THE transportation department signed a consultancy contract last week with the Aviation Systems Consultants Co. Ltd. (Asco) for the improvement of the country’s aviation industry.

Asco is a consortium whose members are Airways International Ltd., Azusa Co. Ltd., and Katahira and Engineers International. The group won the bidding for consultancy of the new Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems project.

In a statement, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said he signed the contract with Eiichi Chaki, Asco president. Other signatories of the contract are Masaichi Yamamoto of Azusa Sekkei Co. Ltd. and Masami Kimishima of Katahira and Engineers International.

The CNS/ATM system project is aimed at enhancing the safety, reliability and efficiency of the country’s air-traffic system.

The cost of the consultancy contract was not revealed. The DOTC only said that funding will be sourced from Japan Bank International Cooperation under the 25th Yen Loan Package for the implementation of the new CNS/ATM system project within the next five years.

The CNS/ATM is a satellite-based technology designed to effectively and efficiently control and manage the air-traffic system within the Manila Flight Information Region. The project covers the establishment of priority elements of the new satellite-based CNS/ATM systems at selected airports nationwide.

“This will enhance safety, reliability and efficiency of air traffic and airspace systems in the Philippines,” the DOTC said.   

The CNS/ATM development project is in line with the global initiative development direction of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

PRIVATE mining companies in the Philippines have urged French and British investors to explore the mining industry in the country as they presented information on the business opportunities at the recent high-level delegation in Paris, saying the Philippine economy has grown stable since the Asian crisis in 1997.

AFTER announcing that it plans to prepay debts of the state-run power company, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) said Tuesday that it is ready to chop off a huge part of the government’s debt by prepaying up to $1 billion of the National Power Corp.’s (Napocor) loan obligations.

AN antidebt watchdog urged members of Joint Congressional Power Committee (JCPC) on Tuesday to stop the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) from bidding the 25-year concession contract to operate the National Transmission Corp. (Transco), saying that the government could lose a minimum of around P246 billion in potential earnings.

THE use of the mandated 1-percent coco-biodiesel blend (B1) has significantly cut down carbon emissions in Metro Manila, according to data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

LAWMAKERS asserted Tuesday that the secretary of finance cannot assign to a subordinate his review powers under the Tax Code, especially if this authority was exclusively delegated to him by Congress.

THE transportation department signed a consultancy contract last week with the Aviation Systems Consultants Co. Ltd. (Asco) for the improvement of the country’s aviation industry.

A FISHERY nongovernment organization is asking the government to stop the ongoing oil and gas exploratory drilling in Tañon Strait off Cebu if the company conducting the exploration and the Department of Energy (DOE) would not offer compensations to 1,500 fishermen affected by the fishing ban.