Seven new police outposts were turned over by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company-Subic (PLDT Subic) to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as part of the company’s contribution to promote safety and security in this Freeport.
PLDT Subictel Chairman Eric Alberto formally presented the donation to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma after unveiling an outpost located on Rizal Highway corner Aguinaldo St. near the Subic main gate recently.
The seven outposts, which cost more than P1 million, sported a brand-new look with its bold black theme and vibrant SBMA emergency hotlines painted on walls.
Four new outposts are located at Subic’s Central Business District: Rizal Highway corner Argonaut Highway; Rizal Highway corner Burgos Street; Rizal Highway corner Aguinaldo Street; and Rizal Highway corner Manila Avenue.
Three others are at the Binictican housing area: one at the Binictican main sentry station; one more at the sentry near Pamulaklakin Village; and the third at the sentry gate going to El Kabayo.
PLDT Subictel officials said this corporate social responsibility (CSR) project includes the repair and repainting of the existing security outpost at the Kalayaan main sentry station.
They added that the company would also put emergency phone numbers for the Binictican and Kalayaan housing areas on the police outposts located therein.
Meanwhile, Chairman Eisma expressed the agency’s appreciation for Subictel’s continued support in the SBMA’s safety and security program for the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
She reiterated that the PLDT-Subictel CSR project is a testament to the company’s “malasakit” for this premier free port.
The Subic Telecommunications Co., or Subictel, is a subsidiary of PLDT and operates the telephone system in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (JRR/MPD-SBMA) PHOTO: SBMA Chairman Wilma Eisma (center) with PLDT-Subictel Chairman Eric Alberto and other officials of the SBMA and Subictel during the turnover ceremony for the new police outposts donated by PLDT.
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has urged business locators here to invest more in technology to remain competitive, or simply be left behind.
SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said companies operating in the Subic Freeport have to strengthen their capacity to interconnect computing systems and application platforms because it is the key to meeting the growing demands in the local and international markets.
“We should always be on the cutting edge,” Eisma said. “Investors in Subic, especially, should try to keep up with the changing demands of their clients and the global market through faster transaction and real-time monitoring.”
“If they don’t think about connectivity, they’d go the way of the dinosaurs—they’ll be just as extinct as far as competition goes,” she added.
The SBMA official made this exhortation at the side lines of the first Information and Communications Technology Forum held recently at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), where the country’s telecommunications giants PLDT, Smart Communications, Converge ICT Solution, and Globe Telecom/Innové showed off their latest products and services.
Among the new offerings by PLDT and Smart Communications were applications on cloud computing and hosting, co-location, and managed security and network services.
On the other hand, Globe exhibited its “Shopify” platform and vehicle tracker, while Converge ICT displayed its pure fiber internet system.
Eisma said the need for speed and computing power, as well as for improved locator operations and customer experience, were the reasons why the SBMA, through its Business and Investment Department for Information and Communications Technology, organized the forum.
“Things have changed by leaps and bounds in the last 20 years,” Eisma said, recalling that when she first joined the SBMA as volunteer in 1992 they were all using pagers and the bulky black mobile phones.
“Back then we thought that was really cool, but who would have known 20 years ago that we will now be chatting on Facebook, or video-conferencing on the phone?” she added.
Eisma said that in these days when virtual interface is already possible, the application of technology has become so essential to doing business anywhere in the world.
“Clearly, connectivity is the only way to go—and this is true in the various growth capitals of the world, as well as in Subic. We should be forward-looking because that’s how we will survive the competition,” Eisma concluded. (RFD/MPD-SBMA) PHOTOS: [1] SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma underscores the necessity of technology in doing business at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (AMD/MPD-SBMA)
With the Philippines in No. 13 among countries with the highest number of Internet users and sixth in the most number of people on Facebook, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is working on a plan to have more public wi-fi areas here where visitors can stay “connected” for free.
According to SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, the Subic agency is discussing with local Internet provider PLDT-Subictel the possibility of putting up free wi-fi connection for the whole Central Business District (CBD) in the Subic Bay Freeport, an area most frequented by tourists and visitors.
Garcia said that a meeting with PLDT-Subictel president Renato Castaneda has already yielded positive results: the provision of free wi-fi at Remy Field, a favorite spot for residents and practicing athletes because of its track oval and other sports facilities.
“Now I’m trying to convince them to turn the whole CBD into a free wi-fi area, just like what they are doing to airports, seaports, and other places where a lot of people go,” Garcia said.
The SBMA chairman added that he has also identified alternative spots in the Subic Freeport for possible free wi-fi connection. These are the Boardwalk Park, Malawaan Fishing Area, the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, and the Harbor Point mall.
“Aside from Remy Field, those are the major points where visitors would benefit the most from a public wi-fi system,” Garcia added.
Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that the SBMA board of directors is now studying a proposal to operate the Internet-based Uber taxi franchise in the Subic Freeport.
The transport system, which is franchised by the American multinational online transportation network company Uber Technologies Inc., operates through a mobile application that allows customers with smartphones to book trips online.
“Uber is very much interested to put up its business here, maybe because we have a different regulatory framework here. So, we’re working out the details like the requirement for professional drivers and third party liability insurance,” Garcia said.
“We have spoken with the Uber general manager, and they are very interested because they want to make Subic an example of their operations,” he added.
Garcia said that he sees much benefit from Uber operation in Subic: “Number one is it will provide additional jobs; and number two, it will force local taxis in the Freeport to lower their fares, which are really excessive.”
Garcia said the high cost of transportation inside the Freeport works against efforts by the SBMA to promote local tourism. (HEE/MPD-SBMA) PHOTO: SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (right) and PLDT-Subictel president Renato Castañeda discuss the provision of free public wi-fi in the Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has conferred its first Mabuhay Business Awards to 15 business locators here who have strengthened the local economy and contributed significantly to the growth of the country’s gross domestic product.
Organized by the Office of the Chairman and Administrator and the SBMA Business Group, the Mabuhay Business Awards were given to the top 15 locators whose combined investments have reached a total of US$3 billion and together have employed over 40,000 workers.
“These locators have breathed life into the local economy,” said SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia. “They have transformed vacant parcels of land into busy commercial establishments and factories; a target range into a leading shipbuilding facility in the world; and a marsh land into a hi-tech manufacturing facility producing high value electronic components used by global brands.”
“The awards we’re giving them are just a small measure of our appreciation in helping build the Subic Bay Freeport into what it is now,” Garcia added.
According to SBMA Deputy Administrator for Business Ronnie Yambao, the 15 investor-awardees were chosen from the 1,536 Freeport-registered companies based on their actual investments, jobs generated, and multiplier effect caused by the locators’ business operations.
For the general business sector, the awardees were: Honeywell Ceasa (Subic Bay) Co., Inc., a P435-million firm providing repair and overhaul of aircraft wheels, brakes and other aircraft equipment; Petron Freeport Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petron Corp., with P422-million investment in Subic; and Anglo Asia Commodities Corp., a P350-million investment engaged in export/import, warehousing, and transshipment of general cargoes and merchandise.
For the information and communication technology sector, the awardees were: PLDT Subic Telecom Inc., a P550-million project that provides telecommunications services in the Freeport; S-Corp Philippines, Inc., a P166-million company with 1,800 workers in the field of technology services; and Moon Kkang Talk, Inc., a P97-million investment with 173 workers that provides online direct response marketing, live order taking services, on-line learning center, among others.
For the leisure sector, those cited were: Subic Bay Town Center, Inc., with investment of P1.6-billion for the operation of the Harbor Point Mall; Royal Duty Shops Inc., also a P1.6-billion investment that engages in retail business; and Fertuna Holdings Corp, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cosco Capital Inc., with P554M million committed investment in the field of retail, real estate, liquor distribution and other specialty business.
For the logistics sector: Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corp., with P3.4-billion worth of investment in fuel terminal and storage tank farm that can hold 4.6 million barrels of petroleum and petroleum-related products; Subic Bay International Terminal Corp., a P906-million company that manages and operates the New Container Terminal 1 and is committed to further develop the facilities; and Subic Bay Freeport Grain Terminal Services, Inc., with investment of P683 million for bulk grain handling for Central and Northern Luzon grain importers.
Then for the manufacturing and maritime sector, the awardees were: Hanjin Heavy Industries Inc., Phil., Subic’s biggest investor with over US$2 billion investment and a total of 33,863 workers; Sanyo Denki Phils., Inc., a P3.2-billion company with 3,500 workers engaged in the manufacture of electric machineries, appliances and computer and electronic wares; and Tong Lung Phils. Metal Industry Co., Inc., which has over P2.1 billion in investments and over 2,100 workers for the manufacture of residential and commercial locksets and door closer.
The Subic Bay Freeport and the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga remain to be major contributors to the country’s economic development, as their combined export values last year provided about 11 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The SBMA said that Subic and Clark’s combined export value last year amounted to around US$6 billion and was very significant to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP), which contributed 11 percent to the Philippine GDP. (RAV/MPD-SBMA) PHOTO: SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia, along with other SBMA officials, joins locator-awardees during the first SBMA Mabuhay Business Awards ceremony held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center on December 11, 2015. Fifteen of the biggest business locators here were recognized for their significant contribution in strengthening the local economy and to the growth of the country’s gross domestic product. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)
The plan of San Miguel Corp.-led telecommunication company, wi-Tribe, to invest P354 million to operate at the Subic Freeport was opposed by a local firm offering the same service.
Wi-Tribe in its application filed with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said that it plans to invest P354 million to offer telecom services in Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ).
