Lucio Tan’s crown jewels PAL and PNB now in the Theatre District

Amid lighted candles and snapping smartphones, Msgr. Oscar Aquino performs blessing of the PAL and PNB office and offers prayers. Photo by Lumen Castaneda

Amid lighted candles and snapping smartphones, Msgr. Oscar Aquino performs blessing of the PAL and PNB office and offers prayers. Photo by Lumen Castaneda

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Philippine National Bank (PNB) recently transferred their offices from Downtown to Midtown Manhattan, near Times Square and the Philippine Consulate.

The address: 561 Seventh Avenue.

An office blessing, officiated by Monsignor Oscar Aquino, was held on May 7th attended by Consul General Mario de Leon Jr., company executives, Philippine tourism officials in New York, travel agents, and members of the Filipino American community.

“The new office location of the two institutions will definitely serve a lot of our kababayans,” said Consul General De Leon in his opening remarks as he extended his best wishes to PNB and PAL for their “very timely decision.”

Tan, who is listed among Forbes Magazine’s “world’s billionaires,” regained control of PAL after ending a business alliance with San Miguel Corp. in 2014.

PNB, one of the Philippines’ oldest banks established during the U.S. occupation of the islands, was purchased by Tan after it was privatized. The change of status from a government-owned to a private bank was finalized in 1996. PNB operates remittance centers in the U.S. and other countries with a large Filipino presence.

Michelle Narvaez, PAL area manager in New York, and Ricky Villacisneros, PNB regional head of North America, welcomed the guests.

Marila Revilla, PAL country manager for the Americas, said, “The office in New York symbolizes both company’s presence on the East Coast.”

She said, “It represents PAL’s availability and PNB’s clientele in this corner of the world. We hope to serve the Filipinos and other tourists and encourage them to visit the Philippines with the help of PNB, the Philippine Department of Tourism, and the Philippine Consulate.”

Coins were tossed for good luck and the guests scrambled to pick them on the floor.

“It’s a Filipino tradition,” said Lumen Castaneda of the UNIFFIED teachers organization, who attended the office blessing. “I got a few…and they went to the church collection.”

Narvaez announced that PAL now flies four times a week from New York to Manila and three times a week from Los Angeles to Cebu. Currently, there is a low fare promo of $674 RT from JFK to MNL. For more information, please call the PAL office at 917-675-7429 or visit your local travel agent.

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