SBMA, JobStreet.com tie-up now serving jobseekers worldwide

People looking for work in this free port can now easily land a job here without having to spend a single peso in the application process.

The cost-free convenience is made possible through a tie-up between the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and JobStreet.com , the Malaysia-based job portal which is now the biggest online employment company in Southeast Asia.

The SBMA-JobStreet tie-up unveiled early this year an online career portal and joint recruitment process, which provides a faster, easier and more cost-effective venue for both employers and jobseekers.

“With this program, we hope to provide our investors and business locators with qualified workers, while helping jobseekers with information on available jobs within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone,” said outgoing SBMA administrator Armand Arreza.

“And because this portal has a global reach, we can also extend our recruitment efforts worldwide,” Arreza added.

SBMA labor manager Severo Pastor, Jr. meanwhile cited the ease with which the system draws applicants even from outside the Central Luzon region.

He further said that while the SBMA’s recruitment policy prioritizes applicants from areas “in and around the zone,” workers from outside the zone can also be accommodated through for jobs that require specialized skills.

Glenn de Guzman, JobStreet.com territory manager, meanwhile explained that the SBMA-JobStreet project is a “shared advocacy program” intended to automate the recruitment services that the SBMA provides to Subic investors and business locators.

“This is absolutely free for jobseekers. They do not have to pay any company nor the SBMA to access this facility,” De Guzman stressed.

De Guzman said that jobseekers could easily access the career portal by opening the SBMA official website, which is www.sbma.com, then clicking on the “Job Opportunities” link at the upper left side of the home page to view the job postings.

He added that the portal also provides convenience to jobseekers, who won’t have to spend money for photocopying several sets of application papers even if they would apply for jobs in several companies.

“What they have to do is create an online resume and submit it to as many companies as they want for positions they are qualified for. It’s that simple. And that’s what makes it cost-efficient for jobseekers,” De Guzman said.

According to senior customer care supervisor Voltaire Jose, when a jobseeker submits his or her resume, the system will match job requirements with the applicant’s qualifications. Once the system finds a match, qualified applicants will be notified through e-mail.

He added that In the event that an applicant does not qualify for a position, the system sends the resume to the SBMA labor department’s database, so that when a locator posts a position that matches the applicant’s qualifications, the applicant will be notified as well.

De Guzman said that JobStreet.com provides the service at no cost to the SBMA, but employers availing of the service pay a one-time a year fee of P5,000. The membership fee allows them unlimited posting for the year.

“Without this SBMA-JobStreet partnership, companies wanting to post job vacancies would have to P5,000 per position,” he added.

JobStreet.com, which was founded in 1997 in Malaysia, is now the number one job portal in the country and the Asia-Pacific. It now operates in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Japan, HongKong, and the Philippines. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO:
Two fresh college graduates browse the JobStreet.com website for job opportunities at the Subic Bay Freeport.

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SBMA to open Kalaklan Bridge on July 5

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced on Thursday that the new Kalaklan-Lighthouse Bridge, which has been under construction since June last year, will be opened to motorists and pedestrians starting July 5.

Lawyer Ramon Agregado, SBMA senior deputy administrator for support services, said the completion of the bridge project will give commuters and pedestrians a big relief.

The P200-million project involved the construction of a new two-lane bridge to replace the 50-year old span built by the US Navy, and the establishment of a security plaza, which will also house a Customs field office.

The Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge, which is the free port’s gateway to the province of Zambales, is one of the four bridges connecting the free port zone to Olongapo City.

This bridge, along with the Magsaysay (Main Gate) Bridge which leads to Magsaysay Drive, the entertainment and business district of Olongapo, was built by the U.S. Navy in the early 60’s.

The old bridges used to carry even heavy trucks and buses going in and out of the Subic free port, but inspections made in recent years showed they already have some severe structural defects due to strain over the years. Early last year, the SBMA resolved to replace the Kalaklan Bridge with a new one and also closed the Magsaysay Bridge to vehicular traffic.

