No more birds near airports as Pque enacts air safety ordinance

As an aid to air safety, the Sanggguniang Panlungsod of the City of Parañaque enacted City Ordinance No. 12-02, Series of 2012.

     Authored by City Councilor Eric Baes, said legislation amended Municipal Ordinance No. 93-08, Series of 1993 that stipulates the prohibition on the raising of bird species in the immediate vicinity Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Airport).

     This stemmed from the request of Manila International Airport Authority General Manager, Jose Angel Honrado to Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Jr. to widen the area/radius stated in the old ordinance in the interest of aviation safety and in compliance to standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

     Birds in flight are known to cause air accidents (bird strike) as birds on the ground can compromise aircraft take-offs and landings.

     Under the new ordinance, it shall be unlawful for any person, entity, partnership, corporation or association to breed, raise or domesticate pigeons and other species of birds within 8 miles/13 kilometers or 12,800 meters radius from the City of Parañaque boundary adjoining the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

    “To ensure the safety of international air travellers flying in and out of the country via NAIA as well as our residents and the general public, we need to expand the restrictions on the raising of pigeons and other bird species within the air safety radius of our international airport.”, Mayor Jun Bernabe said.

     “The City of Parañaque will assist and cooperate with the MIAA and the national government to ensure and promote aviation safety without necessarily jeopardizing the bird sanctuary in our city.”, the mayor added.

     Under the amended ordinance, violators will be penalized with a fine of not less than P1,000 nor more than P5,000 or imprisonment of not less 10 and not more than 30 days or both at the discretion of the court.