Published September 22, 2019, 3:36 PM

By Charissa Luci-Atienza

Another House joint resolution has been filed seeking to extend the life of the six-man Congressional Oversight Committee on the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (COCCAAP) for another five years.

House of the Representatives (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN / FILE PHOTO)

Ang Probinsyano partylist Rep. Ronnie Ong filed House Joint Resolution No. 13, directing the COCCAAP to continue its mandate as provided for in Section 91 of Republic Act No. 9497, otherwise known as the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008, which created the CAAP.

There remains to be a lot of pressing civil aviation concerns that CAAP needs to address to date, along with other agencies with functions and projects relating to the aviation industry, he said.

These concerns include the maintenance of the Category 1 safety rating by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), separation of the regulatory and operator functions of CAAP, speedy implementation or efficient operation of regional airport projects, and enhancing CAAPs fiscal autonomy, among others, Ong said.

There is a pressing need for the COCCAAP to continue its mandate under Section 91 of RA 9497, he said.

Under RA 9497, the congressional oversight panel shall exist for a period of five years beginning on March 4, 2008, and thereafter, its oversight functions shall be exercised by the Senate Committee on Public Services and the House Committee on Transportation acting separately.

The COCCAAP is mandated to monitor and ensure the proper implementation of RA 9497, review the collection performance of the CAAP and its program implementation.

Ong noted that on March 14, 2013 during the 15th Congress, House Joint Resolution No. 35 was enacted into law, extending the existence of COCCAAP for five years from March 2013 to March 2018.

Despite the expiration of the five-year extended life of COCCAAP on March 4, 2018, legislators, officials, staff, and consultants of the Senate and thr House of Representatives continued to exercise their mandate in assisting the CAAP to implement RA 9497, inspect airports nationwide, oversee the collection and use of funds and ensure the speedy implementation of various programs and projects, he said.

Continuing the life of COCCAAP for another five years will continue the Executive-Legislative partnership in the development of the overall aviation industry and in addressing the various aviation concerns, he stressed.

Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, earlier filed the same joint resolution extending the life of COCCAAP for another five years beginning September 2019 to September 2024.

In order to maintain the momentum of work initiated by the COCCAAP and avoid an unwarranted interruption which may result in loss of data and incongruity in the results of the studies/investigation already commenced, the committee must continue to function in accordance with its mandate set forth in Section 91 of Republic Act No. 9497, he said in filing HJR No. 14.

He said COCCAAP will work hand in hand with CAAP to address the downgrading of the Philippines aviation status from Category 1 to Category 2 by the FAA and the blacklisting of the European Union, as well as to solve the Significant Safety Concerns (SSC) raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Under HJR 14, the COCCAAP is tasked to submit periodic reports of its findings and make recommendation on actions to be taken by the CAAP.

It provides that Congress shall make appropriate budgetary appropriation to fund the extension of COCCAAPs life.

Sitting at the panel are chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services and the House Committee on Transportation and four additional members from each chamber to be designated by the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

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