion loan from Japan to upgrade and establish a backup system for air traffic management.
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The National Economic and Development Authority Board chaired by the president, which decides on big-ticket projects, “approved the utilization of the ₱2.12 billion JICA [Japan International Cooperation Agency] loan balance for the Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management System (CNS/ATM) Maintenance and Resiliency Enhancement,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said during a Friday briefing in Malacañang.
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The approval came one month after the air traffic management shutdown that affected nearly 65,000 passengers.
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Balisacan said the project has the following components: maintenance contracts, ultimate fallback system, and the feasibility study for the independent back-up system.
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On Jan. 12, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) revealed in a Senate probe that the CNS/ATM has no independent backup system.
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There was no third-party maintenance by the original product suppliers as well since 2020.
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READ: CAAP, DOTr eye new backup air traffic management system by Q1 2023
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“This approval shall enable the upgrade of our air transport facilities and improve passenger experience by enhancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of air traffic service in Philippine airspace following international standards,” Balisacan said.
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The air traffic management upgrade is one of high-impact projects approved by the NEDA Board.
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Others are the ₱6-billion cancer center at the Philippine General Hospital, New Dumaguete Airport Development, expansion of the MRT-3 rehabilitation, Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development, Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation, and expansion of the Metro Davao Public Transport Modernization.
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