US Navy submarine USS Key West visits Subic Bay

SUBIC BAY, Philippines (NNS) -- The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) arrived in Subic Bay for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific, Nov. 4.

"I'm incredibly proud of the crew and what we've accomplished over the past couple of months," said Cmdr. John Thompson, Key West's commanding officer. "Their hard work to prepare for deployment was validated through a very successful execution. Now we have a new mission at hand - to represent the United States while enjoying the sights and experiences that the Philippines has to offer."

Master Chief Electronics Technician Eric Baker, chief of the boat aboard Key West, expressed similar sentiments.

"This has been a very busy year for Key West and these men have worked very hard," said Baker. "They are ready for this well-deserved port visit after a successful deployment and are eager to explore and take in the culture and sights of Subic Bay."

After more than a month at sea, the crew of Key West was very much looking forward to its first stop in Subic Bay.

Electronics Technician 3rd Class Zachary Cenit looked forward to reconnect with his family.

"I haven't seen my relatives in four years," said Cenit. "I can't wait to see them and eat and celebrate together."

Other Sailors, such as Electronics Technician 1st Class Joel Ignalla were just eager to return home.

"I was raised in San Pedro Laguna until I was 14," said Ignalla. "For me, the Philippines represent my childhood."

"I've heard a lot of great things about Subic Bay," said Sonar Technician 1st Class Robert Hatton. "I'm excited for the diving, especially the wrecks regarding our shared history between the United States and the Philippines."

A second-flight 688 submarine, Key West is outfitted with four MK 67 torpedo tubes and 12 Tomahawk cruise missile vertical launch tubes. The 360-foot, 6,900-ton vessel remains one of the stealthiest, most formidable submarines in the world. Key West is able to conduct anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (Lt. j.g. David Oh, USS Key West Public Affairs)

PHOTO
A tug boat helps position the US Navy submarine USS Key West while its crewmembers secure its moorings at the Alava Wharf after arrival in the Subic Bay Freeport for a routine port stop on Wednesday morning. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=91842

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UK-based company tapped for solar farm project in Subic Bay

A UNITED Kingdom-based solar energy company has been tapped as the engineering, procurement and management (EPM) provider for a 100-megawatt solar farm project in Subic Bay.

With the project, Proinso, a global leader in the photovoltaic industry, is looking to further increase its presence in the Asian market.

“The Subic Bay engagement is a complex project demanding a high level of capability support across many disciplines provided via our EPM program. Our EPM model is based on a collaborative approach working with local partners. This way, Proinso is able to deliver world class renewable assets and also invest in the development of a strong local industry,” Stuart Macfarlane, Proinso regional head for Asia Pacific, said in a statement yesterday.

Proinso is partnering with local firm Asiacrest Marketing Corp. for the Subic solar farm project, which is touted as the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Asiacrest Marketing President and CEO Lawrence Plata said the company will be Proinso’s exclusive distributor and country representative for the Philippine market.

“We are tapping experts from the UK, Spain and Australia to design and execute the project. These experts will also engage in a knowledge transfer program to develop the skills of our young and dynamic team of local engineers. We have more solar projects in the pipeline which we hope will help to speed up economic and social development,” Mr. Plata said in the same statement.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in Manila had worked closely with Proinso for its entry into the Philippine market.

UKTI International Trade Adviser David Taylor said the Subic Bay project is one of the biggest by a UK company in the Philippines this year.

“The UK is committed to action on climate change and Proinso is a great example of our business expertise in renewable energy and low carbon initiatives. A project of this scale will utilize the abundance of solar energy in the Philippines and help the country develop a cleaner energy mix,” British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad said.

Proinso has extensive experience in systems integration in grid-tied, off-grid, storage and diesel hybrid solutions across residential, commercial, industrial and utility applications.

The solar energy company said international markets account for 88% of its sales. It currently has offices in Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, USA, UK, Canada, China, Brazil, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Mexico and India. (CRAG, BusinessWorld)

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=uk-based-company-tapped-for-solar-farm-project-in-subic-bay-&id=117583

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Ship calls at Subic Port jump by 53% in September

Even more ships now call on the Port of Subic, as indicated by a 53 per cent buildup in its number of ship calls, as of end-September compared to the same month last year.

Living up to the promise of being an alternative port to Manila, the Subic Port saw a rise in the number of domestic and foreign vessels by 56 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively, for the month.

These vessels brought in a 10 per cent increase in gross registered tonnage (GRT), as domestic vessels mustered a substantial spread of 126 per cent in GRT and foreign ships, a modest gain of six (6) per cent.

“Our port likewise enjoyed a 55 per cent hike in revenues, from P63 million in September 2014 to P99 million last month,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia reported.

A major contributors to the Port’s revenue figures were port leases and rentals, which surged up by 126 per cent; and SBMA shares, which improved by 110 per cent, Garcia added.

Also contributing to this increase in revenues were cargo charges, which went up by 19 per cent; and processing fees and other charges, which expanded by 27 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively.

According to Garcia, the Subic Port also showed marked improvements in cargo volume at the end of September, as containerized cargo shipments swelled by 50 per cent in terms of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

“As of last month, we have already broken our 2014 yearend record of 77,000 TEUs,” Garcia disclosed, noting that total TEUs from January to September this year have already reached 93,757 TEUs.

Although transshipments went down from 65 TEUs in September 2014 to six (6) TEUs in September this year, this drop was compensated by a 51 per cent increment in import shipments and a 19 per cent upturn in export shipments, along with a 52 per cent and a 84 per cent growth in incoming empties and outgoing empties, respectively.

Similarly, non-containerized cargo volume registered a growth of 48 per cent in terms of metric tons (MTs) in September, as compared to the same month last year. These cargoes largely consisted of liquid bulk and petroleum shipments, which jumped by 99 per cent, followed by bulk and break bulk by 16 per cent, and heavy equipment, lo-lo, and ro-ro shipments by four (4) per cent.

Garcia attributes the port’s positive performance to several factors such as Subic’s one-stop shop, which is the only one of its kind in Luzon; SBMA’s port marketing programs, which includes two recent maritime summits; and the formation of a Maritime Technical Group.

“All these initiatives plus the fact that Subic Bay is the only port in the Philippines western seaboard that still has enough capacity to handle additional container volume have further sharpened our port’s competitive edge,” the top SBMA official explained. (KMF/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Containers unloaded at the New Container Terminal in Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Benedicto keeps title in Tri United 3

UNILAB Active Health’s (ULAH) August Benedicto displayed perseverance and determination to retain his Tri United 3 title Sunday at the ACEA Resort inside the Subic Bay Freeport.

The event organized by Bike King headed by Raul Cuevas was the toughest series this year since its main contest covers roughly 113-kilometers in distance (1.9-k swim, 90-k bike, 21-k run).

Despite the intense heat, Benedicto kept pace with teammate Benjamin Rana and early leader Ben Regan in the swim before slowly pulling away in the bike and run to clock the best time at 4 hours and 48 minutes in the Elite Male category.

“I was behind a few competitors coming from the swim but I managed to overtake them,” Benedicto said.

Rana eventually lost steam down the stretch and finished third (5:07:23) behind CamSur Tri Team bet Billy Biag (5:04:16).
Meanwhile Katelyn Kearney was the lone Elite Female participant and went on to claim the title with her overall time of 7:17:15.

