pilot jobs in the Philippines?
 

I was just wondering about the chances of a Philippine born now Canadian citizen pilot with 1100 total time getting an airline job in the Philippines. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

If you still have your Phil. citizenship, why not apply in PAL. Besides, aren't there flying jobs in Canada?

As I understand, PAL pilots still wear the tag "eskirol" {an indirect translation=scab]...so that would be a good reason not to apply!

On a brighter note, try Air Philippines, or Asian Spirit - they're both still growing forces in the Phils...assuming you have right to Filipino citizenship.

If you don't - marry one of the little darlings! But be careful, as one of my older contemporaries advised:
"They're [Filipinas] are very loving, BUT they're also very jealous.".........to the indescribably insane threshold!!!!

PAL has three types of pilots, excluding the management types.

1.) Type 1 - Scabs or Crawl Backs

2.) Type 2 - Crewing Agency Pilots - Mostly members of the ALPAP (Pilots Union)who work for an outfit called Aero Filipinas and are contracted out to PAL. They fly the B747 Classic and a small group also fly the A340. You can tell the difference between them and the scabs by the i.d. cards they wear. They've got 2 F/E's who were wannabee scabs but PAL rejected them early on during the strike because of their spotty records as First Officers. Aero Filipinas took them on as F/E's, probably for life.

3.) Direct Contract Pilots - Members of the union but they work under a special contract with PAL. Just recently been given the go ahead by the union as a test group. 4 Capt.'s and 3 F/O's flying the A330 and 1 set on the A340. They wear white i.d. cards that say "A330/A340 OPERATIONS ONLY". The union's hoping to get more of these contractuals into the other equipment that PAL flies. Maybe the start of a whole new thing, who knows.

Air Philippines hasn't hired anybody in a while. Some of their pilots have been lent to PAL to fly the 737-300. There's a rumor that AP is taking some of PAL's 737's. 'Ole Lucio Tan also owns Air Phil.

Don't know about Asian Spirit. I do know that they've been slowly taking over PAL's old turbo-prop routes. Maybe worth a shot.
You still have to be citizen to work as a pilot in the Philippines. Or be married to a Filipina. Don't know why you'd want to work here though. No job security whatsoever, thanks to the goverment.

Wow...forgot about this post. Many thanks to those that replied. Canada and the Philippines don't have any dual-citizenship agreements so the only passport that I hold is Canadian. I don't really want anything else but to work in Canada but unfortunately Canada holds a really high percentage of pilots per capita. The aviation scene is really looking good lately. In fact, it is the best it has ever been in quite a long time but chances are for a pilot like myself (26 years old) to fulfill my dream of flying widebodied heavy jets while I'm young or to be a Captain on anything bigger than a A-320 for Air Canada is very small to none. I just thought I'd give the motherland a try. Many thanks once again to those that replied. I guess I'll just keep plugging away at the hour building and hope that AC comes knocking on my door in a couple of years.

Hey Junestrikr,

The Pilots Union putting out a test group into PAL to fly as contract? Give us a break!!! Wasn't that what the pilots were fighting against? Why the sudden turn-around? What good is the Union to those flying as contractuals? Are you a Cat I, Cat II or a Cat III pilot?

Saint,
Last year the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE)declared the union strike illegal after taking more than one year reviewing the case. The DOLE is also known as the Department of Lucio (Tan) and Erap (President Estrada). Anyone who joined the strike has been ruled justly terminated by the company. Of course hard core union members disagreed and took PAL and the DOLE to court, the decision of which is now pending. No matter how the court decides, the aggrieved party gets to appeal the decision all the way to the Philippine Supreme Court. Since the goverment effectively works for Lucio Tan, guess how long that is going to take.

In the meantime the original 600 strong union is down to half its size, thanks to the scabs or crawl backs. A union is only as strong as its weakest link. Too many weak links helped Lucio Tan get exactly what he wanted which was to break the union. But he was surprised that were still pilots who chose to stick to the union, even after two years of literally starving them and their families.

Lately PAL Flight Operations came up with this scheme of Contract work. They did this for the reason that they lack experienced pilots even among the scabs. To quote one management pilot "PAL is scraping the bottom of the barrel". Surprisingly after two years they come talking to the union after denying its very existence. The reason it's "Contractual" is the pilots don't sign away the case that is pending in court, unlike the scabs who are considered "New Hires". If the union wins these pilots get back their seniority and any back wages and benefits due them. If the union loses, these pilots are assured of work without having had resorted to "scabbing". The union agreed to this scheme in order to get as many of its people back on flying status, while they wait for the courts to decide. Eventually the union hopes to go back to the way things were before Lucio Tan. Mind you, not everyone is happy with this arrangement, scabs included. Some scabs thought they had a fast track to the left seat. These contractuals just thwarted their plans. As for some union members, after two years of being out of work,it boiled down to "if the union leadership okays it, we'll do it".

I guess you have to live in this country in order to fully understand why the union agreed to this contract deal. Either that or be out of work for more than two years. Honestly, I don't know which is worse.

To The_Saint,
Checked out your profile. If you are who I think you are, you'll know what I mean. If you're not who I think you are, my sincerest apologies.

"KALBO"

Capt. junstrike,
I just joined PPRUNE recently, did any ALPAP member ever post a topic about the strike?Why not start a new topic with what you wrote.

wanwinglo,

A few topics have already been written about the ALPAP strike. You'd have to go back a ways though to check them out. I normally don't like starting topics. I do however, enjoy correcting misconceptions about PAL and the ALPAP.

"LOYALTY, INTEGRITY, PROFESSIONALISM"