Subic tourism week focuses on diversity

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) kicked off the celebration of Tourism Week here on Monday with a smorgasbord of events that focus on the highly-diversified natural attractions here, as well as the unique culture of local inhabitants.

The week-long tourism celebration also features events aimed at fostering camaraderie among various tourism stakeholders in this free port, and promoting livelihood opportunities among local residents.

For the official opening of the Tourism Week, SBMA employees and other stakeholders in the local tourism industry gathered in front of the SBMA administration building, where Subic Bay’s iconic double-decker tourist buses and other vehicles duly-festooned with balloons and buntings began a motorcade that made the rounds of the Subic Bay Freeport.

SBMA deputy administrator for tourism Raul Marcelo said the SBMA has also scheduled job fairs, seminars and skills-building programs for hoteliers and restaurant owners, beach cleanups, tree-planting activities, and team-building events throughout the week-long observance.

Special programs like the Subic Bay tourism sports festival, and the Subic Bay familiarization tour that will give visitors glimpses into the unique facets of this former US military base, will also be held, said Marcelo.

“We want to create an awareness that the success of tourism here depends on many factors — caring for the environment, equipping the workforce, forging cooperation between stakeholders, and knowing intimately what Subic Bay has to offer,” he also said.

To give due emphasis to these factors that made Subic a popular tourism attraction, Marcelo said the line-up of events for the Tourism Week has been planned under the theme “Tourism Celebrating Diversity.”

“We are balancing the forward thrust of tourism with environmental and cultural sustainability,” Marcelo said in a briefing here.

“We are saying that this could be attained by tapping the greatest capability of man — the ability to foster social responsibility and forge cooperation to achieve goals,” he added.

The SBMA tourism chief explained that this is the strategy employed by the SBMA that has made Subic Bay a popular destination.

“Tourists are actually people who want to escape from their monotonous surroundings. They go to places that offer something different. The tourism industry, therefore, banks on diversity,” Marcelo said.

“This is the unique facet of Subic Bay; it is a destination with many destinations,” he added, citing this free port’s clean beaches, virgin tropical rainforests, zoos, theme parks, and other man-made facilities catering to audiences of all ages and persuasions.

Marcelo, who joined SBMA and Clark Development Corporation (CDC) officials in promoting the Subic-Clark corridor in Hong Kong last week, said that the Subic Bay tourism week also serves actually as a means to prepare the local tourism establishments “for more opportunities coming their way.”

The Subic Bay Freeport has enjoyed immense popularity as a tourism site where visitors can enjoy the best of both worlds — the raw excitement of forest and marine attractions amid the comfort and luxury of modern hotels and entertainment facilities.

Subic’s accessibility by land, air and sea also makes it an ideal place for vacation, sports events, corporate meetings and conventions, as well as for simple weekend breaks for families. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: Employees of a locator engage in the familiarization tour which is part of the SBMA’s tourism celebration aimed at fostering camaraderie among various tourism stakeholders in this free port, and promoting livelihood opportunities among local residents.

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Subic’s Ocean Adventure park gets 4 new dolphins

The highly popular Ocean Adventure marine park has recently acquired four more dolphins to boost the growing cast of marine animals featured in its open-water viewing facilities here.

The new arrivals — three female and one male Bottlenose dolphins — are the “new additions to our already exciting lineup of entertainment and activities,” said John Corcoran, director of the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium, Inc. (SBMEI), the company that operates the marine park and its sister facility, the Camayan Beach Resort & Hotel.

Ocean Adventure, which is now expanding its marine park and resort business at Subic’s Camayan beach area, is now home to trained dolphins, false killer whales, and sea lions that perform in a huge open-water habitat.

Under a permit approved by the Department of Agriculture, the four dolphins will be part of a cetacean breeding program “so that a stable and sustainable population of Bottlenose dolphins at Ocean Adventure may be achieved,” the SBMEI said in a statement.

The SBMEI added that the firm “has been extremely successful with its sea lion reproductive management program, as evidenced by the birth of three healthy sea lion pups this year.” A total of seven pups have been born at the marine park since 2001, it was learned.

The SBMEI added that the new dolphin arrivals will undergo a routine 30-day quarantine and acclimatization period before they are introduced to the existing dolphin population at the park.

Prior to their transfer here, the four dolphins have been living in an open-water facility in Japan, where they underwent some preliminary conditioning and training for the past two years.

Now, Ocean Adventure’s expert animal care and training staff “will enhance the animals’ development through their internationally-recognized positive reinforcement training techniques,” the SBMEI said.

Aside from being used in the SBMEI’s cetacean breeding program, the four dolphins will also be involved in shows at the Ocean Adventure park, which opened two new shows this month: “Rap, Jump and Roll Show” and “Walk on the Wild Side.”