But Subic Telecommunications Corp. (Subictel) has filed a petition before the NTC to oppose the request of wi-Tribe to operate in areas within the Subic Freeport.
In a filing with the NTC, Subictel said that “wi-Tribe entry into the Subic Freeport Zone would not serve public convenience in that: Subictel has the necessary facilities, capital and technical capability to serve the needs of SBFZ.”
“Subictel has invested so much capital on its facilities and equipment and has build up sufficient capacity to meet the requirements of current and future customers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone,” it added.
The Subic-based firm added that it has outside plant facilities of over 95 percent of its service areas, except for uninhabited and forested mountain areas.
Subictel also said that the capital expenditure which wi-Tribe intends to invest should be channeled to areas where there is a dire need for telecommunications services, rather than crowded area with a very limited market adequately served by Subictel.
Subictel further said that as a prior operator in the area, the company it is entitled to protect its huge investments. It is also constantly innovating and updating its technology, consistent with the requirements of current and future customers in the area.
“The SBFZ is already adequately served by Subictel in terms of coverage, technology and level of service,” it added. (Rosalie C. Periabras, Manila Times)
TELECOM giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and subsidiary SubicTel firmed up agreements with 12 Subic merchants to provide the latter with wireless fidelity (WiFi) service.
The Subic establishments that signed the WiFi zone partnership agreement are Aristocrat Restaurant, All Hands Beach Resort, Bayfront Hotel, Eastern Gasoline Station, Meat Plus Restaurant, Networx Jetsports, Royal Duty Free Shop, Subic Bay Yacht Club, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, Zoobic Safari, Pier One Bar and Grill, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
PLDT said with these agreements the number of establishments currently powered by its WiFi zones in the Subic Bay Freeport area have increased to 125.
“Subic is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the country and we are happy to provide WiFi service which enables tourists and residents to connect to the Internet that gives them access to various travel and news sites, as well as social networks like Facebook and Twitter where they share photos and videos of their travels with friends and family,” said PLDT Home wired data head Gary Dujali.
PLDT Home data acquisition senior manager Ma. Myla Margarita C. Villanueva said the WiFi zone powered by PLDT is a value-added service that offers a dedicated line with speed of up to 100 megabytes per second to partner-establishments.
Villanueva explained that one deciding factor for a customer to go to a restaurant, hotel,or any establishment, is to check whether it’s a WiFi zone area. “When you’re at home, you have the PLDT myDSL connection, when you go out, you also want to be connected and the WiFi zone makes this possible.”
PLDT representatives provide a WiFi identification (ID) number to customers which can be obtained by registering on the PLDT WiFi zone website.
Customers can use the ID number anywhere in the 3,500 WiFi hotspots nationwide.WiFi zones are equipped with robust, fixed-line infrastructure by PLDT so owners of establishments no longer need to invest on the infrastructure.
SubicTel president Dennis G. Magbatoc said “We are the only telco that is investing on this offering. We ourselves are putting up the WiFi zone infrastructure not just in Metro Manila but also in key cities like Subic and Clark. We are continuously enhancing this service to ensure that a stable, premium WiFi connection is delivered to our subscribers.”(Lenie Lectura, Business Mirror)
MANILA - Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s newly launched VITRO Data Center in Subic has been cited as a boost the development of the area’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.
“We see BPOs sprouting all over the Philippines but it still remains very underdeveloped here. We aim to increase our BPO seats here as we pursue a major program for this industry,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Bobby Garcia said during the launch of PLDT’s VITRO Data Center at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
“We hope we can make use of the facilities that PLDT has installed in the area. The data structure and the network that we have in place now is a reason why we can make Subic a central place for BPO. We are very happy to have PLDT as our partner”, he added.
The Subic VITRO Data Center provides companies the full information management and telecommunication services essential in business such as co-location, server hosting, disaster recovery/ business continuity, data security, network management, and other IT services. These services minimize costs of running and managing their own data centers which are essential for BPO companies.
“Subic’s continuously developing economic zone is home to a growing business community, one that will reap the many benefits of having our data center services within easy reach,” PLDT EVP and head of enterprise and international and carrier business Eric Alberto said.
“We are committed not just to building this facility but to replicate the achievements of our flagship site in Pasig – to ensure that we deliver the same consistent levels of quality service in all our data centers,” he added.
The opening of the Subic VITRO Data Center is also aligned with the SBMA objective of setting up a business operations resiliency zone in Subic. Garcia aims to declare Subic as a resiliency zone for companies in Metro Manila, especially for big multinationals, which are looking into setting up their disaster recovery centers.
“The VITRO Data Center in Subic assures stability, security, and reliability for the ICT demands of our clients, coupled by PLDT’s unparalleled domestic fiber network in the country as well as the robust wireless connectivity of Smart,” Alberto said.
The first VITRO Data Center in Pasig has already received numerous citations and multiple ISO certifications from various organizations. It acts as a global gateway for all major BPOs, local telcos, leading international telcos, and major Internet service providers (ISP). It houses the country’s only high-speed local IP peering platform that facilitates seamless delivery of bandwidth-intensive contents to carriers and ISPs. (Mary Ann Ll. Reyes, Philippine Star)
PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) has added Subic Bay Freeport to its list of Wi-Fi Zones, enabling subscribers to connect to the Internet when they visit popular destinations.
The phone giant, in a statement, said it will provide free Wi-Fi service until May 5 at the free port zone areas such as the Zoobic Safari, Subic Yacht Club Hotel, Pier One, Royal Subic, Times Square Cinema and the Meat Plus/Freeport Exchange.
“We are glad to bring the Wi-Fi zone to Subic Bay visitors so that they will be able to share in real time photos or videos of their vacation this summer to their families and friends here and abroad,” said PLDT Home Wired Data Head Gary Dujali.
Other areas covered by the Wi-Fi zone are Subic’s Remy Field, Eastern Gasoline Station, Petron Gasoline Station, PLDT Subictel, and the area along the Subic Bayfront boardwalk.
“The Wi-Fi zone complements myDSL service at home, allowing customers to stay connected even outside their home,” Dujali said.
After May 5, myDSL subscribers may continue to experience the same strong connection outside the home, in Subic and other Wi-Fi zones in key cities nationwide by just adding P150 to their monthly subscription. Meanwhile, Subictel and other PLDT landline subscribers will just add P300 to their monthly subscription to get the unique Wi-Fi pin which allows access to Wi-Fi zones nationwide.
During the Holy Week break, PLDT also provided free Wi-Fi zone access to travelers in gasoline stations along North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEx). The telecommunications company’s Wi-Fi zones also powered establishments and landmarks in nearby towns and cities like Tagaytay and Laguna.
The Internet access is a valuable tool for travelers as they chronicle their trip and post live photos and updates as they happen via Twitter, Facebook, or other social networking sites. It also connects them to news and travel sites that give them the latest traffic information.
Currently, PLDT has over 3,500 Wi-Fi zones in key cities nationwide, including Metro Manila, Cebu, Baguio, and Davao, and more coming soon.(Lenie Lectura, Business Mirror)
PLDT’s data center PLDT Alpha Enterprise has expanded its network of world-class data centers with the launch of Vitro Data Center Subic.
The new Subic location will allow PLDT Alpha Enterprise to deliver top class, end-to-end IT infrastructure solutions to large corporations north of Luzon as well as provide Manila-based companies with a highly secure backup site for its business continuity requirements.
Eric Alberto, PLDT executive vice president and head of Enterprise and International and Carrier Business of PLDT and Smart, said the launch of Vitro Subic is another step toward fulfilling PLDT Alpha Enterprise’s role as the true trusted expert partner for building globally competitive businesses.
“Vitro Subic provides our enterprise customers with another data center option north of Luzon,” he added.
Vitro Subic delivers redundant and high-capacity connectivity around the globe, with a robust telecommunications infrastructure powered by PLDT.
The building employs top of the line systems for power supply, security, cooling, fire protection, and monitoring to ensure the smooth operation of the data center as well as the servers housed in it.
Vitro Subic offers 24/7 assistance through a team of experienced technical support personnel, who can be dedicated to any account.
The Subic data center carries the Vitro guarantee of security, stability and conformity to best practices and international standards. Danessa O. Rivera
VITRO Pasig, VITRO’s main data center, is the first Internet data center in the country to be certified for the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System standards.
It is also certified for the ISO 27001:2005 Information Security Management System standard.
As with VITRO Pasig, VITRO Subic provides data center services such as collocation, server hosting, business continuity, facilities management, virtual private servers, data security, network management, and other managed IT services.
Jovy Fernandez, PLDT Vice President and Head of ALPHA Enterprise, noted that VITRO’s range of services enable their clients to focus on their core business and assured that the management of their IT infrastructure is secure in their expert hands. (The Daily Tribune)
This premier free port is now a WiFi Zone after the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) initiated a pilot project for a wireless local area network here.
Starting April 5, visitors and tourists can now enjoy wireless Internet access powered by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)-SubicTel.
Engr. Vergil Joseph Lansangan, manager of the SBMA Business and Investments Department for Information and Communications Technology (BID-ICT), said the pilot WiFi Zone Project was intended to welcome visitors for the Holy Week with selected commercial and tourism areas as WiFi access points.
“Free WiFi access will run until May 5, as we anticipate more visitors this summer,” Lansangan said.
He added that the SBMA and PLDT-SubicTel intend to turn the entire Subic Bay Freeport into a WiFi Zone.
For the first phase of the project implementation, however, WiFi access will be available within 100 meters from the following: Lighthouse Marina, Pier One, Bayfront Hotel, NetWorx, Subic Freeport Exchange, MeatPlus, PLDT main office, Remy Field, Subic Bay Yacht Club, Royal Subic, Eastern and Petron gas stations, All Hands Beach Resort, and Zoobic Safari.
WiFi access pins will be available at designated booths in Pier One, NetWorx, and All Hands Beach.
Lansangan said that more establishments have expressed their intention to participate in the WiFi Zone Project and subscribe as access points so that more visitors and tourists can enjoy wireless Internet access anywhere in the free port.
Meanwhile, PLDT-SubicTel will be charging a minimal amount of P150 per month for an unlimited WiFi access to myDSL subscribers.
“Soon the Subic Bay Freeport will be completely a WiFi Zone,” Lansangan said. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)
A WHOLLY owned subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) wants the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to deny the application of San Miguel Corp.’s telecom unit to offer broadband services in the areas within the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
In a filing with the NTC, Subic Telecom said that the feasibility study done by wi-tribe Telecoms Inc. does not establish its legal capacity to the propose broadband services in its target market.
“The study does not show that wi-tribe is financially capable to operate the proposed wireless broadband service and that is economically viable and feasible for it to operate within the Subic Special Economic Zone,” Subictel said.
It added that the technical study and report of wi-tribe is essentially based on conjuncture and wish lists.
“The figures are not based on actual existing data. Wi-Tribe, a new player in the telecommunication industry simply does not have the figures to support its claims,” Subictel said.
“Nowhere is it established that the Subic Economic Zone may absorb a new market entrant. It certainly does not establish compliance with any jurisdiction requirements,” the PLDT affiliate added.
At present, Subictel is providing digital subscriber line (DSL) and other broadband services in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City and Subic town areas.
Documents filed with the NTC showed that Wi-Tribe plans to spend P354 million for the proposed wireless broadband service in the Subic Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) for over a period of five years.
Wi-Tribe estimated an annual broadband subscribers of 15,484 for year five of operation.
The perceived market size of the SSEZ Internet market is 47,506 based on 2007,2009 and 2010 historical figure.
The SSEZ includes Olongapo City, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Municipalities of Subic, Zambales, Hemosa and Morong in Bataan.
The pricing options to be offered to the SSEZ potential customers are Plan 598 for 512 kbps; Plan 998 for 1mbps and Plan 1998 for 2mbps.
Wi-Tribe said the schedule for roll out will start this year depending on the issuance of all permits required from the local and national governing agencies.
For initial roll out, Wi-Tribe said the current frequency assigned to the company on the 2.5Ghz and 700 MHz nationwide will be used.
In SSEZ, Wi-Tribe will be deploying 75 sites using 2.5 Ghz frequency at 5 Mhz, or 10Mhz channel. bandwidth. (Darwin G. Amojelar, The Manila Times)
Despite the rainy weather and muddy mountain pathways, employees of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Corp. – Subic Telephone Corp. (PLDT-Subictel) marched their way up Mount Sta. Rita here for their tree-planting activity last Saturday.
They were joined by employees of other subsidiaries and affiliates of the PLDT Group, such as Smart Telecommunications and Manila North Tollways Corporation.
The group planted about 50 fruit-bearing trees during the activity, said workers from the Ecology Center of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), who assisted in the project.
PLDT-Subictel president Dennis Magbatoc said that through this activity, PLDT-Subictel aimed to demonstrate their commitment in creating social and economic benefits in the Freeport, as well as contributing to greater environmental sustainability within the zone.
Magbatoc said that this was the first time for their company to undertake a tree-planting project here, although it was just one of their activities under their company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.
“When I started managing PLDT-Subictel, it became one of my mandates for our firm to participate in CSR activities specific to Subic,” Magbatoc said.
He also noted that PLDT-Subictel has been always involved in community-based projects, including outreach programs in Aeta communities.
Magbatoc said that the firm also donated some items to Aetas last year, and plans to carry out another assistance project for the indigenous tribe by the third or fourth quarter of this year.
The SBMA has been encouraging business locators in the Subic Bay Freeport to participate in the agency’s reforestation program, which was launched in 1996.
Employees and officials of the agency’s 29 departments participate in at least two tree-planting projects each year, joined by students and members of various community organizations.
The SBMA Ecology Center also conducts seminars on reforestation and proper handling and care of seedlings to help raise the awareness of groups and residents in the Subic Bay area, as well as to motivate them to participate in environmental protection projects. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
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)
The country’s biggest telecommunication firm has recently approved the interconnection of its two service areas in the Clark and Subic Bay free-port zones.
Lito Mercado, general manager of Clarktel, a subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), said the approval of the interconnection of telecommunication between the two free-port zones is in conformity with the mandate of Subic and Clark as the country’s two best investment destinations that provide world-class infrastructure and utilities.
Although investors and locators from the two zones are expected to save on their long-distance telephone calls, Mercado said the Clark and Subic telecom firms will be losing about P2.5 million to P3 million per annum once the interconnection project is implemented.
The interconnection is expected to take effect by the middle of next month based on information provided to Mercado by Subic and Clark Telecom president Dennis Magbatoc.
However, despite the toll-free calls, Mercado said Clark and Subic will still have to use their respective area codes—045 for Clark (Pampanga) and 047 for Subic (Zambales).
“But definitely, calls for both free ports will be free of charge,” he said.
Mercado said Magbatoc was instrumental in the realization of the interconnection project through the initiative of the Subic Clark Alliance for Development Council, the influential Metro Clark Advisory Council, the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
“Doing business in Clark will be made easier with the toll-free calls between Clark and Subic, considering its impact on the day-to-day operations of the investors in both free-port zones,” he said.
He pointed out that the integration earlier of the telephone infrastructure in Pampanga has given Clark a competitive edge and with the same integration of the service lines between Subic and Clark, the competitiveness of both investment destinations is expected to improve further.
Although PLDT will shoulder the interconnection fees, including the losses in long-distance calls, investors in Clark expressed elation over the integration and interconnection of Clark and Subic because it will open more “windows of opportunities” not only for the two free-port zones, but for Central Luzon as well.
With the integration of Clarktel with all telecom providers in Pampanga in 2004, CDC was able to save about P100,000 a month (or P1.2 million annually) on long-distance calls since the interconnection was implemented.
The amount saved on local long-distance calls through the interconnection project will instead be used to finance other CDC projects as part of the social corporate responsibility of the state-owned firm. (Jacob Cunanan, Business Mirror)
Officials of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Corp. (PLDT) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) have formally sealed a partnership to put this free port at the frontline of the country’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
Subic Bay’s take on knowledge-based industries was recently boosted by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the SBMA, PLDT, and its subsidiary PLDT Subic Telecom (Subictel) at the PLDT main office in Makati City.
The MOU, which would pave the way for tripartite collaborative projects, was signed by SBMA administrator Armand Arreza and PLDT Subictel chairman & PLDT senior vice-president Ernesto Alberto, PLDT first vice-president Nerissa Ramos, and PLDT Subictel president Dennis Magbatoc.
Arreza said the MOU calls for the promotion of Subic Bay Freeport’s IT capabilities through the SBMA-PLDT-Subictel caravan project, which will boast of PLDT’s recent ICT investments here worth more than P40-million.
Under the said project, the P20-million Innovation Laboratory (Innolab) unveiled by Subictel in October 2009, will be an essential part of this free port’s investor tour program. It will serve as a one-stop showcase of Subic Bay’s ICT capability in terms of infrastructure, and also highlight the available and “futuristic” IT solutions of PLDT for various industries.
On SBMA’s part, Arreza announced that the agency would establish an ICT park on a 17-hectare property here to put to use PLDT’s “ready-to-use” telecoms solutions and ICT infrastructure. These would include the Next Generation Network (NGN) fiber optics cable connecting this free port to Manila and the entire Luzon grid.
“Capacity comes first before opportunity,” Arreza said during the MOU-signing ceremony. “They (PLDT), too, saw our vision for the Subic-Clark economic corridor, and they acted in accordance with that vision.”
Arreza also revealed that international names in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry have been prospecting for business opportunities in Subic.
“It’s only a matter of time before the Subic Bay Freeport becomes synonymous with BPO and IT-related services, like back-office outsourcing, software and games development, engineering design, and digital animation, among others,” said Arreza.
PLDT’s Alberto, meanwhile, reaffirmed his company’s belief in the potentials of Subic Bay as an ICT hub, adding that since its establishment here, PLDT has invested “quite tremendously in the Subic-Clark corridor especially in the past few years.”
He said Subic and Clark have been “fibered” with the NGN technology, which increased network coverage and enabled new and innovative services to emerge in the market.
Through the Subictel Innolab, the fifth of its kind in the country, the public is also able to access “revolutionary business solutions and the latest ICT trends,” Alberto added.
“The Subic-Clark corridor will be the more prominent, if not the most prominent economic corridor this country will ever see in the next five to ten years,” Alberto also said. This explains the group’s investment in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and their “aggressive” bidding for the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), he added.
He said the PLDT group also sees the entry of Texas Instruments and Samsung in the Subic-Clark corridor as encouraging developments in the ICT sector.
Alberto added that PLDT officials “would like to partner with Mr. Arreza and the SBMA team for globally-competitive industries in the areas of cutting-edge healthcare, retail and trade, tourism, logistics and in the maritime industry.”
