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Aviation leaders from the Asia-Pacific region convened in Cebu today (Oct 14) for the 59th Directors General of Civil Aviation conference
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The five-day event was organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization in cooperation with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines
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The DGCA conference focuses on key industry challenges and developments, including sustainability, safety, and innovation in air travel
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Themed “Shaping the Future of Aviation through Sustainability, Resilience, and Inclusivity,” the conferenceaims to address the climate impact of air transport
Aviation leaders from the Asia-Pacific region convened in Cebu today, October 14, for the 59th Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conference.
Organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in cooperation with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the five-day event will run until Oct. 18 in Lapu-Lapu City. Around 306 delegates from 37 countries and 11 international organizations will join this year’s conference.
The DGCA conference focuses on key industry challenges and developments, including sustainability, safety, and innovation in air travel, through discussions of aviation industry executives and officials.
“We believe that hosting the DGCA is a great opportunity to showcase our commitment to aviation safety and security, as well as our pledge to a sustainable future in aviation. Our theme for this year’s conference, ‘Shaping the Future of Aviation: Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive,’ is timely and relevant on both global and regional scales,” Manuel Antonio Tamayo, director general of CAAP, said in his speech.
“The industry is adaptive to change and supports development while mitigating the impacts of climate change. Let us strengthen our collaboration and synergies by promoting and improving our policies and practices through strong stakeholder engagement,” the CAAP director general said.
“We are now in an era where sustainability has become a key focus. We face issues such as bird strikes—linked to expanding wildlife populations and increased aircraft movements; extreme weather events affecting air operations and airport infrastructure; and the contribution of increased air travel to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions,” Tamayo added.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista also attended the event and highlighted that the Philippines is still in active collaboration with the DGCA’s efforts to craft plans for the Asia-Pacific region, aligning with the global aviation standards from the ICAO.
Bautista said the Asia-Pacific region has “emerged as one of the fastest-growing” aviation markets globally with a 32% share of global traffic.
“Projections indicate that by 2035, the region will become the world’s largest aviation market, with over 3.5 billion passengers annually. This substantial market share, combined with optimistic economic projections and strong demographic trends, underscores the region’s immense potential for development,” Bautista said.
Collaboration with the APAC regions is crucial for developing countries like the Philippines as the transport department proposes “an ambitious 87 percent increase in government investment in the aviation and airport sectors,” according to Bautista.
“This initiative aims to enhance safety and passenger mobility, thereby strengthening national, regional, and international connectivity,” Bautista added.
This is the fourth time the Philippines has hosted the DGCA, with previous events held in Manila and Cebu.
Manila hosted the 1st and 52nd DGCA conferences in 1960 and 2015, respectively, while Cebu first hosted the 39th DGCA conference in 2002.
