PHILPOST- PAL MAIL TRANSPORT DEAL. Francisco Yngente (center), PAL Vice President for airport services turns over the symbolic Philippine Airlines (PAL) ceremonial passenger plane to Postmaster General and CEO Hector R.R. Villanueva after formalizing a new agreement signaling a renewed partnership with the Philippine Postal Corporation that will expedite mail and parcel delivery services - using the former state-owned flag carrier as the official air mail transport facility. With them are (from left) PAL Domestic Cargo Sales Manager Virgilio Pacia, PAL Cargo Sales Manager Mario Pangan, and PhilPost Assistant Postmaster General for Operations Mama S. Lalanto, Al Haj.

In its desire to expedite mail and parcel delivery, the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) has entered into an agreement with the Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Under the memorandum of understanding signed by Postmaster General Hector Villanueva and Francisco Yngente, PAL vice president for airport services, both agencies agreed to establish service standards as well as safety precautions in the collection, processing and transport of mails to desired destinations.

The agreement stipulates that Philpost shall maintain a payment system with PAL through a credit sales arrangement to be formalized in a separate letter agreement in order to expedite the processing and payment of mails for dispatch. Philpost will prepare the mails for shipping, including buildup and sealing of mailbags, weighing, marking and preparation of the airmail shipping order in accordance with PAL standards.

PAL will submit to Philpost the domestic flight schedules as approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). The agreement also mandates that two Philpost departments, the Central Mail Exchange Center and Network Transport Department, to handle the flight schedules simultaneously with CAB. PAL is also mandated to give special attention to express mail items to ensure the special services of Philpost will be dispatched ahead of the ordinary cargoes.

Villanueva lauded the tie up with PAL, saying the partnership will benefit the more than 90 million Filipinos. “PAL and PhilPost have one thing in common, they are both service – oriented. We can prove to the world that government-controlled entities can compete with private firms that offer the same service at higher cost,” Villanueva said.