2nd ‘Takbo para sa Taklobo’ in Subic slated on December 9

With the success of the “Takbo para sa Taklobo” fund-raising and awareness campaign in December last year, the second edition of the environment-oriented fun run will be held here at the Subic Bay Freeport on Friday, December 9.

Amethya Koval, manager of the Ecology Center of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said the fun run will be held to raise fund for the “seeding” of giant clams in Subic Bay and to increase public awareness of giant clams and marine resources management here.

“Most importantly, this is to encourage stakeholders to participate in managing the natural resources of Subic Bay, including the protection and propagation of marine species like the endangered giant clams,” said Koval.

Giant clams (tridacna gigas), which are locally called “taklobo,” are considered as endangered species and are an integral part of the coral reef system that serves as habitat for diverse forms of marine life.

The taklobo is a colorful mollusk which becomes self-sustaining upon reaching adult size, because its mantle with brown symbiotic algae is capable of photosynthesis. It reproduces by mass spawning, releasing millions of sperm and eggs in the reefs and thereby attracting more fishes in the area.

SBMA Chairman & Administrator Roberto Garcia said the “Takbo para sa Taklobo” project is part of the agency’s vision to make the Subic Bay Freeport an eco-urban center that harmonizes industrial development with ecological tourism.

“Eco-tourism is one of our major businesses in Subic Bay, and the bay is one of the best dive sites in the country not only because of its historical ship wrecks but also because of its beautiful ecological biodiversity,” Garcia said.

He added that the agency’s advocacy for the protection and propagation of marine species like the endangered giant clams underscores SBMA’s thrust for balanced development.

“Takbo” and “taklobo,” according to Koval, are two important things that sustain life for both marine organisms and human beings.

“Joining the marathon will enhance a healthy heart and body and at the same time, give life to our ocean by supporting the giant clam seeding program in Subic Bay,” she said.

Project coordinator Rhea Jane Pescador of the SBMA Ecology Center said the first edition of “Takbo para sa Taklobo” attracted more than 1,500 runners from around the Freeport area and raised a total of P54,000.

The money was used to buy 72 giant clam seeds at P500 each from the Marine Science Institute in Bolinao, Pangasinan. Measuring 15 centimeters when they were brought into Subic Bay, the clams can grow up to 1.54 meters in diameter and weigh up to 258.55 kilos.

“We hope to surpass last year’s record (of runner-participants) so that we could purchase more giant clams to be planted in Subic Bay,” said Koval.

This year the “Takbo para sa Taklobo” project is co-presented by RP Energy and sponsored by PTT Bloom, with DML, Johan’s Dive Center, Boardwalk Dive Center, and the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group as partner-stewards.

The fun run is open to the public and runners may choose from three categories: 3-kilometer, 5-kilometer, or 10-kilometer runs. Interested parties may contact Rhea Jane Pescador of the SBMA Ecology Center at telephone number (047) 252-4656. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic remains a favorite venue for MICE events

The biggest gathering of certified public accountants in the country again proved that the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) can deliver on its touted claim as a most ideal venue for all types of meetings and conferences.

According to Manuel Mapoy, chairman of the 66th Annual National Convention of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), the success of their group’s convention, which was concluded recently, was largely due to the attractiveness of the Subic Bay Freeport as a venue.

“The 66th Annual National Convention is the biggest event the PICPA has ever held,” Mapoy said, noting that some 3,000 certified public accountants who are either employed in the government or private corporations from all over the country joined the convention at the SBECC.

In particular, Mapoy said that the natural environment of Subic, including the lush forests, pristine beaches and clean surroundings, was a bestseller among PICPA delegates.

Moreover, the natural attractions are complemented by first class tourism facilities and quality services, he added.

Mapoy also told the PICPA delegates during the opening ceremonies at SBECC’s Plenary Hall 1 that the Subic Freeport is one attraction that the whole Central Luzon can be proud of.

For his part, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia described the SBECC as “the Pearl of the Freeport” as he welcomed PICPA delegates led by its national president and regional (Central Luzon) chair Josefina Chua.

“We are honored that you have chosen SBECC to be your venue for this annual convention, and we thank you for giving us the opportunity to become part of the achievements that you are to accomplish here,” Garcia said.

Garcia added that the SBMA constructed SBECC to comfortably sit up to 5,000 delegates in a bid to become a major destination for corporate meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) at any period of the year.

Considered as one of the biggest convention centers in the country today in terms of floor area, the fully air-conditioned SBECC boasts of a 2,456-square meter main convention hall, a 3,992-square dining hall, an indoor trade/exhibit area that can accommodate 64 booths, an administration building, and a large parking area.

Most importantly, Garcia noted, SBECC is located at the heart of the Subic Bay Freeport where most of the facilities, such as duty free shops, restaurants, hotels and health care centers, are no more than ten minutes’ walk from each other. Meanwhile, beaches, theme parks and other recreational and eco-tourism parks are just a short drive away.

Garcia said that these SBECC features fulfill the requirements for an ideal MICE venue — a one-stop tourism destination that has the capability to host local and international events that require indoor and outdoor venues to guarantee a remarkable for delegates to enjoy during their stay. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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ACTA to boost Subic’s cruise destination bid

Subic Freeport’s bid to become the next cruise ship playground received a fresh boost recently with the formal launching of the Asian Cruise Terminals Association (ACTA), a group seeking to provide a unified marketing platform for the cruise ship industry in the Asian region.

According to Raul Marcelo, who is deputy administrator for business at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), cruise ship operators are expected to turn to Asian destinations as economies in Europe and the United States falter.

Marcelo, who represented the SBMA at the ACTA inauguration in Singapore, said that SBMA’s membership in the cruise terminal group would set the stage for Subic’s eventual establishment as a cruise ship destination.

“We have a very good reason to be optimistic about this, because not only does Subic have deep harbor and ports, it also has tourism facilities and tourism attractions. Then, Subic’s connectivity to other destinations in Luzon would also boost its potential as a good cruise terminal,” Marcelo said.

“With the formal launching of ACTA, Subic would have the network to bank on for support. We’d grow as ACTA grow,” he added.

Subic became a founding member of ACTA when it was organized last year by Singapore Cruise Centre Pte Ltd. (SCC) and other terminal operators in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka and India — the lone port to represent the Philippines.

The SBMA said that Subic’s entry into ACTA was a strategic move because the agency was targeting major players in the industry to make Subic part of their cruise itinerary.

After Subic has been established as a cruise ship destination, the economic impact will trickle down to local businesses in terms of providing supplies, fuel, food, and even manpower, the SBMA said.

Marcelo said the SBMA has made a strong impression for Subic when SCCPL vice president Ivan Ng and other ACTA officials visited Subic early this year and determined that it has all what it takes to be a cruise ship destination.

In particular, the cruise ship terminal operators noted Subic’s port infrastructure, deep natural harbor, support facilities, security, and tourist attractions.

With the launching of ACTA, Marcelo said that Subic stands to get a windfall from the cruise industry, which also eyes the growing number of wealthy Asians as a “source market.”

He added that other ACTA members have already announced plans to expand their facilities because of the expected inflow of more tourists. This is especially true with the Singapore Cruise Centre, which is in the midst of a S$14-million upgrade; Shanghai Wusongkou (WSK) International Cruise Terminal, which forecasts a passenger throughput of 300,000 in 2012 and 800,000 in 2016; Taiwan’s Port of Keelung, which sees a 460,000 throughput by the end of 2011 from 116,300 in 2006; and the Japanese port of Sakai, which has increased its passenger traffic by more than 10 times.

“With this optimism, we are more determined now to convert Subic into a destination for these Asian customers,” Marcelo said.

ACTA, which was initiated by SCC and WSK last year, is primarily expected to provide members with a platform for regional cooperation in terminal development, operations and management.

As a regional organization, ACTA is also geared to provide best practices in the cruise industry; promote the exchange of cruise-related data and information; upgrade the skills and knowledge of cruise terminal personnel; promote cooperation in marketing, operations and management; and develop and maintain close relationships with other organizations in the cruise industry. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Garcia named SBMA administrator

MANILA - President Aquino has appointed Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Roberto Garcia as the concurrent administrator, Malacanang announced.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing the Office of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. confirmed the appointment of Garcia as the new SBMA administrator in concurrent capacity.

Last April, the President appointed Garcia as SBMA chairman and Rafael Reyes as administrator and chief executive officer.

Garcia is a business executive and entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience in the manufacturing, food and leisure industries. He was the president and chief operating officer of Oriental and Motolite Corp. when he retired in 2004.

During his 34 years in the battery manufacturing industry, the Palace said Garcia played a pivotal role in growing OMC into the largest battery manufacturer in ASEAN and one of the most technologically advanced companies in Asia. The company also became one of the most fully integrated battery manufacturers in the world.

The SBMA is the operating and implementing arm of the government for the development the 262 square mile (670 square kilometer) area of Subic Bay Freeport in Subic Bay into a self-sustaining tourism, industrial, commercial, financial, and investment center to generate employment opportunities. (Aurea Calica, The Philippine Star)

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SBMA seeking solar, wind investors

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is seeking out investors or project partners for its planned utility-scale solar and wind power projects.

The agency which is supervising and administering the Subic freeport zone indicated in its project brief that it may align itself as facility host; but it will also work on facilitating partnership arrangements between and among developers.

SBMA is packaging two sets of wind and solar projects to be located within the freeport.

One would be a 100-megawatt solar with 50-MW wind capacity to be developed along 800 hectares of lot in Mt. Sta Rita. The other would comprise of 112-MW wind and 131-MW solar for siting at 1,383 hectares lot in Redondo Peninsula.

The investors have to be involved in the development, installation and construction of the proposed renewable energy (RE) facilities.

The government-run entity emphasized that both projects are still at pre-development stages and feasibility studies are yet to be completed.

The implementation and financing method for the projects, according to SBMA, will be determined based on the outcome of the project blueprints being crafted.

Many of the wind and solar power projects being planned in the country have not advanced yet because developers are waiting for the regulatory decision on the feed-in-tariff (FIT) charges to be levied on emerging RE technologies.

Without the FIT or if the subsidy will be set too low, prospective investors may still shelve project plans if they deem it non-commercially viable to stake capital under such circumstances.

Even lenders are adamant yet at extending financing to RE ventures without an assurance that revenue stream from the projects will be aptly supported by subsidy schemes, such as the FIT.

Solar, in particular, has been drawing extreme opposition from various groups given the developers’ bid for relatively high FIT rates.

The Energy Regulatory Commission is scheduled to re-open public hearings on the FIT petition this December 5 but a final ruling may not be rendered until the first half of 2012. (Myrna M. Velasco, Manila Bulletin)

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‘Heroes of the Freeport’ set for citation

The Subic Bay Freeport Development Foundation, Inc. (SBFDFI) is set to recognize the finest workers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in the upcoming Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers Awards night.

Lawyer Severo Pastor Jr., head of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Labor Department, said the 10 outstanding employees will be chosen from a field of 37 nominees originally recommended by their respective employers

He said that this year’s awardees will be selected from among the nominees submitted by 13 locator-companies in the zone, as well as seven nominees from the SBMA.

The awards, which are given annually by the SBFDFI in the past 10 years, will be a fitting tribute to the “heroes of the Freeport,” as the SBMA calls the workers here.

Pastor said that Subic workers are now globally-competitive workers, as proven by the continued stay of multi-national companies in Subic despite the economic crisis that has affected the United States, Japan, and parts of Europe.

“These workers, who were nominated, selected and had qualified for the awards are therefore considered the best of the best. They are exemplary employees not only of the corporations they represent, but also of the whole Subic Freeport,” Pastor added.

The nominees for the Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers Awards went through a rigid process of selection, as those who were nominated by their respective companies were screened and thoroughly interviewed.

Among the panelist that conducted the final interview of the nominees are Atty. Michael Angelo Villamor, who represented SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia; Dr. Roland Fronda, district school superintendent in Olongapo City; and Olongapo businessman Ramon Del Rosario.

The awarding will be held on November 29, Pastor said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA, Olongapo City to honor Subic Freeport volunteers

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the city government of Olongapo will be observing the 19th annual celebration of Volunteers Day on Thursday, November 24.

The date marks the day when thousands of residents from Olongapo City and nearby communities in the provinces of Bataan and Zambales joined then Olongapo City mayor Richard Gordon to voluntarily guard, maintain and manage all properties left inside the former Subic Naval Base after the U.S. Navy withdrew in 1992.

Subic was the biggest US military installation outside the mainland United States until November 24, 1992, when the last American warship, the USS Belleau Wood, sailed off Subic’s port, carrying the last U.S. Navy personnel and families to leave Subic during the withdrawal.

Subic Bay’s experience became the country’s first successful story of converting a military base into a free port zone, thanks to the volunteers who worked as regular SBMA employees without compensation.

“This year’s celebration will be simple, but remains as important as the years before,” said event organizer Jimmy Mendoza, president of Bagumbayan, a local organization in Olongapo City.

Mendoza said that unlike the past years’ whole-day programs that included parades and other field activities, the 2011 celebration will only consist of an offering of thanksgiving prayer and the laying of wreaths at the Volunteers’ Shrine inside the free port.

Sen. Richard Gordon, SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, Mayor James Gordon Jr., and some selected volunteers will also give inspirational messages.

Garcia said that the sacrifices and heroism of the Subic volunteers to protect and preserve the former military base against vandals and thieves in the early days of the SBMA still live in the hearts of every SBMA employee and worker in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

“The volunteers started what the Subic Bay Freeport flourishes on today — as Asia’s logistics and maritime hub and ideal tourist destination. We owe them all of these and what we shall leave behind for future generations,” Garcia said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA conducts bat count to preserve endangered species

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently completed a population survey of fruit bats, one of the most popular species endemic to this free port zone, to promote the conservation of these nocturnal mammals.

Led by the SBMA Ecology Center, which dubbed the survey as “Count Me In,” the survey engaged the participation of various stakeholders in the Subic Bay area to increase public awareness on the importance of fruit bats, or flying foxes; encourage stakeholders’ participation in the conservation program; and maintain the integrity of the forest to sustain their population.

The survey determined an estimate of the population of the flying foxes through exit count, and determined other exit routes of the flying foxes to serve as sampling locations.

