ANOTHER AUDIT. Will the Philippine aviation regulator fail or pass the safety audit by the UN aviation agency, ICAO? Photo by AFP

MANILA, Philippines - Safety auditors from global organization International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) are set to conduct another audit on the local aviation industry regulator on Monday, February 18.

The results of the audit will influence a decision that will either lift or keep the almost 5-year-long restriction on new or additional flights that the US and EU countries have imposed on Philippine carriers.

"It's a big day for us. Please pray for us," Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said during the Philippine Yearend Economic Briefing on Wednesday, February 13.

"We are confident that their concern has been addressed," Abaya said.

The audit results of ICAO -- a United Nations agency that oversees international civil aviation -- are the basis of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in ruling to keep or lift the Category 2 status it imposed on its counterpart in the Philippines, the CAAP.

FAA downgraded the safety rating of CAAP's predecessor in 2009 largely over issues that the CAAP is not able to implement global safety standards over aviation players that CAAP overseas.

The European Union followed suit and also blacklisted the Philippines in 2010.

The Philippine government has since spun off the regulatory function of the aviation body into CAAP and has set aside budget for the training of aviation inspectors and information technology assets.

Local players Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific have been keen on the lifting of these bans, and have separately made orders for new planes they can deploy to profitable routes in the west. - Rappler.com