MANILA – Senator Raffy Tulfo, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, is set to launch a Senate investigation into the proposed privatization of the Philippines’ Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) System through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
According to Tulfo, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) confirmed that ComClark Network and Technology Corp., owned by tech tycoon Dennis Uy, had submitted an unsolicited proposal to take over the operation of the country’s air traffic management system.
In response, Tulfo announced plans to file a resolution that would initiate a Senate inquiry into the matter, aiming to find ways to improve the air traffic system without relinquishing government control.
The senator voiced his opposition, citing the warning from retired Lt. Gen. William Hotchkiss, a former Philippine Air Force Chief and ex-CAAP Director, who said the proposal could transfer the CAAP’s authority to monitor and control all flights within the country’s Flight Information Region (FIR) to a private entity, which could result in private vested interests taking over a critical public function.
Tulfo also raised concerns about potential abuses by private individuals, pointing to incidents involving former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and former Congressman Arnulfo Teves, both of whom allegedly used private planes to flee the country.