Subic Freeport now San Miguel Brewery’s alternative gateway

San Miguel Brewery, Inc. (SMB), a subsidiary of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., recently shifted a substantial volume of shipments from the port of Manila to Subic, a move that has meant less shipping fees and greater availability of stocks.

Due to the adverse effects of port congestion triggered by the Manila truck ban, Subic port provided a “new gateway” for SMB shipments, according to the company’s procurement manager, Gary Algodon, during a presentation at the Northern Luzon Shipping Summit in Fontana Clark on September 29.

Starting in June, Algodon said “Subic Port provided a new gateway for our shipments to the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, which accounts for 70% of container volumes (of SMB) in Luzon.” The shift was designed to “rectify delays” due to the Manila port congestion; as a result the company experienced availability of stocks for the next three months, he said.

The brewery in Pampanga is also nearer Subic port at 66.2 kilometers away compared with Manila International Container Port’s distance of 76.3 kms.

Further explaining the shift, Algodon said vessels calling Subic port are “basically on time, thus providing us the necessary stocks security.”

He added, “Through Subic Port, SMB was able to increase the inventory level of our raw materials to manage the uncertainties of the Manila port.”

Servicing of trucks is also faster through the Northern Luzon facility, he said.

It was only relatively recently that SMB shipped out of Subic port because “Manila port then was viable in terms of total landed cost”, Algodon said.

Since the implementation of the Manila truck ban in February and before the shipping shift to Subic, SMB encountered a lot of fees they were “not used to paying”, including demurrage and storage, which had reached P600,000, Algodon said.

It must be noted though that Manila mayor Joseph Estrada has lifted indefinitely the truck ban on Sept 13 although its effects, according to transport stakeholders, are expected to linger until early next year.

Since June, SMB has transported 447 containers out of Subic port. The company likewise plans to ship from Southeast Asia and Europe through the Northern Luzon gateway.

Algodon said Subic port has also become SMB’s “alternative port” for shipments bound to its Polo, Valenzuela brewery. Subic port and its Valenzuela brewery are 124 kms apart or a two- to three-hour trip.

Algodon said that with the lifting of the Manila truck ban and government’s efforts to decongest Manila ports, Algodon said they hope this would lessen costs incurred by its Valenzuela brewery.

“I think Subic port is becoming a new gateway,” Algodon noted, adding that SMB shipping through Subic means “there is no more danger in the stock out of beer.” (Roumina Pablo, PortCalls)

http://www.portcalls.com/subic-port-now-san-miguel-brewerys-alternative-gateway/

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SBMA cites Ayta role in Freeport development

Recognizing the contribution of the native Ayta community in the development and growth of this premier free port, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) conducted this month a series of activities to promote the welfare of the indigenous people here.

The activities were part of the celebration of the National Indigenous Peoples Month, which is being celebrated in the Philippines every October.

“This has also been a part of the SBMA tradition—the celebration of our connection in the web of life with our Ayta brethren,” said SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia.

“We know how the Aytas have been a big part of the economic success of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, so we’re trying our best to give them due respect and recognition,” he added.

SBMA’s program for the National Indigenous Peoples Month kicked off on October 13 when members of the Ayta community at the Freeport’s Pastolan village led the Monday flag-raising ceremony in front of the SBMA head office.

This was followed by a radio interview with Pastolan tribal chieftain Conrado Frenilla and the famous Ayta elder Kap Bonifacio Florentino who expounded on how the Subic tribesmen latched onto modernity ushered in by the SBMA while holding on to traditional Ayta values.

The interview was aired over the SBMA’s 89.5 Bay FM station.

The IP Month also saw the launching of livelihood projects designed to benefit the Ayta womenfolk in Pastolan and the Sitio Kanawan in Morong, Bataan. These consisted of training and funding for the production of beaded purses and bags that the womenfolk could sell to increase their income.

Meanwhile, the October celebration also became more meaningful with the conduct of a seminar on
climate change, a subject close to the hearts of Ayta tribesmen who have long served as guardians of the rainforest in this part of the country.

The seminar was conducted by the National Commission on Climate Change for the Magbikin and Amianan Aytas who roam the mountains of Olongapo City and neighboring parts of Subic Bay Freeport.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 3 likewise held a seminar on drug-abuse prevention at Sitio Pastolan in Hermosa, Bataan, to help prevent substance abuse among the Aytas.
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The SBMA has been helping the Aytas in terms of employment, cultural assistance, scholarship for Ayta children, health and medical assistance, as well as in providing clean, potable water for their communities.