“Subic, in my view, is the place to be in the Philippines,” Alberto declared. “And by building my second home in Subic two years ago, I have put my money where my mouth is,” he quipped. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
PHOTO: PLDT and SBMA officials seal an agreement to promote the Subic Bay Freeport as in ICT hub.
Telecommunications giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) has teamed up with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to put Subic at the frontlines of the country’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
PLDT Subictel president Dennis Magbatoc said they have “agreed in principle” to partner with SBMA in the promotion of this free port’s emerging IT capabilities to enable Subic to directly compete with leading ICT players like Manila, Cebu, Davao, Laguna and others.
“We would like to position Subic in the forefront, one of the newest choices when it comes to ICT,” said Magbatoc.
He said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between SBMA, PLDT and its subsidiary PLDT Subic Telecom (Subictel) is scheduled for signing late this month.
Magbatoc said the agreement would pave the way for tripartite collaborative projects that would benefit the Subic Bay Freeport’s ICT industry.
He said the projects would bank on PLDT’s most recent ICT investments here that are worth more than P40-million.These include the fiber optics cable that connects Subic Bay to Manila and the entire Luzon grid, and the P20-million Innovation Laboratory (Innolab) of Subictel that was unveiled last October.
SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said meanwhile that Subictel’s hi-tech IT facility, which sits beside Subic’s Spanish Gate landmark, has been included in the itinerary for potential investors visiting this former naval base.
He said that Subic Bay’s IT and telecommunications infrastructure, available and soon-to-be-offered telecoms solutions that cater to business process outsourcing (BPO) operations, retail and manufacturing businesses, and even the hotel industry, will be staged at the Subic Innolab, the fifth such PLDT facility in the country.
“With this one-stop IT center, the SBMA will get to showcase the IT aspect of doing business in Subic, on top of its other strengths like strategic location, tax and duty-free perks, highly-skilled manpower, superb support industries and infrastructure, and a highly-secured and tourist-friendly environment,” said Arreza.
“When it comes to IT support, we now have everything and anything you need,” Arreza added, referring to the “fully loaded” theme of Subictel’s Innolab.
Arreza said the SBMA is keen on having Subic take the path to knowledge-based industries, as some IT analysts expect the ICT industry to grow by 30%-35% annually, generating one million new jobs for 2010 alone.
“With PLDT as partner, the Subic Bay Freeport can now shift from labor-intensive industries to knowledge-based industries, guided by the emerging trends in the IT sector,” he said.
Arreza also said that the vertical expansion thrust of this free port is being taken to accommodate the entire gamut of BPO and IT-related services like back-office outsourcing, software and games development, engineering design, and digital animation, among others. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
THE Supreme Court has remanded to the trial court the issue of whether the Subic Telecommunications Co. Inc (Subictel), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Co. Inc., has the right to exclusively provide telco services inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
In a 17-page decision penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., the Court’s Third Division reversed and set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA) issued on April 4, 2008 which upheld the resolution of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Olongapo City dismissing Subictel’s complaint for “specific performance with prayers for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction” against Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and Innove Communications Inc., a subsidiary telecommunications of Globe Telecom.
The appellate court agreed with the Olongapo RTC in junking the complaint filed by Subictel on the ground of “litis pendentia” or pending suit and forum shopping in its decision issued on June 30, 2006.
It held that the parties’ issues raised as well as the relief being sought by Subictel in the administrative case it filed with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) are the same with the civil case it filed before the lower court.
The High Tribunal, however, said both the CA and the trial court erred in issuing the ruling, thus, directed the RTC, Branch 74 in Olongapo City to continue with the proceedings of the civil case filed by Subictel and resolve it with dispatch.
“In ruling on the presence of litis pendentia, both the trial and appellate courts, however, overlooked the fact that there is more determining the identity of the causes of action than an identity of the documentary evidence presented by Subictel. But the more fundamental question to consider is whether or not the cause of action in the second case existed at the time the filing of the first case,” the SC stressed.
Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Minita Chico-Nazario, Antonio Eduardo Nachura and Diosdado Peralta.
In the administrative case, the SC noted, Subictel sought the reconsideration of SBMA’s order giving Innove a provisional permit to operate international and leased lines services as well as local exchange and toll services.
SBMA was not a party to the case but was the quasi-judicial body hearing the Innove’s application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), while Subictel intervened in said case as oppositor to Innove’s application.
But in the civil case filed before the Olongapo RTC, SBMA was the principal party while Innove was impleaded for having been granted a temporary franchise by SBMA.
“Thus, as between the administrative case and the civil case, there was no identity of parties,” the Court stressed.
The SC also held that the relief being sought by Subictel in the administrative case was different from the one prayed for in the civil case.
The remedies sought in administrative case, according to the SC, hinge on the acceptance by SBMA of Innove’s application for CPCN and the consequent proceedings on the matter while the civil case was triggered by the denial by SBMA of Subictel’s notices to exercise the renewal of its alleged exclusivity rights under the joint venture agreement.
“From the foregoing distinction, it is clear that there is, as between the two actions, no identity of rights asserted and relief prayed for; and the facts whence the reliefs are sought are different,” the Court explained.
Subictel anchored its claim for exclusive privilege to operate telecommunication services inside the Subic Freeport on the joint venture agreement (JVA) it signed with the SBMA on June 29, 1994 which is valid for 25 years and renewable for another 25 years.
The JVA was inked following the withdrawal of the US military forces in Subic in the aftermath of Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991.
The agreement further provides that for a period of 10 years, the SBMA would not allow third parties to engage in any activity within the freeport zone, which could impair Subictel’s operation. It likewise gave Subictel the option to renew its exclusivity privilege for three-year periods.
On April 22, 2004, Subictel notified SBMA that it was exercising its option to renew its exclusivity privilege under the JVA for another five years.
Subictel, however, learned that SBMA had started accepting applications for third parties for CPCN to provide international and leased line services and local and toll services.
Despite its opposition, SBMA did not recognize Subictel’s option to renew its exclusive privilege and gave Innove provisional authority to compete with Subictel.
The SBMA board asserted that it was just exercising its power to regulate public utilities within the Freeport Zone pursuant to Republic Act 7227 or the Bases Conversion Development Act of 1992.
Innove, on the other hand, claimed that all authorities to operate public utilities are, by constitutional mandate, nonexclusive.
It added that Subictel failed to prove that its entry into the zone would cause grave and irreparable damage. (Joel R. San Juan, Mirror Reporter)
Had it crossed anyone’s mind 10 years ago that coffee shops and restaurants today would serve “wi-fi” on their menu to boost sales?
This kind of foresight in emerging and revolutionary trade trends is now available to businesses in this free port with the opening of the P20-million innovation Laboratory (Innolab) of the Subic Telecommunications Company Inc. (Subictel), a company owned by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Corp. (PLDT).
Subictel launched its new facility last Wednesday at its office near Subic’s historical landmark, the Spanish Gate. Among those who witnessed the event were Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, Olongapo City mayor James Gordon, PLDT executives and staff, members of the Subic Bay Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of business locators here.
Arreza said that the PLDT Innolab will showcase Subic’s capabilities in terms of IT support, and will eventually determine to some extent direction taken by the IT sector in this free port.
“PLDT’s Innolab marks a new foundation for Subic Bay’s emergence in the knowledge economy,” said Arreza, who expressed optimism that this free port’s business process outsourcing (BPO) potentials will soon be maximized.
“With PLDT as partner, the Subic Bay Freeport can now shift from labor-intensive industries to knowledge-based industries, guided by the emerging trends in the IT sector,” Arreza added.
According to PLDT first vice-president Nerissa Ramos, the PLDT Innolab features “proofs of concept” of breakthrough technologies that are being offered by PLDT.
“Soon, everyone will realize that Subic’s IT capabilities is as good as what is offered in Manila, Cebu, Clark and other renowned BPO destinations in the country,” Ramos said.
According to PLDT, it is now offering various “cutting edge” IT solutions in the fields of hotel and restaurant management, manufacturing, retailing, franchising, real estate, and BPO.
“The Internet is playing a huge role in today’s management of businesses. With PLDT solutions, people can monitor and make business directions even from afar, and even generate cost-savings, as they employ these technologies that streamline business processes,” Ramos said.
For example, she said people can try out the video conferencing studio that has been set up in the Innolab. This has a “dirty kitchen” where they can simulate their clients’ technology and demonstrate how to hook it up with PLDT’s IT solutions.
“They can see for themselves the results immediately in the Innolab,” Ramos explained.
At the same time Ramos expressed hope that through PLDT’s Innolab, the BPO industry in Subic Bay would flourish.
She said that Subic Bay can play a major role in the outsourcing industry as this former US military base is a major connector to PLDT’s fiber optics network.
Ramos also said they will soon partner with universities and colleges within the Subic Freeport to bridge the academe-industry mismatch in terms of information technology.
“Schools can make PLDT’s Innolab a destination for their field trips. We also propose tie-ups with tertiary schools so the academe will get to have hands-on update on the current gadgets, systems, and trends in the IT sector,” she said.
Soon, Ramos said, everyone will realize that the country is not lagging behind, adding that the Philippine’s telecommunications infrastructure and road networks “are a lot better compared to India,” which is considered a prime destination in the global BPO scene.
The PLDT’s Subictel Innolab is the fifth such facility in the country. The first one was launched in Manila in 2003, and subsequently in Cebu, Clark, and Davao. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
PHOTO:SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (second from right) and Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr. join executives of PLDT and Subictel in launching PLDT’s Innovation Laboratory at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
