Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino called on the government to constantly upgrade the country’s aviation safety measures by taking into consideration the effects of climate change in the industry.
Tolentino made the call as he urged aviation authorities to level up their safety measures, including the prevention of bird strikes, considering that the Philippines’ primary international airport is located near a bird sanctuary.
Migratory birds come from colder regions like Russia, China, and other Asian countries, the senator noted.
“Changes in the pattern and volume of migratory birds should be constantly tracked, especially since the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is located a few kilometers from Freedom Island, a protected bird sanctuary in Manila Bay,” Tolentino said in a radio program.
The senator made the call days after one of the worst aviation disaster hit South Korea’s Jeju Air.
A bird strike is being considered as one of the possible cause that killed 179 passengers and crew when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at the Muan International Airport in South Korea last Sunday.
Eric Apolonio, spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) agreed with Tolentino, and said that climate change is one of the factors considered by the agency in implementing measures to deter bird strikes on aircraft that are either taking off or landing at the country's airports.
“This is being addressed by CAAP,” assured Apolonio.
Likewise, he said CAAP is conducting other improvements for passenger safety including night operating rating and expansion of runways of several airports in the regions.
CAAP has also beefed up its security regulations amid the increase in the volume of passengers during the holiday season.