Inaugural Speech of President Benigno S. Aquino III (Official English Translation)

His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and members of the House, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the foreign delegations,Your Excellencies of the diplomatic corps, fellow colleagues in government, aking mga kababayan.

My presence here today is proof that you are my true strength. I never expected that I will be here taking my oath of office before you, as your president. I never imagined that I would be tasked with continuing the mission of my parents. I never entertained the ambition to be the symbol of hope, and to inherit the problems of our nation.

I had a simple goal in life: to be true to my parents and our country as an honorable son, a caring brother, and a good citizen.

My father offered his life so our democracy could live. My mother devoted her life to nurturing that democracy. I will dedicate my life to making our democracy reach its fullest potential: that of ensuring equality for all. My family has sacrificed much and I am willing to do this again if necessary.

Although I was born to famous parents, I know and feel the problems of ordinary citizens. We all know what it is like to have a government that plays deaf and dumb. We know what it is like to be denied justice, to be ignored by those in whom we placed our trust and tasked to become our advocates.

Have you ever been ignored by the very government you helped put in power? I have. Have you had to endure being rudely shoved aside by the siren-blaring escorts of those who love to display their position and power over you? I have, too. Have you experienced exasperation and anger at a government that instead of serving you, needs to be endured by you? So have I.

I am like you. Many of our countrymen have already voted with their feet - migrating to other countries in search of change or tranquility. They have endured hardship, risked their lives because they believe that compared to their current state here, there is more hope for them in another country, no matter how bleak it may be. In moments when I thought of only my own welfare, I also wondered - is it possible that I can find the peace and quiet that I crave in another country? Is our government beyond redemption? Has it been written that the Filipino’s lot is merely to suffer?

Today marks the end of a regime indifferent to the appeals of the people. It is not Noynoy who found a way. You are the reason why the silent suffering of the nation is about to end. This is the beginning of my burden, but if many of us will bear the cross we will lift it, no matter how heavy it is.

Through good governance in the coming years, we will lessen our problems. The destiny of the Filipino will return to its rightful place, and as each year passes, the Filipino’s problems will continue to lessen with the assurance of progress in their lives.

We are here to serve and not to lord over you. The mandate given to me was one of change. I accept your marching orders to transform our government from one that is self-serving to one that works for the welfare of the nation.

This mandate is the social contract that we agreed upon. It is the promise I made during the campaign, which you accepted on election day.

During the campaign we said, “If no one is corrupt, no one will be poor.” That is no mere slogan for posters -- it is the defining principle that will serve as the foundation of our administration.

Our foremost duty is to lift the nation from poverty through honest and effective governance.

The first step is to have leaders who are ethical, honest, and true public servants. I will set the example. I will strive to be a good model. I will not break the trust you have placed in me. I will ensure that this, too, will be the advocacy of my Cabinet and those who will join our government.

I do not believe that all of those who serve in our government are corrupt. In truth, the majority of them are honest. They joined government to serve and do good. Starting today, they will have the opportunity to show that they have what it takes. I am counting on them to help fight corruption within the bureaucracy.

To those who have been put in positions by unlawful means, this is my warning: we will begin earning back the trust of our people by reviewing midnight appointments. Let this serve as a warning to those who intend to continue the crooked ways that have become the norm for too long.

To our impoverished countrymen, starting today, your government will be your champion.

We will not disregard the needs of our students. We will begin by addressing the glaring shortage in classrooms and educational facilities.

Gradually, we will lessen the lack of infrastructures for transportation, tourism and trade. From now on, mediocre work will not be good enough when it comes to roads, bridges, and buildings because we will hold contractors responsible for maintaining their projects in good condition.

We will revive the emergency employment program established by former President Corazon Aquino. This will provide jobs for local communities and will help in the development of their and our economy.

We will not be the cause of your suffering or hardship. We will strengthen collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and we will fight corruption in the Bureau of Customs in order to fund our objectives for the public welfare, such as:

· Quality education, including vocational education, so that those who choose not to attend college or those who cannot afford it can find dignified livelihood;

· Improved public health services such as PhilHealth for all within three years;

· A home for every family, within safe communities.

