40th PBC submits 8-point Resolutions to PNoy

The following are the approved 8-point Resolutions of the 40th Philippine Business Conference and submitted to President Benigno S. Aquino III during the final day of the conference on October 24, 2014 at the Manila Hotel.

1.ENERGY AND POWER:

•Resolution urging the National Government to formulate an integrated and sustainable energy and power development roadmap with a clear, definite target level of power supply capacity and rate; doable and time-bound strategies to achieve the desired goals; a well-defined process that shall be directed, facilitated and regularly reviewed by an authoritative body; and, premised on the goal to revitalize manufacturing, attract more quality foreign investments and achieve sustainable and inclusive growth

•Resolution supporting the implementation of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Demand Aggregation and Auctioning Policy (DASAP) which will induce transparent and efficient supply contracting, attract more direct investments in power generation, create greater competition and generation adequacy and thereby defining a firm process policy of specified periodic public international bidding for base load and reserve capacity based on 100% of aggregated projected demand and standardized Power Supply Agreement (PSA) with strong participation and role of the Energy Regulatory Commission to expedite simultaneous approval of the Power Supply Agreement .”

•Resolution to support the implementation of the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) and the ASEAN Qualifications Framework for global competitiveness.

•Resolution to support the K-12 Program of the government thru the Department of Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

•Resolution for government and business chambers, associations and enterprises to enter into partnerships in the implementation of the National Qualification and Certification System, and thereby ensure the preparation of our human resources with relevant competencies for the world of work.

3.ASEAN INTEGRATION:

•Resolution urging the Government to draw strategies and programs that would promote and support the integration of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the global and regional value chains.

•Resolution urging the Government to come up with a clear program, developed jointly with the private sector, for the promotion and security of Philippine brands in view of the ASEAN.

•Resolution urging the Government to improve the physical connectivity of Mindanao to BIMP-EAGA and the rest of ASEAN.

4.PORT CONGESTION:

•Resolution urging the National Government to decongest Metro Manila, develop the countryside and strengthen provincial and regional economic growth areas to complement, supplement, fortify and sustain Metro Manila’s Economic Growth and Development.

•Resolution urging the relevant government authorities to maximize the utilization of the Subic and Batangas Ports by shifting container traffic and focusing all future port developments thereat.

5.TRAFFIC CONGESTION:

•Resolution urging the National Government, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and local governments within Metro Manila to ensure the smooth flow of traffic within the Metropolis, instill discipline among drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs), promote road use efficiency and safety and driver/operator responsibility by designating and strictly enforcing pick-up and drop-off points for passengers and designating terminals for said PUVs

6.TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE:

•Resolution urging the prioritization of the full development of the Clark International Airport parallel/twin with the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before other airports.

•Resolution urging the President to revisit the plan to construct C-6 and to complete the construction of C-5.

7.AGRICULTURE:

•Resolution urging the National Government to implement the proper infrastructure and policy directions to ensure food security specifically hastening Agri-Mechanization and modernization to be at par with our ASEAN neighbors especially with the advent of the AEC Integration in 2015.

8.REHABILITATION OF EASTERN VISAYAS:

•Resolution urging President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to start and fast track the completion of the Yolanda rehabilitation and recovery projects in Eastern Visayas.

http://www.mb.com.ph/40th-pbc-submits-8-point-resolutions-to-pnoy/

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US-based “Pusong Pinoy” traders eye business in Subic Freeport

United States (US)-based Filipino entrepreneurs belonging to the Federation of Philippine-American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) are scouting for trade opportunities in the country of their birth and are considering putting up businesses in the Subic Bay Freeport.

A FPACC delegation of 65 members arrived here on Monday for the Luzon leg of the U.S. Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines and met with officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), local industry leaders, and heads of local government units.

The mission, which was scheduled on October 17 to 24, was organized by the Central Luzon Growth Corridor Foundation, Inc. to help promote Central Luzon as an ideal investment destination.

Gus Mercado, head of mission and executive director of FPACC, said the trade mission aims to bridge and facilitate business and cultural ties between business people through the Philippine-American chamber network.

He said that the delegates represent various endeavors and businesses, but all are entrepreneurs in their own right and represent the crème dela crème of the Filipino community in the United States.

He said that the delegation have expressed interest in real estate, eco-tourism, manufacturing, light-industrial machinery, and retirement facility.

“The majority of us here were born in the Philippines, and we have what they call pusong Pinoy,” Mercado clarified.

“Our non-Filipino members of the delegation will understand why although we’ve been away for so long, we still have pusong Pinoy. Deep in our hearts, we are still Filipinos,” Mercado added.

He also noted that despite its conversion into a free port, Subic Bay “is probably the only place in the Philippines where the US traffic laws are still being enforced.”

