Mangudadatu bodyguard kills 2 cops in Subic

A bodyguard of Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu of Buluan, Maguindanao, went on a shooting rampage at the law-enforcement office here on Monday afternoon, killing two police officers in what authorities here described as “unprovoked firing.”

Mohamedin Panegas Ali, 39, initially sought refuge with the police here, but for unknown reasons opened fire while inside the office of the Officer of the Day (OOD) at Building 657, which houses the Law Enforcement Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA-LED).

“It was indiscriminate shooting,” said retired police general Orlando Maddela, head of the SBMA-LED, whose office is located next door. “It seems like [Ali] was firing at will.”

“We could see no motive for what he did,” Maddela added. “There was no provocation either.”

Maddela said bullets from Ali’s caliber .45 pistol tore through the wooden door of the OOD room and hit two police officers who were then at the hallway.

The victims were OOD Ceferino Abadia and Senior Police Officer 4 Delfin Orines, who was in the building to see Maddela. Both fatalities were hit in the chest.

Abadia was pronounced dead on arrival at the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital in Olongapo City, while Orines expired about an hour after the shooting.

Maddela said it was not known why Ali snapped, when he was “very cooperative” with the local police at the outset. Maddela even described him as “obedient.”

After the shooting, the suspect kept silent and simply murmured to himself, Maddela said.

“I think he was praying,” he added.

The spot report Maddela submitted to SBMA officials said Ali was reported as missing by his companions, Police Officer 3 Nasser Dilangalen and Faustino Bernil, at about 6:45 a.m. on Monday.

The two, identified as security personnel assigned to Mangudadatu and assigned to the National Police 1207 Police Mobile Group based in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, personally filed the report with the shift sergeant at the SBMA-LED’s communications branch.

The information was relayed to all police units in Subic.

At about 3:17 p.m. that day, the police again received a report about Ali, this time from a company at the Subic Bay Gateway Park, saying that Ali was in their office and seeking assistance “for fear of his life.”

Maddela said that upon arriving at the SBMA-LED office, Ali informed him that he formerly served with the Special Action Force (SAF) unit stationed at Subic’s Naval Magazine area, and asked that he be brought there for his own safety.

Maddela reportedly agreed and called up Supt. Jonas Amparo, the local SAF commander, to have his men fetch Ali from the LED office.

According to SG-II (security guard-II) Rexie Alinea of Subic’s Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) branch, who prepared the evidence custody receipt (ECR) for Ali’s gun, the law enforcers even gave Ali some coffee and bread after learning that he had not yet had his afternoon snack.

It was then, when such arrangements have been made, that Ali apparently snapped at the OOD room.

Alinea said he was busy with the ECR when Ali saw some SAF officers outside the building and asked to get his identification card from his waist bag that was on top of a table.

“Everything happened so fast,” Alinea said in an SBMA media briefing on Tuesday morning. “As soon as he got hold of his bag, out came the gun. Then he quickly cocked it and pointed it at me.”

Another SWAT officer, SG-II Edwin Nopal, who was in the same room reacted quickly when he saw Ali pull his gun out of the bag.

“I immediately embraced him to prevent him from shooting. But he was big, and I couldn’t easily subdue him,” Nopal recounted.

Nopal said that even as he tried to wrestle the gun from Ali, the suspect managed to fire some shots.

“He was even trying to point the gun to my head, but each time he did that, I moved my head closer to his,” said Nopal, who said he was temporarily deafened by the shots.

At one point in the scuffle, the two fell on the floor, said Nopal.

“When I felt that his gun jammed, I shouted for the others to enter the room,” Nopal added.

Maddela said murder charges are now being readied against Ali, who is temporarily detained at Police Station 3 in Olongapo City.

He added that verification of the murder weapon revealed that the caliber .45 pistol used by Ali is duly licensed, with expiry date of February 27, 2011. Ali’s permit to carry firearms outside residence (PTCFOR) is also valid until August 16.

Meanwhile, SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza clarified that Ali was not under arrest when the incident happened.

He also said the actions by Nopal and Alinea were “in accordance with the procedures.”

“The SBMA stands behind these men,” he added.

At the same time, Arreza lamented the twin killing, calling it “tragic” and “a loss of two dedicated men.”

“This incident is a testament to the hazards that our law-enforcement officers face every day in the performance of their duties,” he added.

Arreza also said the SBMA will provide assistance to the family of Abadia and ordered his subordinates to expedite the release of benefits that are due them.(Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

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Maritime, electronics firms are Subic’s top employers

Companies engaged in shipbuilding and maritime-related services are now the biggest employers in this free port, even as service-oriented companies still employ the bulk of close to 87,000 workers hired by various business locators here.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza said that seven of Subic’s top 10 biggest employers are in the maritime business, while the three others that complete the list are from the electronics manufacturing business.

“This has been the case since Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Corp. located in Subic in 2006,” Arreza noted. “While the services sector still hired most of Subic’s workers, those in the shipbuilding and manufacturing industries usually landed in the top 10 biggest individual employers.”

“These two industries are really catching up fast in terms of hiring, but the bulk of total Subic’s workforce still depended on companies that provide services,” Arreza added.

According to SBMA data, the biggest employer in Subic as of October 2009 is Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Corp., which has a total of 3,118 employees. Hanjin operates a $1.7-billion shipyard at Subic’s Redondo Peninsula and builds some of the biggest vessels in the world today.

Following Hanjin in the second and third slots are two Japanese manufacturers — computer parts-maker Nidec Subic Phils. Corp., which employs 2,361 workers; and electronics motor-producer Sanyo Denki, which has hired a total of 2,218.

The fourth and fifth biggest employers are Korean companies that provide support services to Hanjin. These are Subic Shipbuilder Corp., with a total of 1,862 employees; and Greenbeach Powertech, Inc., with a total of 1,693 workers.

In sixth place is Taiwanese computer-maker Wistron Infocomm Phils., which has a total of 1,699 employees. Wistron used to be Subic’s biggest employer prior to the establishment here of Hanjin in 2006.

The rest of the companies in the top 10 employers list are all Hanjin subcontractors: Subickor Corp., which has a total of 1,662 workers; Metrobay Corporation, with 1,514; Redondo Baytech Corp., with 1,426; and Kalayaan I-Tech Corp., which has a total of 1,361 employees.

With a total manpower complement of 15,796, the top 10 employers, however, delivered only 18.51 percent of Subic’s current employment record of 86,631.

SBMA data as of October this year also indicated that the number of workers in the services sector stood at 38,676, or 44.64 percent of the total workforce in the free port, while those in the shipbuilding and maritime sector totaled 25,301, or 29.21 percent.

The rest come from the manufacturing sector, which had 15,614 workers, or 18.02 percent; construction sector, with 6,494 or 7.5 percent; and the domestic sector which employed a total of 546 helpers and caretakers, or 1 percent.

Arreza also said that the services sector is expected to keep the lead in employment generation in the coming years because Subic “is basically service-oriented.”

Subic’s thrust to become a major service and logistics hub is also expected to create more service-oriented jobs, he added.

Among the 86,631 workers in the Subic Bay Freeport today, fully 40 percent come from Olongapo City, which has traditionally contributed the most number of workers since 1992. Olongapo’s workers in the free port now number 34,807.

Next to Olongapo, the province of Zambales provided the biggest number at 19,194, or 22.16 percent; Bataan, with a total of 10,994 or 12.69 percent.

The rest are from the National Capital Region, which has a total of 4,556 migrant workers in Subic, or 5.26 percent of the total; Pampanga, with 2,897 or 3.34 percent; and Tarlac, with 1,801 or 2.08 percent. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA seaport posts all-time high income of P449.15-M as 2009 closes

Living up to the vision of becoming a highly-competitive service and logistics hub in the Southeast Asian region, the Subic seaport racked up bigger monthly earnings this year and could be expected to post an all-time high income at the year-end.

Officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said that Subic seaport earnings in the last 11 months already stood at P449.15 million, which is about 78 percent more than last year’s January-November total of P252.63 million.

“This not only breached our seaport revenue target for the current year, but has also surpassed year-on-year figures since 1992 when the Subic Bay Freeport was created,” said SBMA administrator Armand Arreza.

“This is really unprecedented,” he added. “This is one record that would be hard to beat even in the next few years.”

According to records of the SBMA Seaport Department, the surge in seaport income started in January this year when it earned P37.6 million, or 167 percent more than the P14.07-million earnings in January 2008.

The positive growth continued all through the following months, with comparative figures rising by 165 percent in February, 209 percent in March, 101 percent in April, and 168 percent in June.

As of November, this year’s seaport income already exceeded the January-November 2008 income by P196.5 million, said Arreza.

The seaport income is derived from vessel and cargo charges, leases and rentals, processing fees, SBMA shares from joint ventures, and other billings for port users.

SBMA seaport manager Federico Pascual also pointed out that Subic seaport’s revenue generation consistently began posting increases in the last four years, rising from P181.09 million in 2005, to P190.88 million in 2006, P221.39 million in 2007, and P276.24 million in 2008.

