In response to a recent plane crash at Busuanga Airport, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez has ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to provide immediate assistance to affected passengers. This directive, in accordance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decree, mandates that passengers experiencing flight or maritime travel disruptions, including delays, cancellations, or emergencies, receive essential aid.
Acting Secretary Lopez stated that both agencies are now required to furnish passengers with food, drinks, and medical assistance during emergencies, regardless of any aid provided by airlines or shipping companies.
“We issued a decree that CAAP and PPA should provide water and food regardless of what the airlines will do,” said Lopez. He emphasized that this government intervention is a primary and immediate response to assist travelers in distress. “We’re going to take the airlines’ responsibility, we’re going to help. If the airlines provided, the help would be doubled,” he added, highlighting a collaborative approach to ensure passenger welfare.
This new policy aligns with the President’s commitment to finding solutions for the daily challenges faced by commuters. The PPA has a history of providing similar aid during typhoons or canceled sea trips, and this new decree formalizes and expands this practice to all airports and ports under CAAP and PPA jurisdiction.
“That’s our policy now: the moment that we have a flight [issue], CAAP and PPA will provide help,” Lopez explained. He confirmed that personnel from both agencies are prepared to assist passengers in emergencies, ensuring a swift and coordinated response to travel disruptions.