In October last year, the SBMA signed the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of a joint management agreement (JMA) for the use of portions of the Ayta ancestral domain in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Chairman Garcia said this was the first agreement to provide the Subic Aytas with a comprehensive package of economic, social and cultural benefits since their tribal land had been occupied first by the United States as a military reservation for almost a century, and later when the Subic Bay Freeport was established in 1991.

The agreement provided for priority employment for qualified Ayta workers; annual livelihood assistance for 25 years; annual financial assistance for tribal fiesta and Christmas celebrations; scholarship and medical benefits; and the establishment of a fund for a five-percent share collected from direct business leases of land within the Ayta ancestral domain.

Early this year, the SBMA turned over P14.8 million to the Pastolan Aytas for land rental, the first time in the country’s history that an indigenous people’s group received a share of payment for the use by investors of their ancestral land SBMA, and another P1.8 million for this month. (HHE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO: The Aytas of Subic Bay

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More shipping lines eyeing Subic Freeport

The shipping community in the Southeast Asian region is starting to notice the potentials of the Port of Subic as an ideal port to move and transship both containerized and bulk cargo shipments.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said the container ship MV Sicilia made its maiden voyage on the Xiamen-Subic route recently and unloaded its cargoes at the New Container Terminal (NCT) 2.

“We’ve been informed that within the next two weeks or so, there will be more ships that will be coming to unload at Subic,” Garcia said.

“The arrival of Sicilia on her maiden voyage to Subic Bay may be a precursor of more good times to come,” he added.

The commercial vessel MV Sicilia, a 927-ton Liberian flag container ship with 21 crewmen and officers led by skipper Capt. Penev Deyan Penko, sailed to Manila and then Subic Bay from Xiamen, China. The vessel is owned by China-based SITC Container Lines Philippines, Inc.

Sicilia unloaded products from Guangxi, Sichuan and Shanghai, all in China, for Orica Philippines in Limay, Bataan; Nestle Philippines Inc. in Cabuyao, Laguna; and Manila World Transport, Inc. in Metro Manila, respectively, bringing in 22 containers.

SBMA Seaport Dept. general manager Jerome Martinez said that aside from MV Sicilia, three more foreign container ships will be arriving in Subic direct from their origin.

“They are not diverted vessels from the Port of manila as a result of port congestion. They really are to come to Subic as part of their itinerary,” Martinez pointed out.

Another shipping company, the NYK Line, is seriously thinking of establishing a Subic-Singapore route as Singapore will be opening Europe, Africa, and Middle East to exporters and importers.

Earlier, Garcia reported that there is a proposal for a Shanghai-Subic route that will open ports in China on a more direct basis, instead of passing through Kaohsiung.

For these developments, Garcia hopes the cargo volume Subic’s container port will grow from 38,000 TEUs last year to more than 70,000 TEUs this year.

In preparation for the expected increase of traffic flow in the Freeport, the SBMA recently hosted a “Traffic Safety Forum”, which aimed to find ways to prevent traffic build-up along the main route taken by cargo trucks at the Freeport.

“Let us all cross our fingers that things turn out for the best for Subic,” Garcia said, stressing that Subic is the only port on the Western seaboard of the Philippines that now has the capacity to accept a great volume of containers.

He added that if Subic gets congested because of heavy container traffic, it will be a “happy problem” for the SBMA. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)


PHOTO:
The MV Sicilia, a Liberian-registered cargo ship plying the China–Manila route, docked on its maiden voyage last Friday at the New Container Terminal in Subic Bay Freeport to unload cargo from Xiamen. Subic, which was recently designated as an extension port of Manila, now draws a higher volume of containerized traffic for Central and Northern Luzon areas. Together with American President Lines and Wan Hai, SITC which handles the Xiamen-Subic route is the third major shipping line to regularly call on Subic on a weekly basis. (AED)

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Skipper of US destroyer relieved after mishap off Subic

MANILA, Philippines - A senior United States Navy officer has been relieved from his post a week after his warship rammed into two small fishing boats while sailing out of Subic Bay.

