Senators seek probe of air traffic glitch as operations go back to normal
Even though the aviation authority announced on Tuesday that flight operations at Manila’s international airport and those in the province were back to normal, resolutions seeking to investigate the technical issue in the Philippines’ air traffic control system on New Year’s Day have been filed.
Joel Villanueva, the Senate Majority Floor Leader, filed a resolution on Tuesday asking for an investigation into the “technical glitch” in the nation’s air traffic control system that resulted in aircraft delays on New Year’s Day.
In order to boost the economy, revive the tourism industry, and expand employment opportunities, Villanueva’s Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 390 also aims to enhance the nation’s general air traffic services. It does this by using air traffic as an engine of continued economic growth and by coordinating the plans of the pertinent agencies with those of the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.
For the same reason, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada likewise submitted SRN 392.
According to Estrada, the technological problems and power outage that rendered Ninoy Aquino International Airport operations inoperable further emphasize the necessity for system upgrades and the hiring of qualified staff members to manage the facilities.
Meanwhile, an official from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Tuesday said operations in airports across the country are back to normal.
“Sa ngayon po, the operation in the whole country is already back to normal. Ibig pong sabihin niyan na gumagana na po ang lahat, at ang ating mga himpapawid ay nako-cover na ng ating radar at ng ating communication. (The operation in the whole country is now back to normal. This means everything is working, and the Philippine airspace is covered by the radar and communication),” CAAP Deputy Director General Edgardo Diaz said in a public briefing.
The system malfunction, which CAAP attributed to the power supply, left thousands of travellers stuck last Sunday and caused hundreds of flights to be delayed, canceled, or diverted. Due to the bug, thousands of travellers were still inconvenienced on Monday.
The CAAP says it is coordinating with airlines to ensure safety of passengers. “All procedures are in place, including for contingency, so we will be ready to respond just in case it happens again,” assured Diaz.
The agency is prepared to answer questions from lawmakers when they conduct an inquiry into the incident, Diaz said.
The NAIA technical glitch was still a trending topic on social media two days after the fiasco.
