Govt officials meet with PAL execs, pilots but fail to resolve row

Malacañang on Monday failed to resolve the row between the management and pilots of flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) that has already resulted to a number of canceled flights since Saturday. “It’s still a work in progress. We have tried to ask the PAL officials what the issues are and we tried to do the same with representatives of the pilots," said Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus at a press briefing after the separate meetings with PAL and Cebu Pacific officials and with the pilots’ representatives. “What we have agreed on is we will meet with the other pilots tomorrow [Tuesday] and arrange a dialogue with PAL," he added. More than 20 flights have already been canceled after a number of pilots resigned reportedly to seek better opportunities abroad. PAL said these pilots resigned without giving the company ample time to train their replacements and has given them seven days to return to work or face sanctions. De Jesus refused to provide details on what has been discussed during the meetings, which both lasted for hours. “The issues we discussed are still to be settled and I am not yet in position to discuss the issues in detail," he said. President Benigno Aquino III was not present in the meetings. De Jesus said there was no need to involve the President in the dialogue. Government officials who were at the meetings were De Jesus, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, senior deputy executive secretary Amor Amorado, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) general manager Alfonso Cusi. Also present were PAL president Jaime Bautista, Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines (ALPAP) president Elmer Peña, and officials of Cebu Pacific Airlines led by its president and chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei. De Jesus said to minimize the inconvenience to the public due to the cancellation of the flights, PAL has promised to publish a new schedule where some flights would be merged and a larger aircraft would be used to accommodate affected passengers. He said Cebu Pacific would be asked to take over the unserved domestic routes of PAL. He, however, added the stop-gap measure could not be done in the international flights since Cebu Pacific “is fully stretched." De Jesus expressed hope that the problem would be resolved “within a week" after the Cabinet members reminded PAL and ALPAP officials that they are engaged in a public service that is fraught with partakes of public interest. “They should be aware that the pilots’ licenses and airlines’ franchise is given by the government," he said. He said the PAL dispute affected trade, tourism and the Philippines’ reputation. De Jesus said the possible impact of the planned strike this week by the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) was not discussed since it is considered as a “labor problem." FASAP is mulling a strike due to PAL management’s alleged violations of its collective bargaining agreement. - KBK, GMANews.TV