An online report by Norfolk, Virginia-based News Channel 3 said yesterday Commander John Bradford, skipper of the USS Stethem, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, was relieved by his superior “due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.”

Capt. Chris Sweeny replaced Bradford until a permanent officer is named to command the ship, the report said.

Under Bradford’s command, the Stethem was sailing out of Subic after being towed and pushed by two tugboats of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) when it rammed two fishing boats in its path last Oct. 13.

The mishap resulted in the sinking of the boats whose crewmembers – Orlito Cocjin, 44, Julie Mendez, 43 and Pampilo Bacsal, 33, all of Barangay Baretto, Olongapo City – survived by jumping into the sea. US sailors rescued them.

The Stethem was among the vessels docked in Subic during the recent Philippines-US Amphibious Landing Exercises 2015 in Palawan and Zambales.

Over 4,000 US Marines and sailors, including Pfc. Thomas Scott Pemberton, accused in the killing of transgender Filipino Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, participated in the joint maritime drill.

Pemberton is currently detained at Camp Aguinaldo.

SMBA authorities said the fishermen did not file a case against Stethem officials and crew after US authorities promised to shoulder the costs and expenses incurred in the accident.

The report said after being assisted by two SBMA tugboats, the Stethem left. The ship is based in Japan and is under the operational control of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet. (Jaime Laude, Philippine Star)

PHOTO:
USS Fitzgerald, a guided-missile destroyer, docks in Subic’s Alava Pier yesterday for the Phl-US CARAT exercise. (Ernie Penaredondo)

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/10/26/1384526/skipper-us-destroyer-relieved-after-mishap-subic

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Benedicto, Stroh in fiery finish in Tri-United

UNILAB Active Health triathletes August Benedicto and Anna Stroh showed class as they ruled the challenging Tri United 3 yesterday that started at the Dungaree Beach at Subic Bay Freeport and ended at the Sandbox, Alviera, Porac, Pampanga.

No less than United Laboratories Inc. President and CEO Clinton Campos Hess witness the race with Jan Evangelista, ULAH’s VP, who fired the starting gun kicking off hostilities among roughly 700 triathletes.

The 30-year-old Benedicto negotiated the lung-busting 1.9-k swim, 90-k bike and 21-k run event organized by Bike King and supported by ULAH, ENERVON ACTIV, Active Health Sport Gel, Enervon HP and Pocari Sweat in four hours, 47 minutes and 02 seconds to claim his first Tri United title this year.

Coming out at 10th place after the first transition, Benedicto slowly built up his momentum in the bike course using the SCTEX to catch up with early pace setter and veteran John Abdul before unloading his might in the run leg for the solid finish.

“The bike course was very challenging because of the uphill and the strong head wind,” said Benedicto.

“But I really prepared hard for this event for the past two months and my hard work was greatly rewarded,” added Benedicto, who had a pair of third place finishes in the first two Tri United races.

Stroh, meanwhile, withstood the challenge posted by Kristina Beckendorf in the elite female category in this race that also drew the backings of Alaxan FR, Hydrite, Aboitiz, AboitizPower, OtterBox, Shimano, Maxxis, Crystal Clear, Orbea, Saucoy and TIMEX.

The two lady triathletes went toe-to-toe in the first two events but Stroh, the Tri Unted 2 winner, came out first in second transition to eventually pull away.

Stroh clocked at 5:20:59 and was almost ten minutes ahead of Beckendorf with 5:30:55 in this event also backed by Men’s Health Magazine, Women’s Health magazine, The Philippine Star and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Department.

“Kristina passed me in the last kilometer in the bike but I was faster in T2 and came out first and she never came close to me,” said Stroh.

“It was a great race but challenging because it was windy in the bike and hot in the run. But I really enjoyed the race,” added the 35-year-old champion.

Other male winners in this race that also had Sandbox at Alviera, BCDO, SCTEX, SFEX and MNTC as venue partners were Timbol Deo (18-24), Robinson Esteves (25-29), Ralph Jerome Salvador (30-34), Jeff Valdez (35-39), Rayzon Galdonez (40-44), Jojo Macalintal (45-49), Joevic Pajarillo (50-54), Thomas Kuhne (55-above) while Ceri Ruzzi (30-34), Amanda Carpo-Bond (35-39), Bernadette Tan (40-44) and Sandra Reid (45-above) completed the champions in the women’s side.