“The last time we surveyed the number of bats here, it was around 10,000. But that number has dwindled due to human activities in the area,” noted Ecology Center chief Ameth Dela Llana-Koval. “There are still some people who hunt these bats for food, and some of these bats get killed when they roost at another place.”

According to the exit count for this month, only 2,070 bats exit to the Morong and Mariveles areas in Bataan during night time.

The biggest number of bats recorded on exit was around 14,000 in April of this year, while the smallest number exiting the Subic Freeport was only 400 in the month of September.

“We conduct surveys two times a year, trying to figure out their flight pattern,” Koval said. “The good thing about it is that when they come to roost here in the Freeport, they are very well protected. But when these bats roost outside our protective blanket, they are hunted and eaten as delicacies.”

This is where the idea of “Count Me In” came into play, Koval added, stressing that the public needs to be aware of the situation of these animals.

For the bat count project, the SBMA invited students and employees in the Freeport, limiting their age to 12 years old and above. The participants registered a month prior to the activity and paid P300 each to cover expenses for the training and orientation seminar for the bat-counting activity inclusive of the official “Count Me In” T-shirt that served to promote awareness of the project.

Only those that passed the training were allowed to join the bat survey on November 10-11.

The bat-counting activity was facilitated by the Ecology Center and undertaken by 10 teams at designated sampling stations. Each team was composed of an Ecology Center staff who acted as team leader, and five members who did the exit counts at specified sampling locations.

All data collected in the survey were collated by the Ecology Center. After the activity, the participants were put in the list of Ecology Center volunteer bat-counters who will be contacted periodically for future bat monitoring activities here.

Currently, the Subic Watershed and Forest Reserve is one of the few remaining undisturbed lowland dipterocarp forests in Luzon and serves as a habitat for various endemic wildlife species, among them the fruit bats or flying foxes.

A large roost of flying foxes composed of two species, Acerodon jubatus and Pteropus vampyrus are currently located adjacent to the Subic Bay International Airport, while a small roost of Acerodon jubatus is located in the Naval Magazine area.

Flying foxes, which have an average lifespan of up to 25-30 years, are the only mammals capable of true flight. They are nocturnal animals that travel to feed on fruits during the night, although some, especially mothers that nurse their young, hibernate and stay on their roost.

These mammals are known to be one of the most important agents of natural forest regeneration through flower pollination and seed dispersal. Unfortunately, these animals are endangered and hence need a high degree of conservation. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Fying foxes roost at the Subic Freeport forest. Although one of the most important agents of natural forest regeneration, these nocturnal animals are endangered because of growing human activities in their natural habitat.

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SBMA links up with LGUs for ‘inclusive growth’ in Subic Bay area

Aiming to put in motion a program of shared growth in the Subic Bay area, directors of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) have devised a special project to link up with local government units and coordinate planning and implementation of development projects at neighboring communities.

SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia said the special program, dubbed as “Project Unity,” takes after the concept of “inclusive growth” which is one of the four commitments of President Benigno Aquino under his “Social Contract with the Filipino People.”

To implement this program, the SBMA board of directors recently created a special committee headed by director Bienvenido Benitez as chairman, with director Philip Camara as vice chairman. The committee also includes Garcia and directors John Philip Chua Chiaco, Ramon Diez Sesdoryo, and Alfonso Siapno.

Garcia said the project was especially designed to create synergy in development and investment projects that have large multiplier effects on local economies and the areas contiguous to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

To push for the implementation of “inclusive growth” in the area, Garcia said that Project Unity would also make use of Executive Order No. 675 as vehicle to undertake the SBMA program.

EO 675, which was issued in November 2007, extended the secured area of the Subic Special Economic and Free Port Zone (SSEFPZ), as defined by Proclamation No. 532 dated February 1, 1995. Subic’s secured area enjoys tax- and duty-free privileges under Republic Act 7227.

Garcia said that Project Unity aims for a synergistic approach to sub-regional development, “which is why we are planning various initiatives that are geared toward pro-active stakeholders, and among the SBMA and the concerned local government units.”

He also said that Project Unity will be especially useful in deciding environmentally-sensitive projects (ESPs) that may possibly impact on local communities, the pooling of scarce resources toward better and more efficient project development and implementation, and the coordination of investment plans in the area.

Garcia said the SBMA has already made initial discussions with LGU officials of the provinces of Zambales and Bataan to get the program going.

Recently, the project’s vice chairman, SBMA director Philip Camara, introduced the project concept to officials of the provincial government of Zambales, including Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain II, during a session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan at the Iba capitol.

Camara also invited the officials to a workshop to be hosted by the SBMA to provide a staging ground to flesh out the framework and concept of “inclusive growth,” as applied to sustainable sub-regional development. This will be the initial activity of Project Unity.

The workshop will be a participative and democratic process during which participants will identify possible areas or points of synergy, as far as planning and development are concerned, and hopefully arrive at a common vision for sustainable development, Camara said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (right) meets with Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. during a recent convention of municipal mayors in Central Luzon at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

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SBMA sets more projects for Aeta communities

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is planning more livelihood projects for the Aeta tribes in this free port zone to help boost the income of the tribesmen and promote economic development among the indigenous communities here.

This was announced by SBMA officials on Wednesday, as the Subic authority joined the nation in celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Month, which aims to recognize the unique culture and contributions to the society of the various native tribes in the country.

According to Armie Llamas, SBMA public relations manager, the agency has lined up various activities for the Aetas in this free port, such as an “immersion” activity with Aeta children.

The week-long program, she said, would also include a movie-viewing project to benefit Grade 1 students from the Aeta communities of Pastolan and Kanawan.

More important, the SBMA has set up programs for the Aetas that would go “even beyond the IP Week” and help boost the income of the ethnic communities here.

“We have set up some livelihood projects for them so that they may have some alternative sources of income. Our Aeta tribes have favored bead-making as one livelihood project, kasi mahilig sila sa mga accessories. And they really earn from them,” Llamas noted.

Knette Fernando, the SBMA deputy administrator for corporate communications, said the SBMA has provided assistance to Pastolan and Kanawan villages, as well as the Mampuweng, Limuran, Iram and New Cabalan tribes in Olongapo City, as part of the agency’s corporate social responsibility.

“We hold the Aeta people in high regard,” Fernando said. “They are the guardians of our forests and the stewards of the land. We base our knowledge about the forests on their natural skills to protect the land.”

She also noted that SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia has a soft spot for the Aetas. “This is why he always extends his assistance for their needs — food augmentation, calamity assistance, etcetera. He always makes it a point to help them,” she said.

Llamas, who coordinates agency projects with local IP communities, also pointed out that the SBMA respects the Aetas’ authority over their ancestral land, which are located inside the free port zone.

“The SBMA is just the manager of the land, but the IP’s are the ones who own them. Even if the (SBMA) board had approved a project, but when the IP’s say no, then it won’t materialize. That’s how important they are to us,” she added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
Aeta tribesmen from the Pastolan village in the Subic Bay Freeport perform a native dance during the celebration of the Indigenous People’s Week.

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Subic eyed for disaster risk-reduction training, Red Cross HQ for Asia-Pacific

With its own elite corps of veteran rescuers and emergency response teams, the Subic Bay Freeport will soon be a center to train and develop emergency rescue teams in the Philippines and also become the regional headquarters of Red Cross for Asia-Pacific.

