The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) held a symposium to promote aviation safety and corporate good governance last August 30, 2013.
The 1st Philippine Aviation Safety and Good Corporate Governance Symposium was held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) which was attended by representatives from different companies of the aviation industry operating in the country.
CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss III said in his speech that the symposium is intended to be an “annual forum for the [aviation] sector to articulate and share their views and insights for the betterment of civil aviation in our country.”
Hotchkiss also invited accountable managers executives from the country’s aviation industry “to embrace Aviation Safety by being compliant with the (International Civil Aviation Organization) ICAO Standard and Recommended Practices as promulgated by CAAP through the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations,and appreciate the role of Good Corporate Governance in their business operations guided by the values of Fairness, Integrity, Accountability and Transparency”.
Department of Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Julianito Bucayan Jr. received the covenant on behalf of the President and gave the president’s message in the symposium.
Mokhtar A. Awan, Regional Director of ICAO Asia Pacific Office talked about the trends on the aviation safety in the region and worldwide. Also, he talked about the ongoing and future programs and plans of the ICAO.
Awan concluded his presentation saying that “safety should be top priority.” Also he said that that for the country’s aviation industry to succeed, the country needs to invest in air traffic management systems and that for all stakeholders in aviation industry to work together.
Sherisa P. Nuesa, President and Director of ALFM Funds Group and member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, talked about good corporate governance and how the CAAP and everyone in the aviation industry could improve its governance practices.
The program ended with a covenant signing made by representatives of airline operators, aviation organizations, and other stakeholders of the aviation industry in the country.
On the symposium’s ending, Hotchkiss also called for the raising of the Aviation Safety and Good Governance Fund which will be be handled by an Aviation Safety and Good Governance Foundation. He explained that the foundation will spearhead game-changing studies and programs” that will help improve civil aviation in the Philippines. Hotchkiss said that in terms of the pursuit of aviation excellence, the foundation would be “our indomitable leader.”
In Memory of Jesse Robredo
Hotchkiss also said that the symposium and CAAP’s advocacy of good corporate governance is also a remembrance to the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo who died in a plane crash August 18 last year.
Present during the opening of the symposium is Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo, the wife of Jesse Robredo. In her response, she thanked CAAP for dedicating the symposium in memory of her late husband and lauded the accomplishments of the agency in terms of aviation safety and good governance. She said that, “Even before the crash, I was already terrified of flying. A more efficient and more effective CAAP will perhaps erase that terror.”
She ended by assuring CAAP of her support in the legislative saying “count me in as one of your supporters in congress.”