The SBMA said that an average of 2,500 light vehicles and some 300 pedestrians passed through the Kalaklan Bridge every day until it was closed to the public in February 2010 to pave way for the speedy construction of its replacement.

The closure, however, necessitated a rerouting of traffic through the Olongapo City proper, thereby causing heavy traffic in the area, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Moreover, travel time from the free port to Subic, the first town in Zambales, took longer by about 30 minutes.

“Starting July 5, however, the Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge will help ease the traffic going to Zambales,” said Agregado.

He added that aside from the two-lane bridge with covered walkway, the Kalaklan Bridge project also includes a security plaza, spacious parking area for all types of vehicles, and an administration building that will accommodate SBMA offices for its Treasury Department, Law Enforcement Department, Seaport Department, as well as the Bureau of Customs.

The Kalaklan Bridge construction project is part of SBMA’s efforts to build vital infrastructure for the planned expansion of the Subic Freeport into nearby areas, such as Olongapo City and the towns of Zambales, Agregado also said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Garcia wins Phl's lone gold in Asian youth

Subic, Philippines - FIDE Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia provided the lone bright spot for host Philippines, winning the country’s lone gold medal in what turned out to be an all-Indian show in the 2011 Asian Youth chess championships at the Subic Bay Traveler’s Hotel here Saturday.

Garcia, one of the country’s brightest young stars, outwitted Amiralar Javidfar of Iran in their keenly-watched ninth and final round showdown to finish with seven points on five wins and four draws in the boys 16 years old and under category in this prestigious tournament which attracted 287 players from 20 countries.

An incoming fourth year high school student at Ateneo de Manila, Garcia finished half-a-point ahead of Nima Jabanbakht of Iran and a full point ahead of Ranjan Sahoo of India, compatriot Dominique Lagula and Ali Valizadeh of India.

“I’m very happy to win the gold medal here. It was a tough tournament,” said Garcia, a mainstay of the famed V. Luna Chess Club under Greg Rellorosa.

Overall, the Philippines bagged one gold, two silvers and two bronzes in the week-long competition dominated by Asian heavyweight India.

India capped another dominating year in chess by wining 10 golds, four silvers and four bronzes.

The Indians finished with a 4-3-2 haul in the boys division and 6-1-2 in the girls category.

Aside from the Philippines, the only other country to break India’s dominance was Iran, which won the gold medal in the boys 12 under courtesy of Shahin Lorpanizangeneh.



Dennis Gutierrez III bagged the silver medal in the boys 8 years old and under to join Garcia in the podium.

In the girls division, World Youth campaigner Jan Jodilyn Fronda clinched the silver medal in the girls 18 years old and under.

Fronda, a member of the De La Salle University chess team, defeated Bayar Anu of Mongolia to finish second behind eventual champion Rucha Pujari of India.

Fronda, who nearly did not make it to the tournament proper, finished with seven points on seven wins and two losses.

Actually, Fronda dropped her first two assignments but came back strong by winning the next seven matches.

The only other silver medal came from Samantha Glo Revita, who finished second behind two-time world under-8 championIvana Maria Furtado of India. (Philippine Star)

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Filipina lass grabs lead in Asian Youth chess tilt

PROMISING chess master Marie Antoinette San Diego shocked third seed Sagar Tejaswini of India to stay on top in the girls 12-years-old-and-under category after six rounds in the 2011 Asian Youth chess championships in Subic.

Diego, a gold medalist in the Asean Primary Schools Sports Olympiad, notched her fifth win to improve her score to 5.5 points.

She is half a point ahead of two-time world under-8 champion Maria Ivana Furtado of India with still three rounds left.

Samantha Glo Revita, on the other hand, split the point with Nilufar Yagubbayeva of Uzbekistan to share the third to seventh places with four points.

