Flying risk pay only for CAAP personnel with flight-related duties — SC

The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the flying risk pay (FRP) may only be granted to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) personnel whose duties are directly related to flight operations.

The SC En Banc upheld the Commission on Audit’s (COA) disallowance of FRP amounting to P323,579.50 awarded to CAAP officials and employees whose duties were primarily managerial, administrative, or financial in 2011.

“While it is true that their duties occasionally require travel, these are purely incidental to the discharge of their administrative responsibilities,” the SC said, in the decision penned by Associate Justice Henri Paul Inting, in an 22-page decision promulgated in January 2026.

“Records show that their travels consisted of attending international conferences and meetings, inspecting airports and facilities, verifying legal cases, and overseeing projects and ceremonies in various domestic and foreign locations,” it added.

Under the Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines, CAAP-licensed airmen and other authorized personnel who are required to make regular or frequent aerial flights in connection with their duties may receive FRP equivalent to 50% of their salary, provided they complete at least four hours of flight time per month.

According to the SC, the CAAP granted FRP to officials and employees who met the requirement. However, some held managerial, administrative, and financial positions and traveled mainly by air to attend conferences.

Due to this, state auditors disallowed their FRP payments.

The recipients argued that they were entitled to FRP because the law covered not only “airmen” but also “other authorized personnel.”

The SC, however, said the law defines an “airman” as a a pilot, mechanic, flight radio operator, aircraft crew member, or a person responsible for inspecting, maintaining, or repairing aircraft.

Meanwhile, it clarified that the phrase “other authorized personnel” refers to personnel who are required to perform regular and frequent aerial flights as part of their official duties.

The SC directed the recipients to return the FRP but absolved them of liability.

Aside from this, the SC called on Congress to revisit the Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines “and consider adopting gender-sensitive and gender-faire language terminology in its provisions.” — BAP, GMA News