The effort put in by the triathletes in the event supported by ULAH, Enervon Activ, Active Health Carb Gel, Enervon HP, NLEX-SCTEX Cycling, Orbea, Saucony, WeatherPhilippines, TIMEX, Gardenia, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, Court Meridian Hotel and Suites and Oxford Hotel and Casino were rewarded with R10,000, R6,000 and R4,000 cash prizes.
The next race in the series – Tri United 4 – will be held at the Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga on November 22. (Tempo)

PHOTO:
Tri United 3 has attracted some 80 triathletes seeing action in the Subic Bay race.

http://sports.tempo.com.ph/2015/10/27/benedicto-keeps-title/

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Subic a role-model for promotion of IP rights and welfare

The initiatives of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in uplifting the living conditions of the indigenous people (IP) living within the Subic Bay Freeport has become a model for other economic zones hosting similar tribal communities.

Recently, the Ateneo De Zamboanga University (ADZU) invited SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia to the forum “From Zamboanga to Subic, In Search for Partnership” that aimed to pick up insights from the SBMA’s experiences with the Pastolan Ayta tribe with whom the agency had signed a joint management agreement (JMA) for the use and development of tribal lands.

The forum, which also sought to deepen understanding of the Zamboangueños on the two-fold issue of land use and land ownership between the Subanon tribe and the Zamboanga Economic Zone was held at the Garden Orchid Hotel in Zamboanga City.

ADZU director Loreta Sta. Teresa said the SBMA inputs will “concretize the writings and the experiences summarized in the book report” developed after conducting a study trip in Subic and Clark free ports.

The forum, Sta. Teresa added, “will be a venue to materialize what ADZU envisioned for a new Mindanao where multi-cultural communities live in peace and harmony.”

In his presentation, Chairman Garcia explained that with the signing of the JMA between the SBMA and the Pastolan Aytas, the indigenous tribe started collecting five percent (5%) of the gross income paid by the investors for rent of the land, starting May 12, 2009, the date when the Ayta’s certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT) was registered.

Above this, the SBMA also has started to give each Ayta family P20,000 annually, an amount which is increased further on the 6th, 11th, 16th, and 25th year. The agency also donates P100,000 each year for the fiesta and Christmas celebrations at the Pastolan Ayta village.

Garcia also said that able-bodied Aeta workers are given priority in any job hiring for the construction of the US$450-million solar and wind project located at a 20-hectare area near Pastolan.

He added that the SBMA also turned over the management of the Pamulaklakin Tribal Park to the Aytas after completing the transition period for management training.

The Aytas also benefited from SBMA community development assistance programs, the construction of two schoolrooms for high school, and the establishment of a community clinic with detailed medical personnel from the SBMA Dispensary.

Garcia said the SBMA initiated the establishment of the JMA in recognition of the Ambala Ayta tribe of Subic Bay’s CADT, which proves the tribe’s ownership of the more than 4,280 hectares of land covering the Kalayaan and the Binictican housing areas, the Apaliin and the Pamulaklakin forest areas, and the El Kabayo tourism area, among others.

The JMA and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were signed by the SBMA management and the Ambala Ayta tribal council in 2013.

The JMA upholds the rights of the Aytas to uplift the economic, cultural and social conditions of their tribe based on the programs being implemented by the government, and provide for a systematic management and development of the ancestral land, as indicated in the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan, while ensuring the promotion of Ayta rights.

National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Chairperson Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid had commented that the JMA between the SBMA and the Ambala Ayta could “serve as template for all agreements entered by all indigenous people with regards to the use of their ancestral lands by any investors and business group.”

Pastolan chieftain Conrado Frenilla, meanwhile, said the JMA has become the culmination of the tribe’s long-fought struggle to gain recognition for their indigenous heritage. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (extreme right) explains the agency’s joint management agreement with the Ayta tribe in the Subic Bay Freeport during a forum at the Ateneo De Zamboanga University. Also in photo are (from left): Atty. Jonathan Adaci, head of the NCIP Ancestral Domains Office; Martin Guinilac, president of Labuan-Patalon-Limpapa-Subanen indigenous cultural community; Salvador Lazaro, head of the Project Office for Special Concerns; and Bonifacio Tolentino, Ayta elder at the Ambala Pastolan village in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (AMD/MPD-SBMA, ABL/PRD-SBMA)

[2] SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (second from left) and Subic Ayta leader Bonifacio Tolentino receive tokens of appreciation from Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME, (right) founder of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement, at the culmination of a forum on cultural communities at the Ateneo De Zamboanga University. (AMD/MPD-SBMA, ABL/PRD-SBMA)

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SCADC renews push for Clark, Subic expansion

The Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC) is pursuing plans to expand the areas of the neighboring Subic Bay and Clark free ports to attract more investors and help solve the problem of congestion in Metro Manila.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, who is also chairman of SCADC, said on Monday that council members have agreed to develop new industrial estates within the corridor between Subic and Clark.

“Accordingly, there are about 100,000 hectares of land suitable for development on both sides of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway [SCTEx],” Garcia said in a media briefing here.

“Initially, we’re looking for a 1,000-hectare pilot area. We’d allow Japanese or Korean investors to construct facilities there at their own expense to convince others that it’s beneficial to locate along the Subic-Clark corridor,” he added.

Garcia said that plans for the expansion of the Subic and Clark free ports have been in existence since the administration of former SBMA Chairman Felicito Payumo and former Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Rufo Colayco, but these did not push through.

The integrated development of Subic and Clark, as well as the vast corridor of flat lands between them, had been set as the objective of SCADC, which also seeks to harmonize programs and policies pertaining to Clark and Subic.

SCADC is composed of representatives from the BCDA, SBMA, Clark Development Corp., Department of Trade and Industry, Clark International Airport Corp. and, lately, North Luzon Railways Corp.

Subic, which has a total land area of 67,852 hectares, and Clark, which has 4,500 hectares, had since been developed into separate but complementary economic zones connected by the 94-kilometer SCTEx.

However, Subic, in particular, increasingly suffered from lack of space, as most of its mountainous territory is designated as a nature preserve and only less than 3,000 hectares have been put up for lease to business locators.

Garcia said that with the worsening traffic situation in Manila, as well as the diminishing space for industrial and commercial use in Subic, there is a need to find alternative investment sites to sustain economic growth.

“Foreign investors no longer find Manila attractive because of the traffic congestion,” Garcia pointed out. “But there’s no congestion, no truck ban and no flood in Clark and Subic.”

Garcia said it would be ideal for new investors to locate near Subic and Clark to make use of the distinct advantages the two free ports can offer.

“If investors need to deliver materials fast, there is Clark with its airport; and if they need to bring in heavy machinery, then there is the port of Subic,” he added. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/scadc-renews-push-for-clark-subic-expansion/

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Subic Freeport, overall winner in Asia of Global Free Zones of the Year 2015 award

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) adds another feather to its cap of achievements in the management and administration of the country’s first free port.

After the agency’s record highs for three (3) consecutive years, SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia announced today that the Freeport garnered two (2) major awards in the recently concluded survey for the Global Free Zones of the Year 2015 awards: overall winner in Asia and overall winner in the sub-region of South and Southeast Asia.

The Subic Freeport also received commendations in the form of bespoke awards for infrastructure developments and reinvestment. “Some locations, which were particularly outstanding, were acknowledged with honorable mentions and bespoke awards,” Garcia explained.

According to Garcia, the publication received a total of 76 entries from all over the world, which were individually studied by a panel of judges who then nominated their winning and runner-up locations in each region.

