The Philippines has joined the world’s first inter-region aviation cooperation agreement and a search and rescue cooperation agreement during the culmination of the 28th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Transport Ministers Meeting on Monday.
In a media bulletin, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced the signing of the Asean-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (CATA) and the Asean Agreement on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) Cooperation, with Secretary Jaime Bautista as the country’s representative.
Bautista said the Asean-EU CATA is “the world’s first block-to-block air transport agreement” with the goal of reinforcing connectivity and post-pandemic economic recovery of the 37-member states of the Asean and the EU.
“The agreement will have a profound impact in the areas of trade and tourism for Asean and the EU. The Asean-EU CATA will also rebuild air connectivity between Asean and Europe which was suddenly suspended by the pandemic,” he said.
On the other hand, he said the Philippines would gain “information exchange and sharing of best practices” through the Asean SAR agreement.
It would strengthen cooperation efforts in aeronautical and maritime SAR operations, provide various information exchanges and sharing of best practices in SAR, and conduct joint SAR training and exercises among Asean member states.
During the event, Bautista also offered the Philippines’ support to other transport initiatives such as the Annual Priorities/Key Deliverables for 2023, the Asean Guidelines on Airport Environmental Management System, the Guiding Principles for the Regulation of Application-based Mobility Services for Passenger Transport in Asean, and the Implementation Framework to Enhance Regional Container Circulation.
Bautista emphasized the Philippines as a “key player” in the transportation affairs in Southeast Asia and gave the country’s support in developing the region’s transportation potential.
“The Philippines is one with the nations of the Asean and the EU in the promotion and adoption of various measures in the areas of aviation safety, air traffic management, consumer protection, and environmental and social matters,” he said.
The 28th Asean Transport Ministers Meeting began on Saturday in Bali, Indonesia, the first such meeting held face-to-face since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic
Source: Philippines News Agency