'No discussion on increased US military assistance in PHL'

MALACAÑANG said on Thursday there was no discussion on the increase of US military assistance in the country during the recent visit of two US senators.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that when they met with President Aquino, US Sens. Daniel Inouye and Thad Cochran did not discuss anything “political” with the Chief Executive.

“[There was] nothing political, they did not discuss Subic, so it’s really surprising that the issue of Subic or establishing a military base cropped up. There was no such discussion,” Lacierda said.

He said the senators also discussed with the President the Save Our Industries (SAVE) Act, which is being backed by Inouye.

“That’s what was it all about. Other than that, no more,” Lacierda said.

Asked about Malacañang’s position on increased military presence, Lacierda told reporters that the Visiting Forces Agreement is being reviewed.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III at the same time vowed to resist incipient attempts to bring back American military bases in the country, amid reports this was part of the “hush-hush” agenda of two ranking US officials who visited the country recently.

“Yes. I will oppose it,” Osmeña told reporters at the sidelines of the Kapihan sa Senado media forum yesterday.

Osmeña observed that the Philippines and the US have enjoyed “excellent relations” despite a 1992 Philippine Senate vote terminating the lease on American military facilities. “So, why do we need to host their bases here [again]?”

He added that the Philippines would not want to get caught in a conflict between the US and China. “We do not want to get involved in the fight between two giants. Uupakan lang tayo dalawang elepante diyan.”

He sought a reasonable justification for the Philippines to allow the return of American military presence. (B. Fernandez, K. Corro, Business Mirror)

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Images of Christ appear in old Acacia tree in Subic

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Images of Christ wearing the Crown of Thorns, one of the instruments at the time of crucifixion, appeared in several branches of an old Acacia tree in a posh residential area, here.

The faithful started to flock offering flowers and prayers in the place which they now claimed as sacred.

About few weeks ago, 64 year-old house keeper Remedios Generalo started to see the

unusual formation of the Christ images in several branches of an old Acacia tree in a landscaped garden owned by businesswoman Geralda Villa of East Kalayaan Heights.

Generalo said that the cutting, pruning and trimming of several branches of the huge Acacia tree were done about two years ago but images were discovered only last March 28.

The images appeared in about four to five trimmed branches of the tree.

But days before that, Generalo recalled that for several occasions, she witnessed the swirling and powerful winds near the Acacia tree, lifting door maps and slippers off the grounds.

“Ang akala ko may darating na bagyo (I thought a typhoon is coming),” she said.

Generalo added that another unusual thing happened after she discoverd the images ofChrist on the branches of the Acacia tree.

“Each morning, I used to feed several crow birds in our garden which has become part of my daily routine but now the birds are all gone,” she said.

The images have caught the attention of Fr. Oddie Mozo, the parish priests of San Roque Chapel, who recently visited, blessed the tree and reportedly officiated a mass in the garden.The priest could not be contacted for comment.

Kalayaan resident Angie Samson said that neighbors are not bothered by the influx of faithfuls visiting the house but warned that the “miracle” should not in any way be used for commercial purposes.

“The place is blessed with the appearance of these sacred images. It should be treated with utmost respect. Hindi yung mag-isyuso lang,” Samson said.

The latest visitor in the area was former Senator Dick Gordon who was amazed to see the image of Christ.

“Miracles do happen these days,” says Freeport worker Elsie Muñoz-Cabral who went to see the Holy Face of Jesus on Holy Thursday in Kalayaan Housing with her children.

Some of the visitors claimed that there should a message that comes along with the images of ‘dying’ Jesus.

Olongapo resident Susan Miranda cited the Last Words of Jesus before He died on the cross.

“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit,” the word of Christ which she believed that God has forgiven our sins and will never leave us.

“Clearly, the image of dying Christ tells us that people have to repent, turn away from sinful life and offer ourselves to the forgiveness of sins,” Miranda said.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has yet to investigate on this. (Rey Garcia, News Central)

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Ship parts assembler eyes Subic for Asian/European hub

Polarmarine, Inc., a household name in ship parts industry, is planning to transfer production facilities in Malmo, Sweden and Russia to this free port under an expansion program designed to capture the growing shipbuilding industry in Asia.

Carolina Agoo, Polarmarine administration and financial manager, said that the expansion will be undertaken for two reasons: first, because of the strategic location of the Subic Bay Freeport, which is closer to the firm’s Asian customers and suppliers; and second, because of the English-speaking skilled workers here.

Currently, Polarmarine has 86 workers, most of whom were former workers in the Subic Naval Base, who have been highly trained by the U.S. Navy, Agoo said.

“With this expansion plan, we aim to lower the cost of our products since we will be saving more from freight costs because we will import from our suppliers in Asia, and export products to customers in Asia,” Agoo added.

Outgoing Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga, who himself was an executive in a maritime company, expressed elation over Polarmarine’s long-term plan during a tour of the firm’s assembly plant in Subic last week.

“The SBMA welcomes this expansion project, and the agency is here to help in any way it can. That’s our role — to assist,” Salonga said.

Polarmarine, a Swedish firm which started operations here in 1996, is among the pioneer locators in the Subic Freeport.

Initially, Polarmarine produced “Polar Jet”, a programmable multi-nozzle tank cleaning equipment designed to clean difficult-to-reach parts of slop tanks, wing tanks and under-stringer platforms in conventional tankers.

Later on, Polarmarine ventured into assembly of sonic horns used in shipyards, for which it acquired recently a 484-sq.m. building to for additional assembly facility.