“Emerging as overall winner in Asia, as well as in South and Southeast Asia, is a significant indicator of Subic Freeport’s level of competitiveness among other zones in the region,” Garcia said.

Garcia added that the awards also underscore the Freeport’s attractiveness and potential as an investment site and validates the strategies that the Subic agency has been undertaken to spur the zone toward further growth.

The survey was conducted by the fDi Magazine, an 11-year old bi-monthly publication of The Financial Times, Ltd. of London, to acknowledge the most promising free zones across the world. Invited to join were free zones, government entities, and investment promotion bodies, which were asked to complete a short survey, detailing their zone’s attractiveness, facilities, and incentives offered to investors.

Survey questions included growth performance measures for 2013 and 2014; what multinational companies have chosen to locate in the zone and why; which tenants have chosen to undertake recent expansion of their presence in the zone; and what initiatives have been implemented to offered in the last 12 months to increase tenant numbers, including any special incentives, programmes, or facilities catering specifically to small medium enterprises or start-ups.

Also asked were infrastructure developments or facilities upgrades in the last 12 months, as well as major development plans to facilitate future expansion.

Wrapping up, the SBMA chairman pointed out, “These awards also mean that we’re on the right track and doing the right thing, and exerting our best effort as a team”. (KMF/CorComm-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia announces the “Global Free Zone of the Year” Award received by the Subic Bay Freeport Zone from fDi Magazine, a publication of the Financial Times of London. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA launches e-bills, payment system for locators

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently launched its electronic Billing and Payment System (e-BPS) to facilitate delivery of monthly statement of accounts (SOA) to locators and residents in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, and remittance of payment, initially through the electronic banking services of Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia said the SBMA e-BPS is the first such government system, and suggested other government agencies, particularly Clark Freeport Zone, and Freeport Area of Bataan, to consider adopting the same.

He said he expected the immediate deployment of the e-BPS Phase 2, which would include other payment transactions, including seaport charges and US-dollar denominated SBMA fees, and the remittance of payment through other BancNet member banks.

In lieu of the delivery of the monthly SOA, the SBMA will send email notification to locators and residents that their SOA has been posted online. With a hyperlink to the SBMA portal, locators and residents will be able to view their respective SOA, and authorize Landbank to electronically remit the payment of the outstanding amount from their account for credit to the SBMA account. Upon receipt of the electronic payment confirmation from Landbank, SBMA will update the e-BPS to reflect said statement.

The e-BPS is being implemented by the SBMA in collaboration with InterCommerce Network Services, Inc., a value-added service provider accredited by SBMA and other government trade regulatory agencies. (PortCalls.com)

PHOTO:
At the launching ceremony of e-BPS are SBMA officials led by Chairman Roberto V. Garcia (4th from left, seated) and lawyer Ramon O. Agregado (3rd from left, seated), along with LandBank representatives, Anthon C. Ferolino (left of Garcia), Vice-President, LandBank-Central Luzon Banking Group; Sylvia C. Lim (6th from left), Asst. Vice President of LandBank Subic Branch; Frank Lopez (extreme left, seated), President of Inter Commerce Network Services; Ninna Richelle H. Veran (6th from left, standing), Head of Cash Management Solutions Department and Paul Christian C. Cortez (9th from left, standing). (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.portcalls.com/sbma-launches-ebills-payment-system-locators/

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Royal Australian Navy ships in Subic Bay

Royal Australian Navy ships HMAS Arunta and HMAS Sirius are in Subic for a five-day visit, 7-11 October 2015. The short break from sea will give the ships’ companies an opportunity to continue their association with Filipino colleagues and experience Philippine culture and sights.

“Australia values the deepening engagement with the Philippine Navy,” said Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell, who welcomed the officers and crews of Arunta and Sirius at Subic, where the ships are docked. The Ambassador was accompanied by Defence Attaché Col Bruce Murray, AM.

Australia and the Philippines have a long-standing Defence Cooperation Program on counter-terrorism, maritime security and assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program. Recently, Australia gifted two operation-ready Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) from the Royal Australian Navy to help improve the Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) capacity of the Philippine armed forces.

The Royal Australian Navy played a vital part in the Australian Defence Force’s humanitarian efforts in the Philippines in 2013, carrying emergency supplies, water purifiers, generators, earth moving equipment and vehicles to areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

HMAS Arunta is an Anzac class frigate while HMAS Sirius is a fleet replenishment ship. The two ships have just completed successful exercises in the Indian Ocean.

HMAS Arunta is the second Royal Australian Navy ship to bear the name, and has historical ties to the Philippines. The first HMAS Arunta took part in the liberation of the Philippines in 1944, including pre-landing bombardments at Leyte Gulf and the Battle of Surigao Strait. In January 1945 the ship was suffered a near miss from a kamikaze at Lingayen Gulf. In July 1946 the first HMAS Arunta carried Commodore John Collins to Manila for the inauguration of the Philippine Republic.

The current HMAS Arunta has another link to the Philippines. Two Filipino-Australian sailors are currently serving as part of Arunta’s ship's company. Able Seaman Electronics Technician Aaron Scott and Able Seaman Boatswains Mate Matthew Parry will be taking some time off to visit with family in the Philippines.

“This deployment is especially important to me as I am able to visit the Philippines again, and I feel proud that my family will get to see me doing my job. It will also be a good opportunity to embrace, explore and remember what my background culture is all about,” Able Seaman Scott said.

This will be Able Seaman Parry’s first visit to the Philippines. "The port visit to the Philippines will be a great opportunity to meet family I have never met and to see what the culture and the lifestyle is like for my Mother and her family,” he said.

PHOTO:
HMAS Arunta and Sirius conduct a Replenishment at Sea while enroute to Subic Bay, Philippines

http://philippines.embassy.gov.au/mnla/MR151007.html

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Hanjin Subic Bay Yard Achieves 70% of 2015 New Order Target

With relatively good performance due to no unfavorable factors of offshore plants, Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction (HHIC) is happy about the performance of its overseas Subic Bay shipyard.

HHIC’s Subic Bay shipyard in the Philippines, which has been operating for six years now, has achieved 70 percent of the 2015 new order target with the orders of large container ships. In contrast, HHIC’s Youngdo yard in Busan, which is considered the beginning of the company, has shown some 20 percent of the new order achievement rate.

According to industry sources on Oct. 6, HHIC’s Subic Bay shipyard won contracts worth US$1 billion (1.17 trillion won) as of the end of last month. Accordingly, it is expected to achieve the 2015 target of US$1.2 billion (1.4 trillion won) with ease. The Subic Bay shipyard has received orders to build three 20,000 TEU container ships for the first time this year and six 11,000 TEU vessels. Considering the fact that the shipyard obtained the US$56 million (653.52 billion won) contracts to build a total of six ships last year, it has won orders, which are nearly two times as much as last year, in the third quarter alone.

The strengths of the Subic Bay shipyard are a large site, 10 times that of the Youngdo yard, and cost competitiveness, with labor costs lower than China. With a floor space of 80,000 peyong (264,000 m2), the Youngdo yard cannot build vessels with more than 6,000 TEU. Therefore, building ships with more than 10,000 TEU, which fits with the current mega ship trend, is only possible in the Subic Bay shipyard, said a HHIC spokesperson.

The labor cost also stands at 400,000 won (US$343) a month per person. The figure is much lower than an average of 5 million won (US$4,284) in Korea or some 1 million won (US$857) in China. An official from HHIC said, “As an alternative of the Youngdo yard, the company has invested in the Subic Bay shipyard for about a decade to make it technologically competitive. All our hard work finally paid off.”

