More investors in hotels, condominiums and leisure facilities in Subic Bay

A number of property developers and other investors are rushing to construct hotels, condominiums and other tourism and leisure facilities at the Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales, according to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

The investors, who recently signed contracts with the SBMA, include Global Dongsan Phils. Inc., which is spending $ 1.1 million for a commercial building; Cook Group and Pacific Associates, with $ 1.4 million to build camping and recreational facilities, and Buma Subic, with $ 36,585 for a restaurant venture.

The SBMA said the rest of the new investors are into manufacturing, logistics and services, and others.

Subic Daesung Corp. committed $ 15 million to engage in the construction and operation of mixed-use commercial buildings that include a condominium- hotel, restaurant and retail shop.

On the other hand, Subic Enerzone Corp., operator of the power distribution system in the area, will also construct hotels and condominiums.

Several existing business locators have also amended their contracts to expand into construction and property development.

These include GVC Subic Corp., a former computer parts manufacturer which will now develop, subdivide, exchange, lease and hold real estate of all kinds at the Subic Bay Gateway Park; and Maritan Subic Inc. which has expanded into constructing, developing, and operating commercial buildings.Other investors include the 7-Tower Properties and Management Consultants which has committed $ 125,000 for a real-estate management venture; Hanil E&C Subic Inc. which is putting up $ 11 million to engage in the design, planning, construction and development of medium to high-rise commercial residential buildings.

SBMA officials said Hanil, a Korean firm, will construct the $ 130 million Subic Ampelos Tower of the Korean property developer KT Global Subic Inc.The Ampelos Tower, which is planned to be a 17-storey, state-of-the-art condominium-hotel complex, will be Subic's second high-rise next to Hanjin's 22-storey edifice at the the Cubi-Triboa District.

The Global Terminals and Development Inc., which is developing the Alava Pier as a passenger terminal, has gained approval by the SBMA to develop a two-storey commercial building and 10 Bali-inspired villa-type hotel units at Subic's former Ship Repair Facility area. (Lynda B. Valencia - PNA)

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Hanjin Subic refused DOH safety training offer

Korean shipbuilding firm Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Phils. Inc., which has been plagued by work site deaths and injuries, has rejected the "standing offer" of the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) to provide more safety training to its thousands of workers, the head of OSHC said.

OSHC executive director Dr. Dulce Estrella Gust said OSHC gave training to workers of Hanjin and its subcontractors last September.

After that initial session, OSHC has offered to continue the program to inculcate to the workers the value of health and safety.

Gust said OSHC, which is attached to the Department of Labor and Employment, insisted on a continuing health and safety program because shipbuilding is a very, very dangerous industry.

She added that OSHC could not cultivate the culture of safety in the workplace in one or two sessions.But Hanjin refused the offer to have OSHC conduct follow-up trainings, Gust said.

"They told us that they want to finish 10 ships first," she said. "We offered it, we wrote straight to the president of Hanjin, but they declined."

Hanjin, she noted, makes about two vessels per year in its Subic base."It's unfortunate that they have this kind of attitude," Gust said.

There are around 12,000 to 15,000 workers in the Hanjin shipyard in the Subic Bay Freeport.

Since the company opened its shipbuilding operations in the Philippines in 2007, 17 workers have died in the workplace, DOLE said.

In the past two weeks, two more workers were killed and three others were injured in separate incidents in the site of one of Hanjin's subcontractors.

Pyeong Jong Yu, the company's deputy managing director, had stressed that the incidents were not related to shipbuilding work.

Gust said the number was "high," considering the industry and the length of time Hanjin was operating in Subic. "It's really worrying," she said.

Hanjin should also ensure that its contractors adhere to safety standards, she added.The Labor department has expressed alarm over the rising number of workplace deaths in the Hanjin shipyard.

