DOTC to PAL: Put contingency plan in place

MANILA, Philippines - Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas urged the management of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) yesterday to put a contingency plan in place to prevent a disruption of its services should members of the PAL Employees Association (PALEA) go on strike.

Roxas said while the dispute between PAL management and PALEA is a matter for the Department of Labor and Employment, the DOTC needs to step in to ensure the public is not severely affected by the planned work stoppage.

“With or without a strike, the contingency plan should be in place, ready to be deployed at moment’s notice. We understand that the labor dispute presents a difficult problem both for PAL and PALEA, but it should not stand in the way of PAL’s commitment to serve the public,” Roxas said.

The DOTC chief said PAL should look into the possibility of getting additional personnel from its sister companies such as Airphil Express, whose employees are not PALEA members.

He also asked other local and domestic airlines to be prepared to assist PAL in case the work stoppage does paralyze its operations.

“Disruption will not just put PAL in a bad light, but the entire Philippine air travel as well. Business rivalries end where duty to the public begins,” Roxas said.