We will strengthen the armed forces and the police, not to serve the interests of those who want to wield power with impunity, but to give added protection for ordinary folk. The armed forces and the police risk their lives daily so that the nation can live in peace and security. The population has doubled and yet their numbers remain unchanged. It is not right that those who make sacrifices are treated pitifully.

If there was a fertilizer scam in the past, today there will be security for farmers. We will help them with irrigation, extension services, and marketing their products at the best possible prices.

We are directing Secretary Alcala to set up trading centers that will directly link farmers and consumers thereby eliminating middlemen and opportunities for corruption. In this way, funds can be shared by farmers and consumers. We will make our country attractive to investors. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance to business. This is the only means by which we can provide jobs for our people.

Our goal is to create jobs at home so that there will be no need to look for employment abroad. However, as we work towards that end, I am ordering the DFA, POEA, OWWA, and other relevant agencies to be even more responsive to the needs and welfare of our overseas Filipino workers.

We will strengthen the process of consultation and feedback. We will strive to uphold the constitutional right of citizens to information on matters of public concern.

We relived the spirit of people power during the campaign. Let it take us to good and effective governance. Those who believe in people power put the welfare of others before their own.

I can forgive those who did me wrong but I have no right to forgive those who abused our people.

To those who talk about reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. When we allow crimes to go unpunished, we give consent to their occurring over and over again. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all.

We are also happy to inform you the acceptance of Chief Justice Hilario Davide of the challenge of strengthening and heading a Truth Commission that will shed light on many unanswered issues that continue to haunt our country.

My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of Mindanao. We are committed to a peaceful and just settlement of conflict, inclusive of the interests of all -- may they be Lumads, Bangsamoro or Christian.

We shalI defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform, and equitable governance leading to a better life. With proper governance life will improve for all. When we are all living well, who will want to go back to living under oppression?

If I have all of you by my side, we will be able to build a nation in which there will be equality of opportunity, because each of us fulfilled our duties and responsibilities equally.

After the elections, you proved that it is the people who wield power in this country.

This is what democracy means. It is the foundation of our unity. We campaigned for change. Because of this, the Filipino stands tall once more. We are all part of a nation that can begin to dream again.

To our friends and neighbors around the world, we are ready to take our place as a reliable member of the community of nations, a nation serious about its commitments and which harmonizes its national interests with its international responsibilities.

We will be a predictable and consistent place for investment, a nation where everyone will say, “it all works.”

Today, I am inviting you to pledge to yourselves and to our people. No one shall be left behind.

No more junkets, no more senseless spending. No more turning back on pledges made during the campaign, whether today or in the coming challenges that will confront us over the next six years. No more influence-peddling, no more patronage politics, no more stealing. No more sirens, no more short cuts, no more bribes. It is time for us to work together once more.

We are here today because we stood together and believed in hope. We had no resources to campaign other than our common faith in the inherent goodness of the Filipino.

The people who are behind us dared to dream. Today, the dream starts to become a reality. To those among you who are still undecided about sharing the common burden I have only one question: Are you going to quit now that we have won?

You are the boss so I cannot ignore your orders. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to your needs and aspirations.

You are the ones who brought me here - our volunteers - old, young, celebrity, ordinary folks who went around the country to campaign for change; my household help who provided for all my personal needs; my family, friends, colleagues at work, who shared, cared, and gave their support; my lawyers who stayed all hours to guard my votes and make sure they were counted; and the millions of Filipinos who prevailed, kept faith, and never lost hope - I offer my heartfelt gratitude.

I will not be able to face my parents and you who have brought me here if do not fulfill the promises I made.

My parents sought nothing less, died for nothing less, than democracy and peace. I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward.

My hope is that when I leave office, everyone can say that we have traveled far on the right path, and that we are able to bequeath a better future to the next generation. Join me in continuing this fight for change.

Thank you and long live the Filipino people!

June 30, 2010
Quirino Grandstand

Thanks to the NoyNoy Media Bureau

photo c/o Yahoo! Philippines

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SBMA adopts new scheme for release of LGU share from corporate taxes

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will soon be collecting the two percent share of contiguous local government units (LGUs) from corporate taxes paid by business locators in this free port, instead of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

This was announced by Subic authorities during a forum held under the auspices of the Department of Finance (DOF) for some 300 representatives of companies in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

“We are doing this to make sure that the LGU shares are distributed quickly,” SBMA administrator and CEO Armand Arreza explained.

He said that previously, Subic locators forward their corporate tax, or five percent of their gross income earned, straight to the BIR, which automatically remits payments to the national treasury.

Thereafter, the Department of Budget Management (DBM) releases the two percent share to the LGUs concerned.

Arreza also said that since the creation of the SBMA, the 2 percent share was only distributed for a few years, resulting to a lot of complaints from LGUs.

“The funds could have been used to finance LGU development projects and provide for basic support services in health, education, and peace and order,” Arreza noted.

“So it is but right and lawful that the LGUs receive their share on a regular basis,” he stressed.

According to Republic Act No. 9400, which amended RA 7227 or the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992, no national and local taxes shall be imposed within the Subic Special Economic Zone except for a five percent tax on gross income earned by business enterprises within the zone.

Accordingly, the corporate tax shall be remitted as follows: three percent to the National Government, and two percent to the SBMA for distribution to LGUs affected by the declaration of, and contiguous to the zone.

The two percent share is divided according to population (50%), land area (25%), and equal sharing (25%).

The contiguous communities include the City of Olongapo and the municipalities of Subic, San Antonio, San Marcelino and Castillejos in Zambales, and Morong, Hermosa and Dinalupihan in Bataan.

In the forum, Arreza said that there will be no other changes in the computation of the corporate taxes, except for splitting the check into two: 60 percent to be forwarded to the BIR and 40 percent to the SBMA Treasury Department.

Aside from Arreza, BIR assistant revenue district officer Maglangit Dicampong was present to address concerns raised by business locators. The forum speakers also included SBMA senior deputy administrator for internal services Ramon Agregado, SBMA deputy administrator for finance Cristina Millan, and SBMA treasury department manager Paulita Yee.

For her part, Millan assured the locators that the SBMA will issue guidelines to address matters regarding the new collection scheme for corporate taxes.

The new scheme will be implemented starting with the locators’ second quarter tax payments. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA seeks legal advice on award to HCPTI

THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is making sure its award of contract to the Harbour Centre Port Terminals Inc. (HCPTI) for the operations of the international port is legal in every way by asking for a legal opinion from the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC).

Armand Arreza, chief executive officer and administrator of the SBMA, said the SBMA is also reviewing all the documents submitted by HCPTI. “I expect the OGCC opinion to come out by mid-July, and then we will have to wait for their notice to proceed before we award the contract.”  

He said they made the move so future administrations will not try to overturn or question the decision to award the contract to the private port operator, or at least make it difficult to do so.

SBMA is forming a joint venture with Harbour Centre for the operation of the entire Naval Supply Depot (NSD), a port that currently handles mostly general cargo such as fertilizers and grains.

He is convinced the joint venture can operate the port smoothly because of Harbour Centre’s experience in both Manila Harbour Centre and the Manila North Harbor.

“We have made our due diligence, and we found out that Manila Harbour Centre is almost full, and we expect that we can handle their spillover volume,” added Arreza.

Earlier, Harbour Centre chief executive officer Michael Romero said the company will spend about P6 billion to P8 billion over the 25 years of the contract for improvements.

Romero said their winning the award for the Subic port is just in time to complement the operations of their private Manila container port, since the facility has already reached 95 percent of its capacity.

The terms of reference of the deal with SBMA show the Romero-owned company assures the government of fixed fees of $500,000, or P23 million, for the first year of operation, with the contribution gradually rising to $600,000 in the second year and so on, with yearly rises to a final $1.5 million in the 25th year.

Romero said that if the cargo volumes shoot up to more than 2 million tons in the NSD, Harbour Centre will pay the SBMA an additional 20 percent of the gross revenues. In total, the SBMA said Harbour Centre committed $32 million, or about P1.53 billion, for fixed and guaranteed revenue share of government over the 25-year joint-venture period.

According to the SBMA figures, the nine other port handlers managed 2.21 million tons of noncontainerized cargo in 2009, some 1.8 million tons of bulk and break-bulk cargo with the rest being transshipments, heavy equipment and roll-on/roll-off goods.

Last year the SBMA earned P30.1 million from the nine cargo handlers in handling fees and P8.5 million from warehouse rental and storage fees. (VG Cabuag, Business Mirror)

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Forum to help Noynoy set economic blueprint

A new economic forum which aims to help presumptive president-elect, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, achieve the country’s much needed economic progress once he assumes the presidency is being organized in coordination with foreign business chambers.

The American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) and the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC), together with businessman Mike Macapagal, have agreed to put together a conference where businessmen will help create a blueprint for the country’s economic progress under the Aquino administration.

“In organizing an economic forum for foreign and local businessmen, we hope to provide a venue where all businessmen are welcome to pitch in their ideas on what policies, programs and issues that the incoming administration needs to prioritize,” said Macapagal, who secured the support of US-based Filipinos for the Aquino presidency.

As the lead organizer, Macapagal, who owns and manages the largest and the only Filipino-owned escrow company in Northern California, is now laying down the groundwork for the economic forum tentatively scheduled to be held in September of this year at the Subic Bay Convention Center in Olongapo City.

The forum will tackle what the foreign chambers consider the “Big Seven” industries. These are agribusiness, business process outsourcing, creative industries, infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics, mining, and tourism which have the aggregate potential to bring in US$75 billion in foreign direct investments (FDI) and 10 million jobs over the next 10 years.

(Macapagal, who hails from Subic, said the forum plans to open a dialogue between local locators and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to address concerns, especially ridding SBMA of graft and corruption.)

“All local and foreign business groups that have a stake in the Philippines should make their presence felt at the forum. The synergy of ideas that they could bring to the table would truly be invaluable,” said Macapagal. (Freddie C. Velez, Manila Bulletin)

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Int’l, domestic flight operations at NAIA return to normal (Subic Airport related story)

All international and domestic flight operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) returned to normal operations after the airport’s navigational system that conked out last Saturday morning were repaired.

But the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) extended the Notice to Airmen about the limited operations of the Manila runways until 8 a.m. Monday as the system still needs to undergo reconfiguring and recalibration.

The airport’s Very High Frequency Omni Radio Range (VOR) station, used to guide pilots to land their aircraft during low visibility and bad weather, conked out last Saturday, forcing aviation authorities to limit night time operations at the Manila runways.

NAIA general manager Melvin Matibag said a replacement part was borrowed from the Subic airport and that it arrived in Manila around 3 a.m. yesterday.

The installation of the power supply took a couple of hours but technicians from the CAAP started to power-up the navigation system yesterday morning.

CAAP technical assistant Lito Casaul explained the power supply came from a similar but different navigation system.

“The technicians cannot just power-up the system and go. They have to slowly power-up each of the system’s component to check if everything is working properly. If and when the system proves to be okay, they can then begin to reconfigure the unit,” Casaul said.

“Hopefully, we can have the system up before sundown so we can resume with normal operations at the two runways,” Casaul said.

With the VOR inoperable, pilots have to rely on Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and the radar and other visual aids such as the runway lights to see where to land.

The pilots could have done easily even without VOR and rely on the airport’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) for guidance but, unfortunately, the ILS at the NAIA is currently being replaced.

With both the VOR and ILS navigational systems down, the CAAP was forced to implement stricter rules on night landing and made the separations between airplanes much longer apart.

During normal operations, with all the systems running, flight separation between aircraft is less than one minute. However, with the limited operations Saturday night, airplanes had to be separated by a minimum of five minutes to assure their safety.

