SBMA: Improved traffic system crucial for Subic-Clark growth

Wondering how to make responsible motorists out of the usually errant Filipino drivers? Bring them to Subic, a top official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) says.

Proudly citing the world-class traffic management system in the Subic Bay Freeport, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said that global-competitiveness could start with a most unlikely economic pursuit: traffic discipline.

“If we want to lure more investors and tourists into the country, we should create world-class facilities and support systems for investments, including the fast and orderly transfer of goods and other resources through efficient traffic management,” said Arreza, speaking at the sidelines of the pilot taping here of “The Freeport Forum”, a new television show covering the Subic and Clark free ports.

“The state of vehicular traffic says a lot about a certain place, and investors take first notice of that when scouting for possible locations for their businesses,” Arreza explained.

The SBMA official also called on concerned agencies and government units to step up the traffic management system in the areas between Subic and Clark, which are target areas for expansion of the neighboring free ports, and pledged SBMA’s support in laying down the groundwork for an internationally-competitive investment environment in the area.

“Improvements in the traffic management sector are a major component of Subic’s expansion program to the nearby communities,” Arreza said, mentioning Olongapo City, Subic town in Zambales, and Morong, Hermosa and Dinalupihan in Bataan as target areas for expansion.

He added that to help bring about better traffic management in nearby areas, the SBMA now invites traffic enforcement officers to study and adopt the orderly traffic scheme in the Subic Bay Freeport.

Aside from Arreza, the other guests in the forum were Sec. Edgardo Pamintuan, chairman of the Subic-Clark Alliance Development Council (SCADC), and Benigno Ricafort, president of Clark Development Corporation (CDC).

According to Arreza, Subic Bay’s traffic enforcement scheme, along with the American traffic system, has served as a model for the University of the Philippines’ (UP) Traffic Safety Model Zone — a test bed for a new road order designed to be replicated everywhere in the Philippines.

Likewise, officials from the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), the Clark Freeport, Bataan, and even Cebu have also studied the Subic system while developing their own traffic management systems, he said.

“Filipinos are basically law-abiding citizens. We just have to get them inside the Subic Bay Freeport first so that this innate discipline would show,” Arreza said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, Lt. Benjamin Evia, SBMA traffic branch chief, explained that the Subic Bay Freeport has basically the same traffic laws as in other areas.

“Subic simply makes a difference because of its strict enforcement policy and a corruption-free standard operating procedure,” Evia said.

“But we are willing to share the success of the SBMA in the field of traffic enforcement. If it can be done in Subic, there’s no question it can be applied to just anywhere in the country,” he added.

Evia said corruption in traffic enforcement could be greatly reduced, if not totally eliminated, when traffic enforcement agencies employ the “minimum interaction with violators” policy, which he said could be traced back to the US Navy days here.

To illustrate, Evia said that Subic traffic enforcers must first radio their headquarters upon flagging a vehicle, and only then could the officer approach the driver and read the traffic violation citations.

The driver ticketed for violation, meanwhile, is not allowed to speak unless questioned during the whole procedure, which is monitored by closed-circuit television cameras at key areas in the Subic Bay Freeport.

“We also have hotlines where motorists could seek help, or even report traffic violators— 9111 for cellphones and 911 for landlines,” said Evia.

The SBMA traffic chief said that besides strict enforcement and smooth communication lines, the Subic system adheres to international standards of road engineering, which includes signage.

This also improves better understanding by both motorists and pedestrians of traffic rules and regulations within the free port, Evia said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Hanjin safety compliance cited

Efforts by South Korean firm Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. Philippines (HHIC-Phil) to improve health and safety conditions at its shipyard in this free port has resulted in a safer workplace for its more than 16,000 workers.

According to officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), who have been monitoring work safety at the Hanjin facility, the ship manufacturer has started complying with local labor laws on safety standards.

“I think much have been done since (the Congressional Committee on Labor and Employment) started its investigation, because safety awareness of all concerned at the shipyard has been raised already to a certain level,” said Nathaniel Lacambra, DOLE director for Region 3.

