Upgrading of existing facilities and the immediate replacement of affected equipment were the immediate courses of action agreed by heads of various agencies who held a top-level meeting last Tuesday Jan. 3, 2023 at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) compound, following the New Year’s Day technical glitch that resulted in cancellations, suspension of international and domestic flights at the NInoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CIA) Mactan-Cebu International Airport MCIA) Davao International Airport (DIA) and other CAAP operated airports in the country.
In a top level meeting last Tuesday at CAAP compound by various agency heads and representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), Department of National Defense (DND), National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA) and Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces (ISAF) recommended the immediate upgrade replacement of affected equipment.
After CAAP reported their investigation and traced the most likely cause of the glitch, DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy offered to assist CAAP in expediting acquisition.
Sec. Uy said, “We will give our full support to DOTr and CAAP in resolving this issue.”
National Security Adviser Prof. Clarita Carlos suggested that such communications and electrical equipment as vital to national security, thereby facilitating any purchase and preventing a repeat of the incident.
CAAP likewise informed Prof. Carlos and Department of National Defense (DND) Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. that this does not appear to be a cybercrime because affected electrical equipment cannot be manipulated from outside the CAAP compound. Nonetheless, a review will still be conducted by cyber-security experts.
Prof. Carlos added that the breakdown of vital infrastructure, such CAAP’s Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS-ATM) system for Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) constitutes a threat to national security and thus a need for immediate action.
After the meeting, heads and representatives toured the affected equipment and facilities inside the CAAP compound.
Meanwhile, the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to submit a brief report on the circumstances surrounding the air traffic management, which led to Ninoy Aquino International Airport flights being cancelled, delayed, and/or diverted on 01 January 2023.
CAAP is given three working days to submit its report to the GCG.
According to the GCG’s records, the Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system of CAAP was a strategic target in CAAP’s 2017 Performance Scorecard and its transition and implementation were the agency’s strategic target in its 2018 and 2019 scorecards.
To further support the implementation of CAAP’s CNS/ATM, the Governance Commission authorized the creation of 136 Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance System Officer I plantilla positions through GCG Memorandum Order No. 2017-08.
“As partners in national development and public service, the said report will inform the Governance Commission, as the central oversight agency for GOCCs, on how it may further support CAAP to avoid the recurrence of such incidents,” said GCG Chairperson Alex L. Quiroz.
“Further, this report will help us ensure the functional operation and safe and reliable management of Philippine air navigation systems,” Chairperson Quiroz adds.
The Governance Commission as the central advisory, oversight, and monitoring body for GOCCs, monitors and evaluates the operations of GOCCs to be transparent and responsive to the needs of the public. (JERRY S. TAN)