According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, who spoke during the recent Luzon Island Cluster Conference of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the Travelers Hotel & Convention Center here, the Red Cross will establish its regional headquarters in Subic and develop a facility to enhance the skills of rescue workers from all over the country on emergency operations and disaster preparedness.

Garcia was invited to welcome participants to the LMP conference, along with Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.; Daraga, Albay mayor and LMP Luzon Island Cluster president Gerry Jaucian; Dinalupihan, Bataan mayor and LMPBataan Chapter president Joel Jaime Payumo; and San Marcelino, Zambales mayor and LMP Zambales Chapter president Jose Rodriguez.

The three-day conference discussed issues and concerns related to climate change and disaster risk-reduction management.

Garcia said that the SBMA now boasts of its own “very good fire department, rescue team and experts who are trained in disaster-preparedness and emergency operations.”

With this, the SBMA “is always ready to provide trainings, as well as assistance in any kind of emergency and rescue operation, as may be requested by local officials,” he added.

At the same time, the SBMA chairman cited the conference theme “Nagkakaisang Luzon Tungo sa Ligtas at Progresibong Pamayanan” and stressed safety and cooperation as foundations of progress.

Garcia told LMP officials and members that the SBMA has just launched Project Unity, which seeks to promote cooperation with neighboring local government units in areas like agriculture, tourism, as well as disaster preparedness.

Garcia said that the SBMA board of directors has already paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Ebdane to talk about how SBMA and the province of Zambales can help each other enhance growth in the area.

Meanwhile, LMP Luzon’s Jaucian urged his colleagues to act on the collective task to help build a strong nation through LGU capability-building, especially in dealing with disasters.

“Let us think of creative approaches in dealing with various problems that confront us by getting the support and commitment of the national government, as well as the private sector. This task includes enhancing our disaster preparedness programs,” Jaucian said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA still studying 600MW venture

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia has clarified that the planned expansion of the 300-megawatt coal power plant into a 600-megawatt coal plant inside Subic Bay Freeport has not been granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and that the agency is yet to give the green light for it.

He said that it is the original project to construct a 300-MW coal power plant in Redondo Peninsula that has been granted an ECC by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2008.

Garcia told The Manila Times that the new SBMA board appointed this year by President Benigno Aquino 3rd has questioned the planned expansion of the Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc (RPE) project.
“
Hindi maliwanag ‘yung cheaper energy . . . kailangan linawin nila sa amin kung paano mangyayari ‘yang cheap electricity na sinasabi nila because under the EPIRA law any producer has to connect to the national grid and once na pumasok sa grid may transmission cost na and then babalik din sa iyo ‘yun, so where is the lower electricity cost na sinasabi nila?” Garcia asked.

Moreover, environmental and social concern from stakeholders inside and outside the Freeport is growing. And Garcia has also questioned the low lease rate cost, although he did not mention the exact amount.

Original MOU

Garcia explained that the original MOU for the 300MW coal plant was approved because of two things: It is supposed to be a joint venture between SBMA and Taiwan Cogeneration company and it will result in lower electricity rates.

“That was the original MOU in 2008, but now the joint venture agreement has disappeared,” he said.

The new SBMA board of directors has entered into a new negotiation with RPE, specifically to question or get answers to the questions raised by Garcia.

SBMA has hired an environmental expert to study the environmental and social effects of the coal plants.

“We are now hiring consultants to evaluate and verify the statement of [RPE],” Gacia said.

“We have already sent RPE a letter detailing our agency’s concerns and we are expecting a reply by the end of the month, and after that we will start to review it with the help of our consultants and decide if we will approve it or not,” Garcia added.

Social acceptability

The SBMA, according to Garcia, has acknowledged the objections made by stakeholders of the Freeport, and that they are going through the process specifically to address this objection.

He said that SBMA will be conducting its own parallel consultation with its stakeholders as soon as RPE submits its reply. If the reply is acceptable, it is only then that SBMA will start the social acceptability consultation with its stakeholders.

He clarified that the SBMA will only approve the expansion if the plant will produce cheaper energy for the stakeholders, improve the commercial rates and address environmental concerns, and if it is acceptable to everybody in the Freeport.

Tourism industry in Subic

Tourist operators in Subic have expressed objections to the operation of the power plant. They said that the project will affect tourism in Subic, which is known for its lush forest, pristine beaches and beautiful coastal landscape.

But Garcia said that it is “too early to say” that tourism will be affected. (Anthony Bayarong, Manila Times)

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Subic Freeport to supply seedlings for Central Luzon greening project

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced that it will supply most of Region 3’s need for narra and bani seedlings as part of the government’s National Greening Program (NGP).

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Jesus Paje said the program seeks the attainment of sustainable human development, and economic and ecological security.

Paje also said: “It’s a very ambitious goal, if it were just about planting 1.5 billion trees then NGP becomes a public relations ploy, and not about forests.”

“But that’s not NGP. NGP takes its strength from converging the skills and resources of just about every sector in our society, be it in public or private sector. What we really want are healthy and mature 1.5 billion trees. We want trees we can take care of, not just numbers.” Paje added. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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USS Germantown to Arrive in Subic Bay for PHIBLEX

The forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) will arrive in Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Republic of the Philippines Oct. 22 for Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2012.

PHIBLEX is a bilateral training exercise with Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) Sailors and units from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The exercise is designed to improve interoperability of forces and operational readiness through exercises such as peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance missions through high-intensity combat.

“The U.S. and the Philippines have had a long standing relationship for many years,” said Capt. Bradley Lee, commodore, Amphibious Squadron 11. “Our participation in PHIBLEX will demonstrate our commitment to mutual security and our long time partnership with the Republic of the Philippines.”

Germantown will offload the Marines and their equipment to begin the start of the exercise shortly after they arrive in SBMA.

The Essex ARG consists of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), the amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42). (per US Embassy Press Release)

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DOLE probes Subic shipyard tragedy

MANILA - Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said she has ordered an immediate investigation into the Keppel Subic Shipyard incident that killed 6 workers and injured several others.

Baldoz, in a press statement Monday, said she ordered a team from the DOLE Regional Office in San Fernando, Pampanga to determine the cause of the incident and recommend measures t prevent another similar tragedy from happening.

"Your investigation should be thorough and exhaustive," Baldoz told DOLE Region 3 Director Leopoldo de Jesus.

She also told de Jesus to prepare the profiles of the victims and their families and help them.

De Jesus has sent a safety engineer and a labor inspector to the site, according to the DOLE.

The department said Keppel has suspended its operations in the work site to attend to the victims and give way to a joint DOLE-Keppel investigative team.

"The company also gave assurance to the families of the victims that it will shoulder all the burial and hospital expenses of their workers, on top of their insurance benefits," DOLE said.

A Keppel management report issued within hours of the incident showed that the incident happened on the stern ramp of M/V Tombarra, which is being repaired on the drydock, according to the DOLE.

"The fabricated tower support where the ramp stern was rested toppled and the stern ramp wire rope broke off, unable to hold the ramp from falling," the report said (ABS-CBNnews.com)

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Keppel-Singapore looks into Subic shipyard mishap

The Singaporean head office of the Keppel Subic Shipyard on Sunday announced the creation of a task force to investigate Friday’s shipyard accident in which six workers were killed and six others were seriously wounded.