In the same meeting, SBMA Chief Operating Officer Joven Reyes warmly welcomed the group and briefed them about the free port and the local business climate.

He said that the SBMA was created by virtue of Republic Act 7227 “to promote and develop the Subic Special Economic Zone into a self-sustaining industrial, commercial, financial and investment center.”

He added that with the SBMA’s mandate to generate employment and attract productive foreign investments, the agency has succeeded in turning Subic into a home of almost 1,500 business locators and more than 90,000 skilled workers.

Reyes also informed the visitors that the SBMA has performed well in the past few years, posting a net profit of P1.2 billion last year and increasing its net operating budget by 66 per cent as of August this year.

The event held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center also provided an opportunity for members of the FPACC to meet their local counterparts for networking opportunities. Some local companies also put up an exhibit of products during the meeting.

Among those who met with the trade delegates were Olongapo City mayor Rolen Paulino, Zambales provincial administrator Jun Omar Ebdane, representatives of the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce and the Olongapo City Chamber of Commerce, and officials of the Department of Trade and Industry-Zambales.

Paulino and Ebdane turned over symbolic keys to Olongapo and Zambales, respectively, to the mission head. (RFD-MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chief Operating Officer Joven Reyes (left) and Atty. Joy Alvarado, head of the SBMA Business Group, exchange views with a member of the US Trade Mission during a networking meeting on October 20 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center. (AED)

[1] SBMA Chief Operating Officer Joven Reyes receives a certificate of appreciation from Ethel Reyes- Mercado, honorary Consul General of Texas, USA, during the visit of members of the US Trade Mission on October 20 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center. Looking on is Gus Mercado (right), executive director of the Federation of Philippine-American Chambers of Commerce and head of mission. (AED)

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Tough competition seen in Sunday’s Tri United 3 triathlon

A HARD battle between rivals looms in the distance with the staging of the much anticipated Tri United 3 this Sunday, starting at 6 a.m. at Subic Bay and concluding at Alviera, Porac, Pampanga.

In the Male Open competition of the first-ever triathlon to use the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, August Benedicto will test his might against the likes of Benjamin Rana Jr., Dan Brown and Philip Atento.

Without the presence of his rivals from the National Team, Benedicto is seen as the heavy favorite, although Rana could pull off an upset.

In the distaff side in the event sponsored by Unilab Active Health, Enervon Activ, Active Health Sports Gel, Enervon HP, Alaxan FR, Hydrite, Aboitiz, AboitizPower, OtterBox, Shimano, Maxxis, Crystal Clear, Pocari Sweat, Orbea, Saucony, Timex, Men’s Health magazine, Women’s Health magazine, the Philippine Star, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department and venue partners Sandbox at Alviera, BCDA, SCTEX, SFEX and MNTC, 2014 Tri United series points leader Anna Stroh will try to repeat her Tri United 2 gold medal finish as she faces rival Ani Karina De Leon-Brown (Tri United 2’s second placer).

Kristina Beckendorf is the other competitor.

The Team Relay competition, meanwhile, has attracted 53 teams.

Tri United 3 will mark the end of the series and its results will be known afterwards. On Nov. 10 the Tri United series winners (1st to 3rd place) will be awarded.

For the 2015 season of Tri United, registration for TU1 up to TU3 will open on Nov. 15. To register, interested parties are welcome to visit www.bikekingphilippines.com. (Manila Standard Today)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/23/tough-competition-seen-in-sunday-s-tri-united-3-triathlon/

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With Pemberton transferred, USS Peleliu cleared to leave PHL

Following the transfer of Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton, suspect in the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey Laude, to Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, the US warship he was assigned to has been cleared to leave the Philippines.

The USS Peleliu was the vessel Pemberton was assigned to. He was transferred from the vessel to a detention facility in Camp Aguinaldo Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said Pemberton remains in "US custody with Philippine cooperation."

"Alleged suspect in Camp Aguinaldo remains in U.S. custody with Philippine cooperation," Goldberg said on his Twitter account.

USS Peleliu was one of five American navy ships docked in Subic Bay Freeport that transported US troops and equipment for this year's amphibious landing exercises dubbed PHIBLEX 15.

Last Thursday, The U.S. Pacific Command only allowed four U.S. ships — held as part of a Subic Bay murder investigation — to leave the Philippines.

Pacific Command told Stars and Stripes on Thursday the U.S. Navy amphibious warship USS Germantown (LSD-42) — and three Military Sealift Command Ships — cargo ships, USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE-2) and USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE-11) as well as the MSC leased high-speed ferry, WestPac Express were no longer required to remain in the Philippines following the alleged Saturday murder of a Philippine national.

