A life of service and leadership at the helm of Philippine Airlines

Much has been written about the young and quietly enigmatic Captain Stanley Kua Ng, the president and CEO of Philippine Airlines (PAL), who was officially appointed to lead Asia's first and oldest commercial airline in January 2022. Just 44 years old to date and a true blue PAL pilot who literally started from the ground up as an airport crew member, his flight to the top is a story that continues to be of interest to the public.

CAPTAIN STANLEY NG

The curiosity is easy to understand. No disrespect to Ng's distinguished predecessors, but in recollection, Capt. Stanley — as he prefers to be called — seems to be the only head honcho in the flag carrier's history whose head of hair is only starting to grey, if at all. He is pleasing to the eyes and demeanor, too, but not in that smooth, swaggering and overly confident way stereotyped by the '60s films, who even does as sailors do. Blessed with gentle Chinese mestizo features, Ng neither goes to work in a stuffy suit nor formal barong Tagalog. Instead, for this one-on-one interview at the PAL Head Office in Pasay City, for example, he was thoughtfully dressed in a modern short-sleeved polo barong with bright tribal patchwork on the pocket and short sleeves, looking just as dignified even as he paired the indigenous shirt jack with khakis and sneakers. Then, of course, there is the well-known fact that Ng is married to the daughter of PAL's foremost «Kapitan» — the revered business tycoon Lucio Tan — so people naturally latch on to that story, too.

What has yet to be written about Ng in close to two years now, however, — and with this, he thoroughly agrees — are more specific details about these variedly fascinating aspects of his life. Gaps, the man acknowledged, which he generously filled at The Sunday Times Magazine's careful prodding. Ng exudes an air of reasonable privacy, which he has every right to keep.

With youth on his side, the 44-year-old president and CEO of PAL emphasizes the importance of being decisive while creating an environment where others feel comfortable speaking up toward achieving a singular goal — that of serving the flag carrier’s passengers the best possible way they can so that every