PAL Holdings Inc. (PHI) yesterday said the search for the flag carrier’s new president and chief operating officer (COO) continues as the company gears towards recovery.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, PHI, operator of Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL), said during the recent joint meeting among top executives of PAL, PHI and Air Philippine Corp. (APC), the board of directors approved the appointment of Capt. Stanley Ng as acting president and COO of PAL for a period of six months or until a new president is identified, elected and qualified.
The boards also accepted and approved the resignation of Gilbert Santa Maria as president and COO of PAL, and also as director of PAL, PHI and APC.
“Santa Maria is considered resigned from all other positions and directorate in all other companies or subsidiaries in the expanded Lucio Tan Group,” PHI said.
Santa Maria led the recent successful completion of the airline’s Chapter 11 restructuring.
The boards elected Ng as new director of PHI and APC.
Ng started in PAL as part of the airport customer relations team and eventually joined flight operations where he rose through the ranks — from first officer to second officer and captain position, before assuming the post as chief pilot of the Airbus narrow body fleet.
Ng was senior vice president of flight operations before his appointment as PAL president.
As travel restrictions are eased, PAL operates in 33 international destinations this month, including the United States, London, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, among others.
PAL also operates in 41 key local destinations, including Batanes, Puerto Princesa, Busuanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Siargao, among others, according to the company’s advisory as of February 2.
