PAL completes process of notifying workers to be ‘affected’ by layoffs

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Thursday it has already informed all of the workers who will be affected by its workforce reduction program.

“On our retrenchment, we have completed the process of notifying our affected employees as of today, February 4, and will continue to coordinate closely with all our stakeholders, including the affected employees, the unions, and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),” PAL said in a statement.

On Tuesday, the airline announced it will reduce its workforce by 30% or about 2,300 employees as part of a comprehensive recovery plan to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The effective date of separation is on March 12, as we communicated in our notice to DOLE last February 1 that PAL will begin the process of notifying affected employees,” PAL said.

“We appreciate the DOLE's support and guidance since the start of the pandemic, and we have regularly apprised DOLE officials of the significant challenges we faced, along with our efforts to preserve jobs and keep the Flag Carrier flying amidst the substantial financial losses,” it added.

In a Viber message to reporters, DOLE Public Information Office Director Rolly Francia said the DOLE-National Capital Region will handle PAL’s situation.

The DOLE-NCR will “ensure the payment” of the workers' separation pay, as well as “provide employment facilitation services and offer livelihood assistance to interested employees,” he added.

PAL, meanwhile, said it is committed to providing fair treatment and assistance to impacted personnel.

“We shall provide separation pay equivalent to one month pay for every year of service and shall also provide employee transition support including outplacement assistance,” it said.

“We are deeply grateful to all our employees for their years of valuable work and dedicated service, and will focus strongly on securing a full recovery so that PAL continues to serve our customers and the Filipino nation,” it added. — BM, GMA News