PRESIDENT Aquino has been asked to revisit Executive Orders (EOs) 29 and 28 that he signed on March 14, because of certain provisions that are allegedly disadvantageous to local airlines.
In a letter to the President, Robert Lim Joseph, chairman of Tourism Educators and Movers Philippines (Team Philippines) and one of the conveners of the Fair Trade Alliance, said: “We are writing you in the spirit of your statement during your recent visit to the US where you discussed your agenda revolving around transparency, good governance and anti-corruption drive. We would like to be of service to you by pointing out certain mistakes in the said EOs.”
Joseph said EO 29, providing for a pocket open- skies policy in airports outside Metro Manila, has no guarantee of reciprocity to local airlines.
“The EO granted unprecedented fifth freedom rights to foreign airlines without assurance that Philippine carriers will get the same reciprocal arrangement from their governments,” he said.
Joseph pointed out that in a fifth freedom environment, a foreign carrier like Singapore Airlines can fly, say, to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Field, Pampanga, pick up passengers there and then fly them to Los Angeles. “But Philippine carriers, like Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, cannot do the same as Singapore would not give a fair exchange of rights,” he said in the letter.
According to Joseph, foreign airlines are most welcome to bring tourists in and out of the country, “but we should also give local carriers a fair chance to compete…. Because of the open-skies policy in airports outside Metro Manila, foreign airlines can now set up their hub in say, Clark or Cebu, which are lucrative markets.”
On EO 28, he expressed surprise why Filipino airlines are excluded from the Air Negotiating Panel and Air Consultation Panel and would sit only as observers.
“Airlines are the biggest investors in the industry. One Airbus 320 alone costs $120 million, which can already fund three five-star hotels. Philippine carriers are major stakeholders in the industry, generating thousands of direct and indirect employment and developing technical skills. They are top contributors to the country’s tourism promotions drive and the tourism, hospitality and service industries, as such they should have a say in negotiating for air rights. Thus excluding them from the two panels would be unfair,” Joseph stressed.
He added that local airlines can be relied upon during calamities and trouble abroad by repatriating overseas Filipinos and are dollar earners.
He also questioned the inclusion of the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Trade and Industry in the air panels. (Estrella Torres)