At the same time, the CAAP gave the airline companies
the discretion if they would allow their pilots to proceed to land at the airport even with the limited navigational aids. Matibag, however, said should bad weather come into play, the Manila Control Tower will be forced to deny pilots permission to land.

According to Matibag, should zero visibility blanket the airport vicinity, pilots can easily divert to either the Cebu, Clark or Subic airports. (Conrado Ching, Daily Tribune)

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PLDT units shift to new digital network (in Subic, Clark)

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) said its units at the Clark and Subic economic zones have completed their migration to a new network technology and fiber optics so they could offer converged voice, data and multimedia services.

“The shift to NGN [next generation network] is in line with our efforts to offer our customers high-capacity broadband data services via fixed lines,” Napoleon Nazareno, PLDT president and chief executive, said.

NGN pertains to a network architecture and technology that encompasses voice, video and data communications. With NGN, all information is transmitted as packets of data, just like over the Internet.

That means an NGN line is already a high capacity conduit that can offer traditional telephone services, broadband internet, Internet Protocol TV and video streaming.

PLDT had spent P70 million for the network upgrade of its subsidiaries, PLDT Clark Telecom Inc. and PLDT Subic Telecom Inc.

PLDT ClarkTel now has 21 NGN nodes equipped with 6,336 ports, while PLDT SubicTel now has 20 NGN nodes equipped with 5,688 ports.

PLDT ClarkTel will complete its P25-million, 42-kilometer fiber optic network within Clark by September. This is on top of the P70-million network upgrade cited earlier.

PLDT SubicTel has already completed laying down its P19-million, 36-kilometer fiber optic cables.

The fiber optics component of the upgrade is part of PLDT’s Domestic Fiber Optic Network (DFON). The technologies used for DFON include Recon-figurable Optical Add/Drop Mul-tiplexing, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing, Synchronous Digital Hierarchy and Multi Service Provisioning Platform.

Nazareno said this upgrade capitalizes on PLDT’s DFON, which now has a capacity of 1,200 gigabits per second or double that of other networks.

“Last year, we completed our P3-billion [DFON] expansion when we laid down additional 2,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables in key cities around the country,” he said.

“Now we are able to equip our subsidiaries with the capacity and the robustness of a world-class network. Locators in Subic and Clark as well as residential customers can now enjoy the innovations that the PLDT froup offers,” he added. (Darwin G. Amojelar, Manila Times)

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Subic investors vow support for Noynoy

Subic Bay Freeport investors vowed Thursday to support incoming President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III as they banked on him to follow through on all his major campaign promises with emphasis on the reduction of corruption and the enforcement of stricter policies on duties and taxes.

“We know that he is strict on human rights, against graft and corruption and will try to lower taxes. He also promised to go after smugglers and tax evaders. So all of those will be good for the Freeport,” said Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) President Danny Piano.

The SBFCC is the largest and most influential business group inside the 67,000-hectare Freeport, where some 1,258 companies are located as of February this year.

Piano, who runs a US firm creating digital content for clients, said that they hope Aquino will enhance business policies, but also "generally leave business alone."

“Subic Bay will grow in the next 5 to 10 years whoever is the president," Piano explained. But a better policy regime, he noted, would mean "faster growth compared to a regular incline."

The SBFCC supports Aquino’s plan to stamp out corruption and Subic Bay can easily be a model for the rest of the country.

“Graft and corruption also exists here but not comparable to other areas. I am hoping that it can be totally eliminated here,” Piano explained.

Piano said businessmen at the Subic Bay freeport are very willing to give Aquino a "free hand" as they also want a smooth and orderly transition of leadership.

Records of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, the government agency in charge of the freeport zone, showed that over the last five years, investment generation has been on a roller coaster ride.

Freeport chief Armand Arreza said that investment growth was 20% annually from 2006 to 2008, but this slowed down to 2.5% in 2009.