Lacambra noted these observations during a recent hearing of the congressional committee chaired by Rep. Magtanggol Guinigundo, which has started an investigation on labor safety at the Hanijn shipyard in Subic following complaints of unsafe working conditions that have resulted in several fatal accidents since 2007.

The committee has so far invited officials from DOLE-Region 3, SBMA, and HHIC-Phil, as well as engineers from the Professional Regulatory Commission, among others, to shed light on safety issues and other labor concerns.

But Lacambra said that the DOLE, along with representatives from professional health and safety organizations, has already conducted labor standard inspections at the Hanjin shipyard and found that some of the hazards at the work place have been already eliminated.

“The DOLE, SBMA, Hanjin and other concerned agencies and organizations, have been doing their share in making Hanjin a safer work place,” Lacambra added.

In the same forum, Ramon Agregado, SBMA deputy administrator for support services, informed the committee that based on partial reports, Hanjin is already 44 percent compliant in terms of Occupational Health and Safety Standards (OHHS) as of June 2009.

The current rating marks an improvement from the 42 percent recorded in March, Agregado added.

The SBMA official also noted that aside from gradually undergoing the compliance process for OHSS as required by DOLE, Hanjin has already began maintaining doctors at its clinic in the shipyard.

Meanwhile, Rep. Monico Pontevela (Bacolod City) commended Guinigundo’s committee for the positive effect that its investigation has had on the working conditions of employees at the Hanjin shipyard.

“I have to commend the Chair (Guinigundo) of this committee, because since the investigation started, there has been no more news about fatal accidents at the shipyard. This could only mean that there has been some improvement in the safety situation at the Hanjin facility,” Pontevela said.

The latest fatality was recorded on Saturday last week when the body of Teodoro Alvior Jr. was fished out of the sea at Hanjin’s Quay No. 3. Initial investigations pointed, however, to a case of suicide.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza had earlier urged investigators to exhaust all means in determining the exact cause of Alvior’s death and ascertain whether the victim’s death “was not caused by any negligence on the part of his employer or the shipyard management”. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Asean execs meet in Subic on climate change

Representatives of Southeast Asian countries are meeting here in Subic Bay Freeport to draw up measures to mitigate the effects of climate change during the 3rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Social Forestry Network (ASFN) conference.

“While there have been programs to address these issues on the national level, this is actually the first time that these efforts are focused
at the regional level. Our hope is that the member countries learn from each other’s experiences in dealing with this important issue of climate change,” said Sagita Arhidani, ASFN secretariat officer from Indonesia.

“Taken together, the policies of Asean nations will have a dramatic impact on climate change all over the world,” she said.

The conference ends on Saturday.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization said Asean countries have approximately 283.2 million hectares of forests, covering 33.4 percent of these countries’ land area and accounts for 16 percent of the world’s tropical forests.

Neria Andin, assistant director of the Forest Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said social forestry can improve the socio-economic situation of upland farmers while taking care of the environment.

Dr. Rodel Lasco of the World Agro Forestry Center analyzed the potential benefits of agro-forestry farms. (Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon Desk)

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Hanjin's new projects hikes investments

An expansion project of Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. in this free port will raise the total investments committed by locators here to more than $6 billion this year.

Hanjin Heavy’s expansion will also reinforce the firm’s status as the single-biggest locator in the free port today.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator and chief executive officer Armand Arreza said Hanjin Heavy’s new investment pledge of $86 million would raise the firm’s total investments in Subic to $2.54 billion.

The shipbuilder’s new investment is in the production of ship components in the free port.

Hanjin Heavy, which had so far built four container vessels here in the last two years, announced its new funding commitment during the recent visit of President Arroyo in Korea.

Hanjin officials said the new investments will be placed in two schedules: $29 million starting September this year, and $57 million next year.

Arreza said Hanjin Heavy’s $86-million project raises the total investments in Subic to $6.64 billion, topping the previous record of $5.78 billion in the first quarter of 2009.

“With just the first $29 million, our investment commitments will breach the $6-billion mark this year,” Arreza said.

