REVILLA URGES SENATE PROBE ON SHUTDOWN OF PHILIPPINE AIRSPACE NEW YEAR'S DAY

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. filed PS Resolution 391 Tuesday (January 3) directing the Senate Committee on Public Services to conduct an investigation into the shutdown of the country's airspace on New Year's Day resulting from what the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is calling a technical glitch that started in the country's busiest airport, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

According to reports, NAIA suffered a power outage that led to the breakdown of its air traffic control system, disrupting a total of 282 flights and affecting around 56,000 air passengers. The Department of Migrant Workers also reported that around 3,000 overseas Filipino Workers were affected.

"Dapat imbestigahan at tingnan mabuti ang dahilan ng pagtigil ng operasyon ng lahat ng paliparan sa bansa noong Bagong Taon. Sa bawat pagkakataon na may mangyayaring ganito, napakalaki ng epekto at abala ang nadudulat nito," Revilla said. He added that every delay entails economic cost. "The malfunction that affected the NAIA Communications, Navigation and Surveillance Systems for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) had a domino effect that not only affected those traveling that day but in effect affected other industries such as logistics, tourism and even our OFWs. Kaya dapat ay siguruhin nating hindi na ulit mangyayari ito," the Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services stressed.

The lawmaker also said that the shutdown of the country's whole airspace should be looked into whether it was absolutely necessary, and if it was the proper response that in turn prevented rerouting of flights to other airports in the country. "Hindi lang dapat yung glitch ang tignan, kundi yung appropriateness nung response," he explained. "Naiintindihan natin na tamang inuna munang isaayos ang lahat, at nagpapasalamat tayong walang trahedyang nangyari, pero ngayong back to normal operations, kailangang busisiin ang lahat ng nangyari," he added.

Many passengers had stormed social media to raise their experiences during the unfortunate occasion. Some passengers even said that they had to return to their place of departure half-way after the flight since all airports in the country cannot accommodate landing. Many Facebook posts were also uploaded showing videos of their experiences in international airports after being told that flights to the Philippines were canceled.

"Nararapat lamang na siguruhin natin na lagi tayong handa sa mga pagkakataon katulad ng nangyari dahil hindi lamang abala yan. Nakataya rin diyan ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan pati ang seguridad ng ating bansa," Revilla ended.