Bealinehx

Being a former President of PAL has nothing to do with the management of Phil's ATC at NAIA

Raffin

Not directly, yes. But he is the Transport Secretary with overall responsibility. Looks to me that he came out on the ATC system in an attempt to divert people from the real cause, which is obviously nothing to do with the ATC itself..rather the power for that at NAIA. More about how that was managed than any lack of supply.
Appointing someone to that position who spent many years in charge of the ex monopoly National Airline means he won't look for problems in the management there. Labour relations were poor during Bautista's time with PAL. After a long fight with the unions PAL eventually got Supreme Court decisions reversed on retrenchment. Which suggests to me he won't look to management as the reason for the recent failure. Interesting to see what he says to the Senators.

Raffin

Update on my previous post. The general manager of Manila airports, a certain Cesar Chiong, appointed by Bautista, had a long career at PAL.Jobs for the boys.

Raffin

Yesterday BBM pressed a button on a Japanese tunnel boring machine and the Manila Subway project is on.
Looking at what is planned, at least, you will see in the South a spur line to NAIA is included.

https://www.railway-technology.com/p...manila-subway/

Which is interesting,given the proposals by various groups to close down NAIA and redevelop the area.

Stokkevn

I bet a lot of the locals will be pleased when the subway is well underway next year as there will be somewhere to store all that flood water.

Gazza-d

That's until it gets blocked off with trash.
Manila is largely reclaimed swampland, it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

Stokkevn

Manila is the second fasted sinking city in the world behind Jakarta. Manila and area is sinking at between 2 and 10cm a year and seawater rising about 1.5cm a year, it does not take a genius to establish in some years time it is going to get very damp.

Raffin

Yes! The article lists a number of flood prevention measures which the Japanese will install. They seem to work in the Tokyo subway. But the city of Tokyo has put in a great deal of flood prevention engineering generally. Unlike Manila. Yearly rainfall totals about the same.

Stokkevn

Back to NAIA problems, today the senate started their investigation of what when wrong and who to blame, while everyone are preparing their finger pointing. I noticed in the US ATC problems yesterday that the FAA have already stood up and accepted responsibility for the failure.

Raffin

NAIA privatisation, first proposed in 2019 but delayed by the Pandemic, looks to go ahead. One could say it's been given a push by the New Years Day close down. Powerful interests and Senators pushing it. BBM also looking to get praise for it. Will it keep it's name?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/171581...ons-dotr-chief

It would avoid the government being both a regulator and operator. Help from the ADB is good.
But the 2019 consortium was made up of 7 conglomerates..some familiar names like Aboitiz, Filinvest, Metro Pacific, the Meralco owner. But Metro Pacific has now withdrawn. Why is not clear. Back in Britain I don't think we had many, if any, consortia, involved in privatisation? The airports in Bulacan and Clark are also owned by conglomerates...San Mig and again Filinvest.
London HR is privatised and the company is of Spanish origin. They used to operate Gatwick, Stansted and other UK airports but were forced to sell by the Competition Commission.
Privatisation is no magic general solution, as we found in Britain. eg Water and the Railways. I don't fly in and out of LHR much these days so can't make a judgement on it. But it looks to me here it can't work well with all these competing groups and without a major foreign owner, which will be very reluctant to come in,

Gazza-d

China took over Uganda 's airport due to loan default. Perhaps that's where we should be looking.

Raffin

Presumably the Ugandans had no optjon. China is looking to capitalise on the poor situation of many developing countries now.
Here they could privatise locally but bridges are one thing, the major airport in the country.anofher. So
​​​​​​you would think Chinese participation is out of the question. With the ATC also given he situation in the S China Sea and Taiwan? Seems unthinkable. As ​all large Chinese companies are effectively controlled by their government.
Still BBM may well have promised something during his latest visit.



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