“With the succeeding $57 million, we will be hitting close to the $7.5-billion enhanced target that we have set for 2010,” he added.

Hanjin Heavy’s new investments would also allow it to maintain its position as Subic’s top employer. Its officials announced that the new project would create some 4,000 new positions on top of the 16,000 jobs that now exist at the firm’s Redondo Peninsula shipyard.

Arreza cited Hanjin Heavy’s new project for its huge potentials in helping ease unemployment in Central Luzon and spur growth in terms of raw materials and other production inputs.

“Best of all, with ship components produced locally, we shall have the right to claim that ships produced by Hanjin in Subic are entirely Philippine-made,” Arreza added.

Despite what critics say as its poor safety record, with several fatal accidents occurring at its Subic facility in the past two years, Hanjin is credited for putting the Philippines on the world’s maritime map by producing the first Philippine-made container ships.

In the first quarter of this year, Hanjin set a new record with the twin-launch of its third and fourth container ships and became Subic’s biggest exporter for the first time after posting $179.36 million in freight-on-board value.

The shipbuilder initially committed $1 billion in investment when it located in Subic in 2006. It increased its exposure by $68 million a year later.

Hanjin Heavy’s current expansion is also expected to bolster the job-creation program in Subic, which now employs 85,000 workers.

Arreza said Subic’s employment “could easily jump to double the current figures once projects proposed by several Korean firms are realized in the next two years.”

These include a plan by M Castle Inc. to construct a $1-billion resort complex in a 615-hectare property. Around 7,000 direct and 16,000 indirect jobs are projected to materialize when construction starts, according to reports quoting M Castle chairman Sang Soo Shin.

“These [are] major employment boosters,” Arreza said. “Aside from the jobs that would be directly created by these projects, there will be thousands of employment opportunities to be generated downstream.”

Hanjin Heavy’s expansion and M Castle’s planned project will further boost Korean business exposure in Subic, which had grown to $2.85 billion since 2003, the highest value of foreign direct investment here.

According to SBMA figures, Korean firms put up 234 investment projects in the free port. Philippine firms come in second with $513.5 million in investment value. Filipinos remain first with 533 projects.

The third-biggest investors here are Taiwanese companies, with 41 projects worth $256.4 million. Indian firms are the fourth with three projects worth $101.1 million. (HENRY EMPEÑO, Business Mirror Online)

PHOTO: Workers at the Hanjin Heavy shipyard in the Subic Bay Free Port install components to a container vessel. Hanjin Heavy now plans to produce ship components in its facility here with an $86-million expansion project.

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SBMA says over 85,000 workers now in Freeport

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials said that more than 85,200 workers are now employed in different companies in this Freeport.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the continued confidence by foreign investors, particularly Korean companies, in the business competitiveness in the Freeport led to the doubling in the number of workers here in just two years.

Arreza said the number of workers could easily jump to double the current figure once projects proposed by several Korean firms are realized in the next two years.

He cited in particular the planned construction of a $1-billion resort complex here by M Castle Inc., a Korean developer of environment- friendly luxury resorts, and the scheduled $86-million project by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. to locally produce ship components.

“These will be major employment-boosters ,” Arreza said.

He said aside from the jobs that would be directly created by these projects, there will be thousands of employment opportunities to be generated downstream.

Reports indicated earlier that M Castle Inc. will invest in a 615-hectare property in Subic, aside from another property development project in Palawan to be undertaken with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

Around 7,000 direct and 16,000 indirect jobs are said to be made available when the construction of the billion-dollar luxury resort starts, according to M Castle chairman Sang Soo Shin.

Arreza said the planned investment “would not only boost the tourism market in the country, but would also up the ante for Subic in terms of income.”

The M Castle proposal reportedly includes the development of beach and forest condominiums, a beach hotel, a casino-hotel and villas with 2,400 rooms, a 36-hole golf course, a marina club for 50 yachts, a medical center for oriental and western medicine, a water park, a shopping mall, and an English-language learning house.

The SBMA administrator said that from the planned resort complex in Subic, the local production by Hanjin of ship components will increase Subic’s active workforce by 4,000 positions.

