From April 4, 2019, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) will impose fewer requirements in the processing of unopposed applications to operate as an international/domestic airfreight forwarder, general sales agent of foreign and domestic airlines (passenger/cargo), off-line carrier, and cargo sales agent/breakbulk agent for licensed airfreight forwarder.
In an advisory uploaded March 20 on the CAB website, CAB said a new set of requirements will be applied to applications filed after the advisory’s effectivity.
CAB said the ruling is part of its continuing efforts to improve public services, specifically by reducing the processing time of applications and further shortening the list of requirements.
The advisory notes that only applications with complete and valid documentary requirements will be accepted by CAB. The application will be given due course within three working days from the completion of all requirements.
Strict observance of Republic Act No. 776 (The Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines) and CAB Economic Regulation No. 4 (on air freight forwarders and offline carriers) and No. 8 (on general sales agents and cargo sales agents), and other related issuances, however, remains in place.
Further, CAB and the Parañaque local government on March 19 launched the Data Interchange for Ease of Doing Business and Regulation Program.
The Parañaque local government has been designated as the pilot local government unit (LGU) of the program, which entails integrating CAB’s database with that of an LGU’s. With this, CAB will no longer require the mayor’s permit from the applicant airfreight forwarder based in Parañaque because it can already check its status with the LGU.
According to CAB, the program aims to protect the public from fly-by-night or bogus companies by coordinating the monitoring of all aviation entities conducting business in Parañaque, where many airfreight forwarding companies are based.