“These ships and the personnel on board are no longer a part of the investigation,” Col. Brad Bartelt, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific spokesperson told the paper on Thursday.

“They were not involved with this incident and have other taskings.”

“The Marine Corps and Navy are cooperating fully with the Philippine authorities throughout the investigation, and will continue to ensure that a thorough investigation is completed and due process of law is followed,” Bartelt said.

Guided missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG-63) and guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG-71) were also in the region but were underway as of Thursday, as was Sacagawea.

“These three ships were in port in the Philippines for a brief time, and their crew remained onboard at all times,” U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific deputy public affairs director Chuck Little told Stripes.

The body of Jeffrey Laude, 26, a transgender also known as Jennifer, was found in Olongapo City on Saturday. Authorities have identified Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C. as a suspect in the death.

Pemberton was held onboard Peleliu prior to his transfer to Philippine authorities in Manila.

PHOTO:
USS Peleliu (LHA-5) on Sept. 10, 2014. US Navy Photo

Sources:

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/384624/news/nation/with-pemberton-transferred-uss-peleliu-cleared-to-leave-phl

http://news.usni.org/2014/10/16/four-u-s-ships-released-philippines-amidst-murder-investigation-peleliu-remains

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Protest vs Pemberton shuts down Subic gates

SUBIC FREEPORT ZONE, Philippines – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) put the Subic Freeport on lockdown for a few hours Saturday, October 18, due to a protest against the alleged killer of transgender woman Jennifer Laude.

For about 2 hours on Saturday afternoon, nobody was permitted entry into the Subic freeport – not even residents and workers who were on their way to their respective companies – after militant groups protested infront of the USS Peleliu, where the US marine who allegedly killed Jennifer Laude is being held.

Julita Laude, mother of the victim, and members of militant groups who accompanied her, were able to enter this former US naval base to symbolically serve a subpoena to the suspect, US marine Joseph Scott Pemberton.

"I am here as a mother, and I want [the US marine} to show his face so I can ask why he killed my son. Why did he have to do that to my son?," Julita Laude said.

Julita's daughter Marilou, who is the principal complainant against Pemberton, had another concern.

"We want to know if [Pemberton] is still really here. We want to see him personally," she said.

But the group was barred from getting near the ship by barbed wire fences and security guards.

The law enforcement department of the SBMA also showed up in pick up trucks and tried to get the group to disperse.

This was also when the SBMA shut down the gates to the freeport zone, triggering anger among residents and workers alike.

Asked why they were locking down the freeport, a law enforcement officer told Rappler that they were ''just following orders."

Unable to return to their homes, residents of the Subic freeport vented their ire on social media.

Kemp Velarmino, a resident of the freeport and executive director of an NGO, who was stranded with hundreds of others, asked ''has SBMA gone insane? That's too much and totally unacceptable."

"They can't even give us a reason [for the lockdown]," said Cherylle Raguini, another resident. "It this the proper response? Inabala na ang buong bayan? Para saan? Para sa security and safety?"

Another netizen, Marion Grace, said that the panicked reaction of the SBMA revealed that ''they don't know the protocols to handle the protestors." (Randy V. Datu, Rappler.com)

PHOTO:
Relatives of murdered Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude, including her mother Julita Laude (L), stand in front of the port gate where USS Peleliu (back) is docked at Subic, October 18, 2014, to bring a notice to the murder suspect Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton who is detained onboard the ship. (Robert Gonzaga/AFP)

http://www.rappler.com/nation/72427-protest-pemberton-laude-subic

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4 Filipino-made vessels unveiled

Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction-Philippines (HHIC-Phil.) unveiled this week four 5,400-twenty footer container vessels built inside the company’s shipbuilding facility in Redondo Peninsula.

The container ships, constructed under the supervision of the leading classification society DNV-GL, were orders of Oaktree Capital Management, a Korean shipbuilding giant.

HHIC-Phil. President Jin Kyu Ahn, Oaktree’s Managing Director Hermann Dambach and Senior Vice President Tom Jaggers witnessed the naming ceremony for the new vessels – christened M/V “Wide Foxtrot”; M/V “Wide Golf”; M/V “Wide Hotel,” and M/V “Wide India” weights 51,872 tons with overall length of 255 meters, breadth of 37.30 meters, 22 meters depth with service speed of 21.5 knots.

Ship owner Oaktree is a leading global alternative investment management firm with particular expertise in credit strategies. The company, whose headquarters is located in Los Angeles, USA, has a strong global presence.

President Ahn said the event signified Hanjin Subic shipyard’s continued quest for excellence in its core business by focusing on innovation to building highly sophisticated yet cost-effective and environment-friendly vessels for the ever evolving international shipbuilding market.