“This is in preparation for our plan to transfer production in Malmo, Sweden to Subic,” Agoo explained, adding that the company sees a 20 per cent increase in production and employment in the first year, and an additional 50 per cent in the succeeding years.

Agoo added that in 2010, the Polarmarine unit in Subic generated about $7 million in revenue. From this level, the company plans to increase production to $8.5 million and augment its workforce to a total of 103 in the first year.

Thereafter, the firm plans to hike production to $12.75 million and its workforce to 155.

Agoo added that company executives also plan to transfer to Subic the production of loadmaster, a loading computer that calculates and balances the load of ship, as well as shipmaster, which takes care of cargo and ballast automation in any type of ship. However, she said the company is set to strengthen its technical team, which includes naval architects, marine engineers, and data encoders, before it could undertake the assembly of loadmasters and shipmasters.

Agoo said that shipbuilding-related industries are now being concentrated in the Asian region, and more shipbuilding component assembly operations are now being transferred to Asia.

Because of this, Polarmarine started this month to closely coordinate with Subic-based Korean shipbuilding firm Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp.-Phils. for an arrangement to directly supply sonic horns.

Polarmarine is a member of the Kockumation Group based in Malmo, Sweden. Aside from Polarmarine, the Kockumation Group also has Kockum Sonics and Texon Automation under its umbrella. The Kockumation Group also has production facilities in Sweden, Russia, Shanghai and Dalian in China, and Great Britain.

Last year, Polarmarine was number 24 among the 198 exporters in the Subic Bay Freeport, with freight-on-board value of $6.13 million; and number 47 among the 314 importers here, with its freight-on-board value of $4.11 million. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
Polarmarine administration and financial manager Carolina Agoo shows samples of the firm’s products to outgoing SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga (right) and SBMA Maritime Business Department head Ronnie Yambao.

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Festival bats for recognition of local fishers

MORONG, Bataan — Local fishermen called on the government to recognize the importance of the fishing industry in the Philippine economy and to place importance on the protection of marine resources during the recent “Araw ng Mangingisda” celebration held at Barangay Sabang in this town.

The event featured activities like fun run, coastal clean-up, fluvial parade, galunggong cooking contest, and parlor games that were lined up for residents and visitors alike in the two-day program held on April 14-15.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), which manages part of Morong town under the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, gave its full support to the Sabang festival. SBMA public relations manager Armie Llamas served as a judge in the cooking contest, while the SBMA brass band rendered musical entertainment during the fluvial parade.

Sabang, which is located along the coast of this town, relies on fishing as its major source of income. The major product of resident-fishers is the “galunggong” or mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus), which is a common food fish in local markets.

Restituto del Rosario, chairman of the Morong Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council (FARMC) and 2008 Gawad Saka awardee for fish capture, said the local galunggong season usually starts in February and continues throughout March and April.

But he lamented that the fishing industry is not being recognized as an important part of the economy and is not regarded as a major industry.

“Kailangang makilala ang pangingisda bilang isang malaking industriya,” Del Rosario said.

Apart from batting for recognition of fisher folk, Del Rosario also wants the people to be aware of their responsibilities in taking care of the environment, particularly the sea.

Del Rosario said that changes in the climate is affecting the fishing season. He said that the “amihan” or the northeast wind, which is supposed to end by mid-February, has just ended in April, thus delaying the fishing season by more than a month. This delay reduced their fish catch by almost half, he said.

Normally, the average galunggong haul that local fishers make reaches one to two tons per day during the galunggong season.

At the same time, Del Rosario recognized the SBMA as one of the agencies, which provide assistance to the Sabang fishing village. He said that SBMA gave a P4-million grant recently to rehabilitate the coastal area and to provide aid for fishermen.

“SBMA has always been supportive of our programs here,” Del Rosario said.

He added that they have recently asked the SBMA Ecology Center for technical assistance in conducting studies for the marine protected area project that they are now undertaking.

Meanwhile, Morong vice mayor Bienvenido Vicedo Jr. said the festival is also a good avenue for promoting the products of Morong, particularly galunggong.

Vicedo also said that the local government of Morong had tied up with the Department of Labor and Employment to provide assistance to fishermen, setting up the “Sapaw” group and giving them P1-million worth of boats and equipment to help them in their trade. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
Fishermen get ready for the fluvial parade during the “Araw ng Mangingisda” celebration in Sabang, Morong, Bataan.

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Aytas celebrate ‘Apu Buk-Kot’ festival in Freeport forest (feature)

Far from the busy highways and factories of this free port, inside the thick forest where flora and fauna still exist almost undisturbed, is an open space considered sacred to all Ayta people of Central Luzon.

Every Holy Week, different Ayta tribes from Central Luzon gather at this sacred land which the Aytas believe to be where their most holy ancestor Apu Buk-Kot turned himself into spirit and joined his creator in Heaven.

The place is inside the Boton Forest Area at the back side of the Subic Technology Park, more than two kilometers from ArgonautHighway in the Subic Bay Freeport.

This Holy Week, about 20 Ayta families left their homes in the foothills of Bataan and Olongapo City to visit this place in Boton forest to pay respect to their ancestors, especially Apu Buk-Kot, the holy one.

Bonifacio Florentino, former tribal chieftain of the Pastolan Ayta tribe in this free port and member of the festival organizing committee, said that Aytas celebrate Apu Buk-Kot’s spiritual journey to connect them with the past.

“Ginaganap namin ito tuwing Mahal na Araw bilang pag-alaala kay Apu Buk-Kot, na hindi namatay kundi naglahong parang bula sa lugar na ito. Kaya sa ganitong panahon din siya nagpaparamdam sa amin,” Florentino said.

