The Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) calls on the Philippine Congress and Senate to pass and unify bills aimed at creating the Philippine Transportation Safety Board (PTSB), a non-regulatory, independent agency attached to the Office of the President.
The AsBAA has conveyed to both chambers of the Philippine Congress the importance of having a national transportation safety board that is independent of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to carry out autonomous accident investigations in order to facilitate continued, sustainable growth of the country’s aviation industry and economy.
House Bill 9030 and Senate Bill 1077 have both been reviewed by the AsBAA, and in addition, the International Aviation Business Council (IBAC) sent a communication to both Congress and Senate to urge the passing of the said law. According to IBAC, the creation of the PTSB in accordance with standards and recommended practices of ICAO Annex 13 will not only improve aviation safety in the Philippines but will also encourage a more dynamic air transport system and demonstrate leadership among states in the region.
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Annex 13 refers to the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation part of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that oversees the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.