By Charissa Luci-Ateinza The House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization and the House Committee on Transportation have jointly directed the creation of a technical working group (TWG) that would fine-tune a bill seeking to strengthen the powers of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). (EPA / MANILA BULLETIN) The TWG will be headed by Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, vice chairman of the House Committee on Transportation. House Bill 7407, principally authored by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez calls for the abolition of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and transfer its current functions to the CAAP. Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, said HB 7407 aims to implement reforms to further enhance the potentials of the aviation industry. “To get to that destination, we must all board the flight towards change and refuse to maintain the status quo,” he said. He noted that while the CAB regulates the economic aspect of air transportation, CAAP regulates the technical operational safety and aviation security functions of civil aviation. “There is no overall regulatory power that sets uniform standards for all airports to follow. Moreover, given that airport entities regulate themselves, there is a high risk of conflict of interest,” Sarmiento said. Sarmiento explained that bill requires entities that operate airports to secure a legislative franchise to ensure that only operators who are truly capable of complying with the highest standard will be allowed to operate. “We hope to fast-track the measure for a stronger and better CAAP by adopting international standards and responding to the needs of a modern Filipino jetsetter,” he said. Co-authors of the bill include Sarmiento, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, and Minority Leader Danilo Suarez. Lawyer Wrylou Samodio of the CAB-Legal Division asked Congress to reconsider its proposal calling for its abolition, saying that the structural separation between CAB and the CAAP should be maintained for "greater operational efficiency and flexibility.” “We should maintain the structural separation of the two agencies, because such separation would provide greater operational efficiency and flexibility,” he told the joint hearing of the House panels. He said CAB should independently exercise its own expertise to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of services to the people. “We have to have such independence. Otherwise, baka hindi natin maibigay ang tamang serbisyo sa publiko. In fact, in other countries kahit sabihin natin na there is a single aviation authority, the functions are not merged,” he pointed out. Samodio explained that the CAB’s function is”very distinct” from the CAAP’s mandate, saying that they are involved in bilateral negotiations on air agreement and regulation of the economic aspect of the air transportation. “We seek the indulgence of Congress to perhaps give more time to study, and to think about the proposal. But being the Congress, it is up to you whether this bill would become a reality,” he said. Samodio appealed to TWG to consider the strengthening of CAB and CAAP as a separate agency. “Instead of a merger, why not strengthen both agencies, separate laws to strengthen each of the two agencies, not strengthening not in the sense of merging,” he said. “Of course, we submit to the wisdom of the Congress, kaya may TWG to thresh out things para magkaron pa rin ng delineation, na ito pa rin ang functions, to be performed by people from CAB, functions from CAAP. It has to be studied,” the CAB official said. Under House Bill 7407, CAAP shall serve the central regulatory agency for both the economic and technical aspect of the country's aviation system.