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Yogi Ruiz: Salaries, incentives for City Hall employees must be paid on time
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Job order (JO) employees at the Cebu City Hall have not been paid their salaries from January to March 2024. They have not also received their share of the Charter Day incentive amounting to P5, 000 each. Councilors Noel Wenceslao and Nestro Archival have raised a concern on the delay in.....»»
Resumption of FTA talks seen to spur higher EU investments
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority expects investments from European companies to increase with the resumption of the Philippines – European Union free trade agreement negotiations......»»
PSALM expects P100 billion from CBK privatization
The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) is expected to generate as much as P100 billon from the privatization of the 796.46-megawatt (MW) Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) hydroelectric power plant complex in Laguna, bolstering the cash position of the cash-strapped state firm......»»
Cebu Pacific receives fuel-efficient A321 aircraft
Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific continues to ramp up its commitment to advance sustainability and strengthen its operational resiliency amid the rising demand in air travel as it received another Airbus A321neo last Thursday......»»
GTA 6 Delay Possible as Rockstar Pushes Staff Back to Office
One of the most highly anticipated games in history, Grand Theft Auto VI, may face delays in its release, potentially pushing its launch from 2025.....»»
DAR proves unending government support to farmers
DAR Eastern Samar Provincial Office proved once again that delivery of government assistance is unending with the recent turnover of farm machineries and inputs to an agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO) in Hernani, Eastern Samar......»»
LTO summons road rage suspect
The Land Transportation Office yesterday issued a show-cause order against a motorcycle rider who slashed the tire of a delivery van in another case of road rage that went viral on social media......»»
China’s first homegrown airliner makes international debut in Singapore
SINGAPORE – China’s challenger to Airbus and Boeing’s passenger jets, the narrow-body C919 manufactured by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), has made its first trip outside Chinese territory, staging a fly-by at the Singapore Airshow on Sunday. China has invested heavily in its attempt to break the hold of the dominant two Western.....»»
Cebu Pacific negotiating P1-T plane purchase order with Boeing and Airbus
Cebu Pacific confirmed a report that it was in talks with both Airbus and Boeing for a 150-plane order worth approximately US $18 billion (~P1.0 trillion).....»»
Cebu Pacific readies biggest plane order
Cebu Pacific is in talks with plane makers Airbus and Boeing for an order of 150 aircraft worth at least $18 billion—the single biggest plane order in the country’s aviation history......»»
Cebu Pacific widens fleet to 77 in 2023
Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific achieved its target of acquiring 19 aircraft in 2023, allowing it to increase its fleet to 77, made up mostly of Airbus jets......»»
BOI, Airbus promote SAF, aerospace supply chain dev’t
BOI, Airbus promote SAF, aerospace supply chain dev’t.....»»
CEB makes headway in its EV program
Cebu Pacific announced on Friday afternoon that the airline will start a demonstration run for an electric baggage tractor and charging station this quarter as part of its ongoing electric vehicle transition program. According to CEB, baggage tractors are essential equipment used by airlines to haul carts and dollies during ramp operations. One of the largest fleets of ground support equipment (GSE) in the airline industry, CEB operates more than 100 luggage tractors. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila will serve as the operating and testing location for the all-electric, zero-emission tractor used for CEB's ground operations. This year, it is intended to import numerous electric baggage tractors for use at NAIA. CEB Chief Operations Officer Javier Massot said that their objectives for this demo run are multi-pronged. Since electric vehicles are a relatively new area for CEB, they want to test the technology and its operational viability and safety. They also intend to test the demo unit for various scenarios in their ground operations, so they are deploying it for both airport operations and cargo operations over the demo period. Massot added that the electric baggage tractor and charging station demo units are provided by TLD Asia Limited (TLD) — a subsidiary of Alvest, a group that designs, manufactures, and distributes technical products for the aviation industry. It uses lithium-ion batteries which have a significantly longer life compared to previous-generation lead-acid batteries. The charging station unit is a fast charger that is also provided by TLD. CEB is expecting one more electric baggage tractor demo unit to arrive from another GSE original equipment manufacturer (OEM), which is also targeted for deployment in the last week of August this year. The learning and experience from the demo runs will be essential components of CEB's long-term plan to replace its ground transport network with electric, zero-emission alternatives. The airline is dedicated to managing and minimizing the environmental effect of its activities, and the EV project is an important component of that commitment. CEB Chief Strategy Officer Alex Reyes said that CEB’s Scope 1 emissions come from their flights and ground operations. Although emissions from their GSEs, as part of their ground operations, are only a small portion of their total Scope 1, their decarbonization strategy addresses the entire emissions from their value chain. This is necessary as they align with net-zero emission reduction goals by 2050. Reyes said that earlier this year, CEB rolled out its EV service for employees with the deployment of 100 percent electric COMET vehicles from GET Philippines Inc. For its flying operations, CEB continues to receive new Airbus deliveries of fuel-efficient aircraft, with 10 brand-new aircraft expected for 2023 and five additional aircraft via long-term leasing. The post CEB makes headway in its EV program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PAL to launch European flights by 2025
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines plans to fly to a European destination as early as 2025, once the wide-body jets it ordered from Airbus become part of its fleet......»»