He added that through this festival, young Aytas and the lowlanders who married Aytas were taught about the origin, culture, practices and traditions of the Ayta.

In the opening ceremony, Florentino urged young tribal members to continue this kind of gathering, stressing that Apu Buk-Kot wanted to see members of the Ayta tribes happily bonding together and sharing food, as well as preserving their rich culture and history.

Joy Reyes, cluster head of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in Central Luzon, said that as part of the three-day festival, Ayta elders also teach new members of the tribe and children aged four and above, how to live in the forest with only a bolo for making shelter and gathering food.

She said the children must know how to catch shrimps and crabs in the creek using their bare hands, and identify edible root crops and fruits, as well as sources of water.

They are also taught how to pray in the native dialect, and dance the way their fathers and mothers did.

Reyes added that on May 2 and 3, the festival will move on to Limay, Bataan where the Aytas will be trained in planting, nurturing and harvesting various crops. A tribal wedding ceremony will also be held for those who wish to get married during the festival.

“We hope that the coming generations will continue practicing our rich culture and tradition, and pass them on to their children so that the Ayta heritage will continue to exist through the years,” Reyes also said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
Ayta elder Bonifacio Florentino shares with youngsters the beliefs and practices of the Ayta tribe at the Subic Bay Freeport

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PHL masters ready for chess championship

TWENTY-FOUR young chess masters will represent the country in the prestigious 2011 Asian Youth Chess Championships scheduled from May 14 to 22 in Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City.

According to National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) grassroots development program Director Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales, the players were selected based on their impressive finishes in the recently concluded 2011 Pangasinan National Age Group Chess Championship.

FIDE Master (FM) Emmanuel Garcia and Paul Robert Evangelista will spearhead the team’s campaign in the boys’ division as they participate in the 16-under event along with National Master Alcon John Datu and FM Haridas Pascua who will vie in the 18-under class.

Also seeing action in the boys’ category are Khulene Lord dela Cruz and Dennis Gutierrez III (8-under); Julius Gonzales and Istraelito Rilloraza (10-under); Daryl Unix Samantila and Haince Patrick de Leon (12-under); and Giovanni Mejia and Jerad Docena (14-under).

Leading the girls squad are veteran campaigner Woman FM (WFM) Chardine Cheradee Camacho and Christine Joyce Laz (18-under) along with Jerlyn Mae San Diego and Rheam Arah de Guzman (8-under); Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem and Regyne Palamig (10- under); Marie Antoinette San Diego and Samantha Glo Revita (12-under); Mary Joyce Fuerte and Merlene Membrere (14-under); and WFM Cherry Ann Mejia and Janelle Mae Frayna (16-under).

“The top two players in each division will have the chance to compete in the Asian Youth. These athletes are no pushovers. They will be fighting for medals,” said Gonzales. (Emil C. Noguera, Manila Times)

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Subic kids paint for Japan disaster victims

Grade school students in this free port had pooled their paintings together in an arts exhibit here in an effort to raise funds for victims of earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza said that students of the Casa Kalayaan International School (CKIS) in Subic had taken the initiative to raise funds in their own way.

“They put up their own first exhibit, not to profit from the sale of their artworks, but to help in their own little way the victims of disasters in Japan,” Arreza said.

“Their parents should be proud of them, like how I am proud of these kids,” he added. Arreza’s children, fifth grader Lorenzo Gabriel and fourth grader Danielle Bianca, both students of CKIS, participated in the exhibit.

CKIS principal Joanne Prieto said that the arts exhibit was conceptualized a couple of months ago after seeing several beautiful art works the students had made at the Subic Lighthouse Marina, and she thought the paintings should be put on exhibit for a wider audience.

Prieto then made arrangements with Lighthouse manager Argee Gomez, a noted supporter of environmental advocacy, who excitedly agreed on the proposal and named the project “Towers,” an art exhibit at the Lighthouse to save life in Japan.

“The destructive earthquake and devastating tsunami had inspired several students to make posters on Japan, representing hope for their recovery,” CKIS Student Council president Michelle Prieto said.

“The Casa Kalayaan International School Student Council was so moved by these efforts and wanted to organize a fundraiser for this country (Japan) in its time of need,” Michelle said.

The young artist said that there are about 20 paintings exhibited, each selling between P2,500 and P8,000. “Fifty percent of the sales will go towards helping Japan,” Michelle added.

Aside from the fundraising efforts of CKIS students, the Subic Freeport community also responded to a relief drive initiated by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake disaster.

The SBMA also sent its fire and rescue team to Japan to help in recovery operations, and expressed its sympathy and support to the Japanese community in this free port through a resolution passed by the SBMA board of directors.

SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga said the SBMA resolution expressed solidarity with the Japanese community “in this time of trial and adversity” and offered its deepest sympathy and condolences to all Japanese locators and residents in Subic, especially those who may have lost loved ones and friends in the recent disasters.

The Subic Bay Freeport Zone is home to more than 40 Japanese locator-companies, some of whom were pioneering enterprises that helped develop this free port in its early years. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: SBMA administrator Armand Arreza (right) and wife Maria Paz, together with Casa Kalayaan International School (CKIS) principal Joanne Prieto (second from left) and Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce official Susan Dudley, opens an exhibit of paintings by CKIS students. The students are selling their paintings to help raise funds for victims of earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

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Aquino affirms partymate Payumo’s BCDA posting

Malacañang yesterday confirmed reports that President Aquino appointed another fellow Liberal Party (LP) member and former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Felicito Payumo as the new chairman of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte made the confirmation through a text message following Payumo’s admission to Subic-based correspondents that he was indeed appointed by the President to lead BCDA.

“I confirm the appointment of (Felicito) Payumo to BCDA,” Valte said.

The Office of the Executive Secretary claimed Payumo’s appointment papers were signed by Aquino last April 7.

BCDA was established under Republic Act (RA) 7227 whose primary function is to convert former military bases of the United States and military camps in Metro Manila into special economic zones that are expected to generate job and business opportunities for the locals.

Payumo will replace Aloysius Santos who held the BCDA’s reins for about five years. He called the shots for the SBMA from 1998 to 2004 during the Estrada administration. He also had quite a long career as a member of the House of Representatives serving the first district of Bataan from 1985 to 1998.

Wikipedia’s account says Payumo worked in the private sector for more than 20 years, including stints at Procter and Gamble Philippines, Mobil Corp. in New York and Engineering Equipment Inc. where he served as president before venturing into politics.

Payumo’s page at the same database also said he was the principal author for the act creating BCDA along with the Build Operate and Transfer Law and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority during his career as a legislator. (Aytch S. de la Cruz, The Daily Tribune)

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Belmonte cites lawyers’ role in nation-building

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte cited the role of lawyers in nation-building, as he graced the closing ceremonies of the 13th national convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in this free port over the weekend.

Lawyers, he said, “are the most responsible in making our democracy work through their guidance and leadership.”

Belmonte also reminded lawyers that they are the social architects and engineers who design and build the society, and that they have extensive influence in the formation of a nation.

He likewise recognized the challenges faced by lawyers in solving novel and complex legal problems. “This is why the study of law requires mental discipline, logical thinking and organization of ideas,” Belmonte said.

Some 2,000 lawyers from different chapters of the IBP attended the three-day convention at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center on April 7-9, the biggest convention turnout so far in the organization’s history.

Notable lawyers such as Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Francis Escudero, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta graced the affair.

At the same time, Belmonte cited the gains made by the House of Representatives under his helm, pointing out that it has achieved the highest approval rating in post-Martial Law years due to the integrity and competency of current House members.

“Leadership by example is one of the deterrents against corruption,” Belmonte stressed in his speech.

Belmonte also mentioned that the budget for this year was approved by both houses of the Senate and by President Aquino before the year 2010 ended.

He added that another accomplishment eyed by the House is the passage of House Bill No. 4067, or the GOCC (government-owned or controlled corporation) governance bill that both Houses have already approved.

He said that they are just waiting for the bill to be signed into law. If the GOCC governance bill is signed, it would be the first law to be passed this year, he added.

House Bill No. 4067, which is principally authored by Belmonte, recognizes the potentials of GOCC’s as significant tools for economic development, and ensures that their operations are consistent with national development policies and programs. The bill covers all GOCC’s, including all government instrumentalities with corporate powers and government corporate entities. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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New luxury hotel opens in Subic free port

Global Hotel and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GHLPI) has opened its P70-million Segara Suites development late last week to complement its passenger terminal business and another existing hotel, officials said late last week.

Segara Suites managing director Dave Baldeo said the 18-room luxury hotel has been added to the 10 units of the Segara Villas.

The completed investment adds to the existing 1,662 rooms and 1,876 housing units in the free port and thus increases the area’s tourism potential, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand C. Arreza said.

The project of GHLPI, also the operator of a passenger terminal, will also bolster the free port’s plan to develop a cruise market here as more cruise liners set their sights in Asia, Mr. Arreza said.

Already, the SBMA has recorded a total of $1.02 billion in committed investments for tourism-related projects here, Mr. Arreza said.

Total investment commitments across all sectors meanwhile totaled $1.2 billion for 115 projects, a value nearly six times the $206.5 million recorded for 201 projects in 2009.

Of the 115 investment projects approved by the SBMA in 2010, the bulk was made up by the proposal of South Korean firm MCastle Philippines to spend about $1 billion to develop a resort in Morong, Bataan.

“The Segara resort complex now has the capabilities and facilities to serve visiting cruise ships,” Mr. Arreza said.

“Our plan to increase the number of high-quality rooms is imperative because of the increasing number of tourists coming to Subic,” he added.

The Segara Suites is said to cater to the high-end market which includes business executives as well as celebrities.

“Many are willing to spend for as long as they get their money’s worth,” Mr. Baldeo said.

He added that the new hotel is part of the expansion program of GHLPI that includes the on-going construction of Segara Residences -- a condominium project located near Subic’s Alava Pier -- and the Segara Promenade Commercial Building.

“This is the continuation of the development and expansion phases of Segara,” Mr. Baldeo said.

The company is also seeking to serve visiting cruise ships with the construction of a passenger terminal of its mother-company, the Global Terminals and Development, Inc., according to earlier reports.

The latest development comes as the SBMA had earlier sought to increase the number of shipping firms that use the economic zone’s ports.

Efforts had reportedly been under way to consolidate shipping needs of nearby manufacturers to lure carriers into serving the port, SBMA senior deputy administrator Redentor S. Tuazon had said.

The unnamed shipping firm being targeted, if it signs on, would increase the thrice weekly port calls seen by the Subic ports to daily calls.

Locators at the free port exported $1.345 billion worth of goods in 2010, an increase of 24.6% from the previous year, data from the SBMA Web site showed. But seaport revenues fell 12.33% that year to P414.538 million.

The Subic port covers 41 hectares and consists of 15 piers. (BusinessWorld)

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Subic Freeport hosts biggest IBP convention

Some 2,000 lawyers from different chapters of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) across the country attended the organization’s three-day 13th national convention here, the biggest turnout so far in the history of the IBP.

The convention opened on Thursday at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), with guests of honor that included Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Francis Escudero, former Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila president Adel Tamano, and Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, Zambales governor Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr., Zambales 1st District representative Mitos Magsaysay, and Olongapo City mayor James Gordon, Jr. welcomed the convention-goers, with Ebdane and Gordon turning over symbolic keys to Zambales and Olongapo City to IBP officials.

In his welcome remarks, Arreza noted that in all of the conferences and conventions that Subic has hosted, this convention had the most distinguished attendees. He also invited everyone to take the opportunity to enjoy the sights that Olongapo, Zambales and the Freeport has to offer.

Meanwhile, Binay, who is concurrent presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Affairs and chairman of the inter-agency campaign against human trafficking, urged lawyers to be in the frontline of the war against illegal recruiters, stressing that if the evidence points to their guilt, the illegal recruiters should rot in jail.

“We can nip in the bud illegal recruitment and human trafficking by making laws that make them answer before the law,” Binay stressed.

He emphasized that illegal recruiters should not be let off the hook, and that the full force of law should be imposed on international drug traffickers.

Apart from calling on lawyers to fight illegal recruitment, Binay, who was recently sent to China to plead the case of three Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking, also urged lawyers to contribute their own share in the realization of the objectives of good governance.

For his part, Escudero reminded lawyers of the importance of their title. He said that lawyers are seen in society as respected individuals and that their every move is being watched.

He therefore urged lawyers to maintain the level of respect that they are being accorded with.

“Sana, sa inyong mga lugar at komunidad, gampanan natin ang papel na dapat gampanan natin, papel na dapat gampanan hindi lamang bilang Pilipino, hindi lamang bilang abogado, kundi ng isang Pilipinong abogado na nagmamahal sa kanyang bayan, sa pamamagitan ng kanyang salita at gawa (I hope that, in your communities, you do your role not just as a Filipino, not just as a lawyer, but as a Filipino lawyer who loves his country in words and action),” Escudero said.

He also challenged lawyers to help eradicate recurring social problems, such as corruption and human rights violation. Escudero is chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court administrator Jose Midas Marquez officiated the oath-taking of new chapter directors and officers during an induction ceremony held later that evening. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
PHOTO: Vice President Jejomar Binay (2nd from left) hands over to SBMA administrator Armand Arreza a statuette of the Lady of Justice in recognition of the agency’s support in the holding of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines 13th Convention held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Also in photo are Roan Libarios(left), executive vice president and governor of the IBP, and retired Justice Santiago Kapunan, IBP officer in charge.

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Subic rescue chief: Disaster awareness a must for Filipinos

With earthquake experts warning of the possibility of a “big one,” there is more reason for Filipinos to be more prepared and properly trained to face calamities, according to Rannie Magno, chief of the fire and rescue group of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Magno, a member of a Philippine team sent to the tsunami-struck city of Sendai in Japan to conduct Oplan Bayanihan last March 18, noted that while Filipinos may have some training in disaster preparedness, they still need to develop a culture of disaster awareness.

“Filipinos must be ready, since the threat of a strong earthquake is highly possible,” Magno said.

In particular, members of disaster response teams should be properly briefed on what to do before and after earthquakes, he said. They must also have the proper tools and equipment in handling rescue operations, he added.

The Philippines, which is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, is susceptible to strong earthquakes, Magno noted.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Marikina West Valley fault line, one of the active faults in the country, can cause a 7.2-magnitude earthquake at its full movement. The fault line runs through Metro Manila, particularly through the cities of Marikina, Pasig and Muntinlupa.

PHIVOLCS also noted that the Manila Trench, located 50 kilometers off the island of Corregidor, could generate an 8.5-magnitude earthquake, which can produce a tsunami in the Manila Bay.

While in Japan, Magno said he also observed the way the Japanese people dealt with the disaster and noted that while Japan was very well-prepared, the system of notifying residents still needed to be enhanced.

He said that Filipinos who were evacuated from Sendai recounted that not everyone responded promptly after the tsunami warning was issued.

Japan suffered a magnitude-8.9 earthquake on March 11, which caused tsunami waves of up to 37 meters high. The tsunami caused extensive damage in Miyagi Prefecture, particularly in the cities of Sendai and Fukushima, where the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant exploded and leaked some radiation in the aftermath of the tsunami.

Magno stressed that if a tsunami warning has been issued, people should seek higher ground within fifteen minutes.

When asked if he felt any fear during the recovery mission in Japan, Magno said that there was no reason to be scared since his team was well prepared. He also added that he had prior chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training in the United States.

Magno is also a member of the core group of trainers/lecturers who conduct training for local and corporate executives on Incident Command System, which deals with all types of emergencies at all levels. This system, which was patterned after that in the United States, is to be adopted in ASEAN-member countries.

As of now, Magno is promoting disaster awareness activities in Subic and conducting earthquake awareness seminars and earthquake drills.

Magno, who recently received the Civil Service Commission’s Pag-asa award for his work as SBMA fire and rescue chief, said that he is always guided in his undertakings by the core values of the agency.

“Dala natin ang core values ng SBMA. Iba ang values natin,” Magno said. “Lagi kong sinasabi sa mga tao natin na dapat dala natin ito kahit saan tayo mapunta, para mas dumami pa ang maniwala sa ganitong values. Whatever I do, wherever I go, I look at myself as an ambassador of the SBMA,” he added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
SBMA Fire Chief Ranny Magno, in hazmat suit, checks radioactivity level at the premises of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, which was found to be within normal limits. Magno, a member of the Philippine government’s “Oplan Bayanihan” emergency mission, has called for intensified efforts to increase the level of disaster preparedness in the country.

