House approves bill extending PADC’s corporate life

With 271 affirmative votes, no negative vote, and three abstentions, the chamber passed House Bill 3622, which seeks to extend the corporate life of PADC, the government’s arm for the development of the Philippine aviation and aerospace industry. (File Photo: House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading a measure extending the life of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC) for another 50 years.

With 271 affirmative votes, no negative vote, and three abstentions, the chamber passed House Bill 3622, which seeks to extend the corporate life of PADC, the government’s arm for the development of the Philippine aviation and aerospace industry.

PADC was created on Sept. 5, 1973 through Presidential Decree 286, and will expire in 2023.

Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan, a principal author of the bill, said among PADC’s major accomplishments were the development of a single prototype light aircraft called PADC Defiant 300, a prototype helicopter called PADC Hummingbird, and the assembly of 44 BO-105 helicopters, 67 BN Islander aircrafts, 18 SF 260 TP single-engine turbo prop trainer, 6 Lancaster ES, and 2 Lancaster IV.

Singson-Meehan said the PADC has also established a maintenance, repair and overhaul center for various aircraft engines utilized by the Philippine Air Force.

“Without PADC, the nation would be vulnerable to internal and external threats and would trail behind other countries in the modernization of civil and defense aviation,” she said.

PADC President and CEO Raymond Mitra said the passage of the bill is critical to achieve the relevant objectives of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, maximize national unity in the aviation and aerospace industries, address emerging and external threats through self-reliance in defense equipment, as well as promote transfer of technology from neighboring countries.