Palace studies tapping government pilots for PAL

Malacañang is considering tapping government pilots to fly the planes of the country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines as the row over the mass resignation of its pilots continues. In the past two weeks, about a dozen PAL pilots transferred to higher-paying foreign carriers forcing the airline to cancel some of its flights. Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus said, "Lulutasin natin ang problema at paano mai-solve ito. Napakalaking impact nito. It affects our tourism, commerce, the reputation of our country. That's why no less than the president has weighed in on this problem. Kaya ito pag-uusapan mamayang hapon nang masinsinan (We will try to solve this problem. The problem has a very big impact. It affects our tourism and commerce, and the reputation of our country. That's why no less than the president has weighed in on this problem. We expect to discuss the matter at great length)." De Jesus also urged flight attendants not to push through with their reported plan to go on strike. He assured them that a meeting will be held Monday afternoon at the office of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to thresh out PAL's problem. In an interview on dwIZ radio, De Jesus said, "The Office of the President will make announcements after the meeting ... I am hopeful we will be able to find some solutions." The Cabinet secretaries expected to attend include de Jesus, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. PAL spokesman Jonathan Gesmundo said two flights, Manila-Iloilo (PR147) and Manila-Bacolod (PR135) were canceled Monday due to the resignations. No flights have been rescheduled as of 3 p.m. Monday, he added. Meanwhile, Communications Group official Herminio Coloma assured the public that the Palace will not allow the problem to worsen. "Di papayagang lumawig yan. Paguusapan agad ito para di maantala ang public service ng PAL (We will not allow the problem to linger. We will talk about it so public service will not be disrupted)," he said in an interview on dzXL radio. On Sunday, President Benigno Aquino III ordered a meeting between government officials and PAL management to thresh out the matter. On Saturday, 18 flights were affected while 11 flights were canceled on Sunday. PAL's website indicated at least six domestic flights were canceled on Monday. Flight attendants' strike A report on dwIZ radio said the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) is mulling a strike over violations of their collective bargaining agreement. The report quoted FASAP president Bob Anduiza as saying they will meet this week to hold a strike vote. "That (strike) will complicate the problem if it happens, I hope it doesn't," de Jesus said. Clueless on pilots' plight De Jesus admitted he was clueless about the pilots' row which he learned about only last week. "It's for better paying jobs but I don't know what else is behind that. That is the reason we will try to look into it very seriously," he said. –with a report from Jesse Edep/VVP, GMANews.TV