(From left: Lt. Gen. William K. Hotchkiss, CAAP Director General with
Capt. John Andrews, Deputy General for Operations, CAAP)
Bird strike Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA) does not only poses an imminent danger to
the safety of airlines and its passengers at , but also a threat to our country’s economy as well. We may never earn an
upgrade of our aviation safety classification from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to boost
our tourism industry and increase commercial activities in the metropolis and
parts of central Luzon, because of such issue, other than the modernization of our airports.
Lately, there
was tremendous increase of bird strikes at NAIA. There were 49 bird strike recorded
by CAAP from January to September, compared to 30 bird strikes in 2011 and 25
in 2010, which makes the makes the danger more imminent.Thus, NAIA was prompted to issue a warning to
the pilots of the danger to land and take off at NAIA.
It was reported that a Philippine Airlines (PAL)
Flight PR 124 to Manila
was canceled last September after birds got sucked into the plane’s engine in order to
ensure the safety of passengers and crew. Cebu Pacific's Cotabato-Manila flight was
delayed for more than four hours also in the same month. Earlier
in July, it was reported that PAL flight PR 105 that just
arrived in Manila from Guam
in also suffered from the same incident and the aircraft’s entire set of
fan
blades had to be replaced due to irreparable damage. It was reported by
TV 5 News that from January to July this year, 39 bird strikes have been
reported at
the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), 50 percent more than the
same period last year, data from the Manila International Airport
Authority (MIAA) indicated. These incidents involve aircraft of
Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, Cathay Pacific, Jet
Star Asia, Air Philippines Express, and Qatar Airways.
The population of migratory
birds nesting at the Las-Piñas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Eco Tourism area located
about 15 kilometer away from NAIA . . . DOUBLE CLICK HERE TO WITNESS BY YOURSELF
Indefinite suspension of licenses to operate manning agencies pending
litigation of a case is endangering the maritime industry to the
detriment of the Philippine economy!
This is what happened to the 300 seafarers of Gyron Crew Incorporation
and Manning Agency (GCIMA).
A complaint was filed by three former recruits of GCIMA leading to the
suspension of its license to operate. Consequently, the contract of 300
seafarers due to be deployed to Netherlands were put on hold, many of
whom were about to leave the country. Meanwhile, the case remains
pending for more than sixty (60) days, while it was reported that a new
law was passed in Holland allegedly banning Filipino seafarers.
Despite previous withdrawal of the complaint by two of the complainants,
while the other one already left the country, the case still remains
pending litigation for more than two months, alleged Bosun Jeric Bilbao,
representing the seafarers. Atty. Jesus Gabriel "Jeriel" Domingo, OIC,
Adjudication Office, POEA, replied: “our hands are tied by the law . . .
we must observe the requirement of due process”, when confronted by the
seafarers, during the Balitaan sa Aloha media forum on October 10,
2012. However, the case has not yet been resolved to date. On the other
hand, millions of pesos due to the seafarers and the government were
already lost.
(From left: Greg Oculto, President, Ostomate Association of the Philippines (OAP); Luningning Siarez, President Stoma Nurses Core Group; Dr. Ramy Roxas, President of the Philippine Society of Colorectal Surgeons and the Asean Society of Colorectal Surgeons; Dra. Rachel Rosario, Executive Director and Romy Marcaida, Director, Philippine Cancer Society; Lolly Acosta, Moderator, Balitaan sa Aloha Hotel; and, Colorectal Cancer Survivor, Fernando Lazaro, Vice-President, OAP)
Colorectal Cancer is now plaguing our country! Who are these people we call Ostomates? “The truth shall set us free”, said Lolly Acosta during her opening statement at the forum. In furtherance of its mission, the Philippine Cancer Society and Balitaan Sa Aloha Hotel in a joint project, launched a quad media, i.e., television, radio, print and the internet, campaign to advocate for the eradication of Colorectal cancer in the country on October 3, 2012, in celebration of the World Ostomy Day on October 6, 2012.
“Statistics shows that Colorectal
Cancer is the third leading cancer in the Philippines today. Consequently,
pursuant to the mission of the Philippine Cancer Society, there is a need for
the society to disseminate information concerning the disease to lessen if not
totally eradicate all kinds of cancer in our country”, said Dra. Rachel Rosario
of the Philippine Cancer Society, the lead convenor of the forum at Balitaan sa
Aloha Hotel on October 3, 2012.
“Colorectal Cancer is one of the
most common cancer in the world today and the number of those suffering from
the disease is growing, said Dr. Ramy Roxas, President of the Philippine
Society of Colorectal Surgeons and the Asean Society of Colorectal Surgeons. “Data
gathered by the Philippine Cancer Society shows that the survival rate of those
suffering from the said illness in our country is only forty percent (40%),
while those in theUnited States is 60%”,
said Dr. Roxas. He further added that, “the disease can be eliminated if
earlier detected and curable”.
And what are the remedies?Hear it from them personally.Join us in our Talakayan at Balitaan sa
Aloha:
