Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. (PADC), the government’s aviation development arm, is hoping President Marcos will issue the proposed Executive Order that will grant provisional extension of its corporate life before it expires on May 9, 2025.
Kevon John S. Domingo, consultant of PADC Office of the Acting President and CEO Raymond L. Mitra told Logisticsnews.PH that an executive route is being explored to provide at least a provisional lifeline should delays persist.
This followed after Secretary of Transportation Vince Dizon reaffirmed his predecessor’s (Former Secretary Jaime Bautista) decision to adopt PADC under the administrative supervision of the Department of Transportation. This alignment addresses one of the primary reasons for delays in the legislative process—the Department of National Defense’s official stance that it does not support the extension of PADC’s corporate life.
“With the DOTr now fully backing PADC, this development significantly strengthens the corporation’s position, especially in dealings with the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, chaired by Senator Mark Villar,” he said.
In light of this, PADC will be sending letters to the authors of the various Senate Bills filed in support of the extension. These include Senators Francis Tolentino (SBN 748), Imee Marcos (SBN 2033), Raffy Tulfo (SBN 2053), Mark Villar (SBN 2091), Sonny Angara (SBN 2180), Ronald Dela Rosa (SBN 2184), and Jinggoy Estrada (SBN 2236).
The Corporation is hopeful that these efforts will culminate in a consolidated, unified Senate version of the bill that may be passed—if not before the corporate expiration date of May 9, 2025—then at least by the time Congress resumes its regular session, provided that the Executive Department issues a provisionary extension for PADC to still be existent during the finalization of the legislation formally extending for another 50 years the corporate life of the said government owned and controlled corporation.
As Congress is in recess for the mid-term elections on May 12, 2025, and will resume session sometime in June, time is of the essence. Thus, it is critical that Malacanang will issue the EO before PADC’s franchise expires on May 9.
Meantime, Domingo said that in parallel, PADC is preparing a contingency winding down action plan. This includes the computation and provision of separation benefits to its 28 filled plantilla employees, in accordance with Executive Order No. 150, s. 2021. This ensures that, should the worst-case scenario occur and the corporation is not granted an extension in time, its employees will still receive just compensation and protection.