Last Minute Tri Team A made up of Rafael Dominic Echiverri, Aaron Paul Quintia and Jeffrey Sotto won first place in the Team Relay division. Complete results are available at bikekingphilippines.com. (People's Tonight)

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/sports/other-sports/benedicto-stroh-in-fiery-finish

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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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US bars ships from leaving PHL after slay of transgender woman

US Pacific Commander Samuel Locklear has barred American military vessels from leaving the Philippines until the investigation on the alleged killing of a Filipino transgender woman by a US Marine is over, a senior Philippine official said Monday.

Transgender woman Jeffrey Laude was found dead in an Olongapo City inn over the weekend. She was reported to have been seen with a foreigner before her death.

“I’d like to tell you that the Pacific Commander ordered that no US ships will leave the Philippines until we are done with the investigation,” Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) Executive Director Eduardo Oban told reporters at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The US Embassy in a statement said a US Marine had been identified "as a possible suspect in the ongoing investigation."

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

According to a report on Marine Corps Times, citing an internal Navy memo, a US Marine has been placed in custody on board the Peleliu in connection with the incident.

Filipino and US officials in the Philippines, however, have yet to confirm this.

Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, the regional director of the PNP in Central Luzon, said some of the members of the US Marines have been presented to witnesses in a police line-up.

"Police line-up pa lang. Pina-identify sa witness and all of them belong to the US Marines," Petrasanta said.

Jurisdiction

But Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario explained that under the VFA, the Philippines could take custody over a US serviceman if he is accused of committing a heinous crime in the country.

“The VFA is very clear that we have jurisdiction. In the normal course of events, the US would have custody, but they would have to produce the suspect for court cases. But in the case of heinous crimes, we could ask them to waive custody and so I suppose it could go in that direction,” he said in an interview.

In an event an American servicemen is involved in a crime in the country, the Philippines has the jurisdication over the case, according to the the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

However, the VFA also said that the custody of the suspect goes to the United States of America. But, the US authorities are mandated to present the suspect in all judicial proceedings.

"As embodied in the VFA--it's under article 5, paragraph 6--the custody of a US serviceman involved in a particular case resides in the US military authorities," Oban said.

The VFA governs the treatment of US servicemen in military units and defense personnel who are in the Philippine territory for short periods for joint military exercises approved by both the Philippine and US governments.

American soldiers regularly train with their Filipino counterparts as allowed by the VFA, which entered into force on May 27, 1999, eight years after the closure of US military bases in the Philippines in 1991. It was negotiated and signed during the time of President Fidel V. Ramos and ratified during President Joseph Estrada’s time.

Oban said the suspect was part of the more than 3,500 American troops who took part in joint military exercises in Zambales last month.

PHL-US relations

The incident came out in the media months after the Philippines and the US signed a new military pact that will expand the presence and role of American soldiers in the country.

The suspected American marine, who was not identified by US and Philippine officials, is the second US soldier to be involved in a criminal act in the country since 2005.

Nine years ago, Lance Corporal Daniel Smith was charged and later on convicted for the rape of a Filipino woman. The case, which sparked a diplomatic row between Manila and Washington, was dismissed after the victim reversed her testimony.

Laude, 26, was found dead inside the Celzone Lodge in Olongapo City. Initial reports said she was last seen with a foreigner.

The DFA said it is closely coordinating with the US government and concerned agencies on the issue.

“We have received an initial report on the incident and we note that investigations are ongoing and we are awaiting the results of the investigation,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose told a press briefing. “We are committed to do our part to ensure that justice is served.”

Del Rosario, for his part, described the incident as “tragic.”

“But we will work together in terms of being able to deliver what’s just,” he said. (KBK/NB, GMA News)

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/383336/news/nation/us-bars-ships-from-leaving-phl-after-slay-of-transgender-woman

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Female bottlenose dolphin at Subic marine park pregnant with second calf

Remember the dolphin at the Ocean Adventure marine theme park here that lost her baby last year? Well, she has another one coming up.

“Vi,” a 12-year-old bottlenose dolphin, was found to be four months’ pregnant last week, a development that park officials said was the direct result of the best possible care and an environment where the animals can socialize normally.

Gail Laule, executive vice president of Ocean Adventure, said in a statement last Friday that Vi is likely to give birth by June next year, hopefully adding yet another calf to the growing cetacean family at the ocean park.

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates), along with whales and porpoises, belong to the cetacean family and are known to reach sexual maturity from 5 to 14 years old, with females calving every three to six years on the average.

Laule said Vi’s pregnancy is “a very positive development to the public, as it tells us that we are doing the right thing in taking care of our animals.”

Just last month, Laule also announced the birth of another dolphin calf at Ocean Adventure. The calf, a female, was born to “Hali,” an 11-year-old first-time dolphin mother.

Hali’s baby was formally named “Lana” the other week.

Laule said that park officials felt early on that Lana’s arrival foretold of many more births among the dolphins in the facility. “This pregnancy all but proves that to be true,” she added.

Vi first gave birth to a calf in July last year, the first recorded birth by a bottlenose dolphin in captivity in the Philippines. Two weeks later, however, the baby succumbed to some infection associated with an undersized lung, and died.

With Vi expecting for a second time, park officials pointed at it as “a sign of how comfortable [the animals] are in their environment.”

“It’s a very good, positive sign that we have a growing population here at Ocean Adventure,” said Nuno Ramao, the park’s animal training director.

Ocean Adventure CEO Timothy Desmond, meanwhile, said that the successful births within the facility “is a realization of a reproductive program that is integral to any professional zoological facility.” (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/female-bottlenose-dolphin-at-subic-marine-park-pregnant-with-second-calf/

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Marine detained in Filipino's killing: Navy memo

A U.S. Marine is in custody Sunday following the apparent killing of a transgender individual in the Philippines.

The Marine, whose identity has not been released, is being held on board the amphibious assault ship Peleliu while agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service piece together what happened Saturday night at the Celzone Lodge in Olongapo City, according to an internal Navy memo obtained by Marine Corps Times. Local Philippine police also are investigating the matter.

The Marine is assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The infantry unit is deployed to the Philippines as part of a joint training exercise. Three other Marines from the same unit, described as potential witnesses, also have been detained aboard the ship, according to the memo, which was distributed to dozens of senior Navy officials, as well as NCIS and State Department personnel.

Reached Sunday night, Marine Corps officials at the Pentagon declined to comment and directed Marine Corps Times to the U.S. embassy in Manila. Attempts to reach the embassy were not immediately successful. A spokesman for Marine Corps Forces Pacific in Hawaii also declined to comment.

Local media in the Philippines broke the story Sunday afternoon. U.S. officials there were bracing for protests as the news spread, the Navy memo indicates.

The victim was identified as 26-year-old Jeffrey Laude, police told Inquirer.net. Laude’s body was found just before midnight Saturday and apparently showed signs of strangulation.

Laude’s friend, who accompanied Laude and “a foreigner” to the hotel, reportedly told police they’d been at a local disco bar. Soon after they arrived at the hotel, Laude became uneasy and asked the friend to leave before “the foreigner could discover that they were transgenders,” Inquirer.net reported.

Thousands of U.S. troops are in the Philippines for PHIBLEX 15, a multinational exercise. The Peleliu is on a port call in Subic Bay that is scheduled through Tuesday, the Navy memo indicates. (Andrew deGrandpre with David Larter and Gina Harkins, Marine Times)

PHOTO:
The amphibious assault ship Peleliu is seen in Subic Bay, Philippines, for Amphibious Landing Exercise 2015, on Sept. 30. A Marine is being held aboard the Peleliu as NCIS agents and local authorities investigate the killing of a Filipino on Saturday night. (MC2(SW/AW) Amanda Gray / Navy)

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20141012/NEWS06/310120031/Marine-detained-Filipino-s-killing-Navy-memo

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SBMA locators required to sign Integrity Pledge

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is set to require locators, suppliers and contractors of the Subic Bay Freeport to sign the Integrity Pledge in line with its commitment to promote ethical business practices.

According to SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia, the agency would encourage local government units it has transactions with to be part of the initiative.

The move is being taken to make other stakeholders in the freeport involved in the agency’s commitment to eliminate graft and corruption.

In July, the SBMA signed the Integrity Initiative which is a private sector led effort aimed at helping the country escape from the vicious cycle of corruption through strengthening ethical standards in the society.