Last September, DOLE instituted a zero-accident program in the Hanjin site.The program entails that Hanjin institute a system that would correct, update, and disseminate information on potential hazards and risks to its workers especially the newly hired ones. (Kristine L. Alave - Philippine Daily Inquirer)

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Ban on Hanjin subcontractor pressed

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has recommended the banning of a subcontractor of the Korean shipbuilder Hanjin after the recent deaths of two workers at the firm’s work site.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said his agency investigated the death of Jose Vener Gil, 42, and found that Philnorkor (not PhilNokor as earlier reported), a subcontractor of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines Inc. (HHIC), had violated proper work procedures.

A 250-kilogram duct whose shackle Gil was unhooking fell on him on Nov. 26. Gil, who was employed by Philnorkor, died while being brought to the hospital.

“We found [that] Philnorkor used improper shackles in moving the ducts,” said Arreza. “This is the company’s (Philnorkor’s) second death. We will recommend cancellation of Philnorkor’s CRTE (certificate of registration and tax exemption) to the board,” he said.

The CRTE allows a company to operate within the Subic free port without paying duties. In effect, SBMA’s move to cancel the CRTE bans Philnorkor from doing business inside the free port.

On Nov. 20, Philip Mendoza, 40, died when a metal structure fell on him when the truck he was riding in crashed into an area of the shipyard where he was working.

Mendoza’s three other companions—William Liberato, Rolex Alog and Kong Jong Sik, a Korean who was driving the truck—were hurt.

In a statement, Pyeong Jong Yu, deputy managing director of Hanjin, said the previous accident “was not in any way related to the shipbuilding operations. It was “caused by a vehicular accident as a result of human frailty,” he said.

Yu, in an accident report sent to Arreza, said the company had started an investigation “to ascertain whether the unfortunate event was the result of an industrial mishap, unavoidable human error, or simply the negligence of Philnorkor during the construction work.”

“If investigation reveals that the accident was caused by laxity in the observance of rules and regulations on occupational safety, the immediate superiors and authorities concerned with the implementation of safety policies will be made answerable, regardless of nationality,” Yu told Arreza.

“If negligence on the part of Philnorkor is the proximate cause, HHIC shall take all necessary steps to hold the contractor liable in every aspect,” he added. (Robert
Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon)

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Taiwanese lockmaker opens $5-M new Subic plant; targets export of 1 million locksets a month

Taiwanese company Tong Lung (Phils.) Metal Industry Co. Ltd., a designer and maker of doorknob and lock sets, recently unveiled its new $5-million zinc-die casting and plating facility here, targeting the production and export of one million lock sets a month.

Tong Lung Chairman Tony Ho said that despite the global economic recession, the company looks forward to making its offshore facility in Subic its the second primary base in Asia.

Tong Lung, which was founded in Taiwan in 1954, exports its products to various markets in Asia, America, Europe and Africa. Both its Taiwan factory and Subic unit undertake production using computer-aided design and automated precision machinery.

"Although the global economy seems to be in an economic recession period, I am happy to announce the expansion of our facility," Ho said during the inauguration of the new Tong Lung plant at the Subic Bay Gateway Park here.

"We now have a thousand suppliers and sub-contractors, and I hope to see that the Subic plant will become the second base for hardware production for Tong Lung Co. in Asia," he added.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza, who joined Ho in inaugurating the new plant, noted that groundbreaking for the $5-million facility was done only late last year.

"Now, the new facility is set for production and we're thankful to Tong Lung for manifesting in a very concrete way its confidence in the Subic Bay Freeport," Arreza said.

Chung Yu Wang, the firm's vice chairman, said meanwhile that the firm's new facility in Subic will open up 1,000 new jobs when fully operational.

He also cited the company's "very solid relationship" with its Filipino workers, saying this paved the way to Tong Lung's success.

Tong Lung's expansion in Subic, meanwhile, "enables us to provide more job opportunities to Filipinos," Wang added.

Aside from producing lock set brands like EZ Set, Passion and Lucky, the company also supplies products to tools-and-equipment specialist Black and Decker, said Wang.

