PARTY-LIST group United Transport Koalisyon (1-Utak) is seeking a congressional inquiry into the series of accidents at the Caticlan airport in Aklan since 2005, which resulted in injuries to 26 persons, mostly tourists going to Boracay Island.

Party-list Rep. Vigor Mendoza II of 1-Utak has filed House Resolution 1208 urging the House Committees on Transportation and on Tourism to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the causes of civil-aviation accidents to determine the airport’s compliance with international aviation safety standards, as well as its available rescue services.

The latest accident on June 25, which involved a Zest Air plane that overshot the runway, prompted the closure of the airport for several hours, stranding hundreds of passengers.

There were no reported injuries among the passengers, comprising of 50 adults, four children and one infant. The passengers were evacuated from the plane by the responding airport rescue team and were ferried to the terminal by bus.

Mendoza said that according to a National Economic and Development Authority study in 2008, the Caticlan airport is the third-busiest airport in the Philippines, and serves the fifth- highest number of passengers. It also has the second-highest number of aircraft movement in the archipelago.

He said four airlines are currently using G.P. Ramos (Caticlan) Airport—PAL Express, Cebu Pacific Air, Zest Air and Seair—to transport tourists en route to and from Boracay Island.

Mendoza said reported airplane- related accidents happened in the 2005, 2006 and 2009, with the last accident resulting in injuries to 26 passengers.

He said at least three accidents involved airplanes that were about to land.

Mendoza said the congressional investigation will determine the airport’s compliance with safety international standards and the cause of accidents, and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.