Pilot takes command of the flag carrier’s corporate cockpit
“I always believe in the power of collaboration and the support system. If all of us Filipinos will be proud of our airline and support it. Sad to say, sometimes, some of the people prefer the imported ones. “Now there’s a drive, and I can feel it. Let’s support the locals. If we do that, the airline can get so much better. PAL is now getting so much better, and we want to push for that. So the airline can go places and grow faster. Internally, we still have to do a lot of things.”
STANLEY Kua Ng wanted to become a pilot since he was a child.
“I was really interested to become a pilot,” Ng told The Manila Times. “However, the main challenge was I didn’t actually know anyone from the airline industry.”
Surprisingly, Ng found his way into the aviation industry by accident.
“I had a restaurant business with some of my friends before I graduated from college in 2002. By 2003, that was the time some of my friends applied to become cabin crew at Philippine Airlines (PAL).
“So they asked me to join them, and I ended up applying, too. The people at PAL saw on my resume that I can speak fluent Mandarin, Cantonese and Fookien.”
Apparently, that was Ng’s competitive advantage.
“So PAL told me, ‘Maybe you want to join us as a Chinese interpreter, then you can already fly international,'” he said.
So Ng applied for a cabin crew position.
“They asked me if I was interested [in] flying. But if you are a cabin crew, you have to spend and fulfill two years [there] because we are going to train you.
“I said no and rejected the offer. I said I was going to wait for my pilot school [training],” he narrated.
“After that, I was offered the job as Customer Relations at the airport. Multifunction. I did that for eight-nine months in 2003,” he recalled.
In 2004, Ng entered the PAL Learning Center, [it’s] not just a flying school. It had everything students needed to know.”
After a month attending various training subjects, they were taken to Clark for flight training.
“I studied in the actual flying school in 2006,” he said.
After 18 months, Ng earned his wings and joined the pilot pool.
The first flight he was assigned to was Los Angeles, not as a pilot but as a navigator.
“For long-haul flights, [there] are always four in the cockpit. The two of us were staying at the back. If the captain was going to rest, that was the time we moved to the pilot seat. We were flying already, but still not the take-off and landing. The experience and training was really important,” Ng recalled.
“Proper understanding of how to fly an aircraft, that’s important,” according to Ng.
After that, I went to fly domestic [for] more than two years. Every day, I flew four legs in a day. Manila-Cebu, Cebu-Manila then Manila-Cebu, Cebu-Manila again. That was where you really hone your skills as a pilot. I gained a lot of experience.”
Ng flew to all over Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao — Zamboanga, Davao, Butuan, Cotabato, Boracay, everywhere. He did Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao and a little bit of international, too.
“I flew Japan — Osaka, Nagoya — Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong. Medium haul like eight to ten hours. Middle East, Hawaii, Australia — direct to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and just added last year was Perth. That was my last flight in 2023, Manila to Perth, direct. I was on the inaugural flight.
“We started Cebu-Baguio also last year, building new connections, creating accessibility and starting something different. That can change everything. We started with the frequency of four times a week,” he said.
Ng assumed his new positions at PAL as president and chief operating officer in January 2022.
“I really never asked for this,” he explained. “I didn’t bid for my positions nor asked for it,” he said. “At that time, the company needed someone, and I was the Head of Operations for PAL from 2019 to 2022.
“They initially put me as OIC (officer in charge). They were saying only six months at that time. Most of the people know me, who I really am. This is it. I’m genuine and sincere with everybody. They know my work ethics and my integrity.
“A lot of people were saddened by the news to know that my appointment was only for six months. Without someone competent and good, nobody knew the future of PAL again. They would be looking for another professional to manage PAL again.”
However, the company and the employees welcomed Ng eventually as president.
“They were happy about my appointment,” he said. “They decided not to search anymore. Even external stakeholders were happy about it. I was told to just continue what I was doing. They decided not to search anymore.”
When he was given a chance to become at the helm of PAL, Ng was initially hesitant.
“The first thing inside my mind was not just to only help the airline. My call for patriotism is always higher. It was always there behind my mind. I realized that I can do so much for the county, not just for the company. That was my fulfillment.
“To this date, about two years later, I can somehow proudly say, if you ask Tourism, the LGUs (local government units), ask about the Art community, the national athletes, Miss Universe, the talented in the Philippines — PAL always supports them. Anyone who can make Filipinos proud, we always support. That’s really the drive.
“Even the drive to introduce Filipino food to the world, so Filipino cuisine will be known worldwide, we use PAL as an instrument. We serve chicken inasal. We introduced halo-halo as a Filipino dessert. That movement is so strong. We really built that bond. I’m just kind of in the middle to make everything work together.
“Even DoT (Department of Tourism) and DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), they’re happy about it. We always promote Filipino products. That was my biggest fulfillment. To be able to contribute to nation-building. In my own little way.”
Ng is the youngest PAL president at 42, when he was appointed in 2022.
“For me, I don’t focus too much on myself,” he said. “That is just my mission. So I think that’s something people also realize. So they value that, as well.
“I don’t think it’s about me, but it’s about how you can really help the community, the country, the PAL employees. So that’s really sincere and people can tell. That’s the most powerful part.”
Ng has been with PAL for two decades now, nearly half of his life.
“I basically grew up with PAL,” he proudly said.
Ng flew three presidential flights — President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd to Thailand and President Rodrigo Duterte to Thailand, Malaysia and connected to Davao. Last year, Ng flew President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and first lady Marie Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for the Asean in 2022.
Ng still wants to accomplish so many things professionally at PAL. “
The aspiration is still far away,” Ng said. “I still have so many plans for PAL. I want PAL to be one of the best airlines in the world. I believe we can really get there as long as a nation, we can work together.
