The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) formally launched the Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) framework for the country’s aviation industry during a ceremony at Casa Ibarra on Tuesday.

CAAP deputy director general for Operations Lt. Gen. Rozzano Briguez said the program aims to enhance training and evaluation for aviation personnel by prioritizing practical knowledge, skills and behavioral performance over accumulated training hours.

“In our CBTA that we launched today, actually the context of it, I’ll just use the three major foundations of our ecosystem: Our foundation’s pilots, air traffic controllers, and our maintenance personnel,” Briguez said.

“So those three, we are the ones who regulate. After that, those three, our providers, they are the ones who train because they are in charge of their operational excellence. And at the same time, they produce competent graduates for us to use in our industry,” he added.

The new training framework is part of the Philippines’ preparation for the International Civil Aviation Organization’s planned global rollout of CBTA standards over the next two years.

“This is how we adjust because our civil aviation has become more complex now,” Briguez said.

“Before, the procedures were simple. Before, we were just task-based. After a number of hours, we check it. Once the checklist is okay, they perform it, it’s okay. But now, it’s more complex, it’s different,” he added.

CAAP also launched a Hybrid Implementation Model, which will maintain the current Pilot Proficiency Check system while gradually integrating competency-based assessments to ensure a smooth transition.

Ahead of the rollout, CAAP conducted eight orientation seminars for inspectors, examiners, and instructors nationwide, alongside developing updated regulations and assessment tools.

CAAP Technical Consultant Capt. Dexter Comendador said the program covers nine areas of competency, including decision-making, leadership, automation management, manual flight operations, technical knowledge and skills.

“We can see that we are really training our people how to be competent in those areas,” Comendador said.

“We have what we call observable behaviors, so that when they are rated there, they can be resilient and they can be attuned to our situations. These are not just normal situations that they can do, but abnormal and emergency situations that they can adjust,” he added.

He also said that the initiative spans pilots, cabin crew, maintenance crews, and air traffic controllers to ensure safe, efficient and seamless public air travel.