As of October this year, HHIC-Phil., Inc. had successfully built and exported a total 71 vessels of different sizes earning the distinction of being a consistent top exporter in the freeport; also making the country 5th shipbuilding nation in the world next to China, Korea, Japan and Brazil, and HHIC-Phil placing 11th in the list of almost 100 shipbuilders in the world. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

PHOTO:
FILIPINO CLASS — The ‘M/V Wide Golf,’ one of the four 5,400-twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) class container vessels built by Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp.-Philippines, weighs 51,872 tons, with an overall length of 255 meters, a breadth of 37.30 meters, a depth of 22 meters, and a service speed of 21.5 knots.

http://www.mb.com.ph/4-filipino-made-vessels-unveiled/

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US to yield Pemberton, 4 others

Palace says VFA, murder different issues

The United States government yesterday said it would comply with a local prosecutor’s order to produce a murder suspect and four other US Marines in the investigation into the killing of transgender Jennifer Laude.

The prosecutor ordered the five US Marines to give depositions at a formal hearing on Tuesday after police named one of them as a suspect in the October 11 hotel killing in Olongapo City.

“The United States will continue to assist in the investigation to help ensure justice is served,” US embassy spokesman Anna Richey said in an emailed response to AFP’s request for comment.

“This will include making the suspect, witnesses, and any evidence gathered available to the Philippine authorities,” she added.

Richey said the suspect was being held on board the USS Peleliu pending an investigation into the death of Laude, described by local police as a transgender sex worker.

The four other American Marines sought by prosecutors were described by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as witnesses.

Malacañang also rushed to the defense of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), saying the issue on Laude’s killing and the agreement’s review should be treated separately.

Civic groups said the quest for justice for Laude’s murder may be compromised because of the country’s defense agreement with the US.

“The issue for Jennifer should be treated separately. Because the issue on the VFA and calls for its abrogation, (as well as) calls for its review should be discussed on a different level,” deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said.

“Those are two separate issues, there are many considerations when you talk about the review of a particular agreement that we have with another sovereign country,” she added.

And as far as the investigation on Laude’s death is going, there is a process that everyone has to follow to the letter to make sure that there are no technical aspects that are being forgotten, Valte said.

It would also be a disservice to Laude if prosecutors rush things up and in the end lost the case because of technical issues, she said.

The Laude family complained of the delays in the government’s investigation on the case.

The government can’t rush things up, Valte said because there is a process that has to be followed in terms of dealing with criminal complaints relating to US servicemen.

Joseph Scott Pemberton, a member of the US Marines, is the prime suspect in the alleged killing last week of Laude.

The US Pacific Command earlier ordered the warship to remain at a port near Olongapo while the murder investigation was ongoing.

Police said they found the victim half-naked on the bathroom floor of a room with more than a dozen bruises, cuts and bite marks.

They said the victim, who had checked in with the suspect just over an hour earlier, had died from “asphyxia by drowning.”

Police and the prosecutor both named the suspect as Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, attached to a North Carolina-based unit that had just taken part in joint military exercises in the Philippines.

Following the hearings, which could take days or weeks, the prosecutor can either bring criminal charges or drop the case. If Pemberton is charged with murder and convicted, he could face life in prison.

The government has said that the politically charged case should not be allowed to derail longstanding defense ties between Manila and Washington, amid growing public pressure for Pemberton to be handed over into local custody.

The killing occurred after the Philippines reached an agreement in March to allow its US military ally wider temporary access to Filipino military facilities.

American forces vacated large US military bases in the Philippines in 1992 as nationalist sentiment rose.

But Manila has sought closer defence ties in recent years in a bid to modernise its armed forces amid tense maritime disputes with China.

Vice President Jejomar Binay also expressed hopes justice will be given to Laude as he extended his condolences to Jennifer’s mother Julita at Laude’s wake in Olongapo City.

“I am condoling with the family and it is my fervent hope that justice is rendered. Somebody was killed and justice is expected,” Binay said.

Binay said he was in Zambales to check on the government’s housing projects in the province and decided to pay his respects when he learned Jennifer’s wake was being held in Olongapo.

“Somebody told me here in Cabangan that Jennifer resides here. So I decided to visit the wake and express my condolences,” he said.

“I talked to her mother who came from Leyte. She’s a Waray, and she has five children,” he added.

Pemberton remains under US custody aboard the amphibious warship USS Peleliu, currently docked at Subic Bay, as provided for by the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Article 5, paragraph 6 of the VFA states that the custody of a US soldier facing criminal charges remains with US authorities “if they so request, from the commission of the offense until completion of all judicial proceedings.” The Philippine government retains jurisdiction of the investigation.