The inauguration of Tong Lung's new facility was graced by John Co, an officer at the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), as well as representatives from Black and Decker. Aside from Arreza, Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon, Jr. and Zambales Vice-Gov. Anne Gordon joined Ho and Co in inaugurating the new plant.

Arreza noted that Tong Lung is one of the pioneering investors in Subic, and had since expanded operations in this free port.

"As you can see, Tony Ho is not just a million-dollar man. He is indeed a man of action. When he said that he is ready to go full force in Subic, he actually does that. And I'm very thankful for the support and confidence that you have shown us," Arreza said.

He added that the expansion by Tong Lung is "a very encouraging sign that Subic remains to be a competitive and viable investment destination."

"Tong Lung will be exporting about a million lock sets a month starting next year," Arreza said. "This additional production means more revenue for Subic, and these locksets mean more jobs," he added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Trees at the proposed casino project

Trees — including ornamental palms — at the proposed hotel-casino project site bear inventory markings in preparation to balling and relocation.

The relocation, according to the SBMA, is just an option if the trees couldn't be incorporated in the development plan.

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SBMA: Tree-cutting yarn a non-issue

Officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) yesterday reiterated their
position that no trees will be cut to make way for a $120-million hotel-casino project at Subic's central business district.

Reacting to allegations by architect and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr. that the project would destroy more than 300 trees, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said he has directed the project proponent Grand Utopia, Inc. to "exhaust all means to save the trees."

"The SBMA directive to Grand Utopia is clear — either they incorporate the trees in their development plan, or ball them and relocate them to another place," Arreza said.

"And as far as we can tell they're complying, because they have applied for a permit to ball the trees," he added.

"So I don't know why some quarters are bitching about this supposed issue, when not one twig has been cut off and the trees are still there," he added.

Palafox has said in several media reports that more than 300 trees would be destroyed by the hotel-casino project. He also alleged that 37 of the affected trees are century-old.

This was the reason, Palafox claimed, why he broke ties with Grand Utopia, which had reportedly tapped him to design the project.

He added that he would have been paid $1 million for the design, but he learned later that the developer had tapped a Japanese designer and that he will simply be asked "to sign on other people's work."

Arreza said, however, that the issue about Palafox's aborted deal with Grand Utopia "should be treated separately from the yarn about cutting trees in Subic."

"This story about cutting century-old trees is simply a non-issue because it isn't true. He's just barking up the wrong tree," Arreza said.

He added that experts from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños doubted whether there are century-old trees in the area, because geological studies of
the project site indicated that the area was reclaimed by the US Navy.

"That being the case, the UP group said that the so-called urban jungle in the project site couldn't be a natural-growth forest. Ergo, the possibility that there are century-old trees present is quite nil," Arreza explained.

An SBMA official who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, meanwhile, said that Palafox should "not hide behind the skirt of environmentalism when his issue is really about his failed consultancy."

The official recalled that Palafox had earlier allowed the paving of a turtle-nesting site in Subic when he designed a hotel and entertainment district along Subic's waterfront in 2004.

More than 100 camachile trees were also cut to make way for the project, he said.

"That project pushed through even without an ECC (environmental clearance certificate) and it was Palafox who designed it," the official added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Private Submarines: Made in Subic

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (third from left) joins proponents of a personal submarine project in the Subic Bay Freeport, from left: George Ramirez, president of McGram Fusion Inc.; Kiyotaka Miyagawa, CEO of Amuza Co. Ltd. of Japan; and Keisuke Imada, Amuza's mechanical technologist. The team successfully conducted sea trials for the personal submarine prototype last week at Subic Bay. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Japanese firm to produce 'personal submarines' in Subic

First gaining attention as a manufacturer of world-class limousines, Japan-based firm Amuza Co. Ltd. is now set to produce in Subic what it called "leisure submarines", in partnership with a business locator here that specializes in fiberglass and composite materials construction.

This was announced on Thursday by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, after Amuza conducted a successful sea trial of its private submarine prototype here last week.

