Phl to hold air talks with Russia, Israel

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is set to hold air talks with Israel and Russia in November after successfully concluding five air service agreements with five countries so far this year, a ranking official of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said.

CAB officer-in-charge for planning and research Jesus Ibay said in an interview with reporters that the air talks with Israel is scheduled on Nov. 4 and Nov. 5.

Ibay said national flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) owned by taipan Lucio Tan and diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is looking at flying to Israel to service Filipinos working and living overseas.

He pointed out that an air service agreement with Israel would also benefit pilgrims.

According to Ibay, there is a need to amend the existing air service agreement with Israel, which covers only one flight frequency as this was signed in the 1960s or 1970s.

Ibay said that Manila would host the air talks with Russia. The Philippines has an existing air service agreement with Russia but no flight entitlements.

For his part, CAB legal head Wyrlou Samodio said the Philippine Air Panel holds air talks with various countries to negotiate frequency of flights as well as the destinations to be covered by the pact.

Samodio said talks with several countries are aimed at boosting tourism in the Philippines as the Department of Tourism (DOT) expects to lure 10 million tourists into the country by 2016.

Aside from the CAB and DOT, the Philippine Air Services Negotiating Panel consists of officials from the Departments of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as well as from the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) and representatives from local airlines.

Just last Friday, the Philippines signed a new air service agreement with Japan, increasing the number of flights and allowing unlimited flights to points outside Manila and Haneda.

Civil Aeronautics Board Carmelo Arcilla said the new agreement increased the number of flights between Manila and Narita to a total maximum 400 per week from the previous 119.

Arcilla said the agreement also allowed 14 flights per week between Manila and Haneda, as well as unlimited air traffic rights between points in the Philippines, except Manila, and points in Japan except Haneda.

This was the fifth air service agreement signed by the Philippines this year including Italy early this month, Macau last June, Brazil last May, and Australia in April.

President Aquino had signed Executive Order 29 authorizing the CAB and the Philippine air panels to pursue more aggressively the international civil aviation liberalization policy.