Unlike the Subic Bay shipyard that has become stable, however, HHIC’s Youngdo yard seems unstable. The shipyard received US$69 million (805.23 billion won) orders for 15 vessels in 2013 when it resumed building ships. Last year, it saw a slightly better performance with 11 ships at US$77 million (898.59 billion won). However, the shipyard only won US$260 million (303.42 billion won) contracts for eight ships as of the end of Sept. this year. The cumulative figure is a mere 22 percent of the target of US$1.2 billion (1.4 trillion won). Of the eight ships, two ships are liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, while another two ships are 1,900 TEU ships, and the remaining four ships are special vessels.

Despite poor performance in the Youngdo yard, HHIC’s performance prospects in the third quarter are not dim. This is partly due to the favorable turn in the construction sector and the company’s efforts to reduce deficits.

According to data from FnGuide, a securities information service provider, sales and operating profits of HHIC in the third quarter are estimated at 666.2 billion won (US$570.87 million) and 14.9 billion won (US$12.77 million). Although sales decreased from the second quarter, operating profits turned positive. FnGuide expects that Hyundai Heavy Industries will post 26.1 billion won (US$22.37 million) in operating profits, while Samsung Heavy Industries will post 29.7 billion won (US$25.45 million. However, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering is expected to see losses of 35 billion won (US$3 million). In terms of operating profits, HHIC surpasses the nation’s big three shipbuilders. (Jung Min-hee, Business Korea)

PHOTO:
Subic Bay Shipyard, a subsidiary of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction in the Philippines.

http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/industry/12380-almost-there-hanjin-subic-bay-yard-achieves-70-2015-new-order-target

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FVR lauds Subic for effective tourism promotion, jobs creation

Former President Fidel V. Ramos lauded the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for effectively promoting tourism in the Subic Bay Freeport and providing jobs to thousands of residents in Central Luzon.

Ramos was in Subic with Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengson for the Global Youth Forum 2015 held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) on Thursday.

Addressing over 700 students and members of the academe from various colleges and universities, as well as representatives from tourism-related businesses and organizations in as far as South Cotabato and Zamboanga City, Ramos cited Subic’s role in job generation, pointing out that the Philippine tourism industry has already provided jobs to millions of Filipinos.

“Tourism is a business where people make profit and create jobs,” Ramos said.

He pointed out that tourism is now one of the world’s biggest industries and that by the year 2020, there will be about 1.6 billion people traveling around the world and spending about US$2-trillion.

Ramos also said that despite the high prices of commodities, people can be thankful that there are government agencies like the SBMA and the Department of Tourism (DoT), which provide people with means of livelihood.

For his part, Undersecretary Bengson said that the tourism industry is the largest income generator in the country, with about P275 billion last year in terms of income by providing one tourism-related job for every ten Filipinos.

Bengson then urged everyone to continue supporting the tourism industry by helping promote local tourism attractions on their network accounts like Facebook and Instagram.

“If one will post on Facebook or Instagram the beautiful places they visited, he or she will actually be promoting the places with 10 of his or her friends, who then will share the same to their friends and so on,” he said.

The forum was organized by the International School of Sustainable Tourism, DoT, Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines, and Agrea Agricultural System Intl., Inc. to create awareness among the youth of the many opportunities in the tourism industry, and to highlight lessons learned from successful tourism ventures and expose government workers to best practices and success stories.

The three-day activity featured five sessions that each focused on topics like “The Country’s Future- Getting Youth into Tourism Jobs”; “Sowers of Change- Education”; “Creating opportunities for Dialogue and Encounter- Social Media and IT”; “Economic Development in the Countryside versus Environmental Concerns”; and “Global Market for Local Talents- ASEAN Youth on the Move.”

Invited speakers included Efren Peñaflorida, the CNN Hero and founder of Kariton Foundation; Pocholo Gonzales, author and public speaker on youth culture, media and technology; and Durrie Hassan, executive director of Carlton Mansfield Ltd., Malaysia. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] Former President Fidel V. Ramos views pictures on display at the SBMA office with SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia during a visit to the Subic Bay Freeport recently. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] Former President Fidel V. Ramos listens intently during a briefing with SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia during a visit to the Subic Bay Freeport recently. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Philippines' Subic seen as investment-worthy for Taiwan

Taiwanese businessmen are coming back to Subic Bay again after a previous investment craze in the 1990s, as the Philippines is once more being seen as an ideal springboard for tapping into the promising Southeast Asian market.

With lingering economic challenges in Europe and only moderate growth in the United States and Japan, developing Asian countries have become a major driving force for the global economy in recent years.

In particular, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies seem to have brighter prospects because they are expected to transform into a single market and production base in the near future.

Jeff Lin (林繼武), president of Subic Bay Development Management Center Inc. (SBDMC), a joint venture between the local government authority and Taiwan's United Development Corp. (世華開發), told CNA that the ASEAN market looks promising in terms of its manufacturing sector and trade, thanks to the region's economic ties with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Lin suggested that Taiwanese businessmen should take advantage of the Philippines as a springboard to the ASEAN market, which has a population of 640 million and a combined gross domestic product of US$2.4 trillion.

In the Subic Bay Special Economic Zone (SBSEZ), there are no taxes for investors except for a 5 percent tax on gross income, which can help save costs for investors, Lin said. If at least 40 percent of the investors' products are manufactured locally, their products will be duty-free when sold in the ASEAN market, he added.

Roberto Garcia, chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, said in a recent press conference that the Subic Bay Special Economic Zone is expanding its scale to neighboring areas because of an increasing number of investors who need more industrial land.

The first-phase complex of the Subic Bay Gateway Park, operated by SBDMC, has almost reached its full capacity with more than 170 companies currently operating there, of which roughly 30 percent are from Taiwan.

Taiwanese investment in Subic Bay is estimated at US$700 million. (CNA)

(By Emerson Lim and Jeffrey Wu)

PHOTO:
SBDMC headquarters at the Subic Gateway Park

http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aeco/201510040008.aspx

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Container volume doubles at Port of Subic

Container shipments at the Port of Subic doubled as of August this year as Manila continues to experience massive port congestion.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto V. Garcia, in a press briefing, told reporters that as of August this year, container volume at the Port of Subic has already reached 83,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) compared to 43,000 TEUs for the same period last year.

This indicated a 93 percent increase, Garcia pointed out.

The SBMA official said efforts by the agency and partner locators to ensure ease in cargo processing at the Port of Subic, as well as other marketing initiatives, contributed to the rise in container volume here.

“We are the only port in Luzon that has a one-stop shop, and this gives us the competitive edge,” Garcia also explained. “They come to our container port, go to our one-stop shop where offices of the SBMA, Customs, and the Landbank are there all in one place, and in just a matter of 30 minutes, their papers are already processed.”

“The one-stop shop and our marketing programs such as the two recent maritime summits and the formation of a Maritime Technical Group, are all coming into play right now,“ Garcia added.

At the rate the Port of Subic is performing, Garcia said he expect shipping volume this year to double last year’s yearend record of 77,000 TEUs.

The SBMA chair also concurred with Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who said in a recent forum here that Subic is the answer to the current traffic congestion in Manila.

“Senator Marcos hasn’t been here for some time, but he was really impressed with Subic. We are really pushing very hard to increase the volume here to help decongest Manila,” Garcia said.

Subic Bay is the only port in the western seaboard of the Philippines that still has enough capacity to handle additional container volume.