Amuza, which has been working on the submarine project for 10 years, has partnered with former Subic locator Taiyo Sangyo Trading and Marine Service Ltd., which in turn referred them to McGram Fusion Inc. in Subic, said Arreza.

McGram Fusion, which manufactures car body kits made of fiberglass, carbon fiber and Kevlar, has agreed to fabricate the vessel's hull and other visible components, while electronic parts and systems will be shipped in from Japan.

The two-seater leisure submarine weighs four tons and is about the size of a typical car — two meters wide, four and a half meters long, and two meters high.

Underwater, it sucks in water which adds to its weight, for a total of 4.8 tons.

Powered with a lithium-ion battery, which Amuza currently develops, the leisure sub on a full charge of 10 hours can navigate for up to 50 nautical miles (about 90 kms) and dive up to 150 meters deep.

Underwater, the vessel's speed tops 5 knots per hour.

Amuza chief executive officer Kiyotaka Miyagawa said the firm has so far spent about $1.7 million for the prototype tested here last week.

He added that Amuza wants to produce 10 units of the submarine by the end of the year.

"Basically, this is a toy for rich people," Arreza said. "So production would be low, slow, cautious, and of the highest quality."

Amuza mechanical technologist Keisuke Imada said the unique submarine can be maneuvered to perform stunts like an aircraft.

"This is the most acrobatic submarine in the world," Imada said with pride. "The idea was to make it more mobile, as opposed to the traditional sub which can only go up and down."

Imada said buyers of their craft must first secure a license from a pilot training station they are planning to set up in Subic Bay.

Imada, who served time in Japan's navy, said he is very familiar with the Subic Bay Freeport, so he insisted that it be the venue for sea trials and the training school.

Initially, the firm plans to invest US$5 million for the training school, which will employ 50 to 100 divers, mechanics, and helpers, he said.

"Subic Bay's proximity to Japan, its preferable environmental factors, coupled with a workforce possessing excellent maritime capabilities, make it an ideal site for this venture," said Imada. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA: Trees won’t be cut for hotel-casino project

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will not allow the cutting of trees to make way for a multi-million hotel-casino project here, officials said on Wednesday.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the agency has told project proponent Grand Utopia, Inc. that the trees should be saved and incorporated in the development plan, which will be subject to SBMA review.

“We won’t stand for the cutting of trees. Definitely, we won’t allow it,” Arreza clarified.

He added that a news report saying that the project would destroy some 300 trees in the two-hectare site is speculative.

The report quoted architect Jun Palafox, who said that he was initially tapped to design the project but backed out when he found out that the management “intended to cut the trees.”

Arreza said, however, that he did not know why the deal between Palafox and Grand Utopia fell through.

“But the trees are still there, because all that the developer has done at this time was to fence in the area and inventory the number of trees preparatory to balling, which was the procedure we have recommended,” Arreza said.

“It’s pure speculation that 300 trees will be destroyed because, in fact, Grand Utopia has already applied for a permit to ball the trees,” he added.

Arreza also pointed out that the area, which previously contained a mini-golf course built during US Navy Days, has been classified under SBMA zoning regulations as a commercial area.

“It’s true that because of the density of the trees at the mini-golf course, our Ecology Center has classified that part of the site as an urban jungle. But it’s still within the commercial zone where development is allowed,” he explained.

“This is why the recommendation from Ecology was to incorporate the trees in the development plan, or if that won’t be possible, to ball the trees and transfer them to a new location,” Arreza said,

The SBMA Ecology Center said that several mature trees affected by development projects in the Subic Bay Freeport have been successfully transferred.

Technicians at the Center said balling is “relatively a simple procedure“, although the recovery stage for relocated trees “would be the hard part.”

“But we’ve been doing it,” they added.

The Center also said the SBMA has required developers to provide replacements on a ratio ranging from 10 to 50 saplings for each affected tree. On top of this, developers pay a considerable amount for the maintenance of saplings.