The first show, presented at a new seaside stadium, features international trampoline performers, along with the park’s famous mascots and dancers; the second, which is shown at the new Eco Theater, presents animals of the forest, along with Aeta tribesmen who demonstrate jungle survival skills.

Earlier, SBMEI chairman and CEO Timothy Desmond announced that the firm has recently opened “Adventure Beach”, which is a special events beach for group outings and team-building activities.

The development of the new seaside stadium, the Eco Theater, and the Adventure beach are part of the company’s 10-year master plan designed to beef up the park’s extensive product line-up.

Desmond said the firm’s expansion “is evidence of our ongoing commitment to provide our guests with the very best in family entertainment.”

Under the expansion program, Ocean Adventure’s large open-water lagoons “will be expanded even more to provide one of the largest (marine) habitats in the world,” the SBMEI statement said.

A portion of the lagoon “will be dedicated exclusively to the dolphin reproductive management program,” the company added.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority deputy administrator for tourism Raul Marcelo welcomed Ocean Adventure's efforts to enhance its attractions and facilities.

"This will not only attract more tourists to the only marine theme park here, but also strengthen further Subic's position as a unique and wholesome tourist destination," Marcelo said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: An animal trainer makes dolphins perform at the Ocean Adventure marine park in the Subic Bay Freeport.

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Subic investments remain flat

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it expects investment pledges in the Freeport this year would be flat on the back of the global economic slowdown.

Armand Arreza, SBMA administrator, told reporters that there have been several projects in the Subic Freeport zone that were delayed as a result of the global economic slowdown.

“Some projects have been postponed, but they were never cancelled,” he said.

But despite this, Arreza said SBMA will continue to market the freeport to interested investors.

“We will continue to build leads,” he said.

Last year, investment pledges with the SBMA reached $249 million, or roughly P12 billion. But it was way below the $1.71-billion worth of pledges the Freeport attracted in 2007.

SBMA has reported that investment commitments in the first quarter of this year reached about P1.5 billion, up by 13.6 percent year-on-year.

Arreza said he would lead a delegation to the cities of Shanghai and Suzhou in China next week to lure investors to Subic’s logistics, property development, and tourism sectors.

He also said the Freeport is ready to be a site for business process outsourcing (BPO) activities. Arreza said they have put in place the infrastructure, and a BPO facility will be ready by the end of this year.

Arreza said SBMA is currently in talks with two large call-center companies, and the agency is also looking at opportunities in the nonvoice segment.

At present, three BPO firms are located in Subic, he said. (Ben Arnold O. de Vera, Manila Times)

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EEI forms new unit

LISTED CONSTRUCTION firm EEI Corp. has set up a new unit to handle operations in Subic, documents submitted to regulators showed.

The new firm, named EEI Subic Corp. said it would engage in contracting and the specialty construction service business for property development and infrastructure firms.

The new firm has P100 million in authorized capital, P99.99 million of which were subscribed to by EEI. It paid for P89.99 million.

EEI Corp.’s profits from January to June rose by 15% to P291.62 million even as revenues were cut by more than a quarter to P3.31 billion amid a decline in local construction activity.

EEI had said it was cautiously confident of its near- to medium-term prospects despite the global economic slump.

The company had secured contracts and orders in Saudi Arabia. It also won several contracts in the first half, such as the 18-storey Acacia Grove condominium- hotel in Alabang, toll station work packages for the Public Works department, and an airport interchange. (BusinessWorld)

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SBMA approves US$57.74-M new investment projects

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently approved new investment projects worth a total of $57.74 million, as this free port continues to beat the odds of the global economic downturn and attract fresh capital infusion from both foreign and Filipino investors.

In ceremonies at the conference hall of the Subic Bay Development and Management Corp. on Wednesday, SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga and SBMA administrator Armand Arreza formally signed in 17 new projects in four different industry sectors here.

These included six new projects in leisure industry worth a total of $ 53.59 million, three in manufacturing and maritime with total investments of $1.3 million, three in general business at a total of $266,274, and five in logistics with a total of $2.57 million.

According to Arreza, the latest additions to Subic’s growing business community “only proves the resiliency of the Subic Bay Freeport in attracting new investors despite the global economic crisis.”

He added that as of August this year, 65 new accounts have been added by the agency to the list of investor firms here that totaled 948 at the end of 2008.

Arreza also said that most of the 17 new investment contracts were signed by new business locators, while a few were by existing Subic firms that opted to expand operations.

The biggest investment commitments in this latest batch of approved projects is the P2.5-billion (about $50 million) commitment by Ocean Nine Philkor, Inc., a South Korean firm involved in the development and operation of hotels, casinos and resorts.

The firm, under its short-term plan, will be renovating a hotel complex in Subic’s Cubi area to start its hotel and casino operation by January 2010, Ocean Nine manager Charles Kim said during the contract-signing ceremony.

The second biggest project in this batch is the P70-million construction of a four-story hotel and expansion of a dining facility by Innasia Corp., which operates Courtyard Inn in this free port. This is followed by the P50-million expansion of Puregold Duty Free (Subic) Corp., and the $1-million project of Lionair Subic Philippines, Inc. for the servicing and maintenance of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft here.

The new investors whose project proposals were approved by the SBMA under the leisure sector are: Aggressive North Developers, Inc., with P30 million for hotel and restaurant operation; Goltongne Subic, Corp., $368,333 for a restaurant and gift shop; Innasia, P70 million; LG Digital Plaza, Inc., P11.25 million for an authentic Ilonggo restaurant, wholesale and retail operations, and import/export services; Ocean Nine, P2.5 billion; and Puregold Duty Free, P50 million.

Under the manufacturing and maritime sector, the new projects are: Consummare, Inc., with $562,478 for the production of specialty wood products; Pacific Metal Works Corp., for steel fabrication; and Shang Min Construction Corp., $580,000 for trading of construction-related materials and equipment.

Under general business, the new locators are: Golden AI Trucking, with committed investments of $215,074; I Will Communicate, Inc., $30,000; and M&M Subic Bay Development Corp., $21,200.

Meanwhile, five new investments were approved under the logistics sector: Food Entrepreneur and Exporters of the Phil., with $470,000 for trading in grains and meat products; Lionair Subic, $1 million; Omni Aviation Corp., $700,000; Solutions Advancing Global Enterprise International Import-Export Corp., $300,000; and Subic Bay Merlion Trading, Inc., with P5 million for the transshipment of wines and liquors.

In the same occasion, SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga thanked the new business locators “for having confidence in the Subic Bay Freeport”, and vowed the agency’s full support and cooperation. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga (3rd from right, second row) and SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (7th from left, second row) join representatives of new investor-companies at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone after a mass contract-signing on Wednesday.

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Subic Freeport aims for new Chinese investments

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be promoting this free port as an investment site to companies based in China, as the agency intensifies its efforts to gain substantial investments despite the economic slowdown.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said Subic officials will be visiting the city of Suzhou in China next week in the hope of bagging more investments after fresh capital infusions from countries like South Korea and Taiwan seemed to be tapering off.

As of the latest SBMA record, investments by Chinese firms in the Subic Bay Freeport stood this year at only US$12.7 million, the sixth biggest in terms of nationality here.

Arreza said that while SBMA’s April 2009 tally showed that Korean firms still had the biggest investment commitments here at US$2.76 billion, Korea’s investment momentum in the manufacturing sector that was started by shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. in 2006 had significantly waned.

“So we’re looking for more diversified investments to cushion the effects of any economic downturn on the Freeport's revenue and employment generation efforts,” Arreza said.

He added that companies based in Suzhou, which is located just outside the financial capital of Shanghai, have recently diversified from industrial manufacturing to information technology and commercial development.

This makes Suzhou-based firms more attractive to the SBMA as the latter prepares the Subic Freeport for more investments in property development, tourism, logistics, and energy.

Arreza added that the SBMA is now adopting a “wait-and-see” attitude toward investments coming from Korea, Taiwan, and the Middle East, even as it seeks new markets like China.

Arreza also stressed that Subic’s financial performance this year had remained on the positive side, despite the delay in some scheduled investments here due to the global economic downturn.

“Investments would most likely be flat by the end of this year, but Subic’s revenue performance remains up,” Arreza said..

He attributed the continuing growth in revenue to investments approved by the SBMA from two years ago. “These are now being realized,” he added.

Likewise, Subic’s export production and job generation continued to gain, although only slightly, Arreza said, citing some Subic manufacturing firms that had actually expanded operations despite the recession.

In the first seven months of 2009, the SBMA also created about 2,000 new jobs, adding to the 86,000 total number of workers recorded at the end of 2008.

Arreza added that even at this slow rate, Subic would still have a total active workforce of about 90,000 by the end of 2009.

"By attracting new investments, especially in manufacturing, from Suzhou, we hope to generate even more new jobs here," he said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA chair urges Asian ports to explore new ways to gain growth

Citing the unprecedented growth in revenue at the Subic seaport despite the current economic slowdown, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga challenged Asian ports to find new opportunities amid the ongoing crisis.

Salonga, who opened the 11th general assembly of the International Network of Affiliated Ports (INAP) in Mokpo, South Korea as outgoing chairman, also underscored the importance of INAP’s strategic alliance, saying its policies and actions “impact on the entire maritime port industry of the Asia-Pacific region.”

“The (maritime) industry operates in a global environment and grows or shrinks proportionately with trade activities all over the world,” Salonga noted in his statement at the opening of the assembly.

“But the proverbial silver lining behind today’s economic slump is the fact that while every crisis is different, all crises have one thing in common – and that is, they all create opportunities, especially for those who can identify them and are ready to act,” he added.

Salonga said the Port of Subic, which had lately become a choice anchorage for international seagoing vessels waiting out the recession, provides a good example of how opportunities could be created out of “unfortunate events.”

He said collections from vessel lay-ups in Subic Bay, as well as wharfage fees on imported products brought Subic seaport’s revenue total in the first seven months this year to P319.73 million. This amount was P3.43 million more than the revenue target set by the SBMA for this year, and represented a 15.7 percent growth over the 2008 figures.

“Our port collection from these laid-up ships, along with other equally significant factors, has allowed our seaport operations to achieve its revenue targets for 2009, as early as July,” said Salonga.

“So, today’s economic crisis should not be any different – if we attack it with logical examination, passionate zeal and decisiveness,” he also told INAP members.

Salonga likewise exhorted members of the port network “to re-establish priorities by taking a fresh look at how to manage the fiscal and operational aspects of ports, where to find new revenue streams and, at the same time, control costs.”

At the same time, Salonga urged INAP members “to discuss how we can attract more ports to join INAP,” which, he said, had attracted only three new members in the last 11 years.

He said that by tackling these twin tasks, INAP could “manage to be heard and heeded as a formidable voice and authority in the industry”, especially since ports “remain critical to the financial health of most economies around the world.”

“We in INAP can definitely be part of the solution – if we do what we ought to do and do it well,” Salonga concluded...

This year’s INAP general assembly was hosted by the Mokpo Newport in South Korea. Last year, the INAP convention was held in this free port under the auspices of the SBMA.

Among the INAP officials who participated in this year’s assembly were: Choi Byeong-Soo - CEO of Mokpo Newport Co. Ltd., Angelo C. Verdan of the Cebu Port Authority, Priyath B. Wickrema of the Sri Lanka Port Authority, Masanao Ozaki of the Kochi Prefectural Government, Chang Dechuan of the Qingdao Port Authority, and Achmad Baroto of the Port of Tanjung Perak, Indonesia. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Low-cost airline to invest $US10-M for Subic operations

Pacific Pearl Airways (PPA), a private airline offering domestic and foreign chartered flights, has set up its home base at the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) here and said it plans to infuse US$10-million for its startup operations scheduled in December.

PPA president Kristoffer Jimenez said the airline will start with two advanced Boeing 737-200 jet planes capable of seating 114 passengers for international flights, and turboprop aircraft for initial domestic flights from here to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, and Davao.

Local flight destinations will expand as PPA establishes its presence in the local airline industry, said Jimenez.

He added that PPA will be offering competitive rates without sacrificing quality service costs — an advantage that he said was made possible by tax incentives and other perks offered by this free port.

Jimenez also said that PPA will eliminate stop-over hassles with its direct flights, enabling passengers to gain more savings and more quality holidays as it significantly cuts travel lag time.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, who signed the memorandum of agreement with Jimenez last week, considered this latest investment here as proof of Subic Bay’s economic resiliency.

“What we have witnessed now proves that there’s still life after FedEx,” said Arreza, referring to the US courier giant which used this free port as its Asia-Pacific hub. Last February, FedEx transferred to China, where domestic cargo volume alone exceeds that of Asia.

Arreza said that being an international airport, the SBIA can host just about any kind of air transport requirements, singling out Subic’s cargo-sorting capability as its edge over other airports in the country today.

“We urge cargo airliners to start making their inquiries here at the SBIA this early, and see for themselves its complete cargo-sorting facility, and the Freeport advantages that made FedEx’s operation here successful,” said Arreza.

Arreza also said he expects more flights to and from Subic in the near future, as the SBMA aggressively promotes business and tourism establishments here.

To this, PPA’s Jimenez concurred, saying that Subic has a “very strategic location.”

“A lot of tourists come here — foreigners and locals alike. It is also a booming place in terms of businesses,” said Jimenez, who also called on interested applicants for pilots, cabin crew, and maintenance personnel to inquire at PPA’s office at the SBIA here.

Pearl Pacific Airways was organized in September 2006 and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with necessary permits from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and the Air Transportation Office (ATO). (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic Freeport to train Filipino workers for Guam military build-up

Guam senators who met with officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Friday said Subic Bay would make an ideal training center for the thousands of Filipino workers needed in Guam, where the United States’ “greatest military build-up since the end of World War II” will be made.

