The government is set to meet with aviation companies in Canada to discuss potential expansion in the Philippines, as local airlines move to bolster their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service capabilities.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque said this will be a key part of her itinerary in her official trip to Canada next month.
Roque told reporters that low-cost carriers Cebu Pacific and AirAsia are planning to expand into MRO services.
She noted that these two companies are particularly keen on providing repair services for other airlines, either based abroad or locally, in a bid to diversify their income sources.
The government is in tune with this proposal given ongoing efforts to entice more foreign investment into the country.
The DTI chief added that this is also driven by the increase of foreign-based carriers mounting flights to Manila and other destinations.
“We also want repairs here in our country. Meron na, pero mas lalakas pa (There is already, but it will get stronger),” Roque said in an interview last week.
Potentially, however, courting Canadian aviation companies into the country could be a direct consequence of the rumored exit of MRO provider Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
LTP is reportedly planning to move away from the country’s main gateway after its lease rates went up.
Roque denied any connection, as she asserted that the government is only placing greater focus on the aviation industry.
Case in point, the DTI is looking at private partnerships for its plan to sponsor aspiring pilots.
While details are currently murky, the Trade Secretary said the agency is looking into funding tuition fees for students in aviation schools, as well as loan agreements.
Meanwhile, Roque’s itinerary in Canada includes meetings with businesses in which products from Filipino small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to thrive.
She is also scheduled to inaugurate an SME hub in Toronto, featuring Philippine products that meet export standards.