Foreign carriers seek tie-up with PAL

Manila Standard Today
September 21, 2011

Philippine Airlines is in talks with foreign airlines for a possible partnership, businessman Ramon Ang, a close friend of airline owner Lucio Tan, said Tuesday.

Ang, president and chief executive of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., told reporters at the sidelines of an agreement signing between Petron Corp. and the Environment Department that Tan would not likely sell the airline.

“[He] may agree for anybody or a foreign airline to join them, but I don’t believe Mr. Tan will sell [PAL],” Ang said.

Ang said he consults with the Tan family in his personal capacity and that San Miguel is not involved in the discussions.

“We are reviewing all opportunity. SMC is not looking at it, it’s me personally who is looking at it,” he said.

San Miguel has interests in power, oil, airport, coal, food, beverages and other investments.

“I heard there are some famous foreign airlines interested in joining [and] supporting him [and] tallking directly to him [Tan]. If I can help facilitate [the entry of new investors], why not?” he said.

Ang said his involvement in PAL was to provide business advice and strategy to the Tan family.

“I’m close to them so I’m in talks with them [in] whatever way I can help them, that’s what I’m doing. Mr. Tan is not selling PAL. Mr. Tan is very friendly to me and if I can help suggest any forms of improvement, I will,” he said.

He said Tan was “awash with cash” but “if there is a foreign company, big company, interested to join him, he’s amenable.”

He discounted the possibility of any partnership with Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., in PAL.

PAL plans to cut 2,600 jobs by Oct. 1 to ensure its long-term profitability and curtail mounting losses. Alena Mae S. Flores