Liberal Party (LP) Secretary General and Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, however, said the brutal murder of Laude allegedly by a US Marine soldier must spark a review of the VFA and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to ensure more rigid rules on the conduct of visiting American troops in the Philippines.

Sarmiento said that the entire nation should condemn the senseless killing of Laude, and called for a swift review of the nitty-gritty of both the VFA and the EDCA especially on the conduct of US troops during the duration of their stay in the Philippines.
Sarmiento added that clearer parameters should be set whenever an American soldier is involved in felony especially on the custody issue, which remains a gray area in the VFA.

“We should all condemn this gruesome murder of Laude and our government would definitely ask nothing less than justice. This incident should spark a more exhaustive review of the nitty-gritty of the VFA and EDCA and tweak it some more so that it becomes mutually beneficial to both the Philippines and the US,” he said.

However, Sarmiento maintained that the incident should not be used as a basis to abrogate a treaty between two friendly nations especially with the US giving all the needed support to ensure that the primary suspect, US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, submits himself to the country’s criminal justice system.

“The US government has extended all the support that we need to ensure that justice takes its course. Like us, I’m sure that the US government would want Pemberton to answer for him crime,” Sarmiento said.

He said that the VFA and the defense cooperation between the Philippines and the US should continue to ensure that the balance of power in Southeas Asia is maintained.

“We have to continue honoring our treaty obligations while adopting measures to avoid similar incidents in the future. The country’s security cooperation and strategic partnership with the US should be strengthened and not weakened by this tragic incident,” Sarmiento said. (Charlie V. Manalo, The Daily Tribune, with AFP)

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/us-to-yield-pemberton-4-others

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Japan to provide firetrucks, ambulances for cyclone-hit areas in PHL

Japan is providing firetrucks and ambulances to cyclone-affected areas in the Philippines, including those hit by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year.

Officials of the Philippines and Japan signed a grant contract for "The Project for Providing Emergency Vehicles for the Typhoon-Affected Areas in the Philippines" Thursday.

The Japanese embassy said 20 vehicles – 17 firetrucks and three ambulances – for areas damaged by Yolanda are to arrive at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority in early November.

Signing the agreement were Japan chargés d'affaires to the Philippines Tetsuro Amano and Bureau of Fire Protection head Chief Superintendent Carlito Romero.

The grant involves $202,760 (P8.5 million) and is funded through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).

Last May 5, the project was initially announced when a delegation led by Japan-Philippines Parliamentarians' Friendship League president Kenji Kosaka met with Senate President Franklin Drilon, President of Philippines-Japan Parliamentary Association (PJPA) in Manila.

"It is part of Japan's additional donation to the Philippines of previously-used 20 emergency vehicles (17 firetrucks and three ambulances) intended primarily for the municipalities seriously damaged by Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in Central Visayas," the Japanese embassy said.

The Japanese government, the top Official Development Assistance donor for the Philippines, launched the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects in the Philippines in 1989 to reduce poverty and help communities engaged in grassroots activities.

At least 499 grassroots projects have been funded by GGP.

"Japan believes that this project will not only strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also contribute to further fostering a strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines toward the future," the embassy said. (Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News)

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/384147/news/nation/japan-to-provide-firetrucks-ambulances-for-cyclone-hit-areas-in-phl

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Corregidor, Grande Island as Ebola quarantine areas?

Corregidor and Grande Island in Subic Bay are possible quarantine areas if and when a returning overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from countries at risk is found to have been infected by the deadly Ebola virus.

“The government has got to provide the necessary quarantine areas if there is any infected person who is able to enter the Philippines from Ebola-affected countries in West Africa,” Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon told Manila Bulletin in an interview Wednesday. Gordon, however, did not cite reasons these two areas are good Ebola quarantine areas.

According to Gordon, the Red Cross is ready and willing to provide the necessary support to health workers and help implement safety protocols.

“The Red Cross can come in already,” he said. “The bigger job will be when these people come back and they are infected. We have to be prepared to handle that.”

As far as the Red Cross is concerned, Gordon said they have to train their staff and volunteers, buy the equipment as well and train their people how to handle these.

“Many of the people who died from Ebola were not trained,” he pointed out. “Even if they have the protective equipment when they remove it they touch their face and they get sick. The mortality rate is going up also so we have to be prepared for that.”

Gordon stressed that nobody is adequately prepared for such a scenario.

“Even the United States is being surprised. They trained people still one of their people got sick,” Gordon pointed out. “In terms of training people to handle it you have to do that. The government, the Red Cross and other groups must have that.”

To prepare for the possibility of Ebola infection in the country, Gordon said he was recently in Geneva to learn about the disease and how to prevent any outbreak.

“I requested that we be trained here,” the former senator revealed. “Canada is coming here, IFRC is here, we are going to conduct training for that.” (Manila Bulletin via ph.news.yahoo.com)

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/corregidor-grande-island-ebola-quarantine-areas-195428926.html

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SBMA net operating income up by 66%

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is confident of breaking its record operating profit established last year, as the agency’s net operating income increased by 66 percent as of last August.

SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia announced this during the flag ceremony early this week, adding that the agency’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) or net operating income this year would likely surpass last year’s level.

“The performance of the agency continues to be very strong. As of August, our revenues are up by 22 per cent from the same period last year and expenses are down by 16 per cent,” Garcia announced.

“The good news is that our operating revenue, which is really the measure of the efficiency and effectiveness of the strategic initiative that we have launched, has gone up, raising our net operating income by 66 percent,” he added.

Garcia explained that the 66 per cent increase in net operating income was derived from the P385 million increase this year on top of last year’s P580 million.

He further said that as of August last year, operating revenue was at P1.3 billion, and less operating expenses worth P720 million resulted in a P580-million net operating income.

“Meanwhile, this year’s operating revenue increased by 21 per cent to P1.57 billion, and minus the operating expenses worth P607 million, or a 16 per cent decrease, would result to a P965-million net operating income, or 66 percent more spending power and fiscal flexibility in our financial management efforts,” Garcia said.

In 2013, the SBMA shattered its all-time record after posting P1.2 billion in net profit, along with the highest gross revenue of P2.1 billion and the highest EBITDA of P992 million in the 21-year history of the Subic agency.

Garcia said the SBMA is now further improving its financial condition to develop facilities here and attract more investments in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, as well as improving employment security of the agency’s workers. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

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Philippine police accuse US Marine in murder case

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police filed a murder complaint Wednesday against a U.S. Marine accused of killing a transgender Filipino, in an emotional case expected to test the country's military ties with the United States.

Police Chief Inspector Gil Domingo said Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton was the last person seen with the victim late Saturday, when they checked into a motel after meeting in a bar in Olongapo city northwest of Manila.

Jennifer Laude, whose former name was Jeffrey, was found with her head resting on the motel room's toilet bowl, apparently after being drowned, Domingo said. The criminal complaint was filed with prosecutors, who will decide formal charges. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. Embassy.

A number of witnesses told investigators they saw Laude, 26, and Pemberton at the bar and at the motel, where the Marine was seen leaving shortly before the victim was found dead, Domingo said.

Police suspect Pemberton may have been angered when he discovered in the motel room that Laude was a transgender individual or because of an argument sparked by other reasons. Laude had not undergone gender reassignment surgery, Domingo said.

Pemberton took part in combat exercises involving thousands of American and Filipino troops. He is being held on the USS Peleliu in the Subic Bay free port, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Manila, according to U.S. military officials.

U.S. Pacific commander Adm. Samuel Locklear, who was in Manila early this week for annual security talks with Philippine defense officials, initially ordered the Peleliu and other Navy ships to stay in the Philippines pending an investigation into the killing.

All the ships except the Peleliu were later cleared to leave the country as the investigation progressed, according to Philippine officials.

"We will continue to cooperate fully with the Philippine law enforcement authorities in every aspect of the investigation," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in Washington.

Dozens of activists burned a mock U.S. flag in a protest at the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday and tearfully demanded that Washington hand over Pemberton to Philippine authorities. They called for abolishment of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows U.S. forces to join large-scale combat exercises with Filipino troops and permits the U.S. to take custody of its soldiers who run afoul of Philippine laws.

The murder case emerged as security ties were blossoming between the United States and the Philippines. The longtime military allies signed a new accord in April that allows greater U.S. military access to Philippine military camps, and both countries have been vocal critics of China's expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea.

"This is another test case of how strong and important this alliance is," political analyst Renato de Castro said.

The U.S. and the Philippines disagreed over the custody of another Marine in an earlier criminal case.

The Marine was sentenced to life in prison on charges of raping a Filipino woman in 2005, but a Philippine appeals court overturned the conviction in 2009, allowing him to leave the country amid anti-U.S. protests. (Jim Gomez, Associated Press)
___
Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippine-police-accuse-us-marine-murder-case-131819572.html

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Let justice be done, says Aquino

COMMUNICATIONS Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. yesterday said President Aquino wants all government agencies concerned to make sure the killing of a transgender in Olongapo City is solved.

He assured the family of 26-year-old Jeffrey Laude there will be no whitewash.

Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, a member of the US Marine Corps, has been identified s the killer, and is being detained at the USS Peleliu which is docked at Subic Bay.