The zone’s total workforce grew to 87,000 workers but fell short of SBMA’s target of 100,000 workers by 2010. Exports were also lackluster, amounting to only $1.079 billion, some $400 million short of the $1.5-billion target.

South Koreans have been the single-biggest contributor to new money inside the zone with the entry of shipbuilding giant Hanjin Heavy Industry Corporation (HHIC), which poured in some $1.6 billion during the last 4 years.

But Aquino, who promised more transparency, better government service and a serious fight against corruption, may be challenged by a full plate of controversial projects beginning with the $130-million Harbor Center project and a mall project of Ayala Land Inc.

Several locators here accused SBMA of virtually creating a cargo handling monopoly with the Harbor Center agreement, something that Arreza denied. Cases have already been filed in courts. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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Freeport schools to get more subsidy from SBMA

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has increased its subsidy to schools operating in this free port under a program designed to continuously improve the skills of Subic’s growing workforce and enable them to meet future requirements of various industries here.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said the program, “Producing a More Globally-Competitive Workforce in the Subic Bay Freeport”, which was approved by the SBMA board in January, would raise SBMA’s grants to schools here by up to P30 million annually, from the current annual subsidy of P16.3 million through discounts on property leases.

Under the program, the SBMA will offer a 100 percent “no lease consideration” to, initially, six of the 11 schools operating inside the Subic Bay Freeport.

The supposed SBMA income from these leases will be translated to scholarship grants through the SBMA Scholarship Foundation, which will formulate the program’s guidelines and policies, Arreza explained.

Instead of going to SBMA coffers, the waived leases will instead go back to the schools, which are only required to maximize their commitment to improve their faculty and facilities in order to avail of the program.

“We shall only ask the schools to develop initiatives to use the additional income to continually improve their students’ academic excellence, and to support the SBMA in its socio-civic undertakings in the Subic Bay Freeport,” Arreza said.

“In the long run, we hope to see a constant increase in enrolment at all levels,” Arreza added. “We also want to see the enhancement and inclusion of courses and fields of studies that are required in this free port,” he said.

Arreza said a memorandum of agreement is being drafted to specify the commitments needed from both parties in order for the program to push through.

For this project, he added, the SBMA would be building on the gains achieved by the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation Inc. (SBWDFI), which was established by the SBMA to promote workforce development among public and private entities here.

“It’s hitting multiple birds with one stone — the academe gets its much-needed financial support; the various industries here are assured of a globally-competitive workforce; and the community reaps the resulting benefits,” Arreza further explained.

For starters, SBMA has offered the 100 percent “no lease consideration” to the following schools: Casa Kalayaan International School, FIRST School of SBFZ, Subic Montessori School, Lyceum Subic Bay, Comteq Computer and Business College, and Mondriaan Aura College.

The said schools are now being audited in accordance with the criteria for the SBMA program.

Beatrix Anagaran , head of the SBMA General Business and Investment Department, said the program to produce globally-competitive workforce sprung from the SBMA strategic planning session held last October, wherein Arreza took note of the “very sad statistics of Philippine education.”

Anagaran said that Arreza then directed her department to come up with a study on Subic’s educational institutions, all the while emphasizing the role SBMA has to play in the advancement of education within the Subic Bay area and the neighboring communities of Olongapo, Zambales and Bataan.

“This is a manifestation of the SBMA’s walking its talk,” she added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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STATEMENT OF P/GEN. ORLANDO MADDELA (RET) SBMA LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD

The SBMA Law Enforcement Department (LED) is extending its full support to the Olongapo PNP in the investigation of the killing of a Japanese national at the Subic Techno Park (STEP).

On or about 2:00 P.M. of June 08, 2010 (Tuesday), Subic GS Auto, Inc. President ALLAN VALENCIA reported to the SBMA LED that he found his brother-in-law lying dead inside the company compound at STEP.

A team from the SBMA LED proceeded to the area and found the body of the victim lying face down beside his car. The victim was identified as KAZUYA IMOTO, 49 years old, a Japanese national, and Chief Executive Officer of Subic GS Auto, Inc.