He said the projected increase in Hanjin labor requirements was announced by company officials when they met with President Arroyo in Korea recently. (Ric Sapnu, PhilStar)

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Koreans plan $1-b, 615-hectare resort complex in Subic, Zambales

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea — President Arroyo has secured a commitment from a Korean company to invest $1 billion in a resort complex in Subic, Zambales, that is expected to create 144,000 jobs during its construction.

Mrs. Arroyo met representatives from M Castle Inc., a Korean developer of environment- friendly luxury resorts, at the Shilla Hotel Tuesday afternoon to discuss the company’s plan to develop a 615-hectare property in Subic.

M Castle chairman Sang Soo Shin told Mrs. Arroyo that the company also planned to develop a piece of property in Palawan with the help of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

“I welcome M Castle’s potential investments in the Philippines and I am glad that it considered the Philippines, specifically Subic and Palawan, as the choice destinations for your business projects,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

The resort complex in Subic is expected to generate 7,000 direct and 16,000 indirect jobs once it starts operations.

Earlier, Mrs. Arroyo received assurances from Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Inc. that it would start producing ship components worth $29 million at its Subic shipyard starting in September.

The President agreed to a request from Hanjin President Nam Ho Cho for discounted power rates for its shipyards in Subic and Misamis Oriental for the next 10 years.

Cho called on the President Monday at the Shilla Hotel with former Hanjin Philippines president Jeong Sup Shim.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has approved in principle the business plan that M Castle submitted on March 10.

In that plan, M Castle said the Subic-based facilities would include beach and forest condominiums, a beach hotel, and a casino hotel and villas with 2,400 rooms; a 36-hole golf course; a Marina club for 50 yachts; a medical center for oriental and western medicine; a water park; a shopping mall, and an academy house for English-language training.

The membership fees would range from $25,000 to $700,000, would assure clients 30 days of time share per year.

The Philippines has been experiencing a boom in the hotel and tourism industry, with a total of 1,231 additional rooms being opened during the first quarter at a cost of more than P8 billion.

Tourist arrivals grew 10.33 percent to 1.3 million in the same period, and of which Subic accounted for 7 percent.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Arroyo left Tuesday for Moscow, where she is to meet representatives from the Russian travel industry and members of the Filipino community.

From Moscow, she will proceed to St. Petersburg where she will deliver a talk on the lessons learned from the global economic crisis during the two-day St. Petersburg Economic Forum.

Mrs. Arroyo will also meet Russian President Dmitri Medvedev before returning to Manila on Saturday. [Joyce Pangco Pañares, Manila Standard Today (Via PLDT)]

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Hanjin to hire 24,000 more workers for Subic & Misamis Oriental plants

MANILA - Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. will hire 24,000 more Filipino workers for its Subic and Misamis Oriental plants, the government announced on Tuesday.

At present, Hanjin Philippines Inc., the corporation´s main office in the Philippines, employs 16,000 workers.

During a meeting with Hanjin Philippines President Jong Shup Shim, President Gloria Arroyo lauded the company´s billion-dollar investment in its Subic shipyard, and the additional multi-billion investment in a new facility in Misamis Oriental, which would make the Philippines the fourth-largest shipbuilder in the world.

Jong later told reporters that starting September, Hanjin would begin local production of ship components that they normally import from South Korea for the assembly of work at Subic.

Jong estimated that the company would be able to manufacture $29-million worth of locally produced components for the first year, and he expressed confidence that this amount would increase to $57 million next year.

Jong said the company would make the ships produced at the Hanjin shipyard in Subic, entirely and proudly, Philippine-made.

Medal of Merit

As this developed, President Arroyo conferred the Presidential Medal of Merit on the former president Hanjin Philippines Inc., Jong Shup Shim, for making that firm one of the world´s largest shipbuilding conglomerates and for his contribution to the shipbuilding industry in the Philippines.

Jong was also credited for influencing Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp., to put up a shipbuilding facility in the Subic Freeport Zone in Zambales.

The ceremony was held on Jeju Island, South Korea, at the sidelines of the 20th Anniversary of Asean and Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit. Asean is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional bloc of 10 countries that includes the Philippines.

More hirings

Some 600 Filipino seamen were hired daily, despite the global economic crisis, Giovanni Lopez, vice president of the Luneta Seafarer´s Center (LSC), said also on Tuesday. He added that the demand for Filipinos seafarers even increased, and if there were layoffs, they would normally be the last to go -after other foreign workers.

On average, some 1,000 jobs were available daily at the popular seamen´s hub on Kalaw Street, Manila, where 112 manning agencies offer jobs to the thousands of Filipino seafarers who troop to the center everyday.

"Over the last two years, the global maritime industry´s choice for Filipino seafarers continues, and it will never face a bleak future if you look into the official running count of available jobs being offered to them everyday," he said.

Lopez also said the Philippines was the biggest source of maritime workers in the world, and he believed that the demand for Filipino seafarers would "not be dampened in a big way."

He added that until 2012-when more modern vessels would be set to sail-the international maritime industry would be needing ship captains, marine deck officers, chief engineers, cooks, stewards and other maritime crew.

Filipino seafarers comprise 35 percent to 40 percent of the global maritime manpower. (Angelo S. Samonte nad Bernice Camille V. Bauzon, Manila Times)

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SCADC completes consultations for Subic-Clark corridor land use plan

The Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC) has concluded its three-part consultative meetings with local government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders with a forum held at the SBDMC Conference Hall in this free port recently.

SCADC chairman Edgardo Pamintuan, who led participants in discussing various concerns on the Subic-Clark growth corridor, said the consultations were aimed at updating stakeholders on the ongoing developments at the SCAD corridor, particularly on how LGU development plans were incorporated into the SCAD Corridor Conceptual Land Use Plan (SCoLUP).

In particular, SCADC officials and planners discussed various concerns in the development plan for the corridor, including environmental and ecological issues, waste management, the accessibility of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), as well as flood control and drainage systems.

Pamintuan, who is also the development champion for the Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region, said several development projects already in the pipeline are expected to have the greatest impact on the SCAD corridor.

These include the Tarlac-Zambales Tollway, Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Pampanga Circumferential Tollway, Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Pampanga-Bulacan Radial Road, and, possibly, the Zambales-Pampanga-Bulacan Coastal Viaduct, said Pamintuan.

He added that the final version of the conceptual land use plan for the 98,020-hectare SCAD corridor will be presented during the LGU Summit in July, which will also serve as the culminating activity for the series of stakeholder consultations.

In his speech during the Subic consultation, Pamintuan emphasized that President Arroyo’s multibillion-peso infrastructure development program has helped save the day for the Philippine economy by creating millions of jobs and opening more areas for investments.

As a result, “while the world economy is suffering from the impact of the global economic crisis — with the United States, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore registering negative growth outlook, the Philippines still registered a 1 percent growth in the first quarter of this year,” Pamintuan added.

The SCADC executive also said that his agency’s concern has lately expanded from infrastructure projects to “programs that would result in more efficient production, multi-modal product delivery system, industrial and agricultural projects, and better tourism facilities.”

The SCADC is also concerned with education and manpower training, human development centers, human settlements and retirement villages, and green corridors, Pamintuan said.

“One of the features of the SCAD corridor framework is the production-oriented logistics corridor with three equidistant hubs,” Pamintuan explained, referring to Subic, with its sea ports as the sea hub; Clark, with the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport as the air hub; and Tarlac, with its vast agricultural and industrial areas as the land hub.

“Connecting these three hubs is the 94-kilometer SCTEx that would serve as the backbone in the transformation of the area into the SCAD Mega-Logistics Hub,” he said.

“This is where the role of the provinces of Bataan and Zambales come into play, as they are the LGUs which will greatly benefit from the developments within the corridor,” Pamintuan added.