Arreza said the Grand Utopia project, which will be known as the Ocean 9 Casino and Hotel Resort, is considered to be a critical infrastructure in Subic’s bid to attract more foreign tourists to the growing number of holiday destinations in this free port.

The hotel will be located near Subic’s Alava Pier, which is being developed by another firm as a passenger terminal for cruise ships.

The casino-hotel resort is expected to employ more than 5,000 workers once operational. The project is scheduled for completion within two years. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic hosts ICT convention

Identified recently as one the most viable information technology hubs in the country outside Metro Manila, the Subic Bay Freeport will host starting today (November 27) a two-day convention on information and communications technology (ICT) to help consolidate stakeholders in the booming industry.

The event, which includes a trade exhibition that will run until November 30, was organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in close collaboration with the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SBCCI).

The convention and exhibit will be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) under the theme "E-nnovative Governance: the SubIcTech Formula."

Plenary speakers include Oscar Sañez, president of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP); Monchito Ibrahim, commissioner of the Cyber Services Group, Commission on Information & Communications Technology (CICT); and Ma. Lourdes Mediran, deputy executive director of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

Guest speakers, meanwhile, include Senator Richard Gordon, Asst. Secretary Reynaldo Berroya of the Department of Transportation and Communication, and Buhay party list representative Ma. Carissa Coscolluela, who chairs the Bataan Olongapo Zambales Educational Development Organization's Information Technology Council.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said that the convention and exhibit is expected to attract experts, industry leaders, and key decision-makers in the ICT sector.

"With this event, we aim to consolidate stakeholders in the ICT industry, so that the country, including Subic, can really take off as a world-class provider of ICT services," Arreza said.

"This is a booming industry, and we must have the necessary facilities to grab a big chunk of the growing market," he added.

Arreza said the ICT industry, considered as one sector with some of the most high-paying jobs in the country at present, experienced a growth rate of 70 percent from year 2000 to 2005.

In 2005, he added, the Philippines was considered a location of choice because of relatively less expensive operational and labor costs, making it one of the top 10 BPO destinations worldwide.

The potentials of the industry include Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), and other creative E-services like software and hardware development, wireless application, digital animation and games, Arreza added.

He also said that the new ICT trends, like E-commerce — the groundbreaking way of doing business through the Internet, and using telecommunications and computing tools for marketing and business exchange — is currently revolutionizing ways on how business and governance should be done.

As for the Subic Bay Freeport, Arreza said the SBMA has recently upgraded ICT facilities here to meet emerging demands in the industry.

"Subic is now ready with the required infrastructures, as well as a talent pool, to be a major player in the ICT business," Arreza said.

Organizers said the four-day ICT convention and exhibit expects over two thousand participants from prominent industry players, telecom companies, software and hardware manufacturers, IT schools, business and knowledge process outsourcing groups, as well as manufacturers of computers, mobile phones, and other electronic products.

The high number of participants was made possible trhough online registration at the website (http:/www.ictsubic.com), which was created and managed by the Comteq Computer and Business College, an ICT school based in the Subic Freeport. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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$120-M hotel-casino resort breaks ground in Subic

A fifteen-story integrated resort-hotel worth $120 million will soon rise along the Waterfront Drive in this free port to provide a landmark development complete with convention center and casino.

The project, which will be known as Ocean 9 Casino and Hotel Resort, broke ground last Wednesday, with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza and Moon-Sung Choi, chairman of the proponent-firm Grand Utopia, Inc., leading the ceremony.


The event was witnessed by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) chairman and CEO Efraim Genuino, Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr., Zambales Vice-Gov. Anne Gordon, and representatives of the Korean business community in Subic.

According to Arreza, the Ocean 9 resort-hotel complex is designed to be the most beautiful hotel in the Subic Bay Freeport.

“This promises to be a significant landmark that will transform the face of Subic Bay , making it the pride of Olongapo and Zambales,” he added.

Choi, who presented a project brief during the ceremony, said the main facility will be a 15-storey hotel that will occupy an area of 9,173 sq. meters, while the secondary building that will occupy 4,200 sq. meters will house a three-storey casino.

