Just wanted to add more info, this was quoted from AFP :
PAL scales back expansion plans amid pilot exodus
March 20 2006
MANILA: An ambitious US$1 billion (US$1 = RM3.70) six-year expansion plan by national flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) could be cut back if the airline fails to halt an exodus of pilots seeking better pay elsewhere.
"This is not a problem unique to PAL," Jaime Bautista the airline's president and chief operating officer said in an interview.
"Many airlines throughout the region are facing the same problem. The industry is expanding so fast, especially in India and China, there simply isn't enough experienced pilots to go round.
"So the easiest and cheapest way to get your pilots is to go to the established carriers and offer packages that make it hard for many pilots to refuse.
"It is cheap because you don't have to pay for their training because someone else has done that for you."
Late last year, the airline unveiled a US$1 billion expansion plan with the purchase of nine A320s with options for another five.
The plan was to have the new aircraft come into service between 2006 and 2008, with delivery on the options between 2009 and 2012 should the airline take them up.
"We have deferred delivery this year and will take up one next year," he said.
"It is not critical but we are planning to play it safe at least for the time being until we can stabilise the exodus. It is no point having the aircraft if you don't have the pilots," Bautista said.
A forum of local aviation officials in Manila last week warned that with the rate local pilots and mechanics were being poached by foreign airlines local carriers could end up grounded by 2010.
Some 140 senior pilots and over 1,900 aircraft mechanics have left for higher paying jobs overseas in the last five years the forum was told. "Being the biggest carrier in the country of course we feel it more than the others," Bautista said.
Of the 700 pilots who carry air transport licences (licences that qualify them to be captains) employed in the Philippines, PAL employs 440 of them.
From 2003 until the end of February this year PAL had lost 78 of its senior pilots to foreign competitors.
Bautista said a captain with PAL can gross a salary of between US$4,000 and US$7,000 a month.
"By local standards at least this is a very good salary but how can you match competitors, especially those in the Middle East and India, paying double and tax free. Here, our pilots are taxed at 32 per cent," he said.
Airbus Industrie in its global markets forecast for 2004-2023 estimates that the number of passenger aircraft in service will double to 21,759 in 2023, from the 10,838 at the end of 2003. - AFP
Best of luck guys.....