(11/23/1998) MANILA, Philippines (AP) _ Prospective investor Cathay Pacific Airways wants the number of employees at troubled Philippine Airlines to be slashed from more than 8,000 to 5,000 but PAL has not yet agreed, Finance Secretary Edgardo Espiritu said on 11/23/1998. (11/23/1998) PAL closed for nearly two weeks on Sept. 23 after failing to persuade its largest union to accept a management-proposed recovery plan under which its collective bargaining agreement would be suspended for 10 years in exchange for a 20 percent share of the company's stock. (12/03/1998) The union later decided to accept the plan, allowing PAL to resume domestic and international flights.