Coloma acknowledged the concerns of Laude’s family, including their call for speedy investigations.

“Lahat naman po ng pamilya ng mga nagiging biktima ng mga krimen ay naghahangad ng agarang solusyon. Iyon din po ang hangad ng ating pamahalaan. Kalakip na po iyon doon sa pagsasabi that the ends of justice will be served, at hindi po ba may kasabihang ‘justice delayed is justice denied.’ Kaya dapat lamang na maging agaran ang paghahanap ng solusyon at paggawad ng katarungan dito,” he said.

Quoting Eduardo Oban, executive director of the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement, said the Philippine and US governments have agreed on the importance of a thorough investigation “so that the ends of justice will be served.”

Admiral Samuel Locklear, chief of the US Pacific Command, expressed “regrets” over the killing.

Locklear relayed the message to AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang during the annual Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board meeting held in Camp Aguinaldo. Locklear and Catapang are the co-chairmen of the boards.

“He (Locklear) talked about it. In fact, personally he wants to say his regrets for what has happened, that unfortunate incident,” said Catapang.

“He said that he sympathizes with the family for what had happened, and he wants a full investigation to be conducted by the NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigation Service) together with the PNP,” said Catapang, quoting Locklear.

The defense department said the killing is an isolated and tragic incident and that should not undermine future military exercise with US troops and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement which was signed last April.

“This is an isolated incident, albeit a tragic one. We call on all concerned not to lose sight of the bigger picture and to look at these—PH-US exercises, EDCA and homicide–as different issues,” said DND spokesman Peter Paul Galvez.

Militant congressmen continued to pounce on the EDCA and the VFA, saying the case only proves that concerns over the one-sidedness of the agreements “are not imagined.”

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said the Aquino government should have immediately asserted authority over the custody of US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton. (Jocelyn Montemayor, Malaya)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/let-justice-be-done-says-aquino

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SBMA mulls new traffic rules amid growing truck flow

In preparation for the expected increase in traffic flow here starting the last quarter of the year, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be implementing new traffic policies in the free port.

In the recent “Traffic Safety Forum” organized by the newly-formed SBMA Traffic Safety Board (STSB), SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said Subic will experience an increase in traffic volume with the arrival of cargo ships that will unload container vans.

The forum was attended by operators and drivers of cargo-hauling companies, truckers’ groups, concerned units from the Bureau of Customs, and the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITCI), which operates Subic’s New Container Terminal 1 and 2.

NCT 2 has recently been designated Berth No. 8 of Port of Manila to help ease port congestion in the metropolis.

Garcia stressed in the forum that the Subic agency, along with stakeholders in the free port, should find ways to prevent traffic build-up along the main route of the trucks to prevent congestion, like what is happening in the Port of Batangas, also an extension port of Manila.

“I don’t want the same thing to happen to Subic, so we need to be very efficient with the inflow and outflow of containers,” Garcia said.

Garcia also stressed that Subic has to be prepared for more cargo traffic because of reports that it was not only the Port of Manila that is congested, but also some major Asian ports like Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. “This is going to have a ripple effect,” he said.

Meanwhile, SBMA Traffic Safety Board chairman retired P/Gen. Orlando Maddela Jr. said that one of the major contributors to traffic congestion is road vehicular accidents.

Maddela said that based on SBMA statistics, road accidents in the Freeport usually occur along the Tipo Road and frequently involve cargo trucks with heavy loads. The accidents were usually attributed to human error and slippery road during the rainy season.

“The portion of Tipo Road after the tunnel, which is almost an all-down grade and all-curve road, is considered an accident-prone area,” Maddela said.

Rex Ramos, head of the Traffic Management Safety and Security of Manila North Tollways Corp., noted that driver’s error involving over-speeding and miscalculation are the common causes of accidents involving cargo trucks in the Tipo Road.

The other significant causes of accidents are overloading of cargos, truck mechanism or brake distribution failure, flaws in road design, unsafe road conditions, and drivers’ non-familiarity with the terrain.

To help prevent accidents, the STSB recommended that all truck drivers who are newly-assigned to Subic should undergo a two-hour familiarization seminar that would cover traffic rules and regulations and road familiarization tour before allowing them to drive cargo trucks inside the Freeport.

It was also recommended that cargo trucks entering the Freeport should have operational maxi-brakes, and drivers will only operate under the mandatory maximum speed of 40 KPH.

Truck owners and drivers welcomed the suggestions, saying the measures will save not only lives and properties, but also precious time to exit from piers and avoid congesting the port.