Senators Judith Guthertz and Rory Respicio, who led the Guam delegation here, inspected the various skills-training facilities in this free port and urged the SBMA to form a Philippine delegation to Guam to expedite the setting up of the Subic Bay training center.

SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga, who led the SBMA receiving party, readily pledged his support on behalf of the SBMA, saying that “a Philippine representation will ensure that Filipino workers will get a first shot at this massive employment opportunity.”

“This project costs US$15-billion, and 20,000 foreign workers are needed. We must not let this opportunity slip from our hands,” said Salonga, who is keen on fulfilling SBMA’s mandate to maximize employment in the region.

The SBMA official said that through the Philippine representation, technical and legal requirements for the training center and various labor concerns, including the mass deployment of Filipino workers, will be addressed.

He added that the Philippine panel will also help ensure that the training center will adhere to standards set for the Guam project.

Guthertz, who chairs the Guam Committee on US Military Buildup and cites her University of the Philippines (UP) education, urged the to-be-formed Philippine representation to work out training designs with Guam’s community college.

She also expressed much confidence in the skill of Filipino workers, “who built Guam after the brutal World War II.”

Guthertz added that the “sudden change” in Guam compelled them to look up the history of Subic Bay, which underwent similar transformation as it was a former US naval base.

Meanwhile, Respicio, who heads the Guam Committee on Foreign Affairs, said the Philippines “will likely be the source of labor for the Guam buildup,” and ruled out competition from Chinese labor.

“You have the facilities here; the Philippines is poised to grab this opportunity, so you have to be prepared,” said Respicio.

The Guam mission then signed a memorandum of understanding with Salonga and SBMA administrator Arreza as an “expression of the mutual goal of the Philippines and Guam.”

“As we sign this MOU, we’re holding true to our pledge that we have an obligation as senators from Guam to ensure that foreign workers that will go to Guam will not be exploited,” said Respicio.

The Guam mission also met with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) secretary Marianito Roque, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Jennifer Manalili, Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) head Carmelita Dimzon, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director-general Augusto Syjuco.

The visit, according to Guthertz, was meant “to establish understanding, and to learn more about the Philippine process,” so that final agreements could soon be made for the Guam build-up that would relocate US troops stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

Guthertz said that major construction works are scheduled from 2010 to 2014, while proposed troop movement of 14,200 military personnel and their 38,070 dependents starts on 2012 and is scheduled to be completed by 2016. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (left) and SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga (second from right) sign an agreement with Guam senators Judith Guthertz and Rory Respicio for the training of Filipino workers needed in the island’s massive military build-up.

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Hanjin donates P.5-M building supplies to Botolan

Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. Ltd.-Philippines (HHIC-Phil) donated half a million worth of building and construction materials to the municipality of Botolan, Zambales, which was hit by massive flooding during the recent typhoon.

The materials are expected to help flood victims rebuild their homes, said officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), who facilitated the turnover of the donations from Hanjin to the Zambales provincial government at the provincial capitol here.

Governor Amor Deloso, who had earlier asked for assistance on behalf of more than 2,000 families left homeless by the floods, received the first truckload of materials delivered by Hanjin.

The materials will include about 1,100 bags of cement, 800 corrugated G.I. sheets, and 10,500 pieces of concrete hollow blocks, said Taek Kyun Yoo, HHIC-Phil’s general manager for external trade, who supervised the turnover.

Yoo said that in the last couple of weeks, his company has also donated canned goods and other relief items to typhoon victims in Botolan.

However, “we deem that the canned and dry goods we earlier sent to Botolan are not enough because we also see the urgent need for the repair of houses destroyed by the typhoon. So the company decided to donate these construction and building materials,” Yoo added.

HHIC-Phil, which operates the $1.6-billion shipbuilding facility at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, has been enjoying continued growth despite the global economic crisis, Yoo also said during his meeting with Deloso.

The firm, which now builds some of the biggest ships in the word today, currently employs more than 18,000 workers, most of whom are from Zambales and other nearby communities, added Yoo.

“We are hoping that less typhoons will visit in the coming months, so that there will be no more damages to lives and property here,” he also said.

Aside from Hanjin, another Korean firm based in the Subic Bay Freeport had extended assistance to Botolan flood victims.

Neorex Philkor, which is into development of resort and entertainment facilities in Subic Freeport, delivered 800 bags of relief goods worth P200,000.

Neorex president Henry Park personally led the distribution of relief goods to evacuees housed at the Porac Elemenrary School and Bucao Elementary School, which still serve as evacuation centers for some 200 families in Botolan.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, meanwhile, has commended both HHIC-Phil and Neorex Philkor “for taking the initiative of being a good neighbor to local communities, especially in times of need.”

“These are gestures that not only build goodwill between neighbors,” Arreza remarked. “These initiatives, in fact, help save lives and bring hope to people who find themselves in desperate situations.”