In the girls 18-under division, Mikee Charlene Suede, Cheradee Chardine Camacho, and Jan Jodilyn Fronda defeated their respective sixth-round foes to remain in hunt for the coveted crown.

Suede surprised top seed Nguyen Thi Mai Hung of Vietnam, Camacho blasted Liu Hongyan of China and Fronda clobbered Vo Thi Kim Pung of Vietnam. The three local bets have four points each.

They are behind frontrunners Rucha Pujari of India with 5.5 points and Hoang Thi Nu of Vietnam with 4.5.

In the boys 16-under, top seed Jan Emmanuel Garcia drew with Nima Javanbakht of India and fell to solo second place with five points, half a point behind leader Antonio Viani D’Cunha of India. (Emil C. Noguera, Manila Times)

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SCTEX helps boost economic dev't in Central & North Luzon

MANILA — With much-improved road networks and other strategic infrastructure projects in place, Central Luzon is now fast turning into a destination of choice for tourists and investors, domestic and foreign alike.

A regional official of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) made this observation, citing the entry into the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) of large business conglomerates, notably the Filipino-owned Ayala Group and the San Miguel food and beverage giant.

NEDA assistant director in Central Luzon Lynette Y. Bautista said some corporations engaged in business process outsourcing (BPO) were also coming in, further boosting the economic activities building up in the region.

Bautista was quick to point out however, that the heartening developments unfolding in Central Luzon were due in large part to the completion of the multibillion-peso Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) built by the state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

The 93.7-kilometer SCTEX traverses the great Central Luzon plains, interconnecting the three key growth areas of the region namely the Subic Freeport Zone, the CSEZ and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac.

A linkup between the SCTEX and the 84-kilometer North Luzon Expressway spanning Balintawak in Caloocan City and Sta. Ines in Mabalacat, Pampanga provides seamless travel between Central Luzon and Metro Manila and has remarkably reduced travel time to Zambales, Subic, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and towards the north such as Pangasinan, Baguio, La Union and Ilocos.

“SCTEX enhanced the complementary roles of Subic and Clark. Tourism drastically increased in the region due to significantly reduced travel time,” Bautista said.

The BCDA built the SCTEX as part of a larger picture being envisioned by the government to transform Central Luzon as a logistics and aviation hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

From Subic to Clark for instance, travel time is only 40 minutes, while those coming from Manila would take an hour to reach Mabalacat, using Balintawak as the starting point.

NEDA supervising economic development specialist Greg Pineda indicated that judging from the heightened business activities now taking place in Central Luzon, it won’t be long for the government vision of dramatic social and economic growth to become a reality.

“Among the country’s regions, Central Luzon is now the third biggest contributor to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” Pineda said.

He added that Clark and Subic registered hefty increases in visitor arrivals in over the past years following the SCTEX’s full commercial operations in mid-2008.

As a result, tourism-related business concerns in the region, including the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark were compelled to undertake expansion programs to cope with the growing demands of increasing tourist traffic.

The DMIA itself is expanding existing facilities to accommodate larger aircraft and unprecedented growths in tourist arrivals.

With all these developments, Pineda underscored the need for local and national government leaders to “respond positively” to preserve and enhance the gains being achieved.

Pineda also disclosed that the NEDA has its own multi-sectoral Regional Development Council (RDC) tasked to formulate the Regional Development Plan, 2011-2016 to attain the “Central Luzon 20/20 Vision for 2025”.

Chaired by San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, the RDC charts the development and identification of priority programs for the region.

One of the hallmarks of the development agenda for Central Luzon, according to Pineda, is embodied in the plan’s vision statement entitled “Central Luzon: A Sustainable and Caring Global Gateway through Public-Private-Partnerships and Growth for All,” predicated on the principle that improving the lives of the people requires concerted efforts among all stakeholders—the government, business sector, and civil society to harness the region’s potentials for economic growth.

Pineda explained that in line with the President’s “Social Contract with the People,” a “Caring and Global Gateway and Growth for All” means that the marginalized and vulnerable sector of society would be given wider access to adequate protection in an environment of borderless commerce arising from the world-class airport and seaport facilities in Clark and Subic, and the region’s greatly enhanced mobility of people and goods-owing largely to the advent of the SCTEX. (Manila Bulletin)

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Bulacan rescuers top 8th First Aid Olympics in Subic Freeport

The rescue team of Calumpit, Bulacan emerged as the overall champion in the recently-concluded 8th Regional First Aid and Basic Life Support Olympics held at the SBMA Gym here, besting some of the best rescue workers in Central Luzon who vied to be named the number one rescue unit in the region.

A total of 16 teams joined the regional Olympics organized by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-3) through the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine National Red Cross Region 3 (PNRC-3).

The activity sought to hone the skills of rescue and first aid teams in the region, and “provide opportunities for participants to develop leadership skills and a chance to see how they could improve their resources,” said OCD Region 3 director and RDRRMC-3 chairperson Neri Amparo.

Among the challenges participants faced in the Olympics were scenario-crisis management, scenario-accident management, rescuing trapped persons, and applying basic life support (BLS) and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

According to records provided by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Disaster Management Center (SBMA-DMC), which hosted the event, the Calumpit rescue team (RT) ended up as champion in the municipal level after outscoring the Sta. Maria (Bulacan) RT, which was named the first runner-up.

Meanwhile, Guagua (Pampanga) RT and Sta. Ignacia (Tarlac) RT trailed as second and third runners-up, respectively.

In the provincial level, the Nueva Ecija RT was declared champion, as it soared ahead of the respective rescue teams of Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan who ended up in the first, second, and third runner-up positions.

The Malolos City rescue team, meanwhile, received the championship plaque for the city level, as newcomer Barangay Sta. Rita (Olongapo City) RT settled for the first runner-up spot. The San Jose Del Monte (Bulacan) RT and Palayan City RT landed as second and third runners-up, respectively.

Among the rescue teams in the non-government organization and private level, Trust International Paper Co. (TIPCO) of Pampanga, successfully defended its title, outpacing Star Force Security Group (Pampanga), and Rescue 117 (Bulacan), which were named first and second runners-up, respectively.

Hall of Famer Olongapo City RT did not join the Olympics and instead nominated Brgy. Sta Rita RT to represent the city.

Another Hall of Famer, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Disaster Management Council, on the other hand, decided not to compete and focused, instead, on hosting the event.

According to Undersecretary Benito Ramos, who is OCD administrator and executive director of the NDRRMC, the First Aid Olympics is the only competition in the country where rescuers display their techniques, as well as learn from other teams how they could improve their life-saving skills.

“The first line of defense against calamity and disaster is the awareness and knowledge of our people on what to do when disaster strikes,” Ramos told the participants and spectators.

According to Ramos, the most common cause of death during flashfloods and landslides is lack of awareness and knowledge in BLS and CPR.

On the other hand, well-equipped, well-trained first aiders and volunteers have done well in saving lives and reducing the effects of injury and trauma through the effective implementation of first aid measures, Ramos added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Participants in the recent 8th Regional First Aid and Basic Life Support Olympics held at the SBMA Gym display their skills in rescue and first aid.

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Taiwan investors relocating to RP – MECO

MANILA – Following the resolution of the Taiwan diplomatic row with the Philippines, Taiwanese businessmen, who have been turned off by the stringent labor requirements in China, are seriously considering relocating here their manufacturing facilities from mainland China, the Manila Economic Cultural Office (MECO) said.

MECO chairman Amadeo R. Perez Jr. told reporters Taiwanese businesses engaged in industrial plastics manufacturing with estimated investments of at least $120 million are considering of relocating their factories from China to Subic and Clark Freeport zones for their export-oriented investments.

Perez said that these Taiwanese firms have existing operations in China but engaged in industrial plastics manufacturing and one bed frame and mattresses manufacturer have existing plants in China but are eager to get out of there because of some stringent labor requirements.