PAL first-half gains bankroll fleet boost
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines or PAL reported on Friday that its net income during the first half of the year more than tripled to P13.6 billion from last year’s P4.1 billion. In a stock exchange disclosure, the company said its operating income during the period also swelled to P17.4 billion from P6.6 billion recorded a year ago. Notably, the airline’s stellar growth was driven by an 89-percent increase in the number of passengers it flew during the period, which reached 7 million as of end-June. Likewise, it logged over 50,400 operated flights, translating to a 56-percent growth from last year’s numbers. This, according to PAL, led to an 81.6-percent improvement in the average passenger load factor. Given this trend, PAL said its passenger revenues climbed to P78.2 billion from P33.1 billion last year. However, its cargo revenue dropped by 54 percent to last year due to fewer cargo charter flights to give way to more passenger flights amid a demand surge. To sustain the growth momentum, PAL said it plans to invest P176.6 billion to acquire nine Airbus A350-1000 long-range jetliners to widen its fleet. Along with it, PAL will also increase its customer care and contact center agents by rolling out a new customer relations management system before the end of the year. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to invest in new aircraft, improved cabins, and enhanced travel experience for our valued customers,” PAL president and chief operating officer Capt. Stanley K. Ng said in the report. “The latest positive financial results enable us to build a better, stronger, and more agile Philippine Airlines that creates greater value for our customers, and we are grateful for their continuing support and patronage.” Within the first half, PAL restored flights to several routes in mainland China and launched nonstop services to Perth along with flights from Clark to Caticlan and Boracay. In addition to an extensive network of 32 domestic destinations served from Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao, PAL operated the largest network of nonstop flights between the Philippines and North America, Japan, the Middle East and Australia. The post PAL first-half gains bankroll fleet boost appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MIAA demonstrates NAIA’s emergency response preparedness at CREX 2023
PASAY CITY — The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) showcased its emergency response capability and preparedness during the Crash and Rescue Exercise (CREX) 2023 at the airside premises of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Friday, 4 August. The successful demonstration of this year’s full-scale simulated emergency CREX allows MIAA to ensure that the prescribed plans, guidelines, and organizational setup of the 8th edition of the NAIA Airport Emergency Plan 2023 adequately and effectively address emergencies occurring at or within the immediate vicinity of the country’s main gateway. “A dependable communication and coordination system is essential for a responsive Airport Emergency Plan (AEP). This exercise puts our communication and coordination system to the test, not only among MIAA offices but also with our external partner agencies,” said MIAA officer-in-charge Bryan Co. “We want to assess primary and secondary responders’ ability to respond to an aircraft crash and the resulting mass casualty event, including rescue and fire suppression, treatment and transport of survivors, and crash site security. The exercise also validates the methods for shifting from an emergency situation to normal airport operations following a potential major incident,” Co added. The scenario for CREX 2023 involved a commercial aircraft bound for Subic, CREX flight #0000, carrying 76 passengers and four crew members, that suffered a left engine malfunction during the take-off run after a flock of domestic pigeons crossing the runway was ingested into the aircraft's number one (left) engine, causing the aircraft to crash. The aircraft lost thrust on its number one engine during take-off. The pilot attempted to abort the take-off, but the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop on the western portion. A fire broke out on the left wing. In this mock incident, there were 80 casualties, with 72 survivors and eight deceased. In addition to the standard fire suppression, medical, emergency response, and search and rescue activities, this year's CREX edition featured the activation of Cebu Pacific's Accident Site Go Team, marking the first time MIAA partnered with an airline. “Cebu Pacific prioritizes safety and has established processes when it comes to emergency response. We thank the MIAA for the opportunity for us to train together to help ensure that communication systems are in place in the event of a multi-agency response,” Cebu Pacific President