“We hope that more business locators in Subic would find the time and the wherewithal to extend their help,” Arreza added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: Governor Amor Deloso (second from right) receives the first truckload of construction materials donated by the Subic Bay Freeport-based shipbuilder Hanjin. The donation, which was turned over by HHIC-Phil external trade manager Taek Kyun Yoo (second from left), is expected to benefit some 2,000 families affected by floods spawned by typhoon Kiko last month.

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Subic Aetas add technical know-how to jungle survival skills

Their renowned jungle survival instincts made them masters of Subic Bay’s virgin forests. But realizing that the “outside” world is much bigger than their forest homes, Subic Bay’s indigenous people are now pursuing technical skills training to enable them to survive in the lowlands.

Supported by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and various organizations, the Subic natives are seeking opportunities for training and employment, intent as they are in establishing their presence in this bustling free port, said SBMA deputy administrator for corporate communications Knette Fernando.

Last Thursday, Fernando lauded the efforts of 36 Aeta students from the remote areas of Pastolan and Kanawan in Bataan, who finished a professional housekeeping course — the first batch to do so at the GP Corporate Personality Enhancement Center in this free port.

Aside from Fernando, those who cheered on the new graduates at the Subic Bay Arts Center commencement rites were Bataan representative Herminia Roman, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce president Danny Piano, SBMA PRO manager Armie Llamas, GP Center director Gina Prohorrov, and relatives of the graduates.

Prohorrov said the 36 hardworking graduates underwent weekend trainings for four months, covering the aspects of cleaning standards, computer operation, conversational English, work value and etiquette, and customer service.

Among the Aeta students in this batch, 14 took and passed the assessment test of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), earning for them the NC2 certification that qualifies them for employment overseas, Prohorrov added.

“That translates to a 100% passing rate. The rest of the 36 were equally capable but, unfortunately, were not able to make it during the application for the exam because of heavy rains that day,” said Prohorrov.

However, while waiting for the next examinations, the graduates can apply for local employment, she added.

Rep. Roman, meanwhile, thanked the SBMA and Prohorrov “for giving my constituents the opportunity to rise above their present conditions,” adding that she approved of this SBMA-GP project that emphasized self-reliance by way of the “teach-a-man-how-to-fish” approach.

Roman said that she was so moved by the graduates’ testimonials that she vowed to construct and repair roads and bridges in the Pastolan-Kanawan area to improve logistics, and boost economic activities in the remote villages.

She also thanked the “good heart” of Prohorrov, whose GP Center shouldered all the graduates’ expenses in uniform, teambuilding activities, and educational materials.

In the same event, SBMA’s Fernando urged other organizations based in the Subic free port to emulate the example of GP Center.

She added that the SBMA needs more partners for its livelihood and community development programs for indigenous people in the Subic Bay area. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Aeta students from the Pastolan and Kanawan villages in Bataan proudly pose for their class photo during the graduation rites for a professional housekeeping course at the Subic Bay Arts Center.

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Ocean 9 donates relief goods to Botolan flood victims

Still far from laying the first foundation for its planned multi-million dollar hotel in Subic Freeport, Ocean 9 Casino and Hotel Resort reached out to donate relief goods to victims of flash floods in lahar-stricken barangays in this town.

Ocean 9 is a US$120- million project, owned by Neorex Philkor Inc. and Grand Utopia Inc., which includes a three-story casino building and a 15-story hotel building to be constructed in the Freeport’s central business district.

Ocean 9 president Henry Park personally led Ocean 9 workers in delivering 800 bags of relief goods worth P200,000 to Porac Elemenrary School and Bucao Elementary School, which serve as evacuation centers for some 200 families.

Botolan Mayor Roger Yap, in the presence of Porac barangay chairman Nelio Angeles, DSWD-R3 staffs Arleen Aquino and Vencie Vertulfo, accepted the goods from Park and Ocean 9 vice president Arsenio Villanueva.

“We want the Filipino people to know that our company is here and ready to help them in times of need, like when disaster strikes their place,” Park said.

He also noted that Ocean 9 is also sponsoring scholarship grants to 20 students of Gordon College in Olongapo City. The grant has a guaranteed fund of US$1,000 a month from the company.

Mayor Yap, meanwhile, said that there are at least 6,500 people from more than 2,000 families whose houses and livelihood were destroyed by the flash flood last August 6, and who are still staying in the two evacuation centers. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Subic Freeport locator Ocean 9 president Henry Park (center) hand over to Botolan mayor Roger Yap part of the 800 bags of relief goods for the victims of the flash flood that hit the town in early August.