A representative from REMCO Trucking Corp. said that one of their company vehicles was recentlyinvolved in a vehicular accident along Tipo Road. “After the accident, we enjoined our drivers to attend seminars on road safety and traffic rules,” he said. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)


PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Law Enforcement Dept. chief Orlando Maddela Jr., who chairs the SBMA Traffic Safety Board, signs a road safety manifesto enjoining motorists to support road safety efforts in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (AED)

[2] The road safety manifesto signed by all truckers and Subic port operators attending the Summit.

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US Marine tagged in transgender slay named

OLONGAPO - Police have identified the US Marine being linked to the murder of a transgender woman in Olongapo City last Saturday.

Police identified the suspect as PFC Joseph Scott Pemberton.

A Navytimes.com report earlier said the US Marine is assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The infantry unit is currently in the Philippines for a joint training exercise.

The US Embassy in Manila earlier confirmed that a US Marine is a suspect in the murder of Jeffrey Laude alias Jennifer. It also expressed condolences to the family and friends of Laude.

"A U.S. Marine has been identified as a possible suspect in the ongoing investigation. The suspected Marine is assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He is being held onboard USS Peleliu while a joint Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Philippine National Police investigation is conducted," the embassy said.

"The United States will continue to fully cooperate with Philippine law enforcement authorities in every aspect of the investigation."

The body of Jeffrey Laude alias Jennifer was found by hotel staff late Saturday, less than an hour after the victim checked into a room with an unidentified blonde male suspect.

The "foreigner" with Laude had close-cropped hair, was of medium build, and "casually" walked out of the hotel later without settling his bill, prompting hotel staff to check the room, police investigator Mary Ann Sadaba told AFP.

Based on the initial investigation of the Olongapo police, Laude's neck was pressed down on the toilet seat, while her head was being shoved into the toilet bowl.

Two used condoms were also found in the garbage can inside the hotel room.

There were no signs of a struggle in the bedroom and Laude's belongings were complete.

Police are now looking at two motives behind the killing.

One -- The foreigner could have found out that Laude was a transgender. However, authorities doubt this theory because of the used condoms discovered in the room.

Another theory of investigators is Laude could have tried to steal from the foreigner.

The LGBT group Ladlad said there is no justification for the killing.

"Baka niloko daw ni Jennifer yung Amerikano. Sa akin naman walang deception na nangyari. She was living her life, and hindi ito lisensya para pumatay ng tao," Santy Layno, Ladlad Board of Trustees member, said.

The Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement, meanwhile, assured the Laude family of justice.

"Sa pamilya po ni Jennifer Laude, we're expressing our deepest sympathy. At nandun na din po ang assurance ng ating pamahalaan ganun din po ang pamahalaan ng Amerika that we will work closely together to ensure that justice is served," said Gen. Eduardo Oban, executive director of the PCVFA. (ABS-CBNnews, with a report by Agence France-Presse)

PHOTO:
CCTV footage capture shows the victim, Jeffrey Laude, and the suspect now identified as "PFC Jeffrey Scott Pemberton" in a bar before the crime allegedly happened in Celzone Lodge, Olongapo City.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/10/14/14/us-marine-tagged-transgender-slay-named

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Shipping firms opening routes from Subic to key regional ports

More shipping firms are considering opening routes from Subic to Singapore and Shanghai, as more enterprises start using this port in Central Luzon to avoid the container congestion in Manila, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority said.

In a statement, SBMA Chair Roberto Garcia said NYK was “seriously thinking of establishing a Subic-Singapore route.”

Garcia said there were also reports about the planned opening of a Shanghai-Subic route “which will open China to shippers directly, instead of passing through Kaohsiung, Taiwan.”

“Subic is really lucky because we are the only port on the Western seaboard of the Philippines that has the necessary capacity at this point in time. Manila is congested. Batangas is congested. I hope we get congested soon, but that will be a happy problem,” Garcia explained.

For this year alone, Subic’s container port intake is expected to surge by 84 percent to 70,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from only 38,000 TEUs in 2013, according to the SBMA.

While the increase in volume would mean a significant increase in Subic port revenue, Garcia said there was a need for the Subic port not to get congested just like what happened to Batangas port after just one month of serving as an extension port of Manila.

“We’ve been informed that within the next two weeks or so, there will be ships that will be coming to unload and use Subic as an extension port,” Garcia said. “With the expected arrival of these ships, it is very important that the Port of Subic does not get congested or it will defeat the purpose of promoting Subic as an alternative port to Manila.”

Garcia added that Subic will have to be prepared for more cargo traffic because of reports that it was not only the Port of Manila that is congested, but also some major Asian ports like Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

“This is going to have a ripple effect,” he added. (Amy R. Remo, Philippine Daily Inquirer)


http://business.inquirer.net/180276/shipping-firms-opening-routes-from-subic-to-key-regional-ports

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