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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