The project, which is expected to yield more than 5,000 jobs, is scheduled for completion within two years, he said.

“We will do our best to develop the business under the direction of PAGCOR and SBMA, as we aspire to be at par with some of the world’s best tourism and entertainment attractions,” Choi said.

“The hotel and casino complex will be built using cutting-edge technology and advanced architectural systems in order to make a unique design that will blend comfort with entertainment,” he added.

As planned, the Ocean 9 casino will feature a central stage for live entertainment and performances, as well as a lift-up type of walkway that could be used for fashion shows, said Choi.

The first floor of the casino, where some 500 gaming tables will be clustered, will also have an organic light emitting diode (OLED) system for visual effects, he added.

The OLED system could produce scenes like a waterfall orr volcanic activity, Choi said.

The other side of the main hall, meanwhile, will have from 60 to 120 shops that will sell luxury brands, including premium items from Italy and France .

On the other hand, the hotel-casino complex will also boast convention and business facilities to complement leisure activities intended for foreign and local tourists, said Choi.

The Ocean 9 Casino and Hotel Resort project is considered to be a critical infrastructure in Subic ’s bid to attract more foreign tourists to the growing number of holiday destinations in this free port.

The hotel will be located near Subic ’s Alava Pier, which is being developed by another firm as a passenger terminal for cruise ships.

Alava is also being used for berthing by visiting US Navy ships that regularly dock in Subic during military exercises between the Philippines and the United States. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA to honor the Subic Volunteers, outstanding workers

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) honors the Freeport's outstanding workers and the Subic volunteers as it commemorates on Monday, November 24, the turnover of this former US naval base to the Philippine government 16 years ago.

The turnover ceremonies on November 24, 1992 not only marked the end of nearly a century of US military control of Subic Bay but also signaled the start of efforts to transform the former naval base into a freeport.

The date has since been observed as Volunteers Day in Subic Bay Freeport and the nearby city of Olongapo – in grateful recognition of the indomitable spirit and sacrifice of thousands of men and women who worked without pay to maintain and operate the facilities left behind by the Americans in the early years of the Freeport.

"As one of the thousands-strong army of men and women who helped protect and preserve this former base land in 1992, I take immense pleasure in reliving with my fellow volunteers the years of toil and sacrifice that set the foundations for a progressive, sustainable and forward-looking Freeport," SBMA Administrator Armand C. Arreza said.

"Today, as one of the thousands-strong army of SBMA employees, I also take enormous pride in announcing that our collective actions in the past have not been in vain as the Freeport continues in its unflagging march forward — breaking new records in investments, revenues and jobs, and seeking greater heights as a world-class service and logistics hub that we can all be proud of," he added.

Highlighting the November 24 festivities here is the awarding of the 10 Outstanding Freeport Workers for 2008, to be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).

Now on its seventh year, this annual awards program - a joint project of the SBMA and the Subic Bay Workforce and Development Foundation, Inc.(SBWDFI) – gives due recognition to the crucial role of workers in the Freeport's rise as a premier investment and tourism hub.

This year's awardees are Ma. Adoracion R. Celeste of the SBMA Human Resource Department; Levi D. Dalida and Paquito T. Torres, SBMA Intelligence and Investigation Office; Arleen B. Dulay, The Lighthouse Marina Resort; Diosdado E. Ednave, SBMA Law Enforcement Department; Severino T. Jovero of Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium Ocean Adventure; Elizier Martin, SBMA Maintenance and Transportation Department; Vicente V. Salvador of Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corp.; Bernard D Sanchez of Nicera Philippines Inc.; and Jaime L. Villafuerte, Jr. of Wistron Infocomm. (Phils.), Corp.

The search for the best among the 80,000-strong active work force in the Freeport began as early as August this year. Atty. Severo C. Pastor, SBWDFI Chairman and SBMA Labor Manager, said that the foundation received 50 nominees from the different business locators here and the SBMA, which participated for the first time.

The SBWDFI was formed through the efforts of the SBMA and Freeport investors to provide a foundation that can provide a skills development program for thousands of workers here in the Freeport. The foundation has a Board of Trustees consisting of representatives from the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines, investors, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, SBMA-Labor Department and a representative of workers.

The SBMA Volunteers' Day opens with the flag-raising and wreath laying ceremonies in front of the administration building - at the very same spot where the formal turnover ceremonies were held 16 years ago.

SBMA Chairman Feliciano G. Salonga and Administrator Arreza, himself a former volunteer, will lead the flag raising, along with deputy administrators and former volunteers representing the different SBMA business units.

A wreath will be offered at the monument in the same area– that of the Children of the Sun Returning - which was built in 1996 by the first SBMA chairman and administrator, then Mayor Richard J. Gordon, and dedicated to Subic volunteers.

The Olongapo city government has also organized a grand reunion of Subic volunteers at a memorial built in their honor across the lagoon at The Bicentennial Park – the Volunteers' Shrine, where the Subic volunteers' names are engraved on granite panels. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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15,300 new jobs created in Subic

A total of 15,330 new jobs were created in this free port in the first nine months after the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) approved 141 new investment projects worth more than $239 million.

The new jobs include the 10,000 projected employment of Subic Neocove Corp., a joint venture between Korean and American firms for the construction and operation of an integrated sports and luxury resort facility at Subic's Redondo Peninsula.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the projected employment opportunities would increase Subic's active workforce by 18 percent.

According to the SBMA Labor Department, Subic's total labor force already stood at 83,428 as of September due to expansion programs undertaken by Subic-registered enterprises, as well as the operation of new investors..

While the bulk of the Subic workforce remains in the services sector with a total of 36,012 workers or 43.17 percent, employment in the shipbuilding and marine-related business is fast catching up, the SBMA said.

Already, maritime-related industries employ 26,438 or 31.69 percent of the workers in Subic, SBMA figures showed.

The maritime sector is followed by the manufacturing sector, with 14,804 or 17.74 percent; and construction, with 5,628 workers or 6.75 percent. The rest of the active workforce is composed of domestic helpers and caretakers, with a total of 546 or 1 percent.

Arreza said the entry of Neocove Corp. and other big-ticket tourism projects would most likely keep the services sector as the leading employer here in the next few years.

"Subic is basically service-oriented, so as more industries locate here — whether in maritime or manufacturing sectors — we expect a corresponding increase in jobs in the services sector," Arreza said.

He added that aside from Neocove, nine other big investors that signed in this year would also be also labor-intensive.

These include the Korean construction firm Hanil E&C Subic, Inc., which has a committed investment of $11 million; Sultan Ahmed Lootah Enterprises corp., with $6.72 million; George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center, Inc., with $6.58 million; Hanafil Golf and tour, Inc., with initial commitments of $3 million; Australasia Marine Alliance Corp., with $2.31 million; Pacific Pearl Airways Aviation School, with $2.13 million; Palmgold Int'l Ltd., with $1.98 million;
Grand Pillar Int'l Development, Inc., with $1.9 million; and Buma Subic Development and Management Corp., with $1.5 million.

The 141 new projects worth some $239 million placed the total committed investments in Subic at $5.74 billion, the SBMA said.

Arreza also said that SBMA's job-generation program has been instrumental in addressing unemployment and underemployment in the Central Luzon region.

Citing figures from the Department of Labor and Employment's Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (DOLE-BLES), Arreza noted that the region's unemployment rate had decreased from 11.5 percent in 2007 to 9..4 percent as of July this year.

In the same period, Central Luzon's underemployment figures went down from 14.1 percent in 2007 to 9.2 percent as of July.

"I think our efforts to minimize labor gaps are now gradually paying off," Arreza said, pointing out that the agency is also facilitating regional dialogues not only to address unemployment, but to promote skills matching and industrial peace in the region.

