Palace: PAL disarray with pilots can't be resolved this week

Malacañang admitted on Wednesday that the deadlock between the country's flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its 25 resigned pilots may not be resolved this week. "We thought it was just a simple case of higher wages luring pilots to seek jobs elsewhere. We cannot guarantee that it would be resolved this week. We are still hoping but we are doing this day by day," Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Wednesday. As the dialogue progresses, Lacierda said the pilot's representatives have been bringing out more complaints against PAL management. Lacierda said the pilots did not show up at the dialogue on Tuesday because they were afraid of backlashes from PAL. The problem, he said, is not limited to the pilots' resignation, but it covers other matters such as their employment contracts and working conditions. Lacierda said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz is looking at how her department could help in the resolution of PAL's dilemma with pilots. Also, Lacierda said government officials are trying to get in touch with the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines, which is set to hold a strike this week. A possible strike would aggravate PAL's current problems. Lacierda said Cabinet secretaries have discussed a possible government takeover of PAL but "it’s not an option right now." —JE, GMANews.TV