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Subic’s Lighthouse Resort goes green with beach clean up, Eco-Art

Hundreds of residents and stakeholders in this free port joined hands to protect the environment during the Annual Summer Beach Clean-up organized here by The Lighthouse Marina Resort and the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians (IYFR).

The clean-up, held during the early hours of March 25 at the beach front area of the Moonbay Marina Complex, was joined mostly by students from local schools like the Mondriaan Aura College, St. Joseph’s College, and Olongapo City National High School.

Representatives from civic groups, locator companies, and tourism-related establishments also took time to help clean up the beach area.

The activity was followed by a junk art workshop conducted by environmental artists from Baguio City known as the “Junk Artists”, who coached student-participants in creating art works from junk.

The participants used trash collected during the clean-up as materials for their junk art. The artworks will be judged by a panel composed of IYFR leaders.

According to Jun Avecilla, CEO of The Lighthouse Marina Resort, organizers of the cleanup want to spread the mission of taking care of the environment.

Avecilla said that the Lighthouse group and the IYFR are committed to preserving the environment and have conducted tree planting activities across the Philippines, including about 1,000 trees at the Angat watershed and the La Mesa Ecopark.

During the Subic activity, the group also planted coconut trees along the beach front area near the Lighthouse Resort.

A day before the clean-up, the organizers also opened the Eco-Art Exhibit, which featured Nature paintings, including artworks by Filipino watercolorist Adriano "Boy" Valino. The activities were held in a run-up to the Earth Hour, which was held the following day, March 26.

Ameth Dela Llana-Koval, manager of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Ecology Center, said in a message delivered during the Eco-Art Exhibit launch that people “should take baby steps to stop climate change.”

She also noted that activities such as planting trees and participating in the Earth Hour by turning off electrical appliances maybe considered small steps, but these would make a big impact if people would do it together.

The Subic Bay beach clean-up was made possible in cooperation with the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, various RotaryClubs, and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
Stakeholders help clean up Subic’s waterfront during the annual summer beach cleanup organized by The Lighthouse Marina Resort in the Subic Bay Freeport.

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Subic traders want review of Japan truck-import

Importers of used vehicles in this free port are urging the government to reconsider the admission here of right-hand drive vehicles from Japan under Executive Order (EO) 887-A, which bans the entry into the country of imported used cars but allows the importation of used trucks, buses and special-purpose vehicles.

According to Ben Perez, managing director of Subic-based vehicle importer Ichiban Import-Export Corp., used-vehicle traders in Subic are requesting the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to amend the proposed implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of EO 877-A, or the Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Development Program.

He said the DTI should go easy on used-vehicle imports, particularly those from Japan, as they constitute the bulk of used-motor vehicles that are now used in local industries as well as infrastructure-development projects in the country.

 “Both left-hand drive and right-hand drive trucks should be allowed to be imported through the Subic Bay Freeport since 90 percent of all [right-hand-drive] trucks arriving here are from Japan,” Perez said in a statement on Tuesday.

 “Vehicle importers here are all willing to accept EO 877-A, but [there should not be] additional requirements such as release certificate (RC) since documentary safeguards required by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s (SBMA) Seaport Department and the Bureau of Customs are already in place,” Perez added.

Perez said that in particular, Section 3.C of the IRR, which allowed the importation of left-hand trucks, buses and special-purpose vehicles, should also allow the entry of right-hand drives from Japan, as recommended by Committee Report 2157 of the 12th Congress on June 12, 2004.

Section 4.A.2 of the IRR, which requires imported vehicles to have roadworthiness and emission-compliance certificate from the country of origin, to be duly authenticated by the Philippine embassy or consulate, must be stricken out because the Japanese government would not issue such a certificate, he added.

Perez pointed out that the required roadworthiness and emission certificate only becomes a duplication because the SBMA already requires a comprehensive test on all imported trucks entering Subic prior to their registration with the Land Transportation Office. As of now, three motor vehicle-inspection centers are operating here: the Vehicle Inspection and Testing Corp., the Subic Bay Motor Vehicle Inspection (SBMI), and the Automotive Testing Emission Center Inc.

Perez contested Section 4.A.5 of the IRR, which calls for a release certificate (RC) to be given by a representative from the DTI’s Bureau of Import Services (BIS).

“The release certificate should not be issued by the DTI-BIS representative alone, as this could easily be a source of corruption. Instead, the RC should be issued after an ocular inspection by the Interagency Committee of Used Trucks and Engines Technical Working Group, together with the SBMA Seaport Department,” Perez said.

Subic traders are also suggesting that the Board of Investments (BOI) should come up with a schedule of fees that would be valid for from three to five years, with proportionate increases over the years.

Local importers are also requesting Trade Undersecretary Cristino Panlilio, who is also manager of the BOI, to conduct another public consultation at the Subic Freeport so that local stakeholders could air their opinion on the matter before the IRR becomes effective, Perez added.

 EO 887-A, which was signed by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in June 2010, allowed the importation of used-motor vehicles with gross vehicle weight of from 2.5 tons to 6 tons and above, as well as special-purpose vehicles like firetrucks and ambulances.

However, the EO required that the used vehicles as well as used engines, parts and components should have a Certificate of Authority to Import (CAI) and RC from the DTI-BIS.

The CAI is issued only if the vehicle import has a roadworthiness and emission-compliance certificate from the country of origin which must also show compliance with Philippine roadworthiness and emission standards. The CAI is valid only for a period of 60 days under a letter of credit.

The RC from the DTI-BIS is required for the vehicle to be released from the Bureau of Customs and be registered with the Land Transportation Office. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

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Flying V to put up solar-powered stations in Clark, Subic

CLARK FREEPORT — Leading independent player Flying V is set to pioneer a new innovation in the petrol industry as it plans to establish solar-powered gasoline stations.

Ramiro Villavicencio, project proponent director of the solar-powered gas station, said pilot areas will be this Freeport and Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales by mid-second quarter of this year.

“Nearly everything we do in our modern society requires energy that is generated by burning fossil fuels, contributing to the carbon footprint which effectively harms our environment,” Villavicencio said.

“This move by Flying V won’t solve the environment and energy problems the world is experiencing; however this is part of our corporate social responsibility and we are doing our part to address such problems,” said Villavicencio.

He added that the advocacy is in support of clean and alternative energy, which is in line with the government’s Clean Air Act.

Villavicencio explained that the said solar-powered gas station will be equipped with solar panels that will energize approximately 25 percent of the facility's electric consumption, effectively minimizing carbon footprints.

He also said that the pilot stations will have self-service pumps, which are targeted to give consumers cheaper fuel.

The proposed solar-powered gas station is also one way of trying to change the mind-set of the Filipino people on how to be more conscious about our environment, he added.

Fling V has been actively supporting and promoting the use of alternative fuels, pioneering the sale of bio-diesel in the country.

The company has also been given due recognition by the national government for its active participation in its programs. (Reynaldo G. Navales, Sun Star Pampanga)

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SCAD to harmonize policies with Subic, Clark freeports

The Subic- Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD) is set to speed up harmonization of policies and regulations between the Subic Bay Freeport (SBF) and Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ).

SCAD chairman Nestor S. Mangio said this came on the heels of a recent meeting of the Central Luzon Regional Development Council (RDC-III), where a draft of the Central Luzon Medium Term Regional Development Plan 2011-2016 (MTRDP) was presented.

The plan, he said, underscored, among others, the need for integrated land, air and sea transport modes. SCAD has been a member of RDC-III since 2006.

In a statement, Mangio said the need for a transport mode interconnecting the two freeport zones was one of the strategies identified and included in the MTRDP draft, to ensure sustainable growth that would effectively reduce poverty in Central Luzon.

“In the past we have coordinated the completion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, SCTex Pampanga Interchanges and Access Roads, New Container Terminals in the Port of Subic Bay, and the Passenger Terminal of Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark.

“These infrastructures have been serving the locators and the general public. This year, we will be coordinating more with growth partners and the private sector with regard to policy structures to find ways to further harmonize policies and regulations between the two freeports to attract more investments,” Mangio said.

Under the draft, SCAD is in charge of developing a “Global Gateway Program” aimed at strengthening the linkages between Subic, Clark and Tarlac’s industrial estate.

SCADC is a government office mandated to rationalize resources and harmonize policies and strategies that shall ensure an integrated and coordinated approach to the development of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Corridor as a world-class mega logistics hub and global gateway to the Asia-Pacific Region.

It is composed of the Department of Trade and Industry, Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Clark Development Corporation, North Luzon Railways Corporation, and Clark International Airport Corporation.

Covering five kilometers on each side of SCTEx, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Corridor is a vast expanse of 98,000 hectares straddling between and across 10 municipalities of Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga and Tarlac, and the cities of Olongapo, Angeles, and Tarlac. (U.S. News Agency / Asian)

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Aboitiz Power Expansion

Aboitiz Power Corp. will invest around $1.5 billion to expand the output of two planned coal power plants in Subic and Davao City to a combined 900 megawatts.

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Phoenix set to acquire Subic company

The board of directors of publicly-listed Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. has given its go-signal for the company’s acquisition of the Subic Petroleum Trading and Transport Philippines Inc., a firm at the freeport zone engaged in the trading of refined petroleum products.

Following the board’s approval, the company noted that it will “conduct due diligence for the proposed acquisition.”

From the submission of the result of the due diligence process, the company explained that the management will make onward recommendation
as to how much it would be willing to invest to corner the petroleum trading firm.

The cost and terms of the acquisition will be among those to be fleshed out in the due diligence report which will then serve as the company’s guidance in the planned acquisition.

At the oil firm’s board meeting, it also approved an “investment of corporate funds to form and incorporate a new corporation,” which shall be utilized to subscribe to its majority shares and to have Chelsea Shipping Corporation as minority shareholder.

The proposed new firm, Phoenix Petroleum said, will be used for its plan in “acquiring and operating a new tanker vessel to boost and support the company’s fuel importation” as well as its proposed depot facilities expansion and the corresponding increase in fuel capacity of its depot terminals.

The Board has given its management the authority “to determine the corporate structure of said new corporation and its corporate purpose.”

With buoyed profitability and to respond to market growths, the oil firm has previously laid down plans of investing P1.5 billion this year for expansion projects, partly for the broadening of its retail network.

The company has mapped up plans of expanding further its niche in the Luzon market; while steadily growing its base in Mindanao. It has just recently reported a 140 percent jump in its core earnings to P427 million; and also surpassed its revenue target in 2010 at P14.79 billion. (Myrna M. Velasco, Manila Bulletin)

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$125-M renewable energy projects approved in Subic

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has given the green light for the establishment of renewable energy projects in its freeport amounting to a total of $125 million (P5.59 billion), officials said over the weekend.

SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga announced that the request of Subic Wind Power Generation, Inc. (SWPGI) to expand its business and include the establishment and operation of a solar energy project on top of its original proposal to establish and operate a wind farm has been approved.

SWPGI, a subsidiary of the China-based Sunnew Investments Ltd., had committed $75 million last year for the establishment of a 25-wind turbine farm that would generate some 50 megawatts of power here.

However, after ocular surveys and initial data gathering in Subic, the firm decided to also build a solar energy project that would yield from 100 to 200 megawatts of energy, Salonga said.

The expanded project will be worth $125 million, covering some 300 hectares of land at Subic’s Mount Sta. Rita and Redondo Peninsula, and will generate from 150 to 200 megawatts of power.

Salonga said this is in line with the government thrust to accelerate the development of indigenous and renewable power generation systems in the country.

It is also expected to employ about 150 workers, and earn the SBMA some $816,000 in annual lease rentals, he said.

Salonga said that SWPGI’s renewable energy project will not only bring the Subic Freeport at the forefront of the green energy movement, but will also help stabilize power supply in the Luzon grid.

“Subic has long been a net power consumer, but with this project we’re now entertaining the prospect of Subic as a net power producer,” Salonga said. (Franco Regala, Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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One-stop facility for business jet services arises in Subic

Aviation Concepts (ACI) announced that it has leased the former FedEx hangar located in Subic Bay, Philippines, and that the hangar is currently in the final stages of refurbishment.

This 100,000 square foot facility is scheduled to be fully operational by this month, and will serve as the company’s second functional base in Asia-Pacific.

The center will offer FBO services to transient aircraft, seeking to market itself as a low cost alternative to popular locations in Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In a memo released to the public, the company emphasized its desire to allow for quick technical stops, with inexpensive fueling and minimal handling fees.

ACI is expecting the convenience of a full service aviation facility centrally positioned in Asia to attract significant air traffic to the Subic Bay airport.

According to President and CEO Terry Habeck, “Subic Bay is poised to become one of the busier business aviation hubs in Asia as more owners and operators seek low cost solutions in the region.”

In addition to FBO services, the center will house factory-trained technicians available 24/7 to accommodate the maintenance needs of most long and medium range business jets.

Because of its special economic status as a Freeport Zone, Subic Bay has the advantage of eliminating duties imposed on inbound aircraft parts, thereby avoiding custom holds.

As soon as fully operational, Gulfstream, Challenger and Westwind aircraft will be available for charter, and ACI will begin offering aircraft management and air ambulance services from the new base. (aviationprofessionals.org)

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P15-M fire hits 'Gapo

OLONGAPO City – Some P15 million worth of property and grocery items were reduced to ashes when a fire hit the Pent House building and a nearby grocery store at the corner of 21st Street and Rizal Avenue in Barangay West Bajac-Bajac at dawn Saturday.

City Fire Marshall Maj. Jonas Silvano said a fireman, SFO2 Gerry Anonas, of the Olongapo City Fire Department, was wounded.

Silvano said the three-hour fire which started at 5 a.m. at the Pent House owned by Aboy Lim was caused by an LPG tank exploded. The fire quickly spread to Happy Valley Grocery store.

Firefighters from the city, SBMA, Subic and Castillejos helped put out the fire. (Mamer Bañez, Journal Online)

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SBMA assures investors of adequate power supply

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has assured investors here that electric power supply in this free port will be sufficient this year, even as the rest of the country may possibly face outages in summer when power demand will be at its peak.

SBMA Administrator and CEO Armand Arreza gave this assurance, citing that Subic’s power generation capacity has been boosted by the re-commissioning in late December of the 116-megawatt diesel power plant here.

“There is a lot of fear and apprehensions that within two years, the country as a whole would face energy shortage starting 2011,” Arreza said. “But as always, the SBMA has taken the necessary steps ahead of whatever problem that may disrupt the robust economy in the Subic Bay Freeport.”

“Now, with the upgraded diesel power plant, the growth of businesses here will surely remain unhampered,” Arreza added.

According to the SBMA chief, the five-year lease contract for the 10-hectare property where the Subic diesel power plant is located, was auctioned and later awarded to One Subic Power Generation Corp. (OSPGC), as the contract among the SBMA, National Power Corp. (Napocor), and former plant operator Enron Power Corp. expired in 2009.

OSPGC then entered into a Power Administration and Management Agreement with Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. (Trans-Asia), which will be responsible for the administration and management of the entire generation output of the leased diesel power plant.

The Subic power plant was built in 1994 by the Napocor through a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract with Enron.

OSPGC and its partners held the ceremonial start-up of the power plant in December, with Arreza as guest of honor. The event was also graced by OSPGC chief Dennis Uy, who is also president of Phoenix Petroleum Corp. of the Udenna group; OSPGC chief operating officer Jose Manuel Quimson; Trans-Asia vice president Ritz Santos; and National Grid Corp. of the Philippines chief engineer Wilson Martin.

During the start-up ceremonies, Arreza also expressed satisfaction over the partnership among the SBMA, OSPGC and Trans-Asia, saying that it would ensure that the facility “is run smoothly, profitably, but at the same time responsibly.”

OSGPC’s Uy meanwhile said the ceremonial start-up marks another milestone for the Udenna Group of Companies.

“We thank the SBMA for trusting us and awarding us the rights to operate the power plant,” Uy added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic banks on ‘open skies’ to revive airport business

Business leaders in this freeport are banking on the reportedly impending "pocket open skies" policy -- which will further ease restrictions on foreign airlines in select international airports outside Metro Manila -- to help boost growth, starting with foreign visