Subic to host 26th ASEAN Council of Teachers confab

Representatives from eight teachers associations in the Southeast Asian region, as well as some international groups, will be meeting in this free port on December 10-12 for the 26th ASEAN Council of Teachers (ACT) Convention.

The convention, which will be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), will be hosted by the Philippine Public School Teachers Association (PPSTA), an organization composed of more than 200,000 public school teachers all over the country employed under the Department of Education (DepEd).

In a letter to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, PPSTA president Mario Ramirez said the three-day convention will convene more than 1,000 public school teachers, half of whom are expected to arrive from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore and South Korea.

“We have decided to hold the convention and all incidental events relative thereto right in the heart of Subic,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said that the Subic Freeport has all the essential features an ideal venue should have, including superior access and available facilities, as well as tourism attractions that convention delegates may wish to visit during the activity.

The Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center — now the biggest convention facility in the country — can easily seat 5,000 persons comfortably, with plenty of spaces for exhibit booths and displays, as well as for dining, lounging and parking.

Most importantly, the convention venue is located at the heart of Subic and just minutes away from duty-free shops, restaurants, hotels, and health spas. The venue is also close to beaches, theme parks and other recreational and eco-tourism parks in the free port.

“These features guarantee remarkable experience that each delegate will enjoy during their stay here,” Ramirez added.

Meanwhile, Arreza expressed appreciation for PPSTA’s decision to host the convention in Subic, noting that this simply means that Subic is a better option for meetings, conferences, conventions and exhibits of any size.

He added that the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center has been the venue of numerous international conferences because of its outstanding features. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subicwater unveils US$1-M sewage treatment plant

Subic Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (Subicwater), a private utility firm operating here and in Olongapo City, inaugurated on Thursday its newest sewage treatment plant worth US$1-million.

The new treatment plant brings the number of Subicwater’s sewage treatment facilities to six. The firm also operates two water treatment facilities here and in Olongapo City.

The inauguration, which was held inside the Subicwater compound here, was graced by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga, Subicwater chairman Herbert Consunji, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce president Danny Piano, SBMA Ecology Center manager Amethya dela Llana-Koval, and Subicwater board president Lex Magrata, who represented the City of Olongapo.

During the simple ribbon-cutting ceremony, SBMA’s Salonga praised Subicwater for what he said was “another major accomplishment towards attaining the vision of this free port to fully comply with the Clean Water Act of the Philippines.”

“This new sewage plant demonstrates Subicwater’s commitment to ensure the health and sanitation of our communities. It is worth its million-dollar cost as, in the end, the bay of Subic from where thousands of people depend for their living, will be protected from wastewater pollution,” Salonga stressed.

Salonga also commended Subicwater officials for “putting their money where their mouth is.”

According to Subicwater officials, the new facility employs the sequencing batch reactor technology (SBR) and is capable of handling five million liters of wastewater daily.

The facility is expected to treat 64 percent of the sewage being generated at the central business district of the Subic Bay Freeport.

Subicwater’s Consunji, meanwhile, said that Subicwater takes pride in being among the best in the country in terms of complying with the Clean Water Act.


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“As we adhere to the Clean Water Act of 2004, the people can expect Subicwater to push for the construction of more sewage treatment plants in the Subic Bay Freeport and in the City of Olongapo,” said Consunji.

Subicwater officials also said that a sewerage master plan for this free port and the adjacent city of Olongapo is currently in the works.

The long-term target, they added, is to totally eliminate the threat posed by untreated wastewater, which environmentalists point out as the greatest contributor of both surface and ground water pollution.

Subicwater implemented the first built-operate-and-transfer (BOT) scheme for a water and sewerage system in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, taking over the operation of the water supply and sewerage system in this free port in 1997.

The firm was formed by a joint-venture agreement in 1996 among the SBMA, Biwater PLC of Great Britain, DM Consunji Inc., and the now-defunct Olongapo City Water District. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

Photo: SBMA Chairman Feliciano G. Salonga (2nd from left) tours the $1-million wastewater treatment plant put up by the Subic Water and Sewerage Company Inc. at the Subic Bay Freeport. The new facility is expected to help reduce water pollution in the Subic Bay area.

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Subic Freeport honors 10 outstanding workers (updated)

Out of the 90,000-strong workforce in this former US military base, ten exceptional workers were elevated to “local hero” status recently after making it to the ranks of this year’s Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers.

The ten outstanding workers were announced on Wednesday during a ceremony held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) as part of the Subic Volunteers’ Day celebration. The event was organized by the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation Inc. (SBWDFI).

The ten awardees were Jesus Vener Mallen and Alfredo Sadora of Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corporation, Benamor Labadan and Francisco Roberto of Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium Inc., Jean Castro of Nicera Philippines Inc., Elvira Reyes-Mullis of the Subic Bay Development and Management Center Inc., Mark San Gabriel of Subic Water and Sewerage Company Inc., Marissa Tamayo of NIDEC Subic Philippines Corporation, and Larry Aquino and Nedelyn Catiis of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

In the awarding ceremony, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza lauded the ten winners, noting that they were selected through a rigid screening process that emphasized efficiency, positive work attitude, leadership capabilities and interpersonal maturity.

“The awards that we give out this afternoon do not only represent the best in the more than 1,350 companies located here, but the best of the Filipinos as well,” said Arreza.

“It is not because of the sweet talk done by me and (SBMA) Chairman Feliciano Salonga that investors come here; it is precisely because of the hard work and dedication of workers that these extraordinary ten represent— they show that Subic is the home of world-class workers,” Arreza said.

Meanwhile, SBWDFI president Severo Pastor, who also heads the SBMA Labor Department, pointed out the importance of the annual search for outstanding workers, which is now on its ninth year, by stressing that the annual search institutionalizes the initiatives and programs for customer service and employees’ welfare.

“A great mind balances business practices with people’s welfare and corporate wellness,” Pastor intoned. “Aside from pleasing the firm’s clients, the company management must also nurture the welfare of its employees, who should be considered as the internal customers of the firm,” Pastor explained.

“I sincerely believe that this (award) will inspire more and more workers— the actual driver’ of the businesses here— to attain greater heights, bringing with them their company and also, the economy of the Subic Bay Freeport,” he concluded.

The SBWDFI, which manages the search for the Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers, was established in 2001 to help promote SBMA’s thrust for industrial peace and harmony between employees and employers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

This year’s awards program was organized in cooperation with the SBMA Labor Department and the Mondriaan Aura College. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
SUBIC’S PRIDE: The winners in the 2010 search for Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers.

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10 outstanding Subic workers awarded today

As part of the annual celebration of Volunteers Day here, 10 “local heroes” will be honored today (November 24) for their economic contributions to their respective companies and the Subic Bay Freeport.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) labor manager Severo Pastor Jr. said the awardees in the search for the Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers (TOFW) will be feted by the SBMA and the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation Inc. (SBWDFI) in an appropriate ceremony at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Now on its ninth year, the TOFW award has turned out workers who personify excellence in their respective fields of expertise. The winners are selected through a rigid screening process that emphasizes efficiency, positive work attitudes, leadership capabilities and interpersonal maturity.

Pastor, who also heads the SBWDFI, said the awards body “recognizes the vital role that Freeport workers contribute in making Subic a prime mover for economic growth and community development.”

“This year, 42 Freeport workers have been nominated for the awards, and only 23 made it as finalists,” Pastor said. “Now, we shall award the final 10 and confer on them the title of outstanding workers for other employees to emulate.”

According to records of the SBWDFI, two of the finalists in this year’s competition come from the SBMA and the rest come from various locator companies here. Two finalists come from the Philippine Coastal Storage & Pipeline Corp., two from the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium, Inc, one from Nidec Subic Phils. Corp (Sankyo Seiki), another from Nicera Phils., Inc., one from the Subic Bay Development & Management Corp. Inc., and another from the Subic Water and Sewerage & Co., Inc.

The awarding ceremonies for the Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers will be held at 3:00 pm at the Subic Bay Exhibition & Convention Center. The event will coincide with a reunion among former SBMA volunteers that will be held at the Volunteers Park here.

The SBWDFI, which manages the search for outstanding workers in Subic, was established in 2001 to help promote SBMA’s thrust for industrial peace and harmony between employees and employers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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'USS Peleliu' drops anchor in Subic

The “USS Peleliu” dropped anchor here (Monday), carrying some 1,000 sailors and around 1,300 Marines as part of its last tour of duty before returning to San Diego, California.

The 5th Fleet support ship, which is 254-meter long and has a 40-meter wide flight deck, was instrumental in the evacuation of hundreds of Filipinos inside this former United States (US) naval base during the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Before the ship’s scheduled departure, some crew members will join local volunteers in renovating at least two schools in Olongapo City, and conduct a school touring at the PMMA.

According to Lt. JG Beth Gauck, the community relations project will be held at the Olongapo City National High School (OCNHS) and the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) in San Narciso, Zambales.

Parts of the projects were the repair and safety improvement of playgrounds, painting of classroom buildings, and planting of fruit trees.

Nicknamed as the “Iron Nickel,” the USS Peleliu was christened in honor of the 3rd Amphibious Force’s assault and capture of Peleliu Island in the fall of 1944.

In June, 1991, while coming back from the Persian Gulf after joining the Operation Desert Storm, Peleliu participated in the evacuation of US Naval Base Subic Bay personnel following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.

Considered as among the world’s largest volcanic incident in the past 100 years, the eruption covered a large region in volcanic ash, and resulted in the destruction of many parts of the former US naval base.

The evacuation included several patients from the maternity ward, resulting in multiple births aboard the ship. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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NEDA makes new push for logistics corridors

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is making a new push to develop logistics corridors, starting with the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) corridor as part of a national transport plan.

Initial discussions on the infrastructure planning under the 2010-1016 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) recommend the creation of "strategic logistics corridors," initially starting off with the SCMB then extending the same northward and then southward.

The MTPDP envisions these corridors as having intermodal transport network system to obtain efficiency.

"The SCMB must be developed to become a seamless intermodal logistics corridor," documents on the initial results of the infrastructure planning subcommittee said.

The documents show how an integrated multi-modal logistics and transport system could not only decongest Metro Manila but also create linkages between business centers and nearby provinces.

This, the NEDA papers said, would help facilitate the efficient flow of commodities and inputs to economic and industrial zones.

"The development of seamless intermodal transport and logistics systems along strategic corridors will promote productivity and competitiveness," the documents said.

The NEDA points to inadequate and unstable funding for the construction and development of facilities as the culprit in the deficiencies in our transport system.

"Assessment of the country’s transport infrastructure network indicates that its quality and capacity remain low, even if the quantity of transport compares favorably with most Asean countries," the papers said.

Subic and Clark are the nearest economic industrial zones to Metro Manila, one offering a port and the other an airport. Metro Manila is linked to the two zones through road networks, the North Luzon expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway.

Linked to Metro Manila by the South Luzon expressway down south is Calabarzon, home to specialized industries and processing activities. The corridors complement each zone’s strengths in agriculture and manufacturing.

The corridor now accounts for 80 percent of the national cargo and about half of yearly economic output. (Malaya Business Insight)

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Trans-Asia enters into management deal for 116-MW Subic power plant output

MANILA, Philippines – Publicly-listed firm Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corporation has entered into a power administration and management deal for the output of the 116-megawatt Subic diesel power facility.

The company has disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that it has already secured the approval of its Executive Committee, as delegated by the Company’s Board, for the arrangement it made with One Subic Power Generation Corporation, mainly in selling the plant’s generated electricity.

It noted that the administration and management arrangement will cover the entire 116MW output of the facility. It has been explained that Trans-Asia will be selling or trading of the capacity of the plant; while operations will be under OSPGC, of which the facility is currently under lease.

Upon the expiration of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract of the Subic power plant last year, the facility was turned over to the National Power Corporation (NPC), which in turn tossed it to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) based on the provisions of the agreement with respect to the facility’s operations and lease arrangements.

The Subic facility was built in 1994 with scandal-ridden Enron Corporation being the project sponsor.

With the lapse of the power facility’s BOT and the lease agreement between NPC and SBMA, the freeport opted to auction the lease arrangement for another five years which was subsequently cornered by OSPGC.

Trans-Asia, on the role it is taking on the administration and management of the power facility’s output, is considerably well-practiced in selling the capacity of diesel power plants.

It has been trading capacities under its charge to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM); and it is also a licensed retail electricity supplier, hence, it can offer capacity to interested off-takers (buyers).

In the same disclosure to the local bourse, Trans-Asia indicated that it has gotten approval for it to exercise option “to purchase 131,000 square meters of property located at the Phoenix Petroterminals…at the option price of P31.26 million which shall be credited along with the initial down payment of P15.63 million to the total purchase price of P333.825 million.”

It must be noted that Phoenix Petroleum bought the oil handling facility in Calaca, Batangas from Trans-Asia more than a year ago. The purchase of the property has been Phoenix Petroleum’s gateway in expanding its retail oil network for the Luzon market. (Myrna M.Velasco, Manila Bulletin)

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SBMA hosts Region 3 dialogue on employment gaps

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently hosted a dialogue among executives from the business community, local government agencies and the academe to address employment gaps in Central Luzon, which is now a leading economic growth center.

SBMA labor department manager Severo Pastor Jr. said the annual Labor Matching Congress, which is now on its fifth year, has pooled together officials from the SBMA, Clark Development Corp. (CDC), and the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), as well as representatives from the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC), Metro Olongapo Business Club (MOBC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Public Employment Services Office (PESO), and various schools and local government units in the region.

Pastor, who is the concurrent president of the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation, Inc., said the labor-matching dialogue was held because many workers in the region remain unemployed despite the presence of four special economic zones in the area.

According to CHED Region 3 director Maura Consolacion Cristobal, the 2009 records of her office indicated that the courses that registered the highest enrolment are business education, health-related courses including nursing; information technology; and teacher education.

“We already have an excess of graduates in these courses, and we have employment gaps, both qualitative and quantitative,” Cristobal said.

She added that in order to address the over-population in the said four programs, CHED has issued Memorandum Order No. 32, which enjoined all schools not to accept enrollees in the four courses in all levels.

Cristobal added that the move was also meant to strengthen the under-subscribed programs like agriculture, engineering, science, arts and technology, and fisheries, by offering scholarship grants to students enrolling in these programs.

In Subic, meanwhile, SBMA administrator Arreza said that to maximize employment of workers in the Subic Bay area, the agency is now focusing on specific sectors where Subic has the competitive advantage. These include logistics, shipbuilding, tourism, and information technology.

“We want to make sure that we are all set up on the right direction,” Arreza said. “We are looking for our own ‘Manny Pacquiao’ — locators in the Freeport that will defeat any challenger.”

He pointed out that in the case of Hanjin, the Korean shipbuilder has in its list of orders a total of 55 ships, which amount to US$4 billion. With 40 percent of the value going to components that could be manufactured locally, the ship orders could yield about US$1.6 billion for the local economy.

“That is why we encourage a lot of entrepreneurs to explore and look into this sector, as well, and manufacture the 40 percent that Hanjin imports from other countries. This way, we can create more jobs,” Arreza said.

The SBMA official likewise announced that Hanjin also needs marine engineers that are now in short supply in the Philippines since most colleges and universities in the country have stopped offering marine engineering courses and shifted instead to nursing or IT.

“If we build these industries, the SBMA Labor Center has to provide the manpower necessary for these industries to become Manny Pacquiao,” Arreza noted.

In the dialogue, CDC vice-president for business Ernesto Gorospe said that manpower needs in the Clark Freeport include openings for pilots, business processing outsourcing technicians, call center agents, semiconductor technicians, and other skilled workers.

Pastor meanwhile thanked the CHED for accrediting some of schools in the Subic Bay Freeport that introduced new courses in aeronautical maintenance, vocational technical education related to electronics and shipbuilding, and manpower support for tourism such as catering, housekeeping, bar-tending, among others.

“These are giant little steps to patch manpower mismatch in the Subic Bay Freeport,” Pastor said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic fisher folk launch artificial reef project

Members of fishing communities in the Subic Bay area, in cooperation with local government units and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), recently launched a concrete artificial reef project that was designed to augment traditional fishing grounds in their localities.

Spearheaded by the Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council (SB-IFARMC), the project consisted of a total of 1,800 units of culvert pyramid-type concrete blocks formed into 60 artificial reef modules.

The P2.3-million project was made possible through the Environmental Guarantee Fund (EGF) of the SBMA, which has allotted a P4-million financial assistance to fishing communities affected by development projects in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The concrete modules will be installed at various sites identified by fishermen in the towns of Subic and San Antonio in Zambales, Olongapo City, and Morong town in Bataan.

The project launch was attended by Zambales vice governor Ramon Lacbain II, SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, Olongapo City mayor James Gordon Jr., and Subic municipal secretary Dick Otero, BFAR-3 assistant director Lilian Garcia, former SBMA director Angela Garcia who represented Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia, and representatives from the Police Maritime Group and the Philippine Coast Guard.

SB-IFARMC chairman Laureano Artagame said that the artificial reef project was designed to mitigate the effects of development in the area, as well as to rehabilitate fishing grounds destroyed by unscrupulous fishermen who employed dynamite, cyanide and other destructive fishing methods.

“Your presence here today is a solid manifestation that you support us in our mission, and that we all believe that we can still regain the bountiful biodiversity of Subic Bay through this initiative,” Artagame said.

For his part, SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga stressed the positive impact of the artificial reef project on the marine environment, and urged Subic Bay stakeholders to strengthen their commitment to conservation.

“We are here to implement a solution,” Salonga said. “And the fact that we are here together only indicates a strong likelihood that the solution we are trying to implement would succeed to the benefit not only of the stakeholders in Subic Bay, but also the marine environment from which we all derive our livelihood.”

“I hope that with this artificial reef project, we shall succeed in promoting a higher marine biodiversity in this area and a better, healthier marine environment for fishing, recreation, tourism, and related businesses,” Salonga also said.

Former SBMA director Angela Garcia said, meanwhile, emphasized the need for environmental protection alongside with activities designed to gain economic development.

“These steps are important to ensure that the vision for the sustainable management of our resources is translated into reality. I do hope that our continued efforts and commitments will reach far to regain back the bountiful resources of our municipal waters,” Garcia added.

Aside from launching the artificial reefs, the SB-IFARMC also commissioned into service two newly built motorized bancas that local volunteers will use as patrol boats for their monitoring, control and surveillance activities. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: SBMA administrator Armand Arreza (2nd from left) cuts the ceremonial ribbon during the launching of the artificial reef project of the Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Marine Resources Management Council in Subic, Zambales. Joining him are Subic municipal secretary Dick Otero (left), SB-IFARMC chairman Laureano Artagame (right), and representatives of local fisher folk and the BFAR regional office.

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‘SBMA did not defy RTC order over lease dispute’

The Regional Trial Court of Olongapo City allowed officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to “mark the area covered by the expired lease contract” of a computer college here, which has declined to transfer its facilities presently located within an area set for a major commercial development .

SBMA Deputy Administrator Atty. Randy Escolango and Legal Department Chief Atty. Von Rodriguez led the SBMA team that visited the vacant lot adjacent to the administration building of Comteq Computer and Business College, where about 500 students and faculty members protested SBMA’s re-possession of the 1,200-square meter area here.

“Judge Raymund Viray of the Regional Trial Court has allowed SBMA to mark this area which is covered by the expired lease contract of Comteq, and that was what we did today - nothing more,” said Rodriguez.

Comteq has asked the Olongapo RTC to stop SBMA from demolishing the school facilities to give way to the development of a multi-million peso business and commercial center in the Freeport’s Central Business District that would extend up to the business district of Olongapo City.

“The protesters drew up posters urging us (SBMA) to respect the RTC’s status quo order. Of course, we would not dare defy the court’s order - that would be a foolish thing for us to do. We merely proceeded with what we told the court we would do and which the latter allowed us to,” said Rodriguez.

SBMA records show that the contract which covers the vacant lot has already expired.

Two other lease agreements with Comteq were pre-terminated by the SBMA on Thursday (October 13) since the school has failed to settle its financial obligations amounting to P2,363,000.00 plus US$9,971 in dollar accounts.

“The SBMA twice gave Comteq a 30-day curing period to settle its arrears in full or submit an acceptable terms of payment even if the contracts in fact allowed a one-time 30-day curing period. The second curing period, however, expired last July 7, without SBMA receiving any payment or sincere proposal from the school. The fact that it is already October or more than 3 months after July 7 shows that we have observed utmost leniency with them,” Rodriguez noted.

The fate of the two remaining ‘active’ lease agreements of Comteq with SBMA remains a court issue.

Both parties met with Judge Viray on Friday, who ordered them to file their respective position papers within seven days. From these, the judge will base his decision on whether to issue a temporary restraining order or an injunction.

“If the court issues an injunction, that will enjoin us from pre-terminating the two remaining leases and demolishing the structures there,” said Rodriguez.

“Pag wala, we can proceed,” he added.

Rodriguez said that in the Friday hearing, Comteq asked for SBMA’s commitment not to demolish anything yet. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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CARAT community outreach events

Joint US-Philippine contingent reaches out to communities around Subic Bay as part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Philippines.

CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia designed to strengthen relationships and promote maritime security.

OPEN WIDE!: A U.S. Navy doctor, Cmdr. Dennis Taylor, examines a student at San Miguel National High School in San Antonio, Zambales Province, during a Medical Civic Action Project (MEDCAP) on October 14. Taylor, a Navy reservist assigned to Naval Hospital Unit Camp Pendleton, provided free dental care to hundreds of patients during the event as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Philippines. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia designed to strengthen relationships and promote maritime security. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tross)


SHARING AMERICA’S FAVORITE PASTIME: Ensign Crispin L. Cristal, right, of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) tries to beat a throw to home plate during a pickup softball game at San Esteban Elementary School in San Antonio, Zambales Province. On October 14, 11 sailors from the USS Essex and sailors from the Philippine Navy donated educational and recreational materials to the school and spent the day interacting with the children playing sports and spending time in the classroom. U.S. Navy sailors from the USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Denver (LPD 9), and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) are in Subic Bay conducting Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2011, an annual bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability, increase readiness, and develop professional relationships between the two forces. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Casey H. Kyhl)

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Court orders anew status quo vs. Ayala mall development

Regional Trial Court Judge Raymund Viray ordered the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to maintain status quo for a second time in two days on the controversial issue involving Ayala Land’s mall project and a local college here.

Judge Viray ordered SBMA and Ayala Land not to take any action to disturb the status quo for five days or until a decision is issued by the court.

Ansbert Joaquin, administrator of Comteq Computer and Business
College, said that they do not oppose the mall project, ‘since day one, we have made our position clear that all we want are equal space and amenities.’

Comteq urged the court to compel SBMA to respect Comteq’s lease agreements and provide facilities equivalent to the lease contracts in the event that it agrees to relocate in favor of Ayala Land’s mall. Comteq also asked the court to issue a permanent injunction pending resolution of the case. (30)

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3,000 US servicemen in joint exercises

AT least 3,000 United States servicemen and their assets are in the country for two military exercises with their counterparts in the Armed Forces in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog, a military spokesman said (yesterday).