SCADC held the first stakeholders forum in Clark on May 15, and followed it up with the Tarlac consultation on May 22. The Subic forum, which was the last leg in the series of meetings with stakeholders, will be followed by the LGU Summit next month. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Sec. Edgardo Pamintuan explains the benefits of high-impact infrastructure development projects for the SCAD Growth Corridor during a stakeholders meeting in the Subic Bay Freeport.

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Olongapo welcomes SBMA move to grant business incentives to adjacent areas

OLONGAPO CITY — Officials of this city welcomed the initiative of Subic Bay Freeport authorities to grant incentives to investors willing to locate outside of the fenced-in area of the freeport, particularly in this city.

Olongapo Mayor James “Bong” Gordon Jr. described the planned incentives package as “a big boost to Olongapo” as the city undertakes its program to improve the local economy and provide sustainable income opportunities to residents, said senior executive sssistant for public relations Mike Pusing.

“Of course, we welcome this plan by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA),” Pusing said in an interview. “This is good news for us,” he added.

Earlier, the SBMA announced that it is working out a scheme whereby qualified investments based in Olongapo City may receive some incentives enjoyed by companies registered in the Subic Bay Freeport.

According to SBMA administrator/ chief executive officer Armand Arreza, the perks may include fiscal incentives like sales tax and five-percent gross income tax.

Arreza said his agency is now coordinating with Olongapo officials in formulating the implementing rules that would allow businesses located in Olongapo to qualify for some incentives under Executive Order 675, which expanded the area where tax- and duty-free privileges for freeport zones would apply.

Under EO 675, the tax- and duty-free privileges within the Subic Special Economic and Free Port Zone (SSEFPZ) “shall apply within the secured area consisting of the presently fenced-in former Subic Naval Base and such other areas that may be identified, fenced, secured or declared as additional secured area by the SBMA.”

However, Arreza said that because the planned expansion area in Olongapo is not yet fenced in, duty-free privileges cannot be applied due to concerns on merchandise control.

Arreza said under the planned set-up, businesses wanting to avail of the perks would have to be endorsed by the Olongapo city government to the SBMA.

The system would be similar to that employed by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) which registers and grants perks to investors in privately-owned economic zones, Arreza added.

As of now, among the incentives the SBMA offers to investors registering in the Subic Bay Freeport are tax- and duty-free importation; exemption from all local and national taxes, with only a five percent corporate tax on gross income; unrestricted entry of foreign investments; no foreign exchange control; visas for foreign nationals; and expanded allowable deduction and higher percentage of income allowable from sources within the Customs territory for regional enterprises. (Bebot Sison Jr., Philippine Star)

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Medical and wellness center in Amorosa, Subic Freeport, serves patients, retirees from Northern Luzon and abroad

The George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center is a tertiary private hospital located in Amorosa.

Amorosa is a 12-hectare community composed of the George Dewey Medical College, living and recreation spaces for retirees and the general public, and the George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center.

The environment of Amorosa is a preserved rainforest, providing an ambiance of healing and rejuvenation. Amorosa is located in the Subic Freeport Zone, an area of business, entertainment, outdoor activities, schools, hotels and restaurants, and homes.

The George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center sprawls among the gardens of Amorosa, consisting of nine buildings, surrounding the main hospital
and separated from it by grasslined driveways. This unique arrangement provides specialized areas for privacy, proper ambiance and infection control.

The main hospital is a single-story structure with access doors to the buildings of specialty, and areas for parking and emergency.

Essentially, the building arrangement follows a logical flow for the medical process, general services, privacy and safety.

The Medical and Surgical Services are provided by doctors who are leaders in their fields.

The medical organization follows global standards of healthcare, enhanced by a hospital information system which provides an integrated holistic approach to the individual patient.

Excellence in medical and surgical service is supported by latest equipment.

The Nursing and Ancillary Services Teams are specialized, with regular training programs in coordination with the George Dewey Medical College.

The Human Resource Department goes beyond its scope of responsibility to encourage personal growth and develop the core values of the institution. Quality Assurance Programs involve the Medical, Administrative, Finance, Marketing and Business Development groups, encouraging a culture in the community for excellence in health
services and continuing education.

