Erap Braces for Crucial PAL Meet

People's Journal

Monday, September 21, 1998

PRESIDENT Estrada continued to exert last-ditch efforts yesterday to save Philippine Airlines from closing down as be prepares for a make-or-break meeting with both management and union today.

Press Undersecretary Icasiano Guttierez said the President is not giving up on PAL — Asia's first airline.

"The President is exhausting all efforts to arrive at a middle ground," Guttierez stressed.

Meanwhile, rank-and-file employes of Philippine Airlines, banding together under the Save PAL Movement, conducted a nationwide sentimental display of collective support for the continued operations of PAL and pleaded for a reversal of the closure decision.

Special masses and prayers were simultaneously offered yesterday by PAL workers at various offices, including all provincial stations to seek divine intercession to prevent the coming shutdown of operations on September 23.

Metro Manila-based employes attended Mass at the PA L Sports Center, Nichols, Pasay City, in expression of their desire to save PAL.

The Save PAL Movement, which initiated the prayer gatherings, expressed "deep concern over the possible loss of our livelihood that is the source of food on our families' tables, roof over our heads, and education for our children."

In a statement, the movement said: "As we fervently plead for divine intercession, we also implore all parties concerned, including the government, to seek all possible avenues to reverse the imminent demise of Asia's once proud first airline.”

In a related development, Malacañang has tasked the Department of Labor and Employment to broker social accords between labor and management to preserve jobs, maintain industrial peace, and boost industrial productivity as the country continues to absorb the shocks of the Asian economic crisis.

The DOLE is crafting with labor unions and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines various agreements designed to promote management-labor harmony and stem rising unemployment.

Trade and Industry Secretary Jose Pardo said the signing of industrial peace pacts would be implemented on a company level.

Pardo co-chairs with Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora the Economic Mobilization Group assembly by President Estrada to formulate measures to help the country weather the Asian financial storm.

Created under Administrative Order 3, the EMG us a “crack team” tasked to remain on a 24-hour crisis alert, ready to respond and align the forces and resources of government and the private sector in combating the raging economic crisis.

The EMG is composed of 12 Cabinet members, Bangko Sentral Gov. Gabriel Singson, nine private sector representatives, and two labor representatives.  EMONTANO