MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) yesterday released over P750,000 as financial assistance to the families of victims in the light aircraft's crash that left 14 people dead and scores injured in Parañaque City last Saturday.
The CAAP, which regulates all air transportation activity in the country, and the MIAA, which manages three airports in Metro Manila, including the domestic airport from where the Beechcraft Queen Air (RPC-834) eight-seater light plane took off before plunging into a shanty area in Paranaque City a few minutes later, gave P500,000 and P250,000, respectively.
The cash were turned over to Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe yesterday in a 2,000-square-meter esction of a slum area in Barangay Don Bosco that was gutted by fire following the crash of the light aircraft. Officials said that the cash will be used for the purchase of initial construction materials to rebuild houses and a nearby school-building that were hit by the crashed aircraft and to directly help the victims’ immediate relatives.
“We are leaving it to Mayor Bernabe to decide how best to disburse the amount," CAAP Director General Ramon Gutierrez said. “What’s important is that the funds will quickly go to the victims’ families and other affected members of the community.” Meanwhile, MIAA general manager Bodet Honrado said his office that aside from the P250,000 donation, the MIAA will continue its relief operations and medical missions to the victims’ relatives and the community.
“We started this a few days ago immediately after the accident. We’re planning to do another wave of medical missions and assistance operations this Christmas,” Honrado vowed. The DOTC recently directed the CAAP, specifically the Aircraft Accident Investigation Inquiry Board (AAIIB) under Capt. Amado Soliman Jr., to investigate the reasons behind the crash of the Beechcraft Queen Air (RPC-834).
Secretary Mar Roxas convened the fact-finding panel to determine the liability of the owner of the light plane; effect a 7-day timeline for the probe; and prevent the recurrence of similar accidents in the future. “I have tasked the fact-finding panel to come up with a report and recommendations within the week,” said Roxas. “We will make sure that all facts of this unfortunate accidents are investigated, the victims duly compensated, and make sure that similar accidents do not happen in the future,” he added.
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