VZCZCXRO2592
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #1619 1910904
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090904Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1214
INFO RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 3571
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2828
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6411
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9837

UNCLAS MANILA 001619 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MTS 
TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA 
SINGAPORE AND TOKYO FOR FAA 
 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ETRD BEXP RP
SUBJECT: PHILIPPINE CIVIL AVIATION UPDATE 
 
REF: Manila 03743 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Immediately upon the return to the Philippines 
from the U.S. of President Arroyo, the Government of the Philippines 
established a new Civil Aviation Administration of the Philippines 
in order to fast track its effort to remedy civil aviation safety 
concerns identified by the USG in 2007 (reftel).  A direct result of 
the very effective briefing of Philippine Congressman Puentevella by 
the FAA on the margins of the Arroyo visit, the President also 
appointed a Director General for the new institution and instructed 
him to move aggressively to establish an effective civil aviation 
safety regulatory system for the Philippines.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Newly appointed Philippine Civil Aviation Administration 
Director General Ruben F. Ciron told econoffs on July 8 that he 
recognized the severity of the current deficiencies in Philippine 
civil aviation regulation, and that he hoped to meet with FAA 
officials at an early opportunity.  At the same dinner meeting, 
Congressman Monico Puentevella proudly asked econoffs to convey to 
USG officials in Washington that he had fulfilled his promise to 
spur Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to appoint a Civil 
Air Director General with good managerial capabilities. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Former Department of National Defense Assistant Secretary 
and Air Force Major General Ciron was formally sworn-in as the first 
Philippine Civil Aviation Administration Director General around 
noon on July 7.  His appointment represents a significant success 
for USG advocacy efforts over the weeks prior to and during 
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's June meetings in Washington.  In 
particular, the coordinated efforts of various State and FAA offices 
led to the highly effective briefing that FAA Deputy Director for 
Flight Standards Jon Allen and International Programs Manager Mel 
Cintron gave Congressman Puentevella on June 25, the substance of 
which Puentevella relayed to President Arroyo within hours.  The 
telephone call notifying General Ciron of his appointment as 
Director General came while the presidential party was still in the 
United States. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Within hours of his taking the oath of office, General 
Ciron convened a meeting of the entire civil aviation board, spoke 
with the seven International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 
consultants currently working in Manila, cancelled a planned trip of 
Philippine civil aviation officials to Brussels, and met twice with 
Congressman Puentevella to discuss the FAA June 25 briefing. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) During the July 8 dinner, General Ciron said he hoped to 
meet with FAA officials soon to discuss a proposed FAA action plan 
and the possibility of postponing the ICAO review scheduled for 
November 2008.  (Ciron understands that the Philippines is unlikely 
to pass this review.)  General Ciron said he would welcome an FAA 
visit in early August, and sometime later would consider a trip to 
Washington meet FAA officials.  He said he would not support any 
trips by any other Philippine aviation officials to the United 
States prior to his own trip.  Ciron noted that his Deputy Director 
General will be former Iloilo International Airport Administrator 
and Assistant Secretary of the Department of Transportation and 
Communications Eduardo "Red" Kapunan. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) U.S. and Philippine industry sources believe General Ciron 
has good potential to turn the Civil Aviation Administration in the 
right direction.  He is deemed to be well-briefed on the issues at 
hand, mission-oriented, and open to suggestions.  He took notes 
during the dinner meeting with econoffs and referred to notes of 
other meetings.  Ciron is a former F-86 Sabrejet pilot and former 
staff aide to Senator Enrile when Enrile served as Secretary of 
Defense during the Marcos presidency. 
 
KENNEY