Perez said that five four plastics products manufacturers have visited Subic and Clark earlier and one is coming over to visit Batangas and Clark. Another company engaged in bed frames and mattresses production has found a suitable warehouse in Clark that can be converted for his business.

“One project alone can command at least $20 million in investments,” Perez said. For the six projects that would translate to an estimated $120 million worth of prospective investments.

According to Perez, several Taiwanese investors in the mainland have been getting turned off by policy changes in the labor sector.

“Some of the Taiwanese have already gone to Vietnam and Indonesia as these countries are not very choosy because of their high unemployment situation,” he said.

The bed frame and mattresses manufacturer is exporting its products to the EU, Asia and the US while the plastics products manufacturers are producing industrial products for packaging applications and are exporting all over the world.

“They came here to see prospective site. Their requirement is proximity of their operation to international seaport and airport,” he said. Thus, MECO has suggested to the Taiwanese businessmen to consider Subic, Clark, Batangas and Cebu for these areas have access to international ports.

Following the successful resolution of the bilateral issue early this year, Perez said that MECO is implementing a major campaign to attract more Taiwanese investors into the country.

“Our only problem is our high cost of electricity,” Perez said noting that Vietnam and Indonesia could beat the Philippines on this single factor alone. (BCM, Manila Bulletin)

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Subic fisherfolk celebrate “Pamalakaya 2011” for bountiful harvest

Fishermen in the Subic Bay area gathered themselves together the other day in a lengthy fluvial parade around the bay to celebrate“Pamalakaya 2011: Araw ng Mangingisda,” a festival to thank Mother Nature for a year--round bountiful harvest.

The fluvial parade was part of the week-long festivities “Subic Ay!” that was organized by the municipal government with the theme, “Tuloy ang Pagsulong Tungo sa Subic City.”

The Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (SBI-FARMC) initiated the fluvial event. Delegations from the coastal barangays of Calapandayan, Calapacuan, Matain, Wawandue, Asinan and Baraka in this town joined the parade, which was led by a fishing boat carrying the image of Saint James (San Tiago), the patron saint of fishermen.

“The Pamalakaya is our way of thanking Mother Nature and our patron for providing us with a continuous source of livelihood and keeping us safe while catching fish offshore,” said SBIFARMCI chairman Laureano Artagame.

Aside from the fluvial parade, the Subic Ay! Festival also enlivened the streets around the poblacion area of Subic by the cheering songs of fishermen, as well as women and children who joined the karakol or street dancing.

The fluvial parade was followed by boat races in various categories: paddle-driven, motorized, and mini-banca, which used recycled materials.

The SBIFARMCI is among the sectors being assisted by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) through the Environmental Guarantee Fund, which was tapped for scholarship grants and various livelihood programs for fisherfolk in the Subic Bay area.

Members of SBIFARMCI include fishermen from Olongapo City, Morong in Bataan, and Subic and San Antonio in Zambales.

Last October 2010, SBIFARMCI received P2.3 million from the SBMA for the production of 60 artificial concrete reefs modules that were later installed in coastal areas in Morong, Subic Bay, and San Antonio in Zambales. In addition, the SBIFARMCI also purchased two new motorized bancas for use as monitoring, controlling and surveillance (MCS) patrol boats.

Outgoing SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga said during the turnover of the fund that the SBMA aims to implement a program that will benefit the marine environment from which Subic stakeholders derive their livelihood.

“It is a common endeavor of the stakeholders in the Subic Bay Area to promote higher marine biodiversity in Subic Bay and create better and healthier marine environment for fishing, recreation, tourism and related livelihoods,” Salonga also said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO CAPTION:
Fishermen from Subic, Zambales paddle their boats against a backdrop of merchant vessels in a boat race held during the "Subic Ay!" festival held recently in thanksgiving for bountiful harvests.

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