Philippine Airlines (PAL) today, Jan. 31, announced the appointment of Capt. Stanley K. Ng as the flag carrier's president and chief operating officer in an acting or Officer-in-Charge (OIC) capacity.
Ng was the first pilot to take the helm of PAL in almost six decades and was Senior Vice President for Airline Operations prior to his appointment at the end of Gilbert F. Santa Maria’s engagement as President and COO.
Santa Maria led the flag carrier's exit from Chapter 11 last year and served two and a half years.
In a statement issued by the PAL Management, the Board expressed its gratitude to Santa Maria for his steady stewardship of the company during his tenure.
The former President and COO will continue to make himself available to assist in the leadership transition over the next few weeks.
The Board expressed full trust and confidence in Capt. Ng, as well as in its senior management team which remains intact, as the nation’s flag carrier looks to maintain the momentum toward full recovery.
An Airbus A320 commander, Capt. Ng is the first pilot to assume the presidency of PAL since the early 1960s and brings to the job a wealth of experience in the airline industry.
He started as a member of the flag carrier’s on-ground staff in 2003 before training at the PAL Aviation School.
In 2008, Ng began flying as a Second Officer and rose up the ranks until he was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2019 in charge of the airline’s internationally-respected pilots and cabin crew, as well as operational airport and engineering teams.
Capt. Ng recently completed an Advance Management Program at Harvard Business School. He took up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Computer Applications at the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde.