Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation

Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation

Logo of the agency
Trade name	PADC
Company type	Government-owned and controlled corporation
Industry	Aerospace and Defense
Founded	September 5, 1973; 51 years ago (1973-09-05)
Headquarters	Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines
Area served	Philippines
Key people	Raymond L. Mitra, President and CEO
Parent	Department of National Defense
Website	padc.com.ph

The Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC) is a state-owned aerospace and defense technological development corporation integrated to the Department of National Defense through Executive Order No. 78, s. 2019.^[1] As of 2021, PADC is under organizational realignment with the Philippine Department of National Defense's and National Security Council's highly classified plans and programs, including but not limited to its vital functions under Presidential Decree No. 415 and amended by Presidential Decree No. 1081.^[2][3]

PADC operates a joint venture with Airbus known as Airbus Helicopters Philippines.^[4]

History

The corporation was established on September 5, 1973, by the virtue of Presidential Decree No. 286, which was issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos.^[5][6] The decree served as the charter of the corporation was revised through Presidential Decree No. 696 issued by Marcos on May 9, 1975.^[7]

The mandate of the firm is to establish a "reliable aviation and aerospace industry" in the Philippines, design, manufacture and sell "all forms" of aircraft, as well as to develop indigenous capabilities in the maintenance, repair, and modification of aviation equipment.^[8]

It attempted to develop local aircraft such as the PADC Hummingbird helicopter and the PADC Defiant single-engine trainer in the 1980s but the programs were scrapped due to licensing issues and lack of government support^[5] with problem of legal issues on intellectual property rights.^[9]

Following a meeting of the Governance Commission for GOCCs in late 2017, the option of abolishing PADC was floated. Those present in the meeting citing that the PADC had failed its mandate particularly in successfully designing a plane for the last 45 years.^[5]

Then-PADC director, Rene Abad, called for the PADC's ‘revitalization’ instead, to contribute to the country's development and security in 2018.^[10]

On March 15, 2019, through Executive Order No. 78 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, the corporation was effectively transferred from the transportation department to the Department of National Defense.^[11]

On May 16, 2022, PADC signed a MOU with HAL to potentially acquire the Prachand [LCH], LUH and the Tejas [Light Combat Aircraft].^[12]

On November 7, 2022, House Bill 3622 was passed in the Senate, which called for extending PADC.^[13] On March 21, 2023, Senator Imee Marcos passed Senate Bill No. 2033, which is currently pending in the Senate.^[14] It called for the extension of the PADC by 50 years.^[14]

Products

Licensed Production/Assembly

• MBB Bo 105^[13]
• Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander^[13]
• SIAI-Marchetti SF.260^[13]

Prototypes

• PADC Defiant 300^[15]
• PADC Hummingbird^[15]

Presidents of PADC

• Panfilo Villaruel (1996-98)^[16]
• Gilbert S. Rueras (2015-2019)^[17]
• Raymond L. Mitra^[18]

References

1. "Executive Order No. 78 s. 2019 - Transferring of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation to the Department of National Defense". Official Gazette. March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
2. "P.D. No. 415". The LawPhil Project. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
3. "P.D. No. 1081". The LawPhil Project. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
4. "Airbus Helicopters PHL seeks to expand market share". BusinessWorld Online. April 26, 2022. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
5. Carabello, Mayvelin (December 28, 2017). "State-owned aerospace company to be abolished". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
6. "Presidential Decree No. 286, s. 1973". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. September 5, 1973. Archived from the original on November 1, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
7. "Presidential Decree No. 696, s. 1975". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. May 9, 1975. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
8. "Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC)". Civil Aeronautics Board. Archived from the original on December 7, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
9. "Opportunities and Challenges facing Philippine Defense Industrial Development". National Defense College of the Philippines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
10. Caraballo, Mayvelin (January 4, 2018). "PADC director calls for state-owned firm's 'revitalization'". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on April 16, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
11. "Duterte transfers Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation to DND". GMA News. March 21, 2019. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
12. "Philippines eyes Indian made LCAs and LCHs, ties up with HAL to upgrade military aircraft fleet - ET Government". ETGovernment.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
13. Cervantes, Filane Mikee (November 7, 2022). "House approves bill extending PADC's corporate life". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
14. "Extending the Life of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC)". Philippine Senate. March 21, 2023. Archived from the original on April 16, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
15. "Philippines to close aerospace agency for inactivity". The Gulf Today. Indo-Asian News Service. December 28, 2017. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
16. Romero, Paolo. "Villaruel: Crazy? No. Patriotic, yes". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
17. Sabillo, Kristine Angeli (May 13, 2015). "Aquino nominates new ambassador to Pakistan". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
18. https://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/AboutDBM/2022-Philippine-Government-Directory-of-Agencies-and-Officials.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}