Filipinos working in Canada had a hand in putting together Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) newly acquired aircraft.
Filipino mechanics and engineers of Bombardier, a Canadian aircraft manufacturer company, assembled PAL’s next generation Q400, from the tailplane to the plane’s interior.
One of the reasons behind PAL’s decision to acquire the aircraft from Bombardier is its workforce, which comprises roughly 200 Filipino mechanics and engineers, PAL president and COO Jaime Bautista said during the turnover ceremony on July 20.
“When we were deliberating, one of the criteria we considered is that we will be supporting the Filipino community in Canada because we know that 20 percent of the workers in this factory are Filipinos,” Bautista said on behalf of PAL chairman Lucio Tan.
The Q400, the world’s first dual class, 86-seater turboprop arrived in Manila on Wednesday after a five-day journey from Canada.
A member of the Parliament of Canada also recognized the work done by Bombardier’s Filipino employees.
“How proud I am to be here where 20 percent of the workers are Filipinos. It is a testament to the strong values that the Filipino community puts into building this aircraft,” Philippine Star quoted Michael Levitt of York Center as saying.
Tarlac-born Paul Santiago, a sheet metal mechanic, expressed how he and his fellow Filipino employees got excited upon hearing the news that they will be working on something that will benefit fellow Filipinos back home.
“We’re very proud. We monitored the whole process closely,” he said.
Other workers who worked on the aircraft are from India, China, Thailand, and Laos.
Credit: The Philippine Star