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) personnel led by P/Col. Rolando Chua conducted crime scene investigation and processing.

Based on the initial investigation, we gathered the following information:

- The victim is married to Mr. Valencia’s sister, Veneranda, who is in Japan. Mr. Valencia said he last saw his brother-in-law in the morning of June 4, 2010, at the victim’s residence in San Fernando, Pampanga.

- The victim was last seen alive at the STEP Admin Office at about 12:45 P.M., June 7 (Monday).

- The victim died from multiple hack and stab wounds.

- Reddish brown stains suspected to be human blood were found on the rear compartment of his car, a gray-colored Lucida Estima with plate number BDD 135, and a nearby 40-footer container van

- Recovered from the crime scene were a 35-cm dagger with reddish brown stains, a pair of red-framed sunglasses, one Bulgari wristwatch, one mobile phone unit, a P20-bill and some coins. The victim’s wallet was not found in his possession.
Subic GS Auto, Inc. is a new company that is just starting to set up its operations in an area at STEP that is near the forest.

- STEP is a controlled area manned round-the-clock by a private security agency.

SBMA forest rangers were dispatched to scan the forest at the back of Subic GS Auto, Inc. but there were no signs of fresh tracks in the area.

We wish to assure the family of the victim and the public that we are working closely with the police investigators so that whoever is responsible for this crime may be identified and brought before the bar of justice.

END OF STATEMENT

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SBMA postpones Kalaklan bridge closure anew

Giving in to yet another request from the local community, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has further delayed the closure of the Kalaklan bridge, a 50-year old span linking this free port to tourism spots in Olongapo City and the province of Zambales.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said that Olongapo mayor James Gordon Jr. has personally interceded on behalf of local businessmen for the SBMA to postpone the bridge closure so that local tourism establishments may maximize their earnings during the summer season.

At the same time, Gordon had pledged the support of the city for this project that was designed to improve access to the Subic Freeport from Olongapo and extend the ecozone boundaries to contiguous communities.

“Mayor Gordon wants this project to go on smoothly, because he really wants to improve the existing links between Olongapo and the Freeport,” Arreza revealed.

“So in deference to the mayor, we thought it best to give local businessmen a longer breathing spell, and keep the bridge open while the summer season lasts,” he said.

Arreza added that keeping the bridge open will also be a gesture of goodwill to local traders “whom we count on to be our partners when the SBMA eventually extends the boundaries of the free port into the surrounding communities.”

The SBMA had originally scheduled the closure of the Kalaklan bridge to vehicles in February, and to pedestrians in March, to make way for the construction of a replacement for the 50-year old span built by the U.S. Navy in the early ‘50s.

These schedules were moved, however, upon the request of Gordon who asked that local traders be allowed to cash in on the peak tourism season this summer.

Despite the delay in bridge closure, Arreza said that work continues in the preparation of the foundation for the replacement span, as well as other project components, including a security plaza and a Customs office.

The SBMA announced earlier that the Kalaklan bridge had to be replaced because the 50-year old span was already classified as “structurally weakened.”

The P200-million bridge project is scheduled to be completed within a year.

Arreza said the construction of a replacement bridge will also jumpstart the SBMA program to expand the physical boundaries of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, and extend the development to nearby areas in Olongapo, as well as Subic, Zambales and Morong, Bataan.

According to Joselito Bakuteza, head of the SBMA Project Management Office, about 2,500 light vehicles and some 300 pedestrians, mostly workers, pass through the Kalaklan bridge everyday.

In the course of the construction and bridge closure, traffic had to be re-routed through Olongapo City, and access to the free port will have to be made via the Rizal Avenue and 14th Street bridges in the city.

To help ease the anticipated heavy traffic in Olongapo as a result of the re-routing, Gordon had pledged the support of the city government by effecting a truck ban in the city during the construction period, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m and from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m from Monday to Friday.

Gordon also announced that the city will declare the busy 14th Street as a tow-away zone to prevent gridlock at the alternative route to the Subic Bay Freeport. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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