The patients of the George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center are residents of Amorosa, the day and night populations of Subic, residents of nearby communities and retirement villages, as well as patients from other countries and the general public.

The residents of Amorosa benefit from the assurance of a tertiary hospital on stand by and the wellness programs to enhance their lifestyle.

The George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center is the only tertiary hospital inside the Subic Freeport Zone, with access to the Subic and Clark International airports and the provinces of Northern Luzon. Its vision of excellence in continuing medical education also encourages medical and paramedical specialty training sessions and conferences.

The Phases of Operation allow for the development of specialized centers of diagnosis and treatment, many of which will be firsts in the underserved population of Northern Luzon.

The potential for growth in the medical and wellness services is large, inside and outside of Amorosa. The standard of care, employment opportunity and empowerment of people the business provides is a significant contribution to society. (c/o Manila Times)

Photo: SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza visits the facilities at George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center.

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Subic company completes first-ever luxury yacht

Australasia Marine Alliance Corp. (AMAC), a unit of Mustang Marine Australia Services Pty. Ltd., said it has completed the first-ever leisure yacht to be built in Subic Bay Freeport.

The 28-feet Mustang Marine 2800 Sports Cruiser worth A$120,000 was built by Filipino boat craftsmen. It is one of the smallest boats under the Mustang brand name.

AMAC is an "alternative manufacturer" of recreational boats of Mustang Marine Australia Services Pty. Ltd., the flagship company of Australasia Alliance Corp., the oldest and second-largest boat builder in Australia.

The leisure yacht is powered by a MerCruiser 5.0L MPI Bravo 3 260-horsepower, 300-liter gasoline engine. It went as fast as 30.4 knots or 35 miles an hour during sea trials in Subic Bay.

With technical assistance from Mustang Australia, it took five months to finish the first boat, which is now ready to be shipped to a Thai buyer, Mr. Co said.

"We have to train people step by step, so production of the first boat took quite long. But by the end of the year, we will gear up to about two to three units a month of this size," he added.

"[This] is practically a livable boat with superb craftsmanship and elegant designs found in its kitchen, toilet, bedroom and lounge," Mr. Co. said. (Rey Garcia, Businessworld Online)

Photo Caption: The first Filipino-made Mustang 2800 Sports Cruiser maneuvers in Subic Bay. The boat clocked 30.4 knots per hour during recent trials.

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SBMA cited for timely action on drug case

Two government agencies cited the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) vigilance in the seizure of over 700 kilos of shabu from a locator and now suspected drug trafficker Anthony “Anton” Ang, even as freeport industry leaders described the SBMA officials’ conduct in the seizure as an example of integrity in government service.

In the latest hearing by the Congressional committee investigating the attempted smuggling of over 700 kilos of shabu through the Subic freeport, the chief of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Dionisio Santiago cited SBMA’s vigilance resulting in the seizure of the illegal drugs.

“Had the SBMA personnel relaxed their guard in this case, billions of pesos worth of shabu would have flooded the streets,” Santiago said.

Earlier in the same hearing, Presidential Anti- Smuggling Group (PASG) chief Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr. expressed the same recognition of SBMA success in thwarting the smuggling attempt. The seizure is the biggest haul ever in the illegal drug trade.

Armand Arreza, SBMA administrator, gave the credit to SBMA personnel, saying their dedication and honesty in their job paid off, adding that “our boys did not waver in the face of deceit even as they exercised determined caution in giving locators the respect they deserve.”

“Our boys stood their ground, insisting on getting the shipping documents on the boxes that later turned out to contain shabu,” Arreza said, adding that “no inch was given in the demand for the shipping documents. They were protecting the interest of government after they were told by Ang the boxes contained sensitive computer parts.”

Ang, then being a known locator in SBMA, claimed that the cargo contained sensitive computer parts and requested it should not be opened while he promised to bring to the SBMA the required shipping document even when the boxes passed the dog sniffing screening to detect contraband.

Ang failed to return with the shipping documents on the promised time. The SBMA law enforcement team then called PASG, the government’s anti-smuggling group to open the boxes. It was only then that they found out the boxes contained crystalline substance that was suspected to be shabu.

