PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III on Sunday ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and the heads of three other government agencies to look into the cancellation of 11 flights by the Philippine Air Lines last Friday after several of its pilots reportedly resigned from
their posts.
The Chief Executive said he had tasked the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), Department of Justice (DoJ) as well as the Executive Secretary to get to the bottom of this issue.
“The Executive Secretary together with the Secretary of the DoTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) and at the minimum the DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) Secretary and probably the DoJ Secretary also will be sitting down with the (Philippine Air Lines) management and Airline Pilot Association of the Philippines tomorrow,” the President said.
The President pointed out that the group will be conducting two separate meetings “to address the situation and provide everybody with solutions.”
The President reminded PAL and the pilots of their obligations to the flying public.
“PAL, for instance, has obligations when they secured the franchise to operate this public conveyance. The pilots also have obligations. This is of course being studied.
The President meanwhile seriously took note of the disruption caused to “our tourist and to other aspects of the economy that would need their services.”
“If this is not warranted, then, they lay themselves also open to appropriate charges. Hopefully, we will be able to come up with a resolution, so that the riding public is not inconvenienced and the economy does not suffer because of this,” he added. (PIA-Bohol)