He said the that in 2005, the SBMA linked with the Department of Labor and Employment, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Agency, Public Employment Service Office, and the Regional Development Council to start a series of conferences on job-skills mismatch to help address labor concerns in Central Luzon. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Trump eyeing investment in Philippine freeport

SUBIC BAY, Philippines - U.S. property tycoon Donald Trump is eyeing up a move to develop part of a new complex in the Philippine freeport of Subic Bay into a tourist center, a Trump company official said Wednesday.

The flamboyant billionaire is looking at joining a South Korean company that is already building a major complex in Subic Bay, which is located north of Manila.

Trump Organization executive vice-president Michael Cohen said he had met officials of the Heung-A Property Group to discuss the plan.

He said the two sides were working on “a definitive agreement” where the Trump group would be a key developer of the beachfront but added that no formal accord had been signed.

Heung-A Property owns Subic Neocove Corp., a venture that is developing a tourism complex. The company is planning an initial 250 million-dollar investment to build hotels, golf courses, a casino and residential areas.(The China Post)

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Fighting poverty ensures peace - Pres. Arroyo. Petron fuel plant inaugurated in Subic

SUBIC BAY FREE PORT—President Arroyo has underscored the importance of the government’s poverty-alleviation program, saying that strengthening the economy and bringing about human dignity to every Filipino brings about peace.

In a speech before the Central Luzon Local Peace and Security Assembly at the El Centro Convention Center here, President Arroyo also said the government has been making headway in curbing insurgency, which she said is rooted in lack of jobs,
land-reform problems and social injustice.

“A strong and growing economy has been the central pillar we have labored to create precisely to help ensure peace, order and instability in our country. And it’s paying off,” Arroyo told some 500 participants in the two-day assembly and workshop.

Before addressing the Central Luzon peace assembly Thursday, President Arroyo also inaugurated a $2.5-million fuel-additives blending plant put up by Petron Corp. at the Subic Techno Park.

Petron chairman and CEO Nicasio Alcantara informed the President at the inauguration that the facility will not only generate dollar revenues, but will also promote energy conservation and assist in environmental protection.The additives-blending plant, the first of its kind in Asia-Pacific, will export 80 percent of its products, mainly to Asian markets.

In addressing the peace assembly later, Mrs. Arroyo said, “Our economy is more resilient today than ever before, thanks to our fiscal reforms that manifested in a 7-percent-plus [gross domestic product] growth last year.” Almost 7 million jobs have also been created in the past seven years of her administration, she added.

However, she admitted that the current global financial crisis still hits Filipinos where it hurts most—at the kitchen table.“We are not insulated from the events taking place internationally, so we will have to monitor developments closely and take action where necessary, to ensure that any impact will be minimal or short-lived,” she added.

At the same time, President Arroyo criticized communist insurgents for impeding progress and development in some rural areas, and said the government is taking on a new tack to end “all forms of armed rebellion in the country.”

She said the new premise of the government’s peace efforts now focuses on “authentic dialogues with the people in communities,” and not on negotiating with armed groups.

“By talking directly with the people, we aim to generate a national consensus against armed struggle as a means of achieving political and social change,” the President explained.

She added that the overall framework of the government’s peace process will be composed of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR).“DDR, as espoused by the communities, will be a notice to armed groups of their rejection of armed struggle, and a way of showing that the force of arms does not entitle them to representing our people,” she added.

For its part, the assembly presented President Arroyo with a resolution and action agenda for peace, security and development, which was the result of the two-day workshop, spearheaded by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales.

The resolution supported the “wisdom and spirit of the New Peace Paradigm [of] multitrack dialogue, peace education and development cooperation,” and expressed the participants’ determination to make Central Luzon an agro-industrial heartland, international gateway, tourism haven, and transshipment and logistics hub.

The resolution was signed by representatives of six workshop groups that included participants from local and national government units, nongovernment and people’s organizations, academe, business, religious and basic sectors. (Henry Empeño - Business Mirror)

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