The rebound began, Pascual noted, after seaport income dipped in 2005 by 20.39 percent, compared to the P227.46 million recorded in 2004.

“Since then, seaport operations picked up, especially this year when the global recession turned out to be an opportunity for the Subic port,” Pascual said.

“In the first six months of 2009 alone, seaport revenue already exceeded the previous year’s 12-month performance,” he added.

Pascual said the rise in seaport income could be attributed to the operation of Subic’s New Container Terminal 1 (NCT-1) by the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), as well as to income from vessel lay-ups and wharfage fees for petroleum products, fertilizer, and grains like soya and wheat.

He also said the positive performance stemmed from SBMA efforts to aggressively market the Subic port and attract more shippers, importers, brokers and forwarders to Subic.

Pascual said that because of SBMA’s marketing program, the agency’s seaport department posted a whopping revenue of P60.7 million in June, the highest in the 11-month period, as well as a P51-million collection in March.

He likewise noted that the SBMA Seaport Department’s 11-month revenue has (Henry: Sounds like this phrase has a missing verb) its 12-month revenue forecast of P316..3 million by P133 million, or 52 percent.

Pascual added that since the seaport’s average monthly income now stood at P40.8 million, it would be safe to assume that the 2009 revenue total for the Subic seaport would reach P490 million.

The estimated year-end earnings would exceed the revenue forecast of P316.3 million by about 55 percent. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
PHOTO: The SBMA seaport is proving to be a globally-competitive service and logistics hub, as its 2009 income is expected to be the biggest year-end total in 16 years.

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SBMA ‘Pamaskong Handog’ benefits 500 indigents, Aeta kids

Some 500 residents from poor families in Olongapo City enjoyed an early Christmas treat when the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) held a gift-giving activity and children’s party under the agency’s annual “Pamaskong Handog” project.

As an initiative of the offices of the chairman and the administrator, “Pamaskong Handog” endeavors to bring smiles and the spirit of Christmas to less fortunate residents, especially children, in the area.

“This is only a simple way of returning part of the blessings that the SBMA and the Freeport community have received this year,” said SBMA administrator Armand Arreza.

“We’d like to make some of the poorest members of the community feel that we are here for them, that somebody also loves and cares for them, and would like to share the spirit of Christmas with them,” he added.

Arreza said the annual project has benefited thousands of indigent families and street children, as well as members of the Aeta tribe in upland communities near the Subic Bay Freeport.

At the remote Aeta community of Mampweng in barangay New Cabalan, Olongapo City, 61 students from the local grade school were among those who enjoyed a Christmas party sponsored by the SBMA this year.

“Masaya po ang party namin, kasi po lahat kami ay nagsaya, nabusog at may regalo pang naiuwi,” said Paulo Jugatan, a grade 1 pupil.

The gifts given to Mampweng schoolchildren came from the SBMA unit of the Couples of Christ Handmaids of the Lord. Olongapo City councilor Ellen Dabu also sent some gifts for Mampweng.

The Mampweng community is populated by about 150 Aeta families whose main livelihood is subsistence farming, selling bananas and other crops.

The SBMA Christmas outreach project also benefited more than 400 children and adults who received their Christmas gifts at the San Roque chapel in Subic’s central business district.

The distribution of gifts was led by Mrs. Pat Arreza, wife of the SBMA administrator, and Ms. Rose Baldeo, head of the Global Terminals and Development Inc., a Subic investor.

Global Terminals, as well as some other business locators in the Freeport, donated most of the gifts, while SBMA personnel and church lay groups serving at the San Roque chapel helped out in the gift-giving activity.

Rev. Joven Descartin, tribal pastor of the Word of Hope Assembly of God church, who helped organize the Christmas outreach project, said the activity exemplifies the true meaning of Christmas — that of giving life and hope to others.

“As we celebrate the joy of Christmas, let us then remember our less fortunate brothers and sisters, and share our love with them through giving gifts,” Descartin said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTOS: SIMPLE FEAST: Schoolchildren at the Aeta village of Mampweng in Olongapo City partake of a simple feast prepared for them by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority during the agency’s Christmas outreach project.

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2009 Subic Freeport revenue to top 2008 record

Revenue generation in this free port this year will be slightly higher than the P5.27 billion recorded in 2008, as cash collections by both the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) began showing minimal growth in the last quarter.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza said that combined BoC and BIR earnings will “pull Subic through to a positive performance despite a shortfall in foreign direct investment (FDI).”

“As of now, we only need about P394.6 million more to reach the 2008 revenue level. That’s about a month’s worth of collections to make,” Arreza said, adding that BIR figures for October and November have yet to come in.

With combined collections averaging P443.7 million a month in the last 11 months, “the December earnings alone should bring total earnings over and above the 2008 record,” Arreza added.

According to figures compiled by the SBMA, combined BoC and BIR cash collections from January to November 2009 have already reached P4.88 billion. This is broken down into a P3.85-billion revenue delivered by the BoC, and a P1.03 billion collection remitted by the BIR.

Aside from cash collections, the Subic Customs office also recorded some P2.78 billion in non-cash earnings, which are mostly composed of government to government transactions.

However, the BoC is still short by about P71.36 million in its collections this year, in order to attain its 2009 target. The agency has set a P3.92 billion goal for the January-November period, but has thus far collected only P3.85 billion.

Meanwhile, exports generated by businesses in the Subic Bay Freeport this year have reached $800.98 million as of September, a slight increase over the $755 million export production recorded in the same period last year.

Subic’s biggest exporters this year are: Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Corp., with $355.56 million in freight-on-board (FOB) deliveries; Wistron Infocomm (Phils) Corp., with $111.4 million; Lets Do Mobile Philippines, $63.52 million; Sanyo Denki Phils., $50.91 million; Hitachi Terminals Mechatronics Phils. Corp., $43.08 milion; Juken Sangyo Phils., $26.03 million; Tong Lung (Phils) Metal Industry, $17.71 million; Lindberg Subic, Inc., $14.88 million; Nicera Philippines, Inc., $12.13 million; and Nidec Subic Philippines Corp., with $9.8 million.

On the other hand, import transactions made in the Subic Bay Freeport from January to November 2009 reached a total of $2.01 billion, SBMA records indicated.

This figure represented a 6.14 percent decrease from the $2.14 billion record set in January-November 2008.

The top importers for this year are: Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Corp., with an FOB total of $378.46 million; Sanyo Denki, with $335.17 million; PTT Philippines Trading Corp., $289.94 million; Wistron Infocomm, $182.56 million; Nidec Subic, $135.45 million; Nicera Philippines, $86.79 million; Micro Dragon Petroleum Inc., $72.65 million; Koryo Subic, Inc., $54.3 million; Lets Do Mobile Philippines, $48.54 million; and Ixion Corporation, with imports totaling $45.4 million. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic Freeport Oct-Nov investments reach $44.42M

Investments generated in this free port in the months of October and November have reached $44.42 million, putting the cumulative total in the last 11 months at $166.64 million.

Figures from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) indicated that a total of $23.1 million were committed by 12 investor-companies here in October, while 22 firms pledged a total of $21.32 million in November for their projects.

Among the top investors in the two-month period is real estate developer Ayala Land, Inc. , which pledged $21.4 million for the construction, development and operation of a retail and commercial center here.

Other investors with substantial project commitments included Aeroframe Composites, Inc., which pledged $465,000 for the processing of composite parts and materials; Hamomo Corp., with $385,274 for the operation of a real estate business; and Honey & Money Subic Corp., with $321,062 for the development, management, and operations of a condominium, hotel and commercial complex.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, who noted the resurgence of investments here following a slowdown late last year until early this year due to the global economic crisis, said this is “an encouraging sign.”

“As far as we can tell, Subic is fast regaining its footing in terms of investment generation,” Arreza said.

“While there has been a noticeable drop in FDIs (foreign direct investments), Filipino companies like Ayala Land have more than made up for the slump,” Arreza added.

According to Arreza, FDIs recorded in the Subic Bay Freeport actually fell by more than 67 percent in January-November this year compared to the total in the same period last year. The 2008 figure for the first 11 months was $224.82 million, while the 2009 tally was only $73.82 million.

On the other hand, 139 investment projects put up by Filipino companies contributed a total of $96.22 million in investment pledges, or 57.74 percent of the $166.64 million total for January-November..

After the Filipino investment commitments, the next biggest pledges were put up by 26 Korean firms with a total of $55.86 million, or 33.52 percent; a Swiss project worth $7 million, or 4.2 percent; six Taiwanese projects totaling $2.86 million; and four Japanese projects with a total of $1.27 million.

The ten biggest investments in the 11-month period were committed by Ocean Nine Philkor, Inc., a Korean company that pledged $52.38 million; Filipino developer Ayala Land, Inc., with $21.4 million; Tountzis Shipping Inc. (Filipino), with $20.23 million; Jadelink Subic Inc. (Filipino), $16.85 million; Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. (Swiss), $7 million; Pure Petroleum Corp. (Filipino), $6.22 million; Subic Business and Technology College (Filipino), $4.29 million; Bonsure Evergreen International Corp. (Filipino), $2.21 million; Chifil International Import-Export Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Filipino), $1.41 million; and Eastern Subic Fuel Depot Corp. (Filipino), with $1.05 million.

The 163 projects approved so far by the SBMA this year are expected to contribute a total of 6,340 new jobs.

As of November this year, there are a total of 1,310 approved investment projects in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The cumulative investment commitments generated by these projects now total $5.918 billion. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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FedEx to continue CSR, business activities in RP

FEDERAL Express (FedEx) Philippines says it will continue supporting the communities and businesses in the coming years despite its recent pullout of its Asia-Pacific hub in Subic, Olongapo.

Samuel S. David, FedEx country manager, said its continuing corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in the Philippines only indicate that they want to do business here on a long term basis.

“History will show that companies that focus its efforts only on short-term profit is [using] a business model that is not bound to succeed in the long term. So our presence in the Philippines is long term,” David said in an interview.

The FedEx official said the company’s strategic partnerships with various non-profit groups will also continue for as long as these organizations will remain within the thrust of the firm. FedEx’s CSR thrusts are on human services, education, emergency and relief and pedestrian and child safety.

At present, the company is in partnership with organizations such as Gawad Kalinga, Safe Kids Philippines and Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge.

The company also gives financial support to schools in eight different Gawad Kalinga communities, three of which are in Parañaque City and the others are in Zambales, Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Sultan Kudarat and Bukidnon.

David, who also managed the company’s former Asia-Pacific hub in Subic before its pullout earlier this year, said they may have further partnerships with other groups in the future.

At the moment, David said that they are monitoring Mayon Volcano in Bicol as they may be of help to the communities there.

During the relief efforts for typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng that visited the country in October, FedEx was instrumental in moving goods on the ground by providing trucks and helped groups such as the Philippine National Red Cross, ABS-CBN Foundation, and GMA Kapuso Foundation.

Over $30,000 in cash donations was raised by FedEx from its employees in the Asia-Pacific region, David said.

After pulling the plug on its Subic facility, FedEx said its operations in the country will be focused in Manila and in Cebu, mainly on exports of electronics materials.

“FedEx will maintain its presence in the Philippines and remains committed to the Philippine market in the long term as we expand our operations gateway in Manila, with back-office facilities being ramped up as part of a regional strategy to centralize certain services,” the company earlier said. (VG Cabuag, Business Mirror)

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$96-M Filipino investments outpace FDI in Subic

Investment commitments put up by Filipino-owned locator-companies in this free port have so far eclipsed foreign direct investment (FDI) recorded here this year, marking the first time in recent years that locals outshone imports.

According to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Filipino firms made it to the top of the chart by drowning out the competition with sheer numbers: a total of 139 investment projects that, taken all together, were worth about $96.22 million.
This translates to 57.74 percent of the $166.64 million total for investment projects approved by the SBMA board from January to November this year.

Korean firms, which held sway here since 2006 when shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. plunked its initial $1-billion investment, slipped to the No. 2 position with only 26 investment projects worth a total of $55.86 million, or 33.52 percent.

This was less than a third of the $198.84 million (85.48 percent) committed by 46 Korean companies in 2008, the same year that 67 Filipino firms invested $10.09 million (4.33 percent).

The third slot among the biggest investors this year went to a Swiss-owned company, which put up a project worth $7 million or 4.2 percent; followed by six Taiwanese projects with a total worth of $2.86 million; and four Japanese projects with a total of $1.27 million.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said that FDI generated in the Subic Bay Free Port in the last 11 months actually fell by more than 67 percent, when compared with the total posted in the same period last year.

Arreza said that FDI in the January-November 2008 period totaled $224.82 million. For the same period this year, it was only $73.82 million.

However, even as foreign investment dropped this year, Arreza noted that Filipino companies “more than made up for the slump” and carried the day for Subic’s investment performance.

“This is an encouraging sign,” Arreza said. “As far as we can tell, Subic is fast regaining its footing in terms of investment generation.”

For the last two months alone, investment pledges in Subic reached a total of $44.42 million, with a total of $23.1 million committed by 12 investor-companies in October, and a total of $21.32 million pledged by 22 other firms in November.

Arezza said that among the biggest investors in the two-month period is Filipino real-estate giant Ayala Land Inc., which pledged $21.4 million for the construction, development and operation of a retail and commercial center.

Seven other Filipino companies made it to the list of top 10 biggest investors this year. These are Tountzis Shipping Inc. with $20.23 million; Jadelink Subic Inc., $16.85 million; Pure Petroleum Corp., $6.22 million; Subic Business and Technology College, $4.29 million; Bonsure Evergreen International Corp., $2.21 million; Chifil International Import-Export Manufacturing Co. Inc., $1.41 million; and Eastern Subic Fuel Depot Corp., with $1.05 million.

The only foreign companies in the same list are Korean casino-resort developer Ocean Nine Philkor Inc., which pledged $52.38 million; and Swiss-owned Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc., with $7 million for its warehousing operation here.

The SBMA also said that the 163 projects it has approved this year are expected to create a total of 6,340 new jobs. The Subic free port has an active work force of 86,631 as of October 2009.

The agency added that as of November this year, there are a total of 1,310 approved investment projects in the Subic Bay Free-port Zone. These projects are worth a total of $5.918 billion in committed funds. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror}

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RP to seek inclusion of Subic-Clark-Kaohsiung corridor in Taiwan-China free-trade area

TAIPEI—Not wanting to be left behind, the Philippines will be seeking to gain a ticket to the proposed Taiwan-China Economic Cooperation and Framework Agreement (Ecfa) by asking Taipei to include the Subic-Clark-Kaohsiung economic corridor in the negotiations for the planned free-trade area (FTA).

Ambassador Antonio Basilio, resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) here, said there are now concerns that most of the Taiwanese investments that are supposed to go to the Philippines will just again be diverted to China with the forging of the Ecfa.

This, he said, makes it more pressing for Meco to ask the Taiwanese government to consider expanding the Subic-Clark-Kaohsiung economic corridor to include some southern provinces of Mainland China and have it incorporated in the proposed Taiwan-China FTA.

“So this will be our assurance. We will probably formalize this proposal in the next JEC [Joint Economic Conference] meeting [of the Philippines and Taiwan],” Basilio told the BusinessMirror.

The next JEC, which serves as the venue for the Philippines and Taiwan in coming up with new bilateral cooperation programs, is scheduled early next year.

Taiwan and China, on the other hand, are scheduled to negotiate the terms of the Ecfa, which is the initial step in the opening up of trade between the Chinese nations, in the first half of 2010.

Basilio said all the three countries will benefit from the expanded economic corridor because they will be able to complement each other in manufacturing through seamless production lines in their respective economic zones, aside from according all parties larger markets.

He said with the addition of the Philippines in the picture, the products to be produced by China and Taiwan will gain access to the 600-million Asean market. They will also be able to gain benefit from the skilled work force of the Philippines, particularly in the higher end of the value chain.

The Philippines, meanwhile, will be able to get some of the investments.

He said aside from the fears of diversion of Taiwanese investments to China, the Philippines will also lose out more Taiwanese tourists to the Mainland with the Ecfa. “In tourism, we are feeling it now,” he said.

To prevent this from happening, Basilio said the Philippines will have to sell the idea of an expanded version of the economic corridor involving southern China.

The Philippines and Taiwan are now in the final stages of the completion of the requirements in the Subic-Clark-Kaohsiung economic corridor, which is supposed to funnel Taiwanese investments to the economic zones of Subic and Clark, where they will enjoy preferential treatment. (Max V. de Leon, Business Mirror)

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Duty-free privileges key to Ayala Land’s Olongapo development plan

The tax- and duty-free regime that has made this free port one of the biggest generators of foreign direct investment in the country would also be crucial to the realization of a 7,000-sq-meter Ayala Land development project in this free port and nearby Olongapo City.

Armand Arreza, administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said the project proponent has stressed that Subic’s tax- and duty-free privileges would be “a key component in realizing the P3-billion development project proposed by Ayala Land Inc. [ALI].”

According to ALI president and CEO Anthony Aquino, fiscal incentives like Subic’s minimal 5-percent gross income tax, if successfully extended to the 7,000-sq-meter Olongapo City Central Business District (CBD) Triangle, “would set the stage for robust trade in the area.” He added that the tax- and duty-free incentives would be part of the package that the developer could offer to prospective investors and business locators.

Aquino also said that the developer is eyeing the participation of businessmen from Olongapo for the proposed CBD Triangle project, adding that local investments would be the “lifeblood of this development.”

Arreza said he has assured Aquino that tax- and duty-free perks will be applied to the CBD project as soon as President Arroyo approves the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order (EO) 675.

