MANILA – Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Manuel Tamayo on Monday said integrating sustainability in regulatory framework is crucial in order to address several issues.
"We are now in an era where sustainability has become a key focus. We face issues such as bird strikes linked to expanding wildlife populations and increased aircraft movements; extreme weather events affecting air operations and airport infrastructure; and the contribution of increased air travel to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions," he said on the first day of the 59th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of the Asia and Pacific Regions in Cebu province.
Speaking before some 300 delegates, Tamayo shared that as of 2023, the Philippines remained below its carbon emissions baseline.
"We continue to aim for this with proposals to develop and locally source sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), make SAF technology commercially viable, and facilitate airline access to sustainable alternatives," he said.
The CAAP plays a crucial role, enforcing regulations such as proper load distribution for fuel efficiency, conducting airworthiness inspections, and improving airport infrastructure design to support sustainability, Tamayo said.
"These efforts help maintain the country's low-carbon aviation goals," he said.
Tamayo said the CAAP is committed to planting more trees, in support of International Civil Aviation Organization's long-term aspirational goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It has so far planted 14,920 trees across the country, he added.
The Philippines is hosting the DGCA until Oct. 18.
The country previously hosted the conference in 1960, 2002 and 2015.
It serves as an avenue to explore and share the latest in aviation safety, regulation and security. (PNA)