The PDEA later confirmed the substance is shabu. The packaging of the shabu in boxes was intended to deceive sniffing dogs.

According to Arreza, three employees in the team that led the seizure of shabu boxes earned the “Gantimpala Agad” Awards of the Civil Service Commission while the rest were given commendations. This award is the reward component of the CSC’s “Mamamayan Muna, Hindi Mamaya Na” program. (Franco Regala, Manila Bulletin)

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Independent panel starts investigation of Ang disappearance in Subic drug bust

Manila - The three-man independent panel that investigated the Alabang Boys has started its investigation into the questionable disappearance of suspected international drug-lord Anthony Anton Ang after he was caught in possession with some P5-billion worth of high-grade shabu at the Subic Freeport Zone.

The panel, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Carolina Grino-Aquino with San Beda Graduate College of Law Dean Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and retired Sandiganbayan Justice Raoul Victorino as members, would look into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the drug suspect and determine possible liabilities of prosecutors and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) and of the Subic Freeport authorities.

Solicitor General Agnes Deva-nadera, whose office is providing legal assistance to the probe panel, said the investigation would zero in on the administrative aspect of the case and as well as on the alleged bribery angle.

Bribery may come in, but the focus is whats going to be the accountability of the public officials, the solicitor general said.

She said the objective of the investigation is to establish some facts, and to inquire on the reaction of the officials when all things happened.

It could be lapses. It could overt act. It could be intentional acts. It could be none. It could be regular action, she added.

A congressional committee is also investigating the drug case. In its latest hearing, both the PDEA and PASG have virtually exonerated the Subic Freeport authorities, saying that Had the SBMA [Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority] personnel relaxed their guards in this case, billions worth of shabu would have flooded the streets.

Armand Arreza, SBMA administrator, gave the credit to SBMA personnel, saying their dedication to and honesty in their job paid off, adding, "Our boys did not waiver in the face of deceit even as they exercised determined caution in giving locators the respect they deserve."

Ang, then being a known locator in SBMA, claimed that the cargo contained sensitive computer parts and requested it should not be opened while he promised to bring to the SBMA the required shipping documents even when the boxes passed the dog sniffing screening to detect contraband.

Ang failed to return with the shipping documents on the promised time. The SBMA law enforcement team, then called PASG, the governments anti smuggling group to open the boxes. It was only then that they found out the boxes contained crystalline substance that was suspected to be shabu.

The PDEA later confirmed the substance-contained shabu. The packaging of the shabu in boxes was intended to deceive sniffing dogs. (William B. Depasupil, Manila Times)

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Antonio is solo leader in Subic chessfest

Grandmaster Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. outsmarted Le Quang Liem of Vietnam in 59 moves of the Sicilian to vault into the solo lead after the ninth round of the 2009 Asian Continental individual chess championship Thursday at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic Bay Freeport.

Flashing the form that made him the country's top player only several years ago, the 47-year-old pride of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro finished off his sixth-seeded Vietnamese rival to claim his fourth win in the last five rounds.

The win enabled the 28th-seeded Filipino to grab the solo lead with seven points on five wins and four draws with only two rounds remaining in this prestigious, 11-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Half a point behind Antonio are two Indian and two Chinese player – Grandmasters Chanda Sandipan and Surya Shekhar Ganguly and Grandmasters Hou Yifan and Zhou Weiqi.

Sandipan drew with Hou, while Ganguly and Zhou halved the point in 39 moves of the Sicilian to remain within striking distance.

Grandmaster Wesley So also made his presence felt, beating Elshan Moradiabadi of Iran in only 33 moves of the Ruy Lopez to keep his hopes alive.

The 15-year-old So capitalized on a blunder by his Iranian rival – a queen push to h4 on the 26th move – to turn a difficult, middle game struggle into a resounding victory with the white pieces.

When the end came, So is threatening to mate Moradiabadi’s king with either his queen on g8 or his knight on d6.

Overall, So has a nine-round total of six points on four wins, four draws and only one loss. (c/o Manila Bulletin)

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