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SBMA to lease out terminal for 4 years

THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has decided to just lease its New Container Terminal 2 (NCT-2) rather than put it up for bidding and risk another failed bid as a result of the current economic slump experienced worldwide.

SBMA seaport department strategic planning head Lynette de la Cruz said they had decided to lease the property to manufacturing firm Bechtel Corp. for the next four years in order to have some cash flow and pay for the loan used to develop the terminal.

“Bechtel will use NCT-2 as its hub for four years. By that time, we expect that the current financial crisis will be over, and we could generate enough interest from the international market for our terminal,” de la Cruz said.

“After the lease contract, we will immediately resume with the privatization of the port. But as of now, we are more concerned in paying up our loan,” de la Cruz added.

She said the said company will use the port, which has a capacity to handle up to 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent units as its hub for its aluminum and electrical modules. The company will be paying SBMA about $1.10 per square meter per day.

She did not state the entire contract cost.

According to the original schedule as agreed upon by SBMA and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the procurement of the operator for the NCT-2 should not be later than the second quarter in 2008.

SBMA tried to privatize NCT-2 in April, but forced to declare it a failed bid. All of the four qualified bidders, which included Manila-based port operators Asian Terminals Inc.  International Container Terminal Services Inc., and Harbour Centre Port Terminals Inc. did not submit their respective bids due to economic reasons.

When fully privatized, SBMA placed the potential annual revenues for the port at $6 million.

The annual lease for the port, which has a lifespan of 50 years, will be enough to shoulder the $60-million loan from JBIC used to partly fund the project, it earlier said.

The government wants international shipping lines as the major operator for NCT-2 to ensure a strong cargo volume. According to the bid invitation sent out earlier by SBMA’s bids and awards committee, the contract will be for the operation, management and maintenance of the NCT-2 as a transshipment hub.

The said port, located in Cubi Point in Subic, has a 14-hectare container yard, a 280-meter -long wharf, two units of 53-ton-capacity quay gantry cranes, as well as other buildings, equipment and utilities. It can accommodate big container ships, including Panamax vessels. (VC Cabuag, Business Mirror Online)

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One-stop health and wellness center is Subic Bay’s newest attraction

Efforts to make Subic Bay a household name in medical tourism received a big boost recently, with the inauguration here of the George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center (GDMWC) on August 14.

No less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated the one-stop medical and wellness facility, which is touted to be the first of its kind in Asia.

The US$30-million center is located inside Villa Amorosa, a self-contained health resort for retirees, medical practitioners and medical students in this free port.

The center, which includes a 100-bed tertiary hospital, is named after Commodore George Dewey of the US Navy, who liberated Subic Bay from the Spanish armada in July 1898. The whole facility is owned and operated by the George Dewey Medical College, Inc..

“The Center is our response — the Philippine response — to the challenge posed by our neighbors like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia for leadership in medical tourism,” said Dr. Carmen Dinglasan, president of GDMWC.

She added that the center targets to serve patients from Northern and Central Luzon, who previously had to endure long travel hours to Metro Manila or abroad to seek professional medical and health services.

Among the services the new facility provides are: cardiac surgery, joint and hip replacement, reconstructive surgery, corneal transplant, refractive surgery and multi-focal intraocular lens implantation, stem cell rejuvenation, sleep disorder therapy, transplant surgery, laboratory analysis, pain management, fertility clinic, and dental implants.

In addition, the GDMWC is a health resort for retirees. It also caters to persons seeking medical treatment or check-up, or those who have concerns about their well-being.

Dinglasan said the cost of medical care like these are a lot cheaper in the Philippines than in the United States, for example.

“So when they’re in Subic, patients can also enjoy long sabbaticals as tourists with their families,” she said.

Noting that there are now more foreigners who have made Subic their second home after investing here in various businesses, Dinglasan added that the GDMWC also hopes to cater to the expatriate community.

The entire facility is located inside the forest at Subic’s Upper Cubi area — a location that is said to be perfect for rest, taking medication, and strengthening one’s mind and body.

“A healthy environment is one factor that helps improve health, and George Dewey has this advantage,” Dinglasan added.

Aside from the GDMWC, other facilities that are now open at Villa Amorosa are the George Dewey Medical College; a gymnasium, which has separate saunas for male and female; and a chapel.

However, in the next 45 days, the complex will also open to the public a 72-bed retirement facility; a clubhouse for conferences, club meetings and socials; a mini mart, restaurants, mini-sports complex, and a mini-theater that can accommodate 500 guests.

Next year, the construction of a 500-unit condominium for retirees will also start, GDMWC officials said.

When fully completed, the Center will have all the amenities one would expect in world-class destinations, including facilities for sports, shopping, entertainment, leisure and business.

Meanwhile, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said that the project is in support to President Arroyo’s program on the promotion of greater health consciousness among Filipinos.

Arreza was among the personalities who accompanied the President in gracing the inauguration of the GDMWC. Others included SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga, GDMWC chairperson Winnie Monsod, Representatives Mitos Magsaysay and Carissa Coscolluela, and Sec. Eduardo Pamintuan of the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council.

Arreza said that the new medical facility will benefit both local residents and foreign nationals temporarily living in various economic zones in Central and Northern Luzon, who can now easily access Subic via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

The SBMA official also noted that foreigners appreciate the way Filipinos take care of their elders, which is rarely practiced in other developed countries like Japan, the United States and Europe.

Likewise, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone has an edge in medical tourism because of its clean environment and high level of security, Arreza added.

Among the people behind the GDMWC are: Dr. Fe Hildalgo, former education undersecretary and now president of the George Dewey Medical College (GDMC); Dr. Ruby Cereneo, former dean at the Lyceum of the Philippines, now GDMC vice president for academic affairs; Rony Diaz, former Manila Times publisher, and former labor undersecretary; Winnie Monsod, former NEDA chief, now GDMWC chairperson; Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco, a well-known heart surgeon from the Philippine Heart Center, now GDMWC medical director; and Jose Araullo, former chairman of the law firm Araullo, Punongbayan and Associates.

The GDMWC now employs 200 medical staff and health-related workers. It would need another 300 for its shopping areas, sports complex, restaurants and condominiums when they open in 2010. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Solons note improvement in Hanjin safety, but want more

Members of the House Committee on Labor and Employment have expressed appreciation for the implementation of work safety measures inside the Korean shipyard in Subic, but said they wanted to see more improvement in labor safety inside the facility.

Headed by its chairman Rep. Magtanggol Guinigundo (2nd District of Bulacan), the committee made an ocular inspection of the shipbuilding facility owned and operated by the Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. (HHIC) in Subic’s Redondo Peninsula last Wednesday.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials, who accompanied the House delegation, said the lawmakers wanted to see for themselves how workers fared at the Hanjin facility.

“The ocular visit is in connection with the on-going committee hearing to determine how safe the facility is, and to evaluate the working conditions of the workers in the Hanjin shipyard,” Guinigundo said during the inspection.

Other committee members who joined the Hanjin inspection were: Representatives Carlos Padilla (Nueva Vizcaya), Joel Maglunsod (Anak Pawis party list), Mitos Magsaysay (Zambales 1st District), Rafael Mariano (Anak Pawis), Walden Bello (Akbayan party list), Edno Joson (Balane-Kampi), Rufus
Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro 2nd District), and Monico Puentavella (Bacolod).

The lawmakers were accompanied by Director Nathaniel Lacambra of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in Region III, Director Brenda Villafuerte of the DoLE’s Bureau of Working Conditions, and SBMA officials headed by senior deputy administrator Ramon Agregado.

The delegation was welcomed by HHIC general manager Taek Kyun Yoo, who briefed the visitors on Hanjin operations prior to the inspection tour.

According to SBMA records, a total of 19 fatal accidents have occurred in the shipyard since it started operations in 2006. The incidents had led SBMA and other government agencies to suspend Hanjin operations, as well as to blacklist some subcontractors, pending a review of safety measures at the shipyard.

During the briefing, Yoo told the congressmen that HHIC has been implementing health and safety measures that the House committee has recommended during previous hearings.

“We are happy to report to you that Hanjin Philippines is now 99.9% compliant in securing accreditation for all its health and safety personnel, and works towards the improvement of the working conditions of our workers,” he said.

Yoo also reported that the emergency clinic in the shipyard complex has been expanded to accommodate 20 beds and modern equipment, and now has four medical doctors.

The clinic is supported by an ambulance and three units of fast sea ambulances, he added.

Yoo likewise reported that the HHIC Board has approved an annual budget of P311,356,292 for the improvement of work conditions in the facility. This will also cover the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) such
gloves, shoes, over-all work suits, goggles, and helmets which are given free to workers, he added.

Rep. Bello noted, however, that despite the improvements in Hanjin’s labor safety, the implementation is still in the early stages.

“We are happy to hear and see the big improvement in the implementation of safety measures, but because they have just started doing this, there are lots more to do,” Bello added.

Rep. Magsaysay insisted, meanwhile, that despite the additional medical equipment and personnel, Hanjin should build its own hospital in the area so that full medical services would be available to the workers.

She added that doctors and nurses should be on duty at the facility on a 24-hour basis. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Members of the House Committee on Labor and Employment (from left) Representatives Magtanggol Guinigundo, Mitos Magsaysay, and Rafael Mariano arrive at the Hanjin shipyard in the Subic Bay Freeport to inspect the firm’s compliance with labor safety standards.

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