Positive changes in PAL

PAL (Philippine Air Lines) in the past has been ridiculed, criticized and shamed for their planes being late all the time, the infantile management, the flighty attendants who treat Caucasian passengers better than the Filipinos, the inoperative and overspending government appointees, the managers with an "attitude" and the fact that PAL is non-profitable and with a dreary future in the world of international aviation.

However, in the past three years, I have noticed major and drastic positive changes in PAL’s operations and image. My Manila homecoming last year was a joy, started by PAL’s leaving on time from Vancouver and arriving 15 minutes earlier in Manila. The return flight was equally precise and the in-flight service was warm, consistent and efficient. The gourmet Filipino food was memorable.

In Vancouver recently was PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Avelino L. Zapanta and Rolando Estabillio, Vice President and Corporate Communications Department head. They have good news to tell the Philippine community, media and tour operators.

Mr. Zapanta announced PAL’s fifth U.S. destination (after Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Guam) and 24th internationally. PAL is Las Vegas bound, the gaming capital of the world. Starting March 16, PAL will have 4 times a week service that will depart Vancouver every Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays with same day return service.

Allan Coo, Vancouver’s PAL District Sales Manager stated that the passenger traffic is showing encouraging improvements in recent months and PAL has methodically placed the elements for recovery such as the planned enlargement of the airline’s network that will be of benefit to Canadian passengers.

What’s next after SARS? Now we are on alert for deadly avian flu in travelers returning from Asia. Canada supposedly sent health officials to Thailand to help in the World Health Organization’s investigation of Asia’s bird flu crisis.

Health Canada issued a travel advisory advising Canadians living in or traveling to Asia to stay away from live poultry markets. Canadians were warned to thoroughly clean and cook chicken.

It is a scary thought, but if avian flue becomes pandemic, it could kill as many as 58,000 people in Canada alone, according to Health Canada.

Interesting things that are happening in Canada:

• The "spanking law" that allows parents and teachers to use "reasonable" force such as spanking by way of correction has been changed. Canadian parents today must now spare the belt, ruler and other objects when disciplining children. Parents must use minor corrective force. The new law imposed new legal boundaries on a 112-year old federal law.

• Canada will be able to collect information about airline passengers on domestic and outgoing flights to identify security risks after the Public Security Act is passed.

• British Columbia has the lowest cancer mortality rate in Canada and is the only province where the waiting time to see a cancer specialist or receive radiation is at an acceptable level, according to Vancouver Sun. And Cancer Advocacy Coalition reported that B.C. has the highest per capita operating budget for funding screening, surveillance, treatment and support.

• Filipinos truly love politics and they will meddle even when they are thousands of miles away. We’ve heard that Filipinos in Toronto have organized a FBI-LOREN Movement to promote the candidacies of the two celebrity politicians. The idea of the movement is to induce the Toronto residents to write their parents, relatives and townmates in the Philippines to vote for the tandem and the other candidates of the Koalisyon ng Nakakaisang Pilipino.

• A leading American investment strategist is of the opinion that the Canadian loonies (dollar) could soon trade at parity with the US dollar for the first time since November 1976, a move he said will be fueled by demand for Canadian base metals and a continuing debasement of the greenback.

• According to new statistics, Greater Vancouver is a busier place, but all the growth is concentrated in the suburbs. British Columbia’s population is relatively small, only 4.1 million and the growth is mostly in the suburbs. The Okanagan continues to attract newcomers which means a more diverse and faster growing economy.