Does Cebu Pacific prefer foreigners to Filipino pilots?

Mindanao lawmakers have formally called for a congressional inquiry on allegations that
Cebu Pacific prefers foreign pilots to their Filipino counterparts.
Rep. Rufus Rodriguez !
nd
"istrict# Cagayan de $ro City% and &bante Mindanao party'list
Rep. Ma(imo Rodriguez are authors of )ouse Resolution *o. +,-. directing the Committee on
/abor and0or the Committee on 1ransportation to conduct an inquiry# in aid of legislation# on
reports that Cebu Pacific is discriminating against Filipino Pilots by hiring more foreign pilots
instead.
Cebu Pacific# the authors disclosed# allegedly already has 23 foreign pilots in regular
positions and has been employing foreign pilots since !,++# when the budget carrier embarked on
a ma4or e(pansion.
1he airline currently operates a fleet of 2! &irbus +, &-+5# !5 &-!, and - &--,% and 6
&1R .!'3,, aircraft with another +! &irbus &-!, and -, &irbus &-!+neo aircraft coming in
between !,+2 7 !,!+.
89ith these new aircrafts# more pilots and airline crew will be needed which could mean
more employment opportunities for our fellow Filipinos#: 1he Cagayan de $ro City lawmaker
pointed out.
Cebu Pacific is one of the carriers in the Philippine air transportation industry and offers
low'cost services to more destinations and routes with higher flight frequency within the
Philippines than any other airline# they noted.
8;nfortunately# Cebu Pacific has decided to hire foreign pilots because# according to
them# they were unable to find suitable local candidates#: the authors added.
&nother reason why the airline decided to hire foreign pilots# Rodriguez noted# is the
alleged high cost of training &irbus'grade pilots which could go as high as at least <-,#,,, for a
2,'day course.
1here is a need to dig deeper into this matter and determine if there is indeed a shortage of
Filipino pilots especially# in view of the fact# that demand for pilots in the &sia'Pacific region
will continue to increase over the ne(t two decades# with aircraft manufacturer &irbus forecasting
that -2 percent of all airplane orders up until !,-, will be destined for the &sia'Pacific region#
they pointed out.
&side from the possibility that the reported decreasing number of pilots can be traced to
the very e(pensive type'rating course for pilots# the authors stressed that 8there is also a need to
determine how we can help Filipinos who dream of becoming pilots in getting scholarships
and0or loans which can help them pursue their dreams. -,% dpt
NR # 3466B
MAY 14, 2014