Mok Kim Whang, Keppel Subic Shipyard president and general manager, said that the task force composed of senior managers, will also try to find ways to enhance safety at the shipyard.

"The (police) investigation is on-going, and we continue to cooperate fully with the authorities in the Philippines,” Whang said in a statement released by its mother-company Keppel Offshore & Marine based in Singapore.

The ship yard has suspended work on a vessel pending the results of investigation.

“We are deeply saddened that one of the seven injured workers had passed away in Our Lady of Lourdes International Medical Center, Olongapo City at around 10.15pm last night,” Whang said. “This brings the total number of fatalities to six,” he said.

The casualties were employees of Keppel Subic Shipyard while two others were under the employ of the yard’s subcontractor Garcia & Rocafor General Services.

The six injured workers are KSS project employees.

Three of the injured are in stable condition while the other three are still in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Whang said that the company will extend financial assistance to the victims’s families.

Police investigators said that the workers were repairing the MV Tombarra, a 22,650-ton container ship, when a massive steel ramp collapsed and fell on them qaround 10 a.m. Friday.

Subic Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun urged the company to provide full compensation for the workers.

Four of the workers died instantly while a fifth victim was pronounced by doctors as “dead on arrival” at the Lourdes International Medical Hospital in Olongapo City.

Malacañang has also ordered an investigation to determine if the Keppel project complied with occupational health and safety standards. (Manila Standard Today)

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Death toll in Subic shipyard accident rises to 6

SUBIC, Zambales -- Another worker who was injured Friday in an accident inside a Singaporean shipyard in Barangay Cawag Subic Zambales which instantly killed five others died Saturday in the hospital in Olongapo city.

Reports identified the latest fatality as Ronaldo Bagay who lost his leg during the accident and was rushed to a hospital in Olongapo City Friday, the death toll now total to six.

Seven other workers are still in the hospital after being injured in the same accident.

The five other victims were identified as Jaylord Reyes, Ronald Lara, Mark San Juan, Glen Miranda and Crisander Papna.

Subic Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun said the incident happened when a 42-ton steel scaffolding inside the shipyard of Keppel Shipyard Inc. gave way which fell on the workers working bellow.

The accident according to reports happened around 10:20 a.m. at the forward drydock of Keppel in Barangay Cawag in Subic town.

Reports also said that the shipyard operation is now on hold.

Keppel officials have declined to talk to the media regarding the accident. Media and even Mayor Khonghun was not allowed to enter the premises of the shipyard which was posted by several security guards. (Anthony Bayarong, SunStar Pampanga)

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Subic Freeport hosts Rotaract regional conference

The Subic Bay Freeport played host to hundreds of Rotaractors from countries in the Asia-Pacific region during the 8th Asia Pacific Regional Rotaract Conference (APRRC) held from September 29 to October 2.

Rotaract delegates from Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Bangladesh and host country Philippines participated in various lecture and workshop fora that were held here during the four-day conference.

The visitors received a warm welcome from Filipino hosts in the opening ceremonies at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), where they were treated with a special dance performance by students from the Olongapo City National High School-Special Program for the Arts.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Roberto Garcia, who greeted the Rotaractors during the opening program, said the visitors somewhat brightened Subic despite the stormy weather in the past week.

“Thank you for bringing a part of the good weather. It’s a beautiful day outside,” he said, referring to the sunny weather during the opening ceremonies.

Garcia mentioned that he used to be an active member of the Rotary Club of Green Meadows in Quezon City, and then proceeded to welcome the delegates to the “most beautiful freeport in the Philippines.”

Garcia also briefed the foreign delegates on the history of Subic Bay and how it became the top economic hub in the Philippines, before inviting them to visit tourist attractions in Subic.

“A large part of our work here is to develop Subic into a premier tourist facility and destination. If you have time, please visit our theme parks. These are visited by hundreds of thousands of visitors every year,” Garcia said. “I hope your tight schedule will allow you time to go around and see what Subic has to offer.”

Host district governor Digna Ragasa, meanwhile, reiterated the importance of serving others by highlighting the conference theme “Touching Communities, Serving Humanity.”

“What the world needs today are young men and women like you, who are able and willing to put the justice and love of the Divine Providence into action,” Ragasa said.

“Touch communities, touch lives, and serve humanity. But you can only do that if you are able to commit yourselves, if you will be able to take your part, and see for yourselves what you can do to the world,” she added.

The APRRC was founded in 2004 and became an annual event among Rotaractors from all over the region. The conference aims to unite all Rotaractors from the region and equip them with new ideas and knowledge that will be useful in developing their personality and skills as future leaders of the society.

The previous conference was held in Singapore.

The Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young men and women ages 18 to 30. Rotaract clubs are either community- or university-based, and they’re sponsored by a local Rotary club. This makes them true "partners in service" and key members of the family of Rotary. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA rescuers assist in clearing operations after “Pedring”

“There is no time to rest while our stakeholders are in need of our assistance.”

This was the message imparted by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) fire chief Ranny Magno, as his team continued to help in clearing operations in communities badly affected by Typhoon Pedring, which pounded Luzon, including the Subic Bay Freeport area on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Magno said the SBMA Emergency and Rescue Team (ERT) were mobilized as local officials from nearby communities requested for SBMA’s help in removing fallen trees that blocked the road, or leaned on houses and other structures.

Most of the problem consisted of fallen trees that damaged power lines, thus resulting to power outages in Olongapo City and other areas, Magno noted.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, who was monitoring updates at the height of the typhoon, immediately instructed Magno and his men to respond to the requests for assistance.

Thereafter, SBMA ERT teams were deployed to Olongapo, Subic in Zambales, and the Roman Highway in Bataan. A team was also sent to Calumpit, Bulacan, early this morning to assist residents there who were still trapped on their rooftops.

“Each team was equipped with its own vehicle, and two chainsaws to speed up the work,” said Magno, while supervising the removal of a mango tree that fell on the roof of a house at Barangay Wawandue in Subic, Zambales last Tuesday.

Meanwhile, another SBMA team cleared fallen trees near the Marikit Bridge in Olongapo City, which cut the main power service line, resulting in the power outage in at least four barangays in the city.

Still another team cleared fallen trees that endangered motorists and slowed down traffic at the Roman Highway.

“Our operators barely had time to rest,” Magno said, pointing out that clearing operations were needed immediately to restore power in the affected areas at the soonest possible time.

The SBMA team that were mobilized formed part of the SBMA Emergency and Rescue Team that was a recipient of the 2009 Gawad Kalasag Award for its extraordinary courage, heroism, self-sacrifice, and bravery against all odds in times of emergencies and disasters. The citation was given for the SBMA ERT’s role in recovering and retrieving trapped miners at Itogon, Benguet in September 2008.

In January this year, Magno also received for the SBMA ERT the 2010 Kalasag Award for being the best disaster manager in the country. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
Members of the SBMA Emergency and Rescue Team help local government units in clearing operations in the aftermath of Typhoon Pedring.

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SBMA to implement stricter measures on environmentally sensitive projects

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be implementing stricter measures and standards to further safeguard the natural environment of the Subic Bay Freeport from pollution.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said that the action aims to ensure that all projects, which are going to be put up or located inside the free port zone, particularly environmentally sensitive projects (ESPs), are acceptable to various stakeholders.

ESPs are projects that are determined to emit pollutants, which may have a potential impact on the natural resources, and the health of the people living or working in the area.

These pollutants include emissions, effluents, sound or visual from the proposed project that may deteriorate the health of the people, the forests and the animals living there, the bay waters, creeks, ground water and air, among others.

Garcia noted that the SBMA recognizes that the Freeport’s natural state far exceeds the quality of the national average, and therefore the agency may issue stricter environmental standards to satisfy the interests of the stakeholders.

The law that created the Freeport and the SBMA mandates the latter to protect, maintain, and develop the virgin forests into a national park by implementing the rules and regulation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The issuance of stricter standards, through the implementation of a policy on ESPs, will help the SBMA in realizing its mandates of protecting and preserving the environment.

“Through a board resolution, the SBMA Board of Directors will declare whether or not the project is environmentally sensitive, or is in compliance with the parameters as determined to be within the acceptable levels of emissions,” Garcia said.

Under this system, if the proposed project is considered an ESP, the SBMA Ecology Center will independently verify all of the project pollutants, the natural resource impacts, and extent of the proponent’s mitigating measures. All data gathered will be presented to the SBMA Board.

Stakeholder groups, consisting of representatives or officers of housing areas, Freeport workers’ associations, and the indigenous people’s tribal council will be invited to public consultations on ESPs where inputs about the results of the verification process will be presented.

Based on the evaluation “of the totality of acceptability ratings from the various stakeholders of the Freeport,” the SBMA Board shall declare whether or not the project is socially acceptable.

In any case where the project is declared not socially acceptable, the proponents will be advised to redesign the project or its mitigating measures to meet a level acceptable to stakeholders. Meanwhile, its permit to operate will be withheld.

“This way, the stakeholders are given a sense of participation in truly preserving the unique environmental feature of the Freeport, which is one of the major attractions of Subic’s tourism industry,” Garcia said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA, Lighthouse Marina gear up for coastal cleanup

In keeping with their commitment for the protection of the environment, The Lighthouse Marina Resort in coordination with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be mobilizing their networks in the community for a coastal cleanup activity on September 17.

The event, which will coincide with this year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day, will be held at the Waterfront area in this free port.

The Lighthouse Marina Resort and the SBMA have partnered in the past few years for beach cleanup drives in an effort to promote environmental consciousness among residents and business locators here.

For this year, the SBMA will again mobilize participants from among its various strategic business units, said SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza. The agency has pledged at least 200 participants, including divers, to cover the SBMA-assigned area, stretching more than two kilometers from Alava Pier to the end of the Boardwalk Park.

Also part of the SBMA's commitment to the activity is to assist the organizers through its Ecology Department in the segregation of collected trash and proper data recording.
The agency will likewise urge employees from business locators, as well as students in Freeport schools and fisher folks to join the activity, Arreza added.

Organizers from The Lighthouse Marina Resort, meanwhile, said that those who would like to join the beach cleanup will need to register before September 15. Registration is free.

Participants will have to assemble at 6:00 a.m. at the Boardwalk Park area and form groups of five before going to the stations that will be designated by the organizers.

The cleanup drive will cover the area stretching from Boardwalk Park up to the Lighthouse beachfront.

The International Coastal Cleanup Day was started in 1986 in Texas by former Ocean Conservancy employee Linda Maraniss. It is being observed every third Saturday of September each year, with thousands of volunteers around the world joining to clean coastlines and seas.

During the cleanup at Subic last year, close to 4,000 residents, employees, students and visitors joined the activity and collected about 6,075 kilos of trash, including those collected from underwater dives.

This year’s event is supported by the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians, and the Ocean Conservancy, a non profit advocacy group that promotes healthy and diverse ecosystems. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Freeport firms want box underguard, bond retained

Locators in the Clark and Subic freeport zones say they support the Bureau of Customs’ use of electronic global positioning system or GPS-equipped barrier seals to track cargoes, but want the use of underguarding and the general transportation surety bond (GTSB) retained as alternatives.

The barrier seal project should have been put in place this month but is being delayed until a new BOC commissioner has been appointed.

The barrier seal is designed to replace underguarding and GTSB in monitoring transit cargoes, as well as to alert police on unauthorized opening of container doors.

Customs Administrative Order 4-2010 requires cargo owners to equip their cargoes with the barrier seal to allow officials to track and monitor cargoes from the time they leave customs territory up to their arrival at the destination.

The order also provides for the collection of a transit processing fee of P1,100 for containerized cargo, P400 for breakbulk cargo and a $5 container security fee that will be charged to cargo owners on top of the fee to be collected by the service provider.

"As far as Subic and Clark are concerned, the only issue to be resolved for the project to push through is that the locators be given a choice to use either GPS, GTSB or underguard," Clark GPS-equipped barrier seal consultant Roberto Domondon said.

Many locators want to get the GPS-enabled tracking system so they can go online, yet they need alternatives depending on their type of business.

They also complain about the cost and that the incoming commissioner would study their position.

"We are not yet sure if the new commissioner will push through with the project considering that there are sectors that oppose it," Domondon said.

Under incumbent Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, Domondon has been keen on imposing the tracking system at the start of September using the graduated fee of P700 per container for cargoes bound for areas within 20 kilometers of the port.

Cargoes for delivery beyond Edsa would be charged P1,500 per container while those transported through the North and South Luzon Expressways would be charged P2,200 per container.

The project has been put on hold since President Aquino’s announcement that a new customs commissioner will report for work starting on September 16.

Locators expect that the new BOC leadership will retain the underguarding and GTSB that cost about P300 per container.

Société Generale de Surveillance (SGS) is the GPS service provider, having bested other bidders such as Cotecna and local firm Tim Corp. (Genivi Factao, Malaya)

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Asian port officials to attend 2nd ACTA meeting in Subic

Officials from different cruise-ship terminals in Asia, including the biggest port in the world, will be coming to the Subic Bay Freeport on Thursday (September 1) to attend the second Pro-Tem committee meeting of the Asia Cruise Terminals Association (ACTA).

Representatives from the International Cruise Terminal Development Co., Ltd., which oversees Shanghai Wu Song Kou port, currently the world’s largest port, will be joined by delegates from Singapore, Japan and Malaysia during the committee meeting.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), which is a founding member of ACTA, will be represented by Raul Marcelo, the agency’s deputy administrator for business, and Capt. Perfecto Pascual, who is general manager of the SBMA Seaport Department.

Marcelo said the meeting will be held in preparation for ACTA’s formal launch this October.

The Pro-Tem committee, he explained, acts as an interim committee which oversees ACTA before its formal launch.

“The Subic meeting will also serve as a venue for the validation and ratification of the ACTA constitution and by-laws, which was discussed during the first Pro-Tem meeting in Singapore,” added Marcelo, who was there to represent Subic along with Pascual.

ACTA is a non-profit organization created in response to a need for common understanding among owners and operators of cruise terminals and ports across Asia to upgrade to an international level of services and operations that cruise lines expect.

The association aims to provide for a cruise-friendly environment, and a vehicle for regional cooperation in terminal development, operations and management.

The group also seeks to promote cruise terminal facilities and services internationally, targeting to establish an influential alliance leading to the emergence of a captivating Asia cruise playground.

Marcelo said that as part of SBMA’s thrust to make Subic Bay a prime logistics, maritime and tourist hub, the agency will facilitate the development of Subic as a cruise-ship destination by being an active member of ACTA. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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BOC seeks LTO help in locating Subic car

MANILA - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is seeking the assistance of Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres in tracking down close to 2,000 imported vehicles that have reportedly gone missing.

Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said a recent audit conducted by his office on locators at the Subic Bay Special Economic and Freeport Zone showed that there were 1,866 vehicles that were not accounted for.

“We have reasons to believe that many have been registered with the LTO. We are closely coordinating with the LTO so if they were registered, we would make sure that their registration would no longer be renewed,” Alvarez said.

He also threatened to seize the vehicles identified to have been illegally brought out of the Subic Freeport.

It appeared that the vehicles entered the country sometime in October 2007. At that time, Subic-based locators enjoyed the privilege of being exempted from paying duties and taxes for imported vehicles, provided that these would be used for their businesses.

Reports circulated then that some of the cars were illegally being sold outside the Subic area and the Supreme Court put a stop to this practice.

“So what happened was that there were thousands of cars, over 2,000, that could not be released if they could not pay the duties and taxes. So an inventory was conducted to establish the accountability of every locator,” Alvarez said.

“It turned out that 1,866 cannot be accounted for so they are either exported, which is allowed, or registered with the LTO which is within the Customs territory. So we are coordinating with the LTO to ensure that if these were registered,” he added.

He said the BOC could trace the missing vehicles by checking their chassis and engine numbers.

Alvarez said they would also check if fake documents were used in registering the vehicles with the LTO.

In registering the vehicles, their owners would have to present a certificate of payment proving that correct duties and taxes were paid. If fake documents were used, Alvarez said the car owners could face another case of falsification of public documents.

Alvarez got a copy of the inventory report only two days ago and he immediately coordinated with Torres, who he said has been “very supportive of all our initiatives.” (Evelyn Macairan, The Philippine Star)

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Seven Subic fishers rescued, two missing after sea collision

Seven fishermen were rescued Wednesday morning while two remained missing after a Subic-based fishing vessel collided with a cargo ship off the coast of Zambales at around 3:30 p.m. last Sunday, August 7.

The fishermen were picked up by the cargo vessel M/V Izumi at around 6:00 a.m. Wednesday and then transferred to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) vessel M/V Redondo, which brought them to the SBMA Dispensary for treatment.

The fishermen, all from barangay Calapandayan, Subic, Zambales, were found holding onto floating pieces of their vessel about 112 miles west of Subic, near the Scarborough Shoal, rescuers said.

They were identified as Benito Otero, 56; Joel Otero, 47; Ricardo Castorico, 28; Roberto Alvior, 38; Vidal Radasa, 56; Salih Alipido, 42; and Ronilo Lebios, 29.

Those missing were identified only as as Arnel, 46, and Teteng, 40.

Two of the survivors, Alipido and Lebios, were injured in the collision.

According to Benito Otero, who owns the ill-fated fishing vessel Tres Marias, they have been floating at sea for four days before being rescued.

Otero also said that heavy rains last Sunday made for poor visibility, thus they did not see the ship in time to avoid it.

“Talagang ulan po. ‘Di makita, talagang malakas ‘yung ulan. Nakita namin ‘yung barko malapit na (It was raining. We can’t see anything, it was raining hard. We only saw the ship when it was already near our boat),” Otero said.

Otero likewise claimed that they failed to avoid the ship because of problems with steering.

The survivors said that their boat split into two after the cargo ship hit it. Thereafter, the fishermen clung to pieces of the wreckage in order to keep afloat.

However, two men in their crew disappeared in the water after the accident and were never found until the boat crew were rescued on Wednesday.

Otero recalled that they have already been fishing for four days and had sufficient catch when they met the accident on Sunday.

He said that after the mishap, the cargo ship that collided with them merely sailed on.

Otero said they failed to identify the ship also because of poor visibility. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Developers to raise P39-billion loan for Subic coal project

MANILA — The project developers of the 600-megawatt Subic coal-fired power facility are preparing for loan procurement of P39 billion to bankroll the significant portion of the facility’s implementation cost.

The 70 percent debt portion of the project cost, they said, will be raised on a project finance basis. The project sponsors will be led by Meralco PowerGen Corporation, the power generation unit of Manila Electric Company (Meralco); Therma Power Inc. of the Aboitiz group and Taiwan Cogeneration Corporation.

In a briefing with reporters, Meralco PowerGen executive vice president Aaron A. Domingo disclosed that the project financing will be raised entirely from a syndicate of local banks.

“The structuring of the peso financing and selection of mandated lead arrangers are ongoing,” he said.

Meralco’s equity portion for its more than 50 percent interest in the venture will amount to P8.0 billion to P9.0 billion. Domingo said that will be infused separately through the backing of its parent firm.

From its initial foray into the 600-megawatt coal plant, Meralco is preparing for a grander venture into the power generation sector. In fact, from the 1,500 megawatts of portfolio it has initially cast on blueprint, the company is now looking at increasing that to 1,800 to 2,400 megawatts – the development timelines, of course, will depend on electricity demand expansion.

Moving forward from the signing of a shareholders’ agreement for the Subic facility last week, Domingo disclosed that they are now working next on the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.

“We are preparing for full EPC contracting strategy with major equipment (boiler and steam turbine generator) suppliers for the bidding and selection by end of December 2011,” he said.

He added that they have already sent request for proposals (RFPs) to three EPC contractors; and also solicited tenders from original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of boilers and turbines.

Based on targets set by the project sponsors, the first unit of 300 megawatts will be on-line fourth quarter of 2014; while the next unit of the same capacity will be on stream six months after. (Myrna M. Velasco, Manila Bulletin)

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Meralco acquires 52% share of Subic coal plant

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest distributor of electrical power, marked its reentry into the power-generation industry on Friday by acquiring a controlling interest in the $1.28-billion coal-fired thermal power-plant project slated for construction at Subic’s Redondo Peninsula.

The power firm, which previously sold to the National Power Corp. all the power plants it had built since it was organized in 1903, successfully forged a deal with AboitizPower and Taiwan Cogeneration Corp. (TCC), the original partners in the Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. (RP Energy), which has the development rights to develop the 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant.

Under a shareholders’ agreement signed on Friday by the three parties, Meralco’s subsidiary Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MPGC) became the controlling shareholder of RP Energy with 50 percent plus two shares, while AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Power Inc. (TPI) and TCC subsidiary Taiwan Cogeneration International Corp. Philippines (TCIC) held an equal proportion of the remaining shares.

The agreement was signed by MPGC president Oscar Reyes, MPGC executive vice president and general manager Aaron Domingo, TPI president Antonio Moraza, TCIC director Brian Hsu, and RP Energy president Erramon Aboitiz.

Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras witnessed the signing at the Lighthouse Marina Resort here.

Meralco’s reentry into power generation, Reyes pointed out, came almost 40 years after Meralco relinquished its power-generation operations and 20 years after power generation was reopened to the private sector amid the crippling power crisis in the late 1980s.

But with the Aboitiz Group and Taiwan Cogeneration Co., Meralco is “making a strong statement and vote of confidence in our country and in our economy and a strong commitment to growth and progress,” Reyes said.

He added that Meralco is “well-positioned” and aims “to be part of an integrated solution” in meeting the crucial need for new technologically-advanced and cost-efficient generation capacity.

Reyes also extolled Subic both as a “major investment destination and a strategic site for business” and an important player in the energy industry by hosting the strategic 5-million barrel Subic-Clark liquid fuel-storage depot.

“With RP Energy’s 2x300 megawatt power facility, the [Subic Bay Freeport] Zone will again play a strategic role in helping meet 8 percent of the entire Luzon grid’s power needs,” he said.

The Meralco official stated that the Subic power project would need the continuing full support and goodwill of the Department of Energy, the national and the local governments, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority as well as local communities.

Erramon Aboitiz, meanwhile, reaffirmed RP energy’s commitment in providing competitively-priced power without damaging the environment.

He stressed that the proponents have specified the use of circulating fluidized bed boilers in the power plant. This kind of boiler removes sulfur oxide and controls the burning temperature of the coal to prevent the formation of nitrous oxides, lower air emissions, and make the plant environment-friendly, he said.

Aboitiz also cited the advantages of taking in MPGC as a partner.

“Being the country’s largest utility serving the equivalent of more than half the nation’s GDP [gross domestic product], Meralco is without a doubt the ideal conduit to deliver the cost advantage of RP Energy to as many households and businesses as possible,” he said.

The Subic coal-fired thermal power project is projected to be completed with a total budget of $1.28 billion. It will consist of two 300-megawatt units that will be constructed in two phases.

The first unit is expected to be commercially operational by the first quarter of 2015, while the second unit is expected to be completed by the second quarter of the same year. (Henry Empeño w/ Paul Anthony Isla, Business Mirror)

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$1.28B earmarked for Subic coal plant

Three energy companies signed a memorandum of agreement to put up a US$ 1.28 billion 600-megawatt (MW) coal power plant in Subic, Friday.

Meralco, Aboitiz Power and Taiwan Cogen signed the agreement to build the plant in Redondo inside Subic Bay Freeport zone.

Erramon Aboitiz said that the project aims to generate competitive priced power with least possible adverse effects on the environment.

He added that the project would become the source of competitive priced baseload power for Subic Bay Freeport and for the entire Luzon grid.

Aboitiz said the consortium has opted to use Circulating Fluidized Bed Boilers that remove sulfur oxide and control the burning temperature of coal to prevent formation of nitrous oxides that lower air emissions.

First phase of the project will be completed in 2014 while the second and final phase will be finished in 2016. (Anthony Bayarong, Manila Times)

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SCTEx placed under new management

MANILA — The Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) Friday took over the operation and management of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) to pave the way for the integration of the two longest expressways in Northern Luzon — SCTEx and North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).

This, after the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) signed Wednesday a “business and operating agreement” with the MNTC to finally forge the deal on SCTEx.

“Motorists will soon enjoy the benefits of integration in the form of seamless travel between the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and the SCTEx,” said BCDA and MNTC in a statement. MNTC also operates the NLEx.

Under the agreement, MNTC will operate and manage SCTEx for 33 years, while “relieving BCDA of the heavy financial burden of paying the latter’s P34-billion debt to the JICA.”

The MNTC said that the deal paves the way for the company to provide the best services to motorists using SCTEx at par with the high standards applied on the NLEx.

The agreement for the private management and operations of the STEx, funded from a P34-million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will take effect in the next 33 years.

Under the deal, the MNTC will assist the SCTEx in paying for the JICA loan that will mature in 2041. This will be done by providing the SCTEx with funds to repay its JICA loan through revenue sharing and agreed-on advances during shortfalls.

"The agreement is our contribution to the public-private partnership program. We see it as innovative because it frees the government of the heavy debt-servicing burden. In other words, by virtue of this agreement, we can say the SCTEx was built at no cost for the government," BCDA chairman Felicito Payumo said.

Payumo said the pact “also assures the MNTC of a reasonable return to cover commercial risks as SCTEx’s co-concessionaire. The agreement satisfies BCDA’s requirement to cover the state firm’s debt service obligation to JICA.”

The statement also quoted MNTC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan as saying that “the contract is truly reflective of the intentions and spirit of the partnership from the beginning.”

“MNTC’s takeover of the SCTEx signals the advent of a new era in comfortable and safe travel offered by a seamless traffic along the NLEx as strategically linked to the SCTEx that both meet world-class standards,” Pangilinan said.

BCDA president and CEO Arnel Casanova said the agreement represents a fusion of the strengths of the two partners that would ensure maximum benefits to the public and the country. “The agreement is a major breakthrough towards establishing a good model for public-private partnership.”

He explained that as SCTEx’s co-concessionaire, the MNTC will manage the entire operations and supervision of the tollway, linking Subic Freeport Zone in Zambales, Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga, and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac.

Under the agreement, MNTC will provide ancillary facilities and equipment, plus resources needed to run SCTEx efficiently, including assuring security and safety for motorists on the tollway round the clock. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel, Manila Bulletin)

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Meralco ready to sign supply contract for Subic coal plant

Utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is ready to ink a power purchase agreement (PPA) which may cover the entire capacity of the $1.28 billion Subic coal-fired power facility of 600 megawatts that will be due on stream by the first half of 2014.

“We should be able to accommodate the 600MW, but it is a function of what price… and there are also other interested parties,” Meralco senior executive vice president Oscar S. Reyes said.

With the signing of the Shareholders Agreement among project sponsors on Friday, the utility firm’s subsidiary Meralco PowerGen (MPG) officially became the majority shareholder in Redondo Peninsula Energy (RP Energy), with more than 50 percent equity. RP Energy is the corporate vehicle for the project.

Aboitiz Power’s wholly-owned subsidiary Therma Power Inc. and another partner Taiwan Cogeneration Corporation cornered the remaining shareholdings.

“With highly respected and well-established local and business partners, Meralco now signals its re-entry into power generation, nearly 40 years after relinquishing its power generation operations and 20 years after the ‘welcome mat’ had been laid out for private sector participation in power generation,” Reyes said.

The intent of the project developers would be mainly to offer the capacity of the baseload coal-fired plant as a cost-competitive source of power – be it for end-users already qualified under open access or those which will remain captive, mainly the residential end-users.

With Meralco’s interest in the project, it will also shoulder more than 50-percent of the equity cost portion. The 70-percent of the total project cost will be infused through project financing.

During the signing of the shareholders’ deal, several banks interested at offering financing were already hovering around the venue – including BDO Capital, RCBC, Philippine National Bank, PNB Capital, Bank of the Philippine Islands and First Metro Investment Corporation, among others.

For his part, Aboitiz Power president Erramon I. Aboitiz noted that the coal plant’s project design has been re-evaluated when Meralco came into the picture as their partner.

“As we initiated discussions with Meralco PowerGen, the configuration of the power stations was rethought again, this time using two 300-MW generating units with reheating capabilities,” Aboitiz said. (Myrna M. Velasco, Manila Bulletin)

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