The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise will be held October 13 to 22 at the former US Navy base at the Subic Bay in Zambales, and the Amphibious Landing Exercises (Phiblex) on October 14 to 22 at the former US Air Force base in Clark, Pampanga.

"Around six US Navy vessels and three aircraft (will) participate in these annual events that involve five Philippine Navy ships and around 1,000-strong PN (Philippine Navy) contingent of sailors and marines," said Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo.

Under CARAT are "in port" trainings, including subject matter expert exchanges and community service activities like medical, dental and engineering civic actions and other humanitarian activities, and "at sea" trainings which involve visit, board, search and seizure procedure; maritime interdiction operations and surveillance; and naval gunfire support, among others.

For the Phiblex, Arevalo said a boat ride exercise will be held at the Marine Base in Ternate, Cavite and a mechanized raid at the Naval Education and Training Command in Zambales.

"The exercises hope to attain inter-operability between the two armed services of both countries," said Arevalo.

"Particularly, it seeks to bolster the inter-operability of the participating country’s armed services in territorial defense in pursuit of our national defense strategy," he added. (Victor Reyes, Malaya)

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Japanese developer may take over yacht club

ORIENT Pearl Entertainment and Management, Inc., a Japanese gaming company, is set to revive the Subic Bay Yacht Club into a “mini-Monaco” to increase membership and revenues.

Orient Pearl is said to have reached an agreement to initially acquire 25% of the club with lead creditor Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank), as a way to obtain management control.

Landbank heads a consortium of local banks that foreclosed 40% of the club led by the Triple-V group, when debt-bankrolled construction floundered during the regional financial crisis.

Orient Pearl Chairman Toshio Shimada, who already operates six casino-hotels in the country including the Majestic Networld Hotel on Roxas Boulevard in Manila, will add gaming as part of development plans for the Subic Bay Yacht Club.

However, the planned inclusion of gaming facilities is expected to be opposed by some club members.

It would be recalled that creditor banks of Triple-V had decided to take over the club shares pledged by restaurateur Victor “Vic-Vic” Villavicencio as collateral for P1 billion in loans from various financial institutions.

The P2-billion club was built in 1996 to become the premier yacht club in the Philippines. The facility has a huge swimming pool with imported sand from Australia.

The huge main clubhouse stands over 17,000 square meters of space with 39 guest club rooms. (R. Garcia, BusinessWorld)

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Subic fisher folk to launch artificial reef project

The Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council (SB-IFARMC), an organization representing fisher folk communities in all areas surrounding Subic Bay, will launch its concrete artificial reef project on October 15.

The project was funded by an Environmental Guarantee Fund (EGF) from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), which has allotted financial assistance to fishing communities affected by development projects in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

SB-IFARMC chairman Laureano DS Artagame said that about 1,800 units of culvert pyramid-type concrete blocks formed into 60 modules will be installed at various sites identified by fishermen in the towns of Subic and San Antonio in Zambales, Olongapo City, and Morong town in Bataan.

The ceremonial launching program will include the blessing of the concrete artificial reef modules, presentation of the artificial reef project, distribution of livelihood funds to members of the SB-IFARMC, and discussions to raise awareness among stakeholders on the conservation, protection and management of marine resources in Subic Bay.

Those expected to attend the event include officials of the SBMA, the Department of Agriculture, and municipal fisheries councils; the governors of Bataan and Zambales, and the mayors of Subic and San Antonio towns in Zambales, Morong in Bataan, and Olongapo City.
The artificial reef project aims to revive the dwindling marine resources in local fishing grounds and boost the livelihood of the fisher folk here, Artagame said.

The project used up about P2.3 million of the P4-million financial assistance that the SBMA gave to local fishing communities.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said the financial assistance was sourced through the EGF that was created as a condition under the Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) issued for the Subic port project and the Hanjin shipyard project. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: SB-IFARMC volunteers in San Antonio, Zambales fabricate concrete cylinder blocks to be used for their artificial reef project in Subic Bay.

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