Arreza also said that the IRR for EO 675 has become a collaborative work of the SBMA and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) office in this free port.

The IRR details the process of identifying, administering and regulating the areas where said incentives can be extended, he added.

Arroyo signed the said EO on Nov. 5, 2007, citing the need to expand the area where Subic’s tax- and duty-free privileges would apply.

Arreza said that EO 675 provides that tax- and duty-free privileges within the Subic Special Economic and Free Port Zone “shall apply within the secured area consisting of the presently fenced-in former Subic Naval Base and such other areas that may be identified, fenced, secured, or declared as additional secured area by the SBMA.”

“Once the President gives her approval, it is up to the city of Olongapo to decide what particular incentives to offer,” he said.

Arreza, Aquino and Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. signed a Memorandum of understanding last week for the proposed Olongapo CBD Triangle project.

Under the agreement, ALI will commission the master plan for free, granted that the Olongapo government would give ALI the option to develop or purchase, subject to applicable laws, the city’s properties inside the 7,000-sq-meter project area.

Arreza, who has pushed for the expansion of Subic’s free-port regime to nearby communities, said the proposed project will be the first step in the agency’s push to develop areas beyond Subic’s secured area.

The CBD Triangle project aims to develop adjoining portions of the Subic Bay Free Port and Olongapo City “into a green, environment-friendly residential, commercial and institutional area.”

The project is expected to boost Subic’s drive to gain more investments and create more livelihood opportunities for local residents.

Arreza also said that among the incentives offered to Subic business locators are tax- and duty-free importation; exemption from all local and national taxes, with only a 5-percent corporate tax on gross income; unrestricted entry of foreign investments; no foreign exchange control; visas for foreign nationals; and expanded allowable deduction and higher percentage of income allowable from sources within the Customs territory for regional enterprises. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

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Subic media condemn ‘monsters’ of Maguindanao massacre

Members of the Olongapo City-Subic Bay chapter of the Union of Journalists of the Philippines (UJP-OS) last week set lighted candles adrift on Subic Bay as a symbolic petition for justice for media colleagues slain in the infamous Maguindanao massacre last month.

Calling for an end to impunity and demanding immediate justice for the massacre victims, the UJP-OS said that media killings are a “direct assault on our democracy and way of life as peace-loving and law-abiding citizens.”

“As journalists fall prey to the dangers inherent in our profession, the freedoms that the public enjoy also became diminished and undermined,” said UJP-OS chairman Jun Dumaguing.

“The death of our colleagues in the media should now signal our call to arms against the reign of violence and impunity perpetrated by those who wield power without regard for the sanctity of human life,” Dumaguing said.

The UJP-OS, in a statement, also expressed outrage at the “monsters who perpetrated the Maguindanao massacre,” adding that the culprits must be brought to justice.

“We condemn with equal fury the government that has condoned the culture of guns, goons and gold in various areas of the country for political reasons,” it added.

The UJP-OS said the Maguindanao killings “could well be the biggest single massacre of journalists in the world, unparalleled in its brutality and ruthlessness, and unequalled in its brazen disregard for life and liberty.”

But while the local media “cringe in shame” for this episode, “make no mistake that the media will be cowed by wanton brutality and insane violence,” the UJP-OS warned.

“Our colleagues who have fallen in the massacre are now martyrs in the eyes of the Philippine press and of the world. This has only made us stronger,” the local media added.

The UJP-OS conducted its candle-lighting rites here at the Subic Boardwalk Park in time for the “International Day of Global Action” that was called for by the International Federation of Journalists, the mother organization of the UJP.

After the media ceremony, a healing Mass conducted at the same venue by Fr. Jerry Orbos also prayed for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

IN PHOTO -- BUT will the journalists’ plea and the lighted candles reach Malacañang? Zoe Zephyr, 10, and sister Ziya Aerin, 7, daughters of BusinessMirror’s Zambales correspondent, float candles at Subic’s Boardwalk Park during a symbolic petition for justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre. The ceremony was initiated by the Olongapo City-Subic Bay chapter of the Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

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Ayala Land eyes free port perks for Olongapo project

The extension of Subic Bay Freeport’s tax and duty-free privileges to the City of Olongapo will be a key component in realizing the P3-billion development project proposed by Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) for the city’s business district.

ALI president and CEO Antonino Aquino said that fiscal incentives like Subic’s minimal five percent gross income tax, if successfully extended to the 7,000-square meter Olongapo City Central Business District (CBD) Triangle, would set the stage for robust trade in the area.

Aquino said these tax and duty-free incentives would enable the planned tripartite committee to offer attractive deals to win the cooperation of Olongapeños, particularly the business group, which he said would be the “lifeblood of this development.”

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza assured Aquino that this prospect would be realized as soon as President Arroyo approved the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order No. 675, which was signed by the President on November 05, 2007 to expand the area where tax and duty-free privileges would apply.

“Once the President gives her approval, it is up to the City of Olongapo to decide what particular incentives to offer,” said Arreza.

Arreza and Aquino signed a memorandum of understanding with Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr. last week for the proposed Olongapo CBD Triangle project.

Per agreement, ALI will commission the master plan for the project free of charge, granted that the city government would give ALI the option to develop or purchase, subject to applicable laws, Olongapo City’s properties inside the 7,000-square meter project area.

The Ayala firm announced recently that it would invest P3 billion for a mixed-use master-planned community in the Subic Bay Freeport — a 7.5-hectare property separated from the proposed Olongapo City CBD Triangle only by a man-made channel.

Arreza, who pushed for the expansion of Subic’s free port regime to nearby communities, said the proposed project would boost Subic’s drive to gain more investments and create more livelihood opportunities for local residents.

He added that the recent moves of ALI, one of the biggest real estate developers in the country today, “clearly demonstrates what EO 675 can do to the regions between Subic and Clark.”

Arreza explained that under the EO 675, tax- and duty-free privileges within the Subic Special Economic and Free Port Zone (SSEFPZ) “shall apply within the secured area consisting of the presently fenced-in former Subic Naval Base and such other areas that may be identified, fenced, secured, or declared as additional secured area by the SBMA.”

The IRR for EO 675, a collaborative work of the SBMA and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) here, details the process of identifying, administering, and regulating the areas where said incentives can be extended.

Among the incentives the SBMA offers to investors registering in the Subic Bay Freeport are tax- and duty-free importation; exemption from all local and national taxes, with only a five percent corporate tax on gross income; unrestricted entry of foreign investments; no foreign exchange control; visas for foreign nationals; and expanded allowable deduction and higher percentage of income allowable from sources within the Customs territory for regional enterprises. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

Photo:
SUBIC-OLONGAPO BUSINESS TRIANGLE: SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr., and Ayala Land, Inc. president Anthony Aquino sign an agreement for the development of a master plan for the Subic-Olongapo Central Business District Triangle project.

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Ayala Land Inc. to craft master plan for Subic-Olongapo business triangle

Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), one of the biggest property developers in the country, will be drawing up the master plan for a unique business-development project in this free port and the neighboring city of Olongapo.

The project, to be called the Central Business District (CBD) Triangle, will straddle the boundary between the Subic Bay Free Port and Olongapo City near the free port’s main gate.

Armand Arreza, administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said the project will cover about 7,000 square meters of prime business land and will be the first step in the agency’s push to develop areas beyond Subic’s “secured area.”

ALI has formally committed to draw the project’s master plan in a memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday by ALI president Anthony Aquino, Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. and Arreza.

Arreza said in a statement on Thursday that the CBD Triangle project aims to make the adjoining portions of Subic Free Port and Olongapo City “into a green, environment-friendly residential, commercial and institutional area.”

“This will be the initial project in accordance with the SBMA’s thrust to extend the physical boundaries of the Subic Free Port, and in the process generate more livelihood opportunities for people in the surrounding communities,” Arreza said.

The CBD Triangle project “will effectively generate economic activities in the city, provide more jobs, and improve the quality of life of the residents,” he said.
According to a land-use plan presented by ALI, the project will be located inside the triangle formed by Magsaysay Dr., Rizal Ave. Ext., and Perimeter Rd. in Olongapo City.

It will also include the former SubCom area inside the free port, which will be transformed into a mixed-use area, but predominantly for retail establishments.

Olongapo’s famous entertainment district which is bounded by Magsaysay Dr. and Rizal Ave., will be transformed into a commercial-office block.

Nearby, an institutional area will rise within the area bounded by Fendler, Third, Hansen and First Sts., also in Olongapo.

ALI’s Aquino said all the construction projects in the CBD Triangle “will be relevant to the history, culture and dynamics of Subic Bay and Olongapo City.”

The project will be environment-friendly, with the banks of the Kalalake River inside the CBD Triangle turned into a waterfront garden for relaxation, picnics and small-group activities.

“Any transformation should be planned well. Otherwise, the deterioration of the environment will continue,” Aquino added.

Arreza said the SBMA began entertaining the expansion project into Olongapo after President Arroyo signed on Nov. 5, 2007, Executive Order 675, which granted tax and duty-free privileges to investors locating beyond the “secured area,” but within the Subic Special Economic and Free Port Zone.

He added that aside from undertaking the master plan for the CBD Triangle, ALI has also volunteered to draw the plans for beach areas in Olongapo City that are eyed for development into world-class tourist resorts. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

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Legenda told to vacate Subic casino-hotel

A foreign investor that has defaulted on rentals for its casino and hotel buildings in this free port has been ordered by the court to vacate the premises and remove all its personnel and belongings from the buildings.

Legend International Resort Limited (LIRL), which operates the Legenda Hotel and Casino here, was given three days to move out, said Sheriff Rogel Pagayon of the Regional Trial Court’s Branch 74 in Olongapo City.

The “notice to vacate”, which was served by Pagayon last Friday, was based on a writ of execution issued by the RTC that also ordered the LIRL to pay back rentals to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

The one-page notice issued by Pagayon asked the LIRL to abide by the court order, and warned that in case of non-compliance, “the undersigned will be constrained to remove you and your belongings, from the premises in question, by the arm of the law.”

The notice to vacate was addressed to the LIRL “and all persons claiming rights under them”.

According to the writ of execution issued by RTC Branch 75 on December 3, the issue of LIRL’s obligations to the SBMA has already been resolved by Branch 4 of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC).

The dipositive portion of the MTCC decision ordered the LIRL to vacate four properties that it leased from the SBMA.

Aside from vacating the premises, the LIRL was also ordered to pay the SBMA $225,886 for base rent and unpaid sublease shares on the Legenda hotel properties for the period April 2002-January 2003; P872.5 million as rent for casino facilities for the period September 2000-May 2009; and P941,562 as sublease share for the long-term occupancy agreement between the LIRL and its concessionaire GYU International, Inc. for the period September 2007-May 2009.

The MTCC ruling also compelled the LIRL to pay the SBMA a total of P10.96 million for the cost of the lawsuit.

According to Marian Ravelo, clerk of court at RTC Branch 75, the SBMA filed a motion for execution on November 16, more than one month after the October 8, 2009 ruling by the MTCC.

The motion, in turn, was granted by the RTC on December 2, Ravelo added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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P131-M fertilizer grant for Luzon shipped thru Subic port

A total of 120,000 bags of fertilizer from Japan, weighing some 6,000 metric tons and costing about P130.7 million, arrived here recently at the Subic seaport on their way to various destinations in the island of Luzon.

The delivery of the fertilizer shipment through the port of Subic “only proves that when it comes to transshipment and cargo deliveries in Luzon, Subic offers the best option because of its strategic location,” said Feliciano Salonga, chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

The shipment, which comprised the third of four deliveries of ammonium sulfate fertilizer under a P253-million grant from the Japanese government, was turned over by Japan’s ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura to Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Fondevilla reportedly interceded with the Japanese government to have the third and fourth shipments unloaded at Subic, in order to facilitate their delivery to farmers in the Ilocos, Cagayan and Central Luzon regions.

The third and fourth lots that were supposed to be unloaded in Iloilo and Batangas ports, respectively, were intended for typhoon-affected provinces in Luzon.

The third shipment that arrived here last week was intended for farmers in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Isabela and Cagayan Valley, while the last lot of 7,500 metric tons that will arrive early next week will be for the provinces of Tarlac, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija.

During the turnover, Makoto said that the Japanese fertilizer assistance this year totals 26,135 metric tons or 522,700 bags of ammonium sulfate fertilizer, as contained in an agreement that he signed last March with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Makoto added that the assistance “serves as a continuing testimony to the cordial friendship and cooperation shared between the Philippines and Japan.”

Specifically, it is designed to alleviate the plight of low-income farmers who were severely affected by recent typhoons, he added.

Makoto also recounted that the first two lots, totaling 252,700 bags or 12,635 metric tons, were coursed through the ports of Davao in September and Iloilo in October.

The Davao shipment was intended for selected low-income farmers in Mindanao, particularly in Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte and South Cotabato, he said. The Iloilo shipment was for underprivileged farmer-beneficiaries in Iloilo and Negros Occidental provinces.

The new fertilizer deliveries, meanwhile, would be crucial to turn around agricultural lands in Luzon that were affected by the recent floods, said Daniel Oñate, vice president for marketing of Agrotech Agricultural Products, Inc.

Juanio Mallari, a farmers’ representative, said the fertilizer donations would greatly help the farmers improve agricultural yield and boost the country’s program for self-sufficiency in rice production.

Salonga, meanwhile, urged port users in the Luzon area “to discover for themselves the advantages of using the Subic port.”

He said the port of Subic port has a total of nine piers and wharves that specialize in various shipping requirements. Among them are Leyte Wharf, which serves as bulk grain terminal; Sattler Pier, which is ideal for containerized and break-bulk cargoes; Alava Pier, which serves as a passenger terminal; Boton Wharf, which unloads fertilizers and petroleum products; and the New Container Terminal 1 and 2, which are designed for use by huge cargo vessels.

Salonga added that the port of Subic not only provides an alternative facility to ports in Metro Manila, but also seeks to become a globally-competitive service and maritime logistics center. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Agriculture undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla (right) receives the P131-milion shipment of ammonium sulfate fertilizer from Japanese ambassador Makoto Katsura after they were unloaded at the Subic Bay Freeport. The shipment is bound to various typhoon-affected provinces in Central Luzon, Ilocos, and Cagayan regions.

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GMA to address press congress in Subic

PRESIDENT Arroyo will address the 14th National Press Congress on Thursday at the Subic Bay Free Port Zone’s Convention Center.

Arroyo is expected to speak on “The Challenge of the Information- Driven Age,” particularly on the role of the new media machine in 2010 elections, the gravity and threats of global warming and climate change, career options for youth and students, the Ampatuan Massacre and other issues.

Earlier, the President issued a message hailing the Publishers
Association of the Philippines for constructive and significant initiatives which will highlight the national press congress in Subic.

The President has also issued Proclamation 1187 declaring December as “National Press Congress Month and the Month of the Community Press in the Service of the Nation.” The proclamation designates Papi as lead agency for the month-long observance.

Presidential candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro on the other hand will address the press congress on Saturday.This was announced by Lelia Chua-Sy, Papi executive vice which hosts the annual event every December in cooperation with the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Teodoro, former national defense secretary and chairman of National Disaster Coordinating Council, is expected to speak on natural disaster management and new dimension in public governance, particularly on his agenda as presidential candidate in 2010.

Aside from Teodoro, the National Press Congress has also invited other presidential bets in the presidential forum set during the event to be participated in by around 400 mediamen and communicators from all over the country including school campus journalists from various colleges and universities (Subic Bay News).

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Subic Freeport honors outstanding workers

Ten workers, who have demonstrated excellence in their respective fields, were recognized recently by the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation, Inc. (SBWDFI) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) — the eighth batch of workers to be honored under the annual “10 Outstanding Freeport Workers” awards.

SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga led Subic officials in recognizing the outstanding workers, noting that “the quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.”

“It is therefore our great honor to have with us the best workers in the country who contributed their talents and wisdom to make Subic as it is now — progressive and one of the top investment and tourism destinations in Asia,” Salonga added.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, meanwhile, noted that perseverance, initiative, and concern for the common good are characteristics shared by Subic’s best workers — the same attributes of a globally competitive worker.

“These stemmed from the spirit of volunteerism that has empowered the Subic workers ever since,” he added.

This year’s search for the 10 outstanding workers in the Subic Bay Freeport began in July when the SBWDFI sent out nomination forms to all companies in the free port, as well as the different departments of the SBMA, said SBMA labor department head Severo Pastor Jr. Pastor also heads the SBWDFI.

Pastor revealed that from a field of more than a hundred nominees, only 25 advanced to the final selection process that was carried out by a three-man panel chaired by Dr. Julia Mallari, director of the University of the Philippines Subic/Clark program.

From the 25 finalists, the 10 outstanding workers were chosen.

They are: Juan Afidchao, electronics technician supervisor (SBMA TransComm Department), who is credited for the efficient installation, repair, rehabilitation and maintenance of SBMA telephone lines and units. The work he did from January to August this year alone has resulted in savings of more than P100,000.

Melvin Bactad, training specialist (SBMA HRMD), has contributed greatly to the empowerment of his fellow workers and to the development of a highly proficient and committed work force in the SBMA. Bactad facilitated 35 courses in the past year, or an average of three per month — one of SBMA’S most productive years in terms of internal trainings.

Edmond David, process shift engineer (Subic Water & Sewerage Company), saved the free port from a disastrous situation with his expertise and exceptional ability to handle a crisis, preventing a water outage in March 2009. For three days, he directed the operation of the Binictican Water Treatment Plant to ensure unhampered water supply in the Subic Bay Freeport.