and Chief Commercial Officer Xander Lao said as the airline demonstrated its emergency response, particularly in providing support to victims as well as processing and cross-matching victims and family members. The CREX is held to continuously meet security standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In compliance with ICAO’s Suggested and Recommended Practices, the CREX is held every two years, but the full-scale exercise may not be conducted if the airport’s emergency plan was activated. The last full-scale CREX was on 19 October 2017. Several actual aircraft incidents in the succeeding years then brought to the fore MIAA’s emergency response capabilities. In August 2018, a Plan 1 emergency under its Airport Emergency Plan was activated when a Xiamen Air aircraft veered off the main runway while attempting to land during a heavy downpour. Barely two years after, another Plan 1 emergency occurred in March 2020, when a Lion Air medivac flight caught fire while it was rolling for take-off. The most recent involved a Saudia Airlines flight that went off the taxiway onto the grassy portion when its six right landing gears malfunctioned in June 2022. All passengers and crew were immediately evacuated and brought to NAIA Terminal 1. No one was hurt as a result of the incident. NAIA is rated as a Category IX airport, while MIAA’s current rescue and firefighting capability is Category X compliant, making it ready to respond to an airport emergency involving an Airbus A380. With the support of highly skilled fire and rescue personnel, a medical team well trained and experienced in aviation medicine, a fleet of modern firefighting and medical vehicles, pneumatic aircraft lifting systems, and various other rescue equipment, the MIAA Emergency Services department is on par with its counterparts in the region. “As this is a multi-agency response to a simulated emergency, assessment activities will be done after the exercise, where stakeholders are welcome to share their observations and raise comments and suggestions to improve our airport emergency plan and coordination system. The response is a community effort, and we appreciate everyone’s contribution in our quest to maintain the global standards of safety and security in NAIA,” Co said. “We would also like to thank our secondary responders for their support: Pasay City General Hospital, Ospital ng Parañaque, San Juan De Dios Hospital, Philippine Airforce, Las Piñas General Hospital, Philippine Coast Guard, Taguig City Fire Station, Manila Medical Center, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Makati, Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group, Las Piñas City Fire Station, BFP Parañaque, Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Red Cross – Pasay City Chapter, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority,” Co added. See more photos here: The post MIAA demonstrates NAIA’s emergency response preparedness at CREX 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MIAA holding aircraft emergency exercise
The Manila International Airport Authority is set to test its readiness to respond to an aircraft crash incident during the Crash Rescue Exercise 2023 to be held today, 4 August within the airside premises of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Airport authorities from ICAO member countries are expected to undertake a full-scale airport emergency drill every two years, followed by a smaller tabletop drill the following year. These are carried out to make sure that airport administrations are aware of the most recent suggestions made in the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices manuals. This year’s crash rescue exercise will also gauge how well the current policies and practices outlined in the 8th edition of the MIAA Airport Emergency Plan adhere to the standards of the ICAO-SARPS. Both the ICAO-SARPS and the MIAA-AEP specify organizational relationships and lines of authority between first and secondary responders as well as support groups, and they also outline how all operations should be coordinated in the event of an airport emergency. These two documents also outline who is responsible for what in terms of carrying out particular responses to emergency situations at airports, for both organizations and individuals. The MIAA Rescue, Firefighting and Medical Units are the first to arrive at an emergency on the airport at NAIA. MIAA officer-in-charge Bryan Co said that this year’s exercise is another first in the history of the MIAA because they will also simulate the management and handling of relatives of victims of the aircraft accident, something that has never been done before. While rated as a Category IX airport, MIAA’s current rescue and firefighting capability is Category X compliant, making it ready to respond to an airport emergency involving an Airbus A380. The acting airport chief added that with the support of highly skilled fire and rescue personnel, a medical team that is well-trained and experienced in aviation medicine, a fleet of modern firefighting and medical vehicles, pneumatic aircraft lifting systems, and various other rescue equipment, the MIAA Emergency Services department is at par with its counterparts in the region. Co assured the public that during the CREX event there will be no flight disruptions and normal operations will continue smoothly during the conduct of the exercise. The post MIAA holding aircraft emergency exercise appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A flying fiasco
Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific Air has proven time and again that it is more interested in counting its profits than upholding its duty to the public. As irate passengers lined up to air their grievances during congressional investigations, it has become evident that Cebu Pacific’s approach to customer service is nothing short of a disaster. The tales of woe begin with the grim reality of overbooking, a practice that seems to have become the signature move of the budget behemoth. Countless passengers have found themselves heartlessly cast aside, denied the right to board their flights, while Cebu Pacific’s rapacity for more revenue reached obscene heights. As these passengers shared their nightmarish experiences, Cebu Pacific’s customer service had been exposed as a mere façade, masking the truth of their disdain for the people they are meant to serve. “Everyone should fly,” Cebu Pacific says. Yes, everyone should fly away from an airline that is a veritable circus of excuses for delays and cancellations. The airline’s explanations for rebooked flights are nothing short of outrageous insults to the intelligence of their customers, each excuse more pathetic than the last. Lightning strikes and bird collisions may be acts of nature, but Cebu Pacific’s callous disregard for its passengers’ well-being is an act of corporate mischief. And the airline’s people at its check-in counters have apparently been coached to lie. A group of journalists hustling back to Manila from a provincial coverage to catch and cover President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address discovered this for themselves. All were supposed to board a 5:30 p.m. flight, but one photographer was rebooked for the next day, while another was told to board the 10:30 p.m. flight. Explaining at the airline’s check-in counter that they could not afford to be offloaded, the journalists were told that a smaller plane than the one they were booked on was dispatched. Allegedly, the bigger plane encountered mechanical problems and did not leave Manila. Then the check-in staff started playing the guilt-laying game, saying: “We cannot sacrifice the safety of the other passengers by accommodating more people than the smaller plane’s carrying capacity.” “But who told you to sacrifice anyone?” one of the journalists retorted. “What we want to know is how on earth Cebu Pacific chose us to be the ones to be off-loaded. And why are we being told only now, just a couple of hours away from our scheduled flight?” Cebu Pacific’s check-in staffer then mouthed what we presume to be the routine argument-ender they’d been given as a tired script — that they could do nothing about the problem except to find other flights for the off-loaded who may then file a complaint with their customer care department. To the chagrin of the photographer and reporter, they were told by their colleagues who were lucky enough not to be taken off the 5:30 p.m. flight that, yes, the original plane that was supposed to fly them back to Manila was the very same plane they boarded. What happened to the smaller plane? Lies, lies, lies. The question that looms larger than an Airbus A380 is this: How can an airline that rakes in billions in revenue conveniently blame external factors for its failures? “Freak incidents” do not occur with such alarming regularity, and when they do, a responsible and reputable airline has contingencies in place to mitigate their impact on passengers. Cebu Pacific booked a net income of P1.08 billion in the first quarter of this year, tripling its revenue to P20.88 billion from P6.71 billion in the same period last year, during which it recorded a net loss of P7.6 billion. But the carrier’s return to profitability, alas, has been at the expense of customers forced to book hotel rooms at their own expense or sleep on airport floors. To add insult to injury, the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have failed miserably in their oversight of Cebu Pacific and other erring airlines. Their inaction amounts to a dereliction of duty, leaving passengers vulnerable to the whims and caprices of a budget carrier that cares only for its bottom line. It is high time for Congress to wield its power and act decisively to protect the rights of the flying public. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez’s call for the suspension of Cebu Pacific’s legislative franchise echoes the sentiments of millions who have suffered at the hands of this budget airline. A suspension will send a clear message that reckless indifference and incompetence will not be tolerated, and the privilege of serving the public will be revoked if the airline fails to meet its obligations. We will not be saddled with Cebu Pacific’s flying fiasco. The post A flying fiasco appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Airbus A321neo is CEB’s fleet newest addition
Cebu Pacific, the Gokongwei-led budget airline, said Friday it will be receiving more aircraft deliveries this year to ramp up its operations to cater to the growing travel demand. The company welcomed its ninth aircraft delivery, a brand-new Airbus A321neo (New Engine Option), at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday. The new aircraft operated using a blended sustainable aviation fuel or SAF on its flight. “This aircraft delivery allows us to increase our operational resilience while continuing to provide safe, reliable, and affordable air travel to our passengers,” said Alex Reyes, CEB chief strategy officer. New-generation fuel-efficient aircraft “Our ongoing re-fleeting with new-generation, fuel-efficient aircraft and our continued use of sustainable aviation fuel will also help our decarbonization efforts in making the aviation industry more sustainable,” Reyes added. CEB is scheduled to receive 21 aircraft deliveries this year — of these, 17 are New Engine Options or NEOs, while four are Current Engine Options or CEOs on short-term leases. The airline aims to shift to a more fuel-efficient, all-NEO fleet by 2028. It also aims to utilize SAF by launching green routes by 2025 and using SAF for its entire network by 2030. SAF cuts 80% carbon emission SAF is a drop-in fuel with similar characteristics as conventional jet fuels. It does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not have any negative impact on performance. The use of SAF results in up to 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions across the fuel’s lifecycle. Last month, CEB also received a brand new A320neo aircraft from Airbus’ final assembly line in Tianjin, China, powered by SAF with a blend of 41 percent. CEB became the first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia to incorporate SAF into its operations when it took delivery of its third A330NEO in May last year. The post Airbus A321neo is CEB’s fleet newest addition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PAL to add new aircraft this week
The Philippine Airlines (PAL) is slated to receive a second aircraft, Airbus A321CEO, this week as part of its fleet expansion and network dependability improvement. In a statement, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the A321 aircraft, which can accommodate 199 passengers in a dual-class configuration, will be used for PAL's domestic and regional routes. This single-aisle jet is the first of several aircraft that PAL is working to acquire or reactivate in the coming months. Villaluna added that additional aircraft are anticipated to join the fleet soon, including one Airbus A330-300 wide-body aircraft with a capacity of 363 seats to be used on medium-haul routes and one De Havilland Dash 8-400NG aircraft with a capacity of 86 seats to be used for PAL's inter-island operations. Negotiations are also underway to secure additional aircraft. As a result of supply chain delays that affect the whole airline sector, PAL is also actively working to coordinate with its suppliers and service partners to re-activate more aircraft that have been idle for a long time while awaiting new engines and parts. PAL Vice President for Network Planning Christoph Gaertner said that they are taking various actions to boost their fleet count and enable them to meet the continuing surge in travel demand while minimizing delays and cancellations. Gaertner added that they have also proactively reduced some frequencies on a number of routes as part of a rationalization of their schedules so that they can ensure high reliability going forward. They are working with their suppliers as well as aircraft and engine manufacturers on initiatives to increase efficiency without compromising safety, which is their absolute top priority, and this is their obligation to their passengers, who expect a pleasant flying experience when traveling on our global network. For its popular operations in North America and maybe Europe, PAL recently announced that it had finalized the purchase of nine brand-new Airbus A350-1000 long-haul aircraft. These 380-seater new-generation jets will be the most cutting-edge aircraft to fly over the Philippine skies when they begin to be delivered in 2025. The post PAL to add new aircraft this week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»