Philippines Working on Air Safety

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently ruled that the Philippines no longer complies with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The FAA assessed the Philippines's civil aviation authority in September 2002, and found it in compliance with ICAO standards. However, after a consultation in late 2007, the agency determined that the Philippines was no longer overseeing the safety of its airlines in accordance with international standards. The Philippines’s safety rating has been lowered from Category 1 to Category 2 under the agency’s International Aviation Safety Assessment  (IASA) program. A Category 1 rating means the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority — equivalent to the FAA — is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping or inspection procedures. As part of the IASA program, the FAA assesses the civil aviation authorities of all countries with air carriers that operate to the United States. The FAA is working with local aviation authorities to upgrade the safety rating.