Florante Frias, bulk operations superintendent (Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corp.), was instrumental in the discovery of pilferage cases in the petroleum tank farm and stopped a crime of economic sabotage. This fortified their clients’ confidence in the company and earned him the respect of his fellow workers, management and the Freeport community.

Mariel Go, industrial engineering technician (Wistron Infocomm, Phils.), provided real-time support to the production line, helping improve manpower efficiency, line productivity and yield rate, thereby notably enhancing the efficiency rate of new cell lines to 99.58 percent within six weeks.

Magnolia Lagrama, production worker (Nicera, Phils. Inc.), was twice named as the best production worker of Nicera in the frequency adjustment process. Lagrama does not refuse any assignment and performs well in whatever task she is given in the product line, thus making her name synonymous with assured output at any given time.

Virgilio Manzano, fire marshall (SBMA Fire Dept.), is one of the gallant firefighters whose participation in major emergency operations earned for the SBMA Fire Department the “Gawad Kalasag” special citation from the National Disaster Coordinating Council. He has, time and again, risked his own life to save others. Manzano is also an expert in automotive repair and maintenance, who gets old fire trucks and support vehicles back in shape.

Relly Nicolas, electronics communication engineer, (Wistron Infocomm, Phils.), has done various research and implemented many innovations that saved his company millions of pesos. He is credited for enabling Wistron to meet quality standards and on-time delivery, thereby increasing productivity and reducing “failure machine” complaints from customers.

Sharon Pasion, production worker (Nicera, Phils.), was one of the company’s employee of the year awardees in 2008, and was chosen twice last year as model production worker of the month. Being part of the final inspection group exposes her to stress and long hours of work, given the tight shipment schedules they must meet.

Joy Seridon, chemical engineer (Juken Sangyo-Phils., Corp.), was recently promoted as line leader, and has helped reduce product rejection ratio by as much as 60 percent through improved monitoring, inspection and coordination activities. She was also instrumental in establishing the company’s internal calibration team. Seridon was one of the key personnel who worked on the company’s ISO certification and succeeded in getting the renewal of the company’s ISO certification in just one audit. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Nicera transfers China operations to Subic; infuses additional $1M for expansion

Ultrasonic sensor-manufacturer Nicera Philippines, Inc. formally announced its second expansion project in this free port, committing another $1 million for its Subic facility after the firm decided to close down its China operations and transfer it here.

“We will expand our current product line with new merchandise because we are going to transfer our China plant to Philippines,” said Takashi Morimoto, president and general manager of Nicera Philippines, during the formal contract signing with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Tuesday.

He added that the relocation to Subic was prompted by the one-child policy of the Chinese government, which had resulted in “insufficient workforce” for the firm’s China factory.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza welcomed the $1-million expansion project and lauded Nicera for “taking successful steps in meeting the challenges posed by recession head-on.”

Arreza also said that the transfer of Nicera’s China operations to the local facility would hasten the resurgence of export production in Subic Bay.

Takashi said that upon completion of its expansion project, Nicera will be hiring 110 additional workers for its Subic facility where it would manufacture new electronics products such as pyrosensor modules and pyroelectric infrared sensors used in home-security lighting systems.

These products are used in the assembly of the so-called Ecopa ball and stick, that combined with another system with voice recorder, allows the detection of motion in the dark. The system emits white light diodes upon detection and activates the playback of a recorded message.

Takashi said this new product line would be manufactured in a new building to be built in a 15,000-square meter lot at the Subic Techno Park (STEP) sometime next year.

He added that the firm aims to produce 50,000 pieces of pyrosensor modules and one million pieces of pyroelectric infrared sensors a month.

As of now, Nicera employs 136 direct workers and 553 employees from sub-contractors. By 2010, Nicera is aiming to raise its employment to 2,000 as the company embarks on manufacturing another product line of gas sensors.

Starting out with 22 employees, Nicera began its Philippine operations in the Subic Bay Freeport in 2001, infusing $25 million to manufacture ceramic sensors called ultrasonic transducers that were installed in bumpers as a safety gadget for Japan-made vehicles.

Utrasonic transducers are designed to detect obstructions from different ranges, producing varied warning sounds depending on the distance of the obstruction.

In September 2007, Nicera undertook a $4-million expansion project to meet the growing demand for high-tech products in the global market. It hired additional 400 workers for this expansion.

Aside from electronic sensors, the Nicera group of companies also produce ceramic filters, traps, discriminators and resonators, top quality ferrite core for power switches and transformers, micro-chip components for CR-ROM, floppy drives and precision motors, and fly-back transformers.

During the contract signing, STEP executive vice president Shintaro Tsuji also expressed confidence that more Japanese investors would be coming to Subic because of its nice environment, a supportive SBMA administration, good seaport facilities, and its proximity to the airport in the Clark Freeport.

“Subic Technopark is recovering [from the recession],” Tsuji said. “In the middle of the worldwide recession, Nicera is still investing more. That is very good proof of Subic’s potential,” he added.

A total of 45 companies, out of the 1,028 firms operating in the Subic Bay Freeport, are Japanese-owned, with most of them located in the Subic Technopark. Fifteen of these firms are Japanese-Filipino joint ventures. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Subic Techno Park representative Ichiro Tsuji (left), Nicera Phils. president and general manager Takashi Morimoto, and SBMA administrator and CEO Armand Arreza sign an investment contract for Nicera’s $1-million expansion project.

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P2-B expansion fund for Subic and Clark proposed

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has proposed the creation of a P2-billion fund to enable the development of new economic zones in areas near the Subic Bay Freeport and the Clark Freeport.

The proposal was made by SBMA administrator Armand Arreza during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, and representatives of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

Gordon, who has filed Senate Bill 0143, or the “3-3-1 Luzon Global Corridor Act of 2009”, has earlier proposed to develop other special economic zones in Luzon to optimize the three airports in Manila, Subic, and Clark, the three
seaports in Manila, Subic and Mariveles, and the highway and railway connecting these major ports.

The bill also seeks to strengthen the power of the SBMA and CDC, giving them the mandate to develop nearby areas into new economic zones.

To speed up the process, Arreza then proposed the creation of a fund to develop new zones.

“If we wanted for Subic and Clark to reach the level of Singapore, we will need investments the equivalent of either seven Texas Instruments or four Hanjins a year. But to start all these, we need to build roads first,” Arreza said.

Arreza recalled that when SBMA and CDC were formed, the primary intention was to create jobs for those affected by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 and the pull-out of the U.S. military from Subic and Clark in 1992.

However, he pointed out that the business model that supports the growth of Subic and Clark “to a certain level, is very limited, as they rely primarily on leases or income from land, which is a finite resource.”

Arreza noted that to carry out their new mandate of developing nearby communities, Subic and Clark would require a tremendous amount of annual investments in the next 10 years to fund various public infrastructures, such as roads, water and sewerage systems, as well as technical schools that would help reduce skills mismatch.

He also stressed that an eco-metric study made by the SBMA showed that Vietnam and China invested anywhere between 7-8 percent of their annual gross domestic product in infrastructure to boost their edge as investment sites.

In contrast, the Philippines spends only 3 percent of its GDP for the same purpose, Arreza added.

Responding to Arreza’s proposal, Gordon said he would file a bill that would set aside part of the taxes collected by SBMA and CDC in the next 20 years to develop more eco-zones in their areas.

Gordon added that Subic and Clark should be allowed to set aside parts of their income solely for infrastructure development within the area to make the Subic-Clark growth corridor constantly competitive.

Noting that Subic is remitting about P6 billion from its income each year to government coffers, Gordon said the contribution should be waived.

“Huwag na munang magbayad ang Subic (Subic should be allowed to waive payment),” said Gordon, who also served as the first SBMA chairman. “Can you imagine if we put the money generated from taxes and spread this in those areas to make industrial parks? We’ll have accelerated development,” he added.

Under his 3-3-1 Bill, Gordon has also identified other areas for development, aside from the Manila-Subic-Clark triangle. These include parts of Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac
and Pangasinan.

Gordon said these areas are ideal FOR THE development of industrial parks for factories, as well as heavy- and light to medium industries. He also wants “open skies” or a liberalized air transport system in these areas in order to attract more commercial planes and maximize the potentials of the existing air facilities.

“This will ensure development, because the more you improve the ports, the more investments will come in, and that is basically the use of this law,” the senator also said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic draws praises for Ad Congress success

Organizers of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) have praised the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the City of Olongapo for their “crucial support” in the successful staging of the event at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) recently.

Charmaine Canillas, chairperson of the Philippine Advertising Board, which manages the biennial Ad Congress, said that with the assistance from SBMA and Olongapo the event was successfully held even with only a three-week preparation period.

“It was easy to simply duplicate what was done two years ago,” Canillas said, recalling the fact that Subic hosted the 20th PAC in 2007 but again became the host this year after roads leading to Baguio City were damaged in the recent typhoons.

“The SBMA really came out to help, and showed a very high level of professionalism. We expected it, and we knew they would deliver,” she added.

Canillas also said the 21st PAC exceeded the number of delegates expected this year, drawing in more than 3,000 participants, aside from thousands who separately came to Subic to witness the event’s culminating feature — the advertising industry’s Araw Awards.

Canillas said the organizers were looking at less than 3,000 delegates this year, considering that the ad industry is still recovering from the global economic crunch.

The “Ondoy-Pepeng” tragedy, she added, even compounded the scenario, forcing the 21st PAC committee to transfer the venue to Subic Bay with less than a month before the actual staging.

Surprisingly, the outcome exceeded the committee’s expectations, a visibly elated Canillas added.

The Ad Board official also noted the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) significantly helped in keeping a high attendance level in the congress, even as this year’s figure fell short of the record 3,423 delegates that attended the Subic congress in 2007.

“Delegates from Manila can go to Subic for the sessions they want to attend, and come back to their Manila offices right on the same day,” was how she described the ease brought about by the road network leading to this free port.

Aside from this, the 21st PAC committee also found a way to maximize the outdoor space at the SBECC, giving rise to a bigger exhibit area this year.

According to Alvin Trono, one of the 21st PAC committee heads for venue, when it comes to managing convention facilities for their biennial meet, Subic comes close to being an ideal site.

Trono, who helped organize the PAC installments previously held in Cebu, Baguio, and Subic Bay, said they always had an easier time preparing the venue in Subic, compared to other locations.

“In terms of managing the facility, the best so far has always been Subic,” Trono said, pointing out that the Subic convention facility is capable of putting about 3,500 delegates under one roof.

Other factors that give Subic its competitive edge are the abundant spaces available for exhibits, the green environment surrounding the venue, and the support of SBMA personnel, he added.

Trono also suggested that Subic’s drive to become a top convention venue could be boosted if the free port had more five-star hotels that could accommodate high-end customers who attend events like the Ad Congress. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: The Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, which served as the venue of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress, is now among the best convention sites in the country today.

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SBMA caps 17th year with $5.92-B investments

Bucking the downtrend caused by global recession, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) drew closer to the $6-billion mark for committed investments this month as it observed the 17th year of Subic turnover from the U.S. Navy on Tuesday.

SBMA officials said that as of November 15, the agency has notched a cumulative total of $5.925 billion in investment commitments since it was created in 1992 to manage and operate the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

In today’s exchange rate, that amount is equivalent to P276.79 billion, or an average of P16.28 billion each year in investment pledges recorded in the past 17 years.

“Our track record speaks for itself,” said SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga, as the agency held a simple commemorative program for Subic’s 17th year anniversary.

“While the past year or so has been a difficult time, Subic has never wavered in its pursuit of more investments and continued its dogged pursuit of new investment niches,” Salonga asserted.

Salonga also attributed Subic’s continuing resiliency “to the faith of investors in the growing competitiveness of the Subic Bay Freeport.”

According to SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, the Subic Bay Freeport “continued to defy the odds with positive performance in investment generation, job creation and revenue production even as the global economy wobbled starting last year.”

This has led the SBMA to embark on a new mission to expand into nearby areas and develop new economic zones there, he added.

Arreza pointed out that despite growing economic uncertainties in the first quarter of 2009, the SBMA managed to squeeze in a total of $31.72 million in new investments even as major economies suffered major income reversals.

Thereafter, Subic followed it up with $60.46 million in the second quarter, $41.12 million in the third quarter, and $26.45 million from October to the first half of November.

“We have stayed in the black all along despite the recession,” Arreza said, pointing out that as of November 15 Subic has a total of 1,301 investment projects approved by the SBMA board.

“The continuing entry of investors also revved up employment generation, so that as of September Subic had a total active workforce of 86,229. This represents an increase of 3.36 percent over the September 2008 figure of 83,428, and that’s despite the recession that affected quite a number of companies here,” he added.

Arreza said most of the Subic firms affected by the downturn had since recovered, while other companies, fueled by the resurgence of the electronics sector, “have been, in fact, undertaking expansion projects.”

According to SBMA data, most of the investments recorded in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone have been generated under the Salonga-Arreza administration that began in September 2005.

The total investment commitments generated in this period amounted to $3.55 billion, or more than 52 percent of the cumulative amount.

Subic’s biggest year-on-year investment was made in 2007 when a total of $1.71 billion was approved by the SBMA. In 2006, Hanjin pledged its initial $1-billion commitment for its shipyard project, cranking Subic’s investment generation that year to a total of $1.44 billion.

Arreza said that in the next few years, the SBMA will be focusing on projects that would expand the physical boundaries of the Subic Bay Freeport and allow the SBMA to generate more investments.

“This will be the new mission for the SBMA,” Arreza said. “We have already exceeded by more than four times the number of jobs lost in Subic when the U.S. Navy left in 1992. Now we’re looking at bringing development outside of the free port, to the communities that have helped nurture the Subic dream since 1992.”

Arreza had lately proposed the creation of a P2-billion fund to allow both Subic and the neighboring Clark Freeport to expand and develop new economic zones in nearby areas. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA, PCG call for greater cooperation in maritime safety

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) jointly called for greater cooperation and public support in the promotion of safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment.

SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga and Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, commandant of the PCG, both pressed for improved coordination in addressing problems in maritime safety during the Subic Bay Fire, Search & Rescue and Marine Pollution Joint Exercise (Marpolex) 2009 conducted here last week.

The maritime exercises were also joined by the 102nd Squadron of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA), which is based in Subic Bay, and some business locators in this free port.

The Subic Bay Marpolex was aimed at evaluating the integrated response capabilities of the participating agencies during maritime disasters that may occur near or within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

It also sought to enhance cooperation and capability in firefighting, rescue and oil spill containment and recovery operations; to train participants in planning, command and control, and conduct of integrated operation; and to establish a firm and effective working relationship among the participants.

Salonga, who holds the rank of a commodore in the PCGA and is deputy national director for aid to navigation, also urged members of the Subic Bay PCGA to expand its membership and conduct rigorous training.

He said that since Subic Bay has about 88,000 workers from both the locators and the SBMA, the 100-odd members of the Subic squadron “is but the proverbial tip of the iceberg that we can tap as members”

“I believe we should be big enough to be mobilized at short notice, whenever and wherever the need for our services arises,” Salonga said. “We should be big enough to be counted and recognized as a force in assisting the Coast Guard.”

Salonga reminded everyone that the Subic squadron needs to have the right training in order to equip members with the required knowledge and skills.

“Only with the right training can we prepare them to respond effectively and well to the call of service,” Salonga also said.

In the same occasion, Admiral Tamayo called for improved coordination and unity in promoting safety of life at sea, and cited the SBMA for its support to the PCG.

“We have managed to open our borders and work side by side to address maritime challenges, specifically during maritime disasters and oil spills that may occur near or within the Subic Bay Freeport,” Tamayo said.

“As our nation’s leading maritime safety agencies, our goal is to strive towards minimizing maritime incidents and dangers. Should these happen though, we can be sure that we have each other to depend upon in order to institute an effective and efficient fire/search and rescue/marine pollution operation,” Tamayo added.

Aside from Coast Guard vessels, the exercise involved the deployment of seven SBMA boats that have recently been placed under the management of Subic’s 102nd PCGA Squadron commanded by PCGA Capt. Armand Arreza, who is also the administrator of the SBMA.

Subic locators Malayan Towage and Salvage Co. and Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corp. meanwhile deployed two tugboats and an oil spill on-shore protection team, respectively.

The SBMA also provided medical, fire, communication and oil spill on-shore protection teams for the exercise. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: SBMA fireboats suppress a fire onboard a tugboat during a maritime safety and pollution control exercise conducted with the Philippine Coast Guard at the Subic Bay Freeport.

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Solon pushes making Subic, Clark, Manila as new hubs for Asia-Pacific

A Party-list representative has pushed for the approval of a bill seeking to fully utilize Subic, Clark and Manila as international service and logistics centers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Party-list Rep. Ma. Carissa Coscolluela of Buhay said House Bill 6784 will strengthen and expand the powers of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Clark Development Corp. (CDC) to allow them to develop more economic zones in Luzon and ensure local growth and nationwide economic success.

Another measure pending approval in the lower chamber is House Bill 6779 that also proposes that the powers of the SBMA and CDC be strengthened and expanded so they can develop other special economic zones in Luzon to optimize the three airports in Subic, Clark and Manila and two seaports in Subic and Manila and one connecting highway and railway in Luzon. In her proposal, Coscolluela said the development of special economic zones in municipalities nearby, bordering the highway and railway, and connected to the airports and seaports in Subic, Clark and Manila, must be encouraged to bring jobs to the people and promote a higher standard of living and an improved quality of life for all.

She said the development of special economic zones will promote a decentralized local government and private sector-led development that will display the potential that can be achieved when local people set their own priorities and initiatives. Legislators emphasized the need for the state to become aggressive in taking advantage of the strategic infrastructure in Subic, Clark and Manila as international transportation hubs. They said that overcrowded areas will be decongested as industries will be dispersed to other locations in Luzon because of the global accessibility and direct access of Subic, Clark and Manila to domestic and foreign markets worldwide by air.

Both bills provide that the Subic Special Economic and Free-port Zone consists of Olongapo City, Subic, the province of Zambales, the lands occupied by the Subic Naval Base and its contiguous extensions as embraced, covered and defined by the 1947 Military Bases Agreement between the Philippines and the United States, as amended; and within the territorial jurisdiction of Morong and Hermosa in Bataan.

As embodied in the measures, the SBMA shall develop, administer and manage the Subic Special Economic and Free-port Zone, ensuring the free flow of goods and capital based on prescribed rules and regulations, generate employment opportunities in and around the zone, and attract and promote productive local and foreign investments based on the proposals.

As for the role of the CDC, the bills provide that it shall manage, operate and administer the Clark Special Economic Zone which consists of the Clark military reservations and its contiguous extensions as embraced, covered and defined by the 1974 MBA located within the territorial jurisdiction of Angeles City, Mabalacat and Porac and the province of Pampanga, and the municipality of Capas, Tarlac.

The SBMA and CDC shall also have the power to develop other Special Economic Zones in Luzon within the same legal framework and mechanisms as Republic Act 7916 or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 and manage and operate these zones and other development programs and project based on the bills. (Fernan Marasigan, Business Mirror)

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21st Ad Congress in Subic benefits Baguio City

Baguio City, the supposed host of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) until the venue was moved to this free port just a month ago, has become a “test bed” for the advertising industry’s newfound focus to harness their tested media tools to benefit some afflicted sectors of the society.

Aside from the pledge by the Philippine Advertising Board to give 100 percent of the ticket sales from the prestigious “Araw Awards” to be held on Saturday night, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) vowed to donate the entire income from the rental of the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), the congress venue, for the entire duration of the four-day gathering.

“In the true spirit of the 21st Advertising Congress, the entire organization of the SBMA and the entire community of Olongapo City join the advertising industry in helping Baguio City and other affected areas in Northern Luzon in the process of rebuilding and recovery,” said SBMA administrator Armand Arreza during the opening ceremony on Wednesday night here.

Arreza said the donation will be used to purchase a brand-new ambulance truck for the City of Pines, where reconstruction and rehabilitation projects are ongoing after it was hit by a series of typhoons last month.

Arreza also said the SBMA, as the government agency that administers the Subic Bay Freeport, is setting an example “for different sectors of the society to help in the organized and long term response to environmental threats particularly the issue of global warming.”

He added that Baguio City “remains strong as ever, extending its support and generosity, exhibiting great resolve and fortitude that made the city one of the most loved and preferred venues for the Advertising Congress.”

Arreza also said the Subic community is thankful for being chosen as Ad Congress host for the third time.

“The honor of having hosted this prestigious event three times has stamped an indelible mark on Subic Bay as one of the best and foremost venue in the country for this important gathering,” said Arreza.

The Subic official also thanked Baguio City mayor Peter Ray Bautista “for allowing us to co-host the event.”

Meanwhile, Bautista said they were honored and grateful for being a part of the Ad Congress celebration despite the venue transfer to Subic.

“We took this chance to come out and accept the hand that has been reached out to the people of Baguio and the people of Benguet,” the Baguio City mayor also said.

Bautista was referring to the “Brand Aid” campaign of the 21st PAC, which seeks to set up a funding mechanism for the advertising industry to aid rehabilitation efforts.

Brand Aid’s first project, “AHON”, was immediately set in motion in the aftermath of “Ondoy”, whereby P2 million was raised for the Philippine National Red Cross.

The 21st PAC chairman Margot Torres said the glitzy Ad Congress, as it was then known, “has gained a new perspective to become an instrument for positive action to help countrymen and to rally support for long-term recovery.” (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO:
Baguio City mayor Peter Ray Bautista accepts a donation pledge for Baguio City from Advertising board chair Charmaine Canillas.

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Subic forest’s ‘dark side’ awaits AdCon delegates

Treetop Adventure, a popular theme park in this free port that features some of Subic Bay’s most spectacular views of the lush tropical rainforest from 100 feet off the ground, has introduced a new adventure in time for the opening of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).

The “Night Tour”, as the new attraction is aptly called, opens in the evening and features “the dark side of the forest” to complement the park’s adrenaline-pumping day-time attractions like the 50-foot vertical drop “Tree Drop Adventure”, the canopy walk, and cable rides.

“All these will be conducted in darkness, and the ultimate thrill is guaranteed,” said Treetop manager Katrina Montejo. “The eerie sounds of the forest and the darkness are expected to induce a higher level of excitement.”

With this offering, Montejo said the expected 3,500 Ad Congress delegates can focus on their plenary sessions at daytime. “But starting 7:00 o’clock in the evening, they can experience a whole range of unique excitement at the Treetop Adventure,” she added.

The nature-based theme park located at the Upper Cubi area of the Subic Bay Freeport, boasts of some of the most exciting rides in this part of the country.

Visitors trying the “Tree Drop Adventure”, for example, can choose to do it in the conventional style, the Spiderman style, or the daring Australian style, which sees the adventurer climb down the tree head first.

Under the “Night Tour” attraction, the thrilling “Superman Ride” where visitors are suspended face down as they soar from tree to tree in dizzying speed, will get a lot scarier as the sense of sight is rendered almost useless in the low-lit course.

Even the relatively “tamer” courses like the canopy walk along suspension bridges, the 220-meter long cable ride, and the jungle trek on the forest floor, “will give visitors a chill if done in the darkness,” Montejo said.

Despite the expected higher level of excitement under the “Night Tour” program, the Treetop Adventure management gives the assurance that the rides remain safe.

Montejo said the management’s primary concern is the safety of their visitors, adding that all the equipment in the park undergo regular maintenance and check-ups “to give visitors not only the ultimate thrill, but also the ultimate protection.”

The “Night Tour” program opened to the public early this month. This latest feature in the nature park is expected to draw even more visitors to Treetop Adventure, which opened to the public only last year. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTOS: Visitors try out some of the adrenaline-inducing thrill rides at the Treetop Adventure park in the Subic Bay Freeport.

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“Better known than Manila in sports events” Subic now becoming sports mecca — TRAP

This tourism and maritime hub is fast becoming a sports mecca as more local and international sports organizers choose Subic for sports events than any other place in the country.

Tom Carrasco, president of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP), said at the sidelines of the Asian Duathlon Championships here on Sunday that Subic could be the sports mecca of the Philippines, and maybe even Southeast Asia.

“For the last 16 years, TRAP has already held almost all of its events in Subic, including three Asian championships,” Carrasco noted.

“In the sports world, Subic is now better known than Manila,” he added.

Carrasco’s group brought to Subic the Asian Duathlon Championships, which attracted some of the best duathletes in the world. They also organized the Subic International Triathlon that was held here last May.

Carrasco also attributed the successful staging here of various sports events to the “reliable cooperation and all-out support” of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Meanwhile, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said that the agency is, in fact, pushing Subic to become a world-class sports tourism facility.

Aside from banking on Subic’s natural assets—the clean water, rugged and challenging terrain, and unpolluted air, the SBMA is also investing in modern facilities to attract more sports events, as well as sports enthusiasts.

“Whether it be for biking, hiking, swimming, diving, and parasailing, you can always count on Subic as the ideal sports venue,” Arreza enthused.

The Subic free port also has a gymnasium, several tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, a racetrack, and an oval, Arreza pointed out.

The SBMA official also cited Subic’s “superb accessibility” either by land, water or air as another strong point that makes it an ideal venue for holding big sports competitions.

As an emerging sports mecca, the Subic Bay Freeport was booked last month for some of the biggest sports events in the country. These included the 2nd Chairman’s Cup Open Championships Taekwondo, the Bike Festival Asia, and the Subic International Marathon that was organized by Smart Telecom.

Meanwhile, several sports events have been lined up during the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) that will be held on Nov. 18-21 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Rowena Reyes, co-coordinator of the 21st PAC Sports Committee, said the PAC sports events will raise funds for calamity victims through the Philippine National Red Cross chapter in Baguio City.

The events will be open to PAC delegates, as well as non-delegates, Reyes said.

The games will include “Takbo Mo! Tulong Mo!,” a 5-kilometer fun run on Nov. 19 at the Remy Field Oval; the billiards tournament “Sargo Mo! Tulong Mo!” on Nov. 20, which will also feature Filipino billard world champions Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante"; the 3-point shootout basketball challenge “I-Shoot Mo! I-Donate Mo!” on Nov. 21; and the badminton fun game “Smash and Cash” at the Subic gym. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: Participants take their position the starting point of the Asian Duathlon Championships on Sunday, the latest sports event to be held at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone which is emerging as a mecca for various competitor sports and sports-tourism events.

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