Garcia said that unlike the Port of Batangas, which has now reached its full capacity, shippers can come to Subic any time.

Seven major shipping lines are now calling on the port of Subic on a regular basis. These include Maersk, APL, NYK, and SITC, among others. (RBB/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Container ships unloads cargo at the New Container Terminal in the Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Rising volumes push Manila, Subic to upgrade ports

HONG KONG — International Container Terminal Services Inc. is investing heavily in construction and port equipment to improve productivity that will be required to deal with rising container volumes expected through its Manila and Subic import gateways.

Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the ICTSI flagship, has had a request to spend $107 million on expanding yard capacity approved by the Philippines Board of Investments, while Subic Bay International Container Terminal Corp. (SBITC) recently deployed three new reach stackers and 16 new Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors.
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Port equipment upgrades are being made by ICTSI, and six new rubber tired gantries have been ordered that may be deployed at either MICT or Subic terminals. This will be added to the three new reach stackers and 16 new Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors that SBITC commissioned recently.

There has been renewed interest in Subic port that played a large role during the congestion. At the height of the bottlenecks, an order from the government temporarily lifted cabotage restrictions on Subic and Batangas ports that allowed foreign carriers to be loaded or unloaded there if Manila was backed up. Now that the Philippines has scrapped the cabotage law, there is expected to be greater volumes flowing through the country’s smaller ports.

The cabotage reform will bring down the exorbitant costs of domestic shipping and improve efficiency as foreign carriers compete on an equal level with the few local players that have cornered the market, and it has received a warm welcome from the Philippine Ports Authority.

"The major gateways have long been capable of handling bigger ships and our secondary gateways are being improved to handle international vessels," said PPA general manager Juan Sta. Ana.

"They have been improving the capacity and capability of the Philippine ports in anticipation of the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community at the start of next year, and those measures somehow help the state-owned agency adjust easily to the amendments in the cabotage law,” he said.

Roberto Locsin, SBITC general manager, said terminal productivity and efficiencies will continue to improve as SBITC makes key investments in equipment and technology. “It is also part of our effort to persuade more customers to use Subic as it is logically the gateway for these regions (central and northern Luzon),” he said.

“The new equipment, along with the opening of a one-stop shop, will allow us to continue to deliver superior customer experience for our customers from the quay to the gate including brokers, forwarders, and truckers and ultimately, the cargo owner.”

The one-stop shop Locsin was referring to is a move to house the relevant customs and port authorities under one roof to revamp the often tedious documentation process and hasten the processing of import transactions. It allows the seamless flow of transactions as port users no longer have to travel to different areas around Subic to process documents.
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The MICT project will see the construction of Berth 7 in Manila’s North Harbor that will include a 300-metre wharf and back up area that when completed will be able to handle up to 2.5 million 20-foot containers.

A key part of the MICT project will be an expansion of yard space for storage of empty containers as ICTSI tries to resolve what was a significant part of the chronic port congestion that brought Manila to a standstill for most of last year.

The Philippines is a net importer of containerised goods with around 900,000 empty TEUs shipped out every year being handled by MICT. At one point during the congestion in Manila, 75,000 TEUs were waiting to be collected in the port.

Phase 1 of the Berth 7 yard development has been completed, adding four hectares of empty container depot that will be able to store up to 4,300 TEUs. An additional two hectares able to store more than 2,000 TEUs will be added by the end of the year.

The whole project is expected to be completed by 2017 and will complement the development of Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal, a dry port operated by ICTSI 36 miles south of Manila.

Laguna dry port’s phase 1 expansion will include extended and dedicated storage areas for loaded and empty containers, a runway for rubber-tired gantries (RTG), container care facilities, weigh bridges at the gates, an upgraded access road and a direct rail service to the sea port. The full project will effectively add 250,000 TEUs of capacity to MICT.

“Once everybody starts using Laguna dry port, we can expect even better productivity levels at MICT,” said Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI vice president and head of Asia-Pacific.

Philippine business and government officials appear to be at odds over whether Manila will experience a return of port congestion when container volumes increase ahead of the Christmas season.

Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras, who heads Task Force Pantalan that is charged with finding solutions to port bottlenecks, told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee this week there will be a smooth flow of goods with no congestion in and out of the country's ports for the upcoming Christmas season, when the volume of imported goods naturally increases.

"Everything is moving well. We don't expect problems in December," Almendras told the committee during a hearing at the legislature, according to online news portal InterAksyon.

However, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce had the opposite opinion. Local media quoted chamber president Alfredo Yao as saying port congestion might be inevitable during the last quarter because of a surge in container volumes.

“There should be tightening in the ports again because the truck ban is gone and it’s also the last quarter which is the peak season for importers,” Yao told reporters. “I hope not but there is that possibility.” Yao did concede that “it may not be as bad as last year.” (Greg Knowler, Senior Asia Editor, JOC.com)

PHOTO:
Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation has added 16 new Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors to its prime mover fleet ahead of an expected increase in container movement in the coming months.

full story: http://www.joc.com/port-news/rising-volumes-push-manila-and-subic-upgrade-ports_20150929.html

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Palace: DND talking to DBM on Subic airfield renovation plan

Malacañang on Sunday assured that the government is working to finish the improvement of the Subic Bay airfield.

"May regular na ugnayan ang Department of National Defense sa Department of Budget and Management upang masiguro na matapos sa takdang panahon ang pagpapahusay ng paliparan sa Subic," Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said over state-run radio dzRB.

He added that the government knows that the airfield is a valuable asset.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Roberto Garcia said the government should rush the renovation of the airfield.

Garcia said that by December, two of the 12 FA50 fighters purchased from South Korea will arrive.

He said the remaining jets will arrive next year.

The Philippine Air Force was has been allocated about 10 percent of the 200-hectare airport facilities to house 12 jets.

Garcia also expressed concern about the upcoming elections in May, citing the pre-election ban on military spending that may start March next year.

"That is my concern, if the military does not get funding for the repairs, the air and naval bases may be delayed," Garcia said.

A Reuters report said that according to an air force general, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press, the government had yet to respond to a request for 100 million pesos ($2.14 million) to refurbish Subic's airfield. (ALG, GMA News)

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/538568/news/nation/palace-dnd-talking-to-dbm-on-subic-airfield-renovation-plan

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Spending ban may delay repairs in Subic Bay for air support in West PH Sea

Subic Bay, Philippines - Plans to renovate an air base near Manila, enabling Philippine fighter jets to respond quickly to any Chinese moves in the disputed South China Sea, may face delays due to a spending ban before general elections, a senior official said on Friday.

New fighter jets and two frigates are to be stationed at the former U.S. naval facility in Subic Bay northwest of the capital from early next year, the first time the massive installation will have functioned as a military base in 23 years.

Subic Bay's deep-water harbor lies on the western side of the main Philippine island of Luzon, opposite the South China Sea, and is about 130 nautical miles (240 km) from Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop China seized control of in 2012.

China has built seven artificial islands on submerged shoals and outcrops in the area, which it says is part of its territory, and is believed to be constructing three airfields there.

Robert Garcia, chairman of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, - which is overseeing the conversion of the industrial and commercial complex - said the military had to move quickly to repair the base's airfield because a pre-election ban on military spending kicks in March.

The Philippines holds national elections in May.

"That is my concern, if the military does not get funding for the repairs, the air and naval bases may be delayed," Garcia said, adding that South Korea was due to deliver the first two fighters in early December.

An air force general, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the government had yet to respond to a request for 100 million pesos ($2.14 million) to refurbish Subic's airfield.

The Philippine Air Force has been allocated about 10 percent of the 200-hectare airport facilities to house a squadron of 12 FA50 light fighters for maritime security missions.

Once one of the biggest U.S. naval facilities in the world, Subic was shut in 1992 after the end of the Cold War.

"With the situation in the South China Sea right now, it looks like the presence of foreign troops will increase in coming months," Garcia said, adding that approval by the Supreme Court of a new military pact with the United States would change the situation. A ruling is expected next month. (Manuel Mogato, Reuters)

PHOTO:
Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in this still image from video taken by a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft provided by the United States Navy May 21, 2015. (Reuters/U.S. Navy)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/25/us-philippines-southchinasea-idUSKCN0RP1V520150925

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Record 80,000+ volunteers join coastal cleanup in Zambales (updated)

A record 80,327 volunteers from Subic Bay, the neighboring city of Olongapo and the province of Zambales came to the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) 2015 held last September 19, breaking last yearś head count and making this coastal cleanup event the biggest in the country.

This year´s total number of participants in Zambales far exceeded last year´s coastal cleanup head count of 51,151 volunteers.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said that local residents and stakeholders in the free port “are increasingly becoming aware of how precious the coastal ecosystem is to Zambales.”

“Which is why the SBMA has been fully supporting this activity ever since,” Garcia said.

The SBMA executive also noted that the growing number of yearly turnout—from just 800 volunteers in 2009 to 4,000 in 2011, 14,000 in 2012 and 27,000 in 2013—is an indication of growing environmental awareness, as well as community cooperation and common aspiration among residents to do their part in keeping the environment healthy and sustainable.

Aside from Olongapo City, all the municipalities in Zambales have participated in the coastal cleanup. These include Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Felipe, San Narciso, San Antonio, Subic, as well as the land-locked towns of San Marcelino and Castillejos whose residents trooped to nearby towns or the Subic Bay Freeport.

A record total of 49,391 volunteered for the coastal cleanup in these provinces.

“Aside from the residents, it is good to see that our business locators in the Freeport are taking an interest in the coastal cleanup. Many companies here, including some of their bosses, took part in the coastal cleanup on Saturday,” Garcia also said.

Garcia also pointed out that the recent Subic Environment Summit had attracted 3,000 participants this year, about double the number last year.

“This creates a very good image of Subic that we care for our environment, and that our prime asset, Subic Bay, is being maintained as clean and as free from pollution as we can muster.”

Garcia also commended the efforts of Olongapo Mayor Rolen Paulino to drum up the coastal cleanup event among elementary and high school institutions in the city, which contributed a total number of 26,451 volunteers.

Paulino said that his administration wants to educate children of the need for a cleaner coastal area, adding that no one except for the residents themselves will help clean Olongapo’s coastline.

He also stressed that aside from students, residents and businesses in Olongapo have shown their support to ICC 2015.

One of the businesses that took part in the cleanup was SM Olongapo, whose affiliates, tenants, agencies, and employees joined the activity. (JRR/RBB/MPD-SBMA)


PHOTOS:
[Header] Scenes from the International Coastal Clean-up in Subic Bay Freeport. (AED/MPD-SBMA)

[2] Justice Raoul Creencia (left), government counsel at the Office of Government Controlled Corporations, joins SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia and other SBMA officials in a march to kick off the 2015 edition of the International Coastal Clean-up in the Subic Bay Freeport. With them are Deputy Administrator (SDA) for Legal Affairs Atty. Randy Escolango and SDA for Regulatory Group Atty. Chot Kabigting. More than 50,000 volunteers from Subic Bay Freeport, Olongapo City, and province of Zambales took part in the annual cleanup event. (AED/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic hosts largest solar power project in Southeast Asia

This premier free port is expecting to be in the forefront of sustainable development as it eyes the installation here of a $200-million combined solar and wind farm that would generate a total of 150 megawatts of renewable energy.

“This is another pioneering role on the part of the Subic Bay Freeport, which is the first military base to be successfully converted into a free port zone,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said in a media briefing on Monday.

“​It will also​ be one of the first major clean energy projects in the country and the biggest solar installation in the whole Southeast Asia, and it is a big honor for Subic to be the project site,” Garcia noted​.

“This is very significant since the whole world is looking at renewable energy nowadays,” he added.

The $200-million alternative energy project will be undertaken by Emerging Power, Inc. (EPI), a renewable energy firm that has put up a 40-megawatt geothermal power plant in Mindoro last year.
EPI is controlled by Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC), one of the country’s biggest mining firms in the country.

The clean energy project will be located in an 800-hectare project site on Mount Santa Rita here, which is covered by the Pastolan Ayta tribe’s ancestral domain.

Garcia said the company hopes to have the Subic solar and wind power project on stream by next year.

He said the project is in line with RA 9513, or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, which aims to accelerate the exploration and development of renewable energy resources, increase utilization of such and promote their efficient and cost-effective commercial application. The law was also designed to effectively prevent or reduce harmful emissions to protect public health and the environment.

The development and promotion of renewable energy has been set as among the priority projects of the national government under the Investment Priorities Plan of 2012, Garcia added.

Garcia said the EPI project will be a pioneering venture for the establishment of renewable energy facilities in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

“This is a big stride towards sustainable development,” Garcia added. “It will help us keep Subic green and make the Freeport grow further.” (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Roberto V. Garcia (4th from left) and Emerging Power Inc. President Martin Antonio Zamora (3rd from left) lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the 150-megawatt solar and wind power project in the Subic Bay Freeport zone. (AED/MPD-SBMA)

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DOT names Subic #1 CL tourist destination for 2nd time

This country’s premier free port was named as the region’s most visited tourist destination for the second time in a row.

Department of Tourism (DoT) regional director Ronaldo Tiotuico personally announced this on Monday as he graced the opening program organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in celebration of National Tourism Week.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the citation validates efforts by the Subic agency and its tourism stakeholders to “bring Subic to the next level.”

He said the SBMA has allotted some P800 million for capital expenditures this year. “And a huge chunk of this goes to the repair of service roads and drainage systems, improvement of parks and tourist facilities, as well as the renovation of the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center to ​make Subic a better place for a better experience,” Garcia added.

Tiotuico said that Subic obtained the highest number of local and foreign travelers in the entire Central Luzon region from 2013 to 2014 based on reports submitted by accommodation establishments in all the seven provinces and three economic zones in the region.

Tiotuico, who was the SBMA guest of honor for the Tourism Week launch, congratulated the officers and employees of SBMA for working hard to maintain the status of the Subic Freeport as the best tourist destination.

He also enjoined the SBMA and business locators in Subic to help push for the realization of the 2015 National Tourism Week theme of “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities”​.​

Reacting to recognition as Central Luzon’s tourism bestseller, Chairman Garcia noted that in just the first eight months of 2015, tourist arrivals in Subic Freeport has already registered at 4.3 million, growing by 30% over the arrivals in the same period last year.

He also said that Subic had also earned the distinction of being “Premier Convention Capital of Central Luzon” in 2012, a title that was also bestowed by the DoT.

Garcia added that he is confident that Subic would maintain the lead in attracting more tourists because of the natural and man-made attractions in the free port.

“Subic has everything,” said Garcia. “We have nature-themed parks, some of the best hotels, resorts​,​ and malls in this part of the country​;​ the place is accessible by land, sea and air​;​ and of course​,​ we have year-round activities to make tourists want to visit and stay in Subic.”

Garcia said that for the National Tourism Week celebration, SBMA has lined up full events like the Tourism Quiz Bee Challenge on Sept. 22; familiarization tour of theme parks every morning of the Tourism Week; and photo exhibits and lecture-discussions on various tourism topics (Sept. 22-23).

Other activities on schedule are bar​tending and flair-tending competitions (Sept. 23); body painting contest​,​ and street party (Sept. 25); 3rd IBP Fun Run (Sept. 26); and for the culminating event, an outreach program on Sept. 27 at the Subic Gym. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
[1] Jobseekers inquire about available positions and apply with Subic-registered companies during a jobs fair held on Monday at the Harbor Point Mall in the Subic Bay Freeport as part of the 2015 National Tourism Week celebration. The activity echoes the Tourism Week theme “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities.” (AED/MPD-SBMA)

[2] SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, flanked by photographers Jon Erick Dizon (left) and Dr. Dodi Dominado, opens the Wanderlust Travel Photography Exhibit at the Harbor Point Mall in the Subic Bay Freeport as part of the 2015 National Tourism Week celebration. With him are Region 3 Tourism Director Ronaldo Tiotuico (right, second row) and other event organizers. (AED/MPD-SBMA)

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No plans to invite US military back to Subic – Palace

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has no plans to invite the United States military back to Subic Bay in Zambales on a permanent basis just to provide a foil to the Chinese threat, as doing so would violate the Constitution, Malacañang said (yesterday).

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the government is fully aware of the constitutional provision banning foreign military bases and troops in the country.

“And we never do anything that is against the Constitution or laws of the government,” Coloma said.

In April last year, the US and the Philippines signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement to complement the two countries’ Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement.

He added the information on the Obama administration allegedly rejecting a $300-million military aid for the Philippines would need to be clarified as well.

“We are ready to give an explanation if they will be able to show that their statement has basis,” Coloma said.

A New York Times News Service report said the 10-year EDCA would set the stage for an American return to several facilities, including the Subic Bay naval base and Clark Air Base.

The agreement has been questioned before the Supreme Court for allegedly being unconstitutional.

Senators also want to ratify the agreement, saying it is a treaty. But this position runs counter to the stand of the executive branch that the EDCA merely implements earlier agreements between the US and the Philippines, particularly the MDT and the VFA.

The executive branch also defends its constitutionality and points out that EDCA will only provide access and use of Philippine military facilities, and that any US military presence will be “at the invitation of the Philippines and with full respect for the Philippine Constitution and Philippine laws.”

Officials also noted the constitutional provision which prohibits the establishment of “foreign military bases… or facilities” in the country – except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate – does not apply to EDCA.

In January, it was reported that the US lifted restrictions on a small portion of its military assistance to the Philippines that was withheld over human rights concerns.

The gesture affects about $15 million withheld over the last five years, a fraction of Washington’s total military assistance to the Philippines.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the aid restriction was lifted “sometime last year”but did not explain why it was lifted.

US Assistant Defense Secretary David Shear also earlier said that Washington had provided $300 million in military-related assistance since 2001 and would provide another $40 million in 2015 as part of America’s support to modernize the poorly equipped Philippine military, one of the weakest in the region. (Aurea Calica, The Philippine Star)

PHOTO: Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. addresses reporters during a press conference in Malacañang.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/09/23/1502963/no-plans-invite-us-military-back-subic-palace
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/no-plans-invite-us-military-000000791.html

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Olongapo gathers 26,000 volunteers to cleanup waterways

The local government of Olongapo City led by Mayor Rolen Paulino gathered 26,541 volunteers for International Coastal Cleanup 2015 dubbed “Making Riverth Possible¨ last Saturday (Sept. 19) in efforts to spread environmental awareness among its residents in the city.

Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino led students, government employees, non-government organizations, barangay officials and residents to clean up drainage, creeks, rivers and the city’s coastline.

“What we did this year is not only cleaning up our shoreline, we decided to clean all possible water ways in the inner parts of the city because all of the trash will eventually pile up in our shoreline or cause blocking of our canals which will eventually lead to flooding.” Paulino said.

In 2013 Olongapo city recorded 7,729 volunteers for the same event and 11,128 in 2014 making this city the biggest delegation in the province of Zambales.

The number this year more than doubled.

“Nakikitira lang tayo dito sa mundo, kaya dapat linisin natin ang ating tinitirahan, katulad ng loob ng bahay natin, dapat malinis din ang ating kapaligiran,” Paulino told volunteer residents of Barangay Kalaklaklan, one of the 29 cleanup sites in the city.

The local government of Olongapo has been dredging its rivers, cleaning and repairing its drainages after being heavily flooded in 2013, which was also the cause of a leptospirosis outbreak.

“Our rivers haven’t been dredged for decades, and drainages were neglected. But now we have purchased several heavy equipment to do the job,” Paulino added.

“We need people participation in cleaning up our waterways and this is a good event to do this, aside from cleaning up, what is more important is our awareness campaign that we should not kill our rivers by making it our backyard trash bins,” he added.

The breakdown of the attendees he added are sa follows; Olongapo LGU (Halfmoon Beach, in Barangay Kalaklan) 1,312, Barangay Asinan 303, Barangay Banicain 128, Barangay Barretto 2,432, Barangay East.Bajac.Bajac. 1,571, Barangay West Bajac Bajac 2,217, Barangay East Tapinac 2,003, Barangay West Tapinac 183, Barangay Kalaklan 831, Barangay New Cabalan 3,930, Barangay, Mabayuan 565, Barangay Gordon Heights 1,489, Barangay Sta Rita 1,625, Barangay New Ilalim 109, Barangay New Kabbae 850, Barangay Old Cab 390, Barangay New Kalalake 1,213, Barangay Pag- Asa 390 and 5000 more who pre registered at SM Olongapo.

“I am very happy with the turnout during the cleanup, it only showed that our residents care for our environment more and more as evidenced by the increasing number of volunteers every year,” Paulino added.

A week before the huge turnout of volunteers during the cleanup, 16 recyclable boats battled it out during the recyclable regatta 2015 which is part of the International Coastal Cleanup “Making Riverth Possible” held at Driftwood beach in Barangay Barretto.

Barangay Kalaklan took home 1st place while the Lighthouse Marina Resort took home 2nd place and the Army Reserve Olongapo settled for 3rd.

Photos:

[1] Students and residents of Olongapo City pick up garbage along the shoreline of Barangay Barretto.

[2] Olongapo City Mayor talks to volunteers before sending them off to clean in Barangay Kalaklan during the International Coastal Cleanup dubbed "Making Riverth Possible.¨ A total of 26,541 volunteered for the said event.

(OC PAO)

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Subic-Clark’s 11% GDP contribution cited

The Subic Bay Freeport and the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga remain to be major contributors to the country’s economic development, as their combined export values last year provided about 11 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

In a report to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, SBMA acting deputy administrator for business group Ronnie Yambao said that the contribution of the two neighboring special economic zones to the Philippine GDP was between 10 and 11 percent.

“Clark's and Subic’s combined export value last year of US$6 Billion is very significant to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP), which contributed 11 percent to our GDP,” said Yambao.

Yambao added that according to a report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Philippine GDP’s growth rate remained at 6.1 percent as of 2014.

Referring to the updated World Economic Outlook, Yambao also said that the IMF sees the Philippines to still become the fastest-growing economy in Southeast Asia this year after it was able to maintain its 6.1 percent GDP, outpacing Vietnam and Indonesia.

For Subic, Yambao said that among the major growth contributors is the South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries Corporation (HHIC), which now has 29,000 direct workers.

“For this year, Hanjin is projecting to complete at least 17 ships worth over US$1.6 billion. This would mean hiring additional workers,” Yambao said.

Meanwhile, Yambao also named five new investment projects that the SBMA Board of Directors has approved this year. These include Harbor Star Subic Corp., which proposed a US$4.5-million investment for marine-related ancillary service operation, such as harbor assist, towage, oil spill, and underwater services.

Another project, Nanofixit Ventures Inc., will open a $5.32-million rebottling and packaging company for water-based liquid screen protector, while Subic Superfood Inc. will infuse $920,000 for a food processing plant that will use local pili nuts from the Bicol Region and Himalayan salt for the manufacture of so-called “super foods.” (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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2nd Subic Environmental Summit eyes trash-free seas

Environment advocates will once again gather in this Freeport on Friday, September 11, for the 2nd Environmental Summit to follow through efforts in solving the problem of garbage in oceans and waterways.

With the theme, “Taking steps towards trash-free seas,” this year’s summit to be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center will be the second of the series, which brought together some 1,400 delegates last year.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said awareness on environment issues is well-ingrained among stakeholders of Subic Freeport who are always at the forefront of coastal environment protection.

“Not only is the Subic Bay community aware of these issues, but takes it even further by trying to change behaviors that cause pollution through proper education,” Garcia said.

“Subic stakeholders also help create a lifestyle that advocates a sustainable coastal environment,” he added.

The summit is expected to help establish the ICC as a lifestyle and integrate it with community building activities; educate the public with the current environmental situation and policies; provide workshops that will enhance skills and knowledge for citizen action; and create “Eco Warriors” in schools in order to raise environment leaders among the
youth.

The summit follows in the steps of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Philippines, which is now on its 22nd year.

ICC happens every third Saturday of September, with participants of half a million people in 91 countries turning the tide on trash and addressing solutions on this global threat.

This year, the organizers of ICC Zambales have partnered with the ICC Philippines for the 2ndEnvironmental Summit.

A co-presenter of the Environmental Summit is the Office of the President’s National Coast Watch Council Secretariat. It will be moderated by Jesse Pascasio, the council’s Director for Strategic Planning and Communications.

Notable guests include Matthias Gelber (Greenmanspeaks.com), co-founder of Maleki GmbH, a German company specializing in high performance, low carbon footprint construction materials; and Undersecretary Jose Luis Alano of the Office of the President’s National Coast Watch Council Secretariat.

The 2nd Environmental Summit in Subic Bay is presented by ICC Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, IYFR Philippine Fleet, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Tourism, Subic Bay Chamber of Commerce and Subic Bay Hotels, Attractions and Tourism Stakeholders Visitors Board, in partnership with the National Coast Watch Council, Lighthouse Marina Resort Legacy Foundation, and the SBMA.

This event is supported by the Province of Zambales, City of Olongapo, Office of the Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection, Ocean Conservancy, Zero Carbon Resorts, Earth Day Network Philippines, Harbor Point Ayala Malls, Subic Sailing, North Luzon Expressway, Department of Education, PLDT Subictel and IGate. (RBB/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA net income doubles in 1st sem

After hitting record highs in financial performance for three consecutive years, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently reported another substantial increase of 104 per cent in its net income for the first half of the current year.

According to SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, unaudited figures from the agency’s Finance group placed the agency’s January-to-June net income at P687 million, showing a significant improvement from P337 million for the same period last year.

“Revenues for the first semester were pretty good as well,” Chairman Garcia said, referring to a 15 per cent revenue increase from last year’s level.

Sharing the agency’s operating revenue pie were port services and regulatory fees, which increased by 29 per cent and 24 percent, respectively over the same period last year.

Also contributing substantially to the agency’s financial health, according to Chairman Garcia, were a 33 per cent buildup in current assets, including a 38 per cent increase in cash assets, and a 56 per cent increase in miscellaneous assets such as prepaid expenses, guaranty deposits, mobilization funds given in advance to contractors, and others. Tight control was also implemented as far as operating expenses were concerned.

“Meanwhile, SBMA’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and
amortization (EBITDA) increased by 18 per cent. This means that the agency is not only pursuing effective strategic initiatives, but is implementing them efficiently as well," Garcia added.

The top SBMA executive also noted that the first semester saw a much improved business climate in the Freeport, which led to better bottom lines for the Subic agency and its locators, as well as the start-up operations of many new ones and a much bigger workforce that would soon breach the 100,000-mark.

With this profit increase, Garcia said the SBMA is “looking forward to a more positive outcome to further strengthen and sustain the agency’s financial turnaround over the past three years record performances.

“We need to provide funds for our strategic plans, including the implementation of the long-overdue salary increases for SBMA employees and the procurement of badly needed equipment for security, maintenance and infrastructure development work,” the SBMA chairman said. (AMF/CorComm-SBMA)

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Hanjin unveils first Philippine-made LPG carrier

Korea’s shipbuilding giant Hanjin Heavy Industry and Construction Co., Ltd.–Philippines (HHIC-Phil) recently unveiled the first-ever Philippine-made Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier.

The LPG carrier measures 180 meters in length, 29.4m in breadth and 18m in depth.

It was ordered by Belgian shipping company Exmar Shipping BVBA and was christened as “Kaprijke” by company owner Saverys family.

Construction of the LPG carrier began in June of last year.

The project has once again affirmed the world-class craftsmanship of Filipino workers in the global shipbuilding industry.

In a statement, HHIC-Phil president Jeong Sup Shim recounted the challenges the company had to go through in putting up the state-of-the-art shipyard in the country’s premier freeport.

He attributed the company’s success to the support of the Philippine government and outstanding work ethic of Hanjin shipyard workers.

“It is our company’s earnest desire and long term commitment to catapult the Philippines as the number one shipbuilding country in the world,” Shim said.

Citing the June 2015 edition of the shipping journal published by highly authoritative Europe-based Clarksons Research, “Both the Philippines and HHIC-Phil Inc. have been making great strides in the international business scene, motivating us to push ourselves to the limit to bring more prosperity not only for our company but also for our generous host – the Filipino people,” Shim further said.

“The Philippines is currently ranked fourth in the world in terms of order book by builder country with 2.1 gross compensated tonnage (CGT) for new vessel,” Shim said.

Hanjin Subic shipyard is the 10th largest shipyard in the world in terms of order book by shipyard, accounting for 1.8 GCT or 74 percent of the Philippines’ CGT for new vessels.

The shipbuilding company still has seven LPG carriers in the company’s order book to be delivered in the immediate future.

In 2012, HHIC-Phil Inc. put the country in the worldwide spotlight with the simultaneous inauguration of two Suezmax Crude Oil Tankers first ever built on Philippine shores.

HHIC-Phil Inc. has been building huge commercial vessels ranging from container ships to bulk carriers, crude oil tankers and off-shore structures mainly for overseas clients since 2008. Its Subic shipyard boasts of one of the largest drydocks in the world today.

The company has invested around $1.7 billion so far. Its shipyard is currently home to almost 29,000 workers and still counting.

HHIC-Phil operates a Skill Development Center, a multi-million world class training facility located at the heart of the Subic Bay Freeport’s Industrial Park. (Bebot Sison Jr., The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/business/2015/09/03/1495242/hanjin-unveils-first-philippine-made-lpg-carrier

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