“I always believe in the power of collaboration and the support system. If all of us Filipinos will be proud of our airline and support it. Sad to say, sometimes, some of the people prefer the imported ones.
“Now there’s a drive, and I can feel it. Let’s support the locals. If we do that, the airline can get so much better. PAL is now getting so much better, and we want to push for that. So the airline can go places and grow faster. Internally, we still have to do a lot of things.”
After a couple of years and Ng has done his goal for PAL, he’ll be hopefully ready to do other things. “
There are so many more things to do,” he said. “I can still add value in other ways. That would be meaningful for me.
“That’s how I see life. Life is all about experience. It’s continuous learning and anticipating the future. Professionally, this is considered a big achievement. To be able to be here. I’m thankful for that opportunity.”
A lot of challenges are common for a lot of corporate leaders, according to Ng.
“We all have to face the supply chain issue, manpower issue, finances [and] strategy. Worrying about the future to operate. It’s more of unlocking the potential of your people to empower. I think that’s the drive also.
“As leaders, you don’t have the answer to everything. You need suggestions also from the people on the ground. You’re the leader, but you can’t see all the details anymore. It’s the people on the ground who can see the details and how to improve the process. I want to hear from them.”
PAL was in a total lockdown for only a month. Then the airline started repatriation of overseas Filipino workers. There were no commercial flights for three months. The demand during the lockdown was not strong yet. There was no vaccine yet. But the sudden surge for recovery starting April 2022 surprised everyone at PAL. They didn’t anticipate that.
“Slowly, one after the other, demands started pouring in,” Ng recalled.
“By June, July, August, we were surprised with the booking. But all those supply chain issues, we didn’t anticipate that. Some of the complaints were even posted on social media.
“From the TV that was not working to seats that were not reclining. Those were really big challenges. Even until today. It got so much better. Yet, there is still a lot of room for improvement.”
Last December, Ng joined accomplished businessmen who were all members of Harvard OPM (Owner/President Management Program). He graduated from Harvard, too, and took up a shortened MBA (Master in Business Administration) course for executives.
“I’m honored to be part of that group, as well,” Ng admitted. “They are all accomplished businessmen. I think it was because of the value that you create.
“I never wanted awards. Our focus is how we can help people and how we can create value for the community and Harvard OPM just recognized it.
“The objective of Harvard Business School is how to make a difference. That was genuine, not fake. That was the goal of the Harvard Business School. To change leaders that will make a difference in this world. That really changed me a lot.
“I really learned a lot there. I was not able to do the course onsite [in Boston] because of the restrictions. I did it online. If it was not online, it would be difficult.”
Even if the course was online, it was helpful for Ng. “It was good and super intensive,” he allowed. “It was case study every day. Six days a week. You wake up, read the cases. I learned everything there, like finance, accounting, marketing, strategy, leadership.
“It was so comprehensive. Super intensive. Even macroeconomics, like current account balance, GDPs (gross domestic products) and everything.”
Wife Lilybeth is also a pilot who flies up to now.
“She doesn’t want to go with me to socials and big events,” Ng said. “I prefer to be alone. I like it better.”
Before he accepted the position, Ng talked to his family. “I told them, if I accept the position, my time with you will be less,” he honestly said. “They were supportive. ‘Yeah, go ahead, do it,’ they told him.
“I try to do my duty on weekends, as much as possible. Like if I have to bring the kids to the dentist or [my son] to the barber. I really try to squeeze in those times. I have to be aware and do those things. It’s not balanced. It’s not as bad anymore. I have more time now than before when we had to re-org[anize].”
Last December, Ng flew his family to Hong Kong for the holidays.
“I always choose a flight during the holidays, and I bring my family.”
His advocacy is always for children.
“I always prefer them because they are honest, innocent, nice and clean,” he maintained.
“They don’t have much hatred or jealousy. That’s where all the bad things [happened]. Kids are better people.”
Quick questions
What is your biggest fear?
I want to make sure that my kids are OK when I’m gone.
What really makes you angry?
Lack of integrity and dishonesty. I really don’t like that.
What motivates you to work hard?
Of course, it changes from time to time. Now, it’s different already. It’s really more of giving back to our country. My kids are big already. I don’t have to worry so much about them. I’ll just prepare their college fund. End of the day, that’s it. That’s the best investment I’ll be able to make. Investing in education and giving them all the opportunities that they want. It’s up to them what they want to do. Even if I’m their dad, I don’t know what’s best for them. It’s their life, and the world is constantly changing. They should be given that freedom to make their own choices in life, as long as it’s not bad, let them do it.
What makes you laugh the most?
Fun time with kids and the family.
What would you do if you won the lotto?
I always wanted to create value for the community. I want to do a meaningful business that can provide employment for some of the people.
If you could share a meal with any individual living or dead, who would he/she be?
Maybe Michael Jordan, because he’s my idol.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Ten years from now, that’s difficult to tell. I should be doing something even more meaningful. That’s one thing for sure.
What celebrity would you like to meet for a cup of coffee?
I forgot about Michael Jordan already, but I collected his cards before. I still kept them. It’s like times 20 now when you sell them.
What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
When I was younger, around nine or 10, we lived in Binondo, in the Chinese community. One time, we were hiding, and I hopped over to the next building because they were close to each other. There was a chance I could fall.
What is the one thing you will never do again?
Hide inside the water tank. That was weird and brave when I was a kid. And bad, too.
I used to be scared of a lot of things, death, ghosts, but I was able to overcome them. My faith changed everything.