The initiative is a formal and concrete expression of commitment to abide by ethical business practices and to support a national campaign against corruption.

Upon signing of the pledge, the SBMA has implemented various measures to ensure transparency and implemented strict guidelines on receiving and giving of gifts, contributions, sponsorships and other tokens from or to all sectors.

“As a matter of fact, the SBMA is already implementing appropriate internal systems and controls to prevent, detect, and respond to any unethical conduct by our personnel, ensure good governance, and institutionalize the values of integrity and accountability in our business transactions,” he said.

To facilitate the implementation of measures aimed at promoting ethical business practices within the freeport, Garcia said the agency will also be forming a monitoring team.

He noted that the SBMA has long been involved in promoting ethical business practices through the eradication of one major source of corruption which is red tape.

The agency has been working to simplify processes and expedite transactions in accordance with Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007. (Louella D. Desiderio, Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/business/2014/10/13/1379429/sbma-locators-required-sign-integrity-pledge

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TriUnited slated on Oct. 26 in Subic

TRIATHLETES from around the nation will have the opportunity to test their endurance when Unilab Active Health’s Tri United 3 unfolds on Oct. 26.

For the first time since its inception in 2011, the event organized by Bike King, headed by Raul Cuevas and presented by ULAH, will feature a point-to-point race course that will cover a lung-busting distance at 112.9 kilometers, stretching from the Subic Bay Freeport up to Alviera, Porac, Pampanga.

Tri United 3 will be the first triathlon event in the country to use the SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) for its bike leg.

Race starts with a 1.9-k swim at the Dungaree Beach at Subic Bay Freeport before participants take on their bike for a 90-k race from Dungaree to the Sandbox, Alviera in Porac, Pampanga using the SCTEX. Winding up the grueling race is a half marathon race (21-k) around Porac.

Entry list is now at around 650 triathletes and they will vie for honors in the male and female Elite, Age Groups and Team competition in the event supported by ULAH, Enervon Activ, Active Health Sports Gel, Enervon HP, Alaxan FR, Hydrite, Aboitiz, AboitizPower, OtterBox, Shimano, Maxxis, Crystal Clear, Orbea, Saucony, Pocari Sweat, 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.

A cut-off time will be implemented in the swim, bike and run legs to ensure the safety of the participants. For the bike leg, most routes inside the Subic Bay Freeport will be closed to traffic while the entire Tarlac-bound lane of the SCTEX from Tipo to Porac exit will be closed off to motorists until the cut-off period.

Cash prizes of P10,000, P6,000 and P4,000 will be handed out to the top three finishers in the Elite class aside from medals and gift packs. (Manila Standard Today)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/13/triunited-slated-on-oct-26/

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Manila truckers pledged to ensure road safety in Subic

Operators and drivers of cargo-hauling companies and truckers’ groups vowed to follow traffic rules strictly enforced here to ensure road safety and efficient flow of container vans at the newly-designated Manila extension port in this Freeport.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently held a “Traffic Summit” with firms engaged in shipping and other port-related businesses to discuss measures on ensuring efficient traffic flow of container trucks in the Freeport and avoiding congestion.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said with the expected arrival of ships that will unload container vans, 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.

During the summit, participating truckers signed a road safety manifesto pledging support and cooperation with the SBMA to ensure road safety in the Freeport zone. The manifesto was also signed by concerned units from the Bureau of Customs and the Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC) which operates New Container Terminals 1 & 2.

“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.

Garcia added that because of this development, Subic’s container port intake is expected to grow from 38,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last year to 70,000 TEUs this year.

While the increase in volume would mean a significant increase in Subic port revenues, Garcia emphasized the importance of the Subic Port not to get congested just like what happened to Batangas after just one month of serving as an extension port to Manila.

He said that the Batangas problem had led Toyota (Philippines) to unload its shipment in Subic because its ship could not berth in Batangas. However, the firm had to drive its cargo containers all the way to Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

“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,” Garcia said.

The SBMA official also revealed that another shipping company, the NYK, is seriously thinking of establishing a Subic-Singapore route. He also added that there were reports about a planned Shanghai-Subic route, which will open China on a more direct basis, instead of passing through Khaoshiung, Taiwan.

“Subic is really lucky because we are the only port on the Western seaboard of the Philippines that has the 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 said.

“Things are looking good for Subic as far as that’s concerned,” he added. (RBB)

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Subic Freeport locator launches state-of-the-art grain dryer

GrainPro Inc., an American company that manufactures grain storage and drying systems here, recently launched its patented Solar Bubble Dryer (SBD) that provides a solution to challenges faced by farmers throughout the world.

The SBD is a collapsible drying facility for such commodities as coffee, cocoa, rice, wheat, corn, millet, and beans; and can hold up to one metric ton in one drying cycle while protecting commodities from rain and ultraviolet (UV) rays.

According to Dr. Pat Borlagdan, the firm’s manager for research and development, the drying facility is made from durable materials. Its transparent polyethylene cover is UV-resistant and water repellent, while its drying floor is made of sturdy plastic materials to ensure that water does not penetrate from below in case of heavy rains.

Borlagdan stressed that the SBD is a technology developed with food security as its ultimate goal.

“As such, it will help address inadequate agri-based technologies in order to help farmers ensure higher crop yield, thereby ultimately translating to higher food production and enough food supply for the Filipinos,” Borlagdan said.

He also said that a recent study showed that around 12 per cent of prime agricultural commodities are lost during the post-harvest drying process due to unpredictable weather conditions and lack of drying facilities.

The SBD will help farming communities in their critical post-harvest process because it dries grains and seeds to the right moisture safely and efficiently under any weather condition, keeping it from infestation and fungus, he added.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said the drying facility is “proudly Subic-made,” pointing out that the firm’s products are principally manufactured at its wholly-owned subsidiary here, the GrainPro Philippines Inc.

Garcia added that the Subic-made drying system will be a big boost to local farmers and farm producers.

“Here in the surrounding communities, we often see farmers drying their grain products on the roadside and a lot of these go to waste. The Solar Bubble Dryer can boost the productivity of these farmers, as well as our national food stock,” Garcia said.

GrainPro’s development of the SBD was in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Germany’s Hohenheim University. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
GrainPro President and CEO Tom de Bruin (left) demonstrates the operation of the Solar Bubble Dryer (SBD) during the product launch at the company’s headquarters in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (AED)

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SBMA institutionalizes Integrity Program

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), in line with its corporate governance initiative and in support of President Aquino’s “Tuwid na Daan” program, is now moving to institutionalize the Integrity Pledge (IP) program, which requires ethical business practices.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the program will cover all officials and employees of the agency and will promote measures to eliminate graft and corruption in transactions within the free port.

Garcia also said that under the program, the SBMA will require Subic Bay Freeport stakeholders like business locators, as well as suppliers and contractors to sign the Integrity Pledge to remain in good standing with the SBMA.

The SBMA will also encourage local government units (LGUs) that transact business with the SBMA to sign the pledge. The SBMA provides revenue shares to eight LGUs that are contiguous to or affected by the operations of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Garcia, as head of the SBMA, signed in July last year the Integrity Pledge, which expressed the agency’s commitment to abide by ethical business practices and to support a national campaign against graft and corruption.

He said that upon signing of the Integrity Pledge, the SBMA implemented various measures to ensure transparency and implemented strict guidelines on receiving and giving of gifts, contributions, sponsorships and other tokens from or to all sectors.

“As a matter of fact, the SBMA is already implementing appropriate internal systems and controls to prevent, detect, and respond to any unethical conduct by our personnel, ensure good governance, and institutionalize the values of integrity and accountability in our business transactions,” Garcia also noted.

He added that the SBMA has long been eradicating one major source of corruption, the red tape, in its offices by continuous simplification of processes to expedite transactions in accordance with R.A. 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape act of 2007.

Proof of this effort, Garcia said, is the agency’s certification for ISO 9001:2008, which refers to quality management system that ensure that customers get consistent and good quality products and services.

In a recent briefing on “Improving the Business Climate Thru Integrity Initiative,” Jose Solomon Cortez of the Integrity Initiative Office explained that the program aims to prevent corruption in public contracting to the effect that neither the government agency nor the bidders will pay, offer, demand, or accept bribes, or collude with competitors to obtain contract.

Garcia said that all these measures are designed to impress upon everybody that the SBMA is seriously committed to help break the cycle of corruption.

He said that a monitoring team will be formed to facilitate the implementation and document the success of the agency's initiatives. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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