The second day of the 2025 Philippine Aviation Summit delivered a powerful set of strategies and commitments from key public and private sector leaders, solidifying a national blueprint focused on accelerating air connectivity, attracting investment, and ensuring sustainable industry standards.
The day’s agenda underscored the collective mission to transform the Philippines into a globally competitive aviation hub.
The proceedings were launched by Hon. Christina Garcia Frasco, Secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT), who highlighted the critical and indispensable role of air connectivity in strengthening the Philippines’ competitiveness as a premier tourist destination.
This focus on economic growth was immediately amplified by Mr. Ludwig Daza of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), who detailed how dedicated aviation economic zones can be utilized as key growth hubs for landing significant foreign investments across the archipelago.
Strategic expansion plans were laid out by Atty. Carlos Luis L. Fernandez, EVP and COO of Philippine Airlines, who discussed developing dedicated hubs and expanding the airline’s network to improve connectivity across the nation.
Further emphasizing the decentralization of air traffic, Mr. Joseph Alcazar, President of Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), underscored Clark’s strategic importance in driving regional growth outside of Manila. Complementing this operational focus, Mr. Athanasios Titonis, CEO of Aboitiz Operating Airports, shared insights on successfully building global-standard connectivity while maintaining the hallmark of Filipino hospitality.
The global and regulatory state of the industry was addressed by Mr. Stefano Baronci of ACI World – Airports Council International. The paramount importance of regulatory oversight and safety was championed by LTGEN Rozzano Briguez, Deputy Director General for Operations at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), who stressed the absolute necessity of operational excellence.
Looking ahead to a greener future, Ms. Helene Burger of Airbus provided a detailed regional update on the progress and growing role of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in making the industry more environmentally responsible.
The comprehensive panel discussions and the day’s synthesis, led by LTGEN Raul Del Rosario, Director General of CAAP, affirmed the unified theme: accelerating aviation development through strong infrastructure, targeted investments, and modernized regulatory frameworks.
The second day concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Phil Balmer, Chairman of the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA), who affirmed the shared vision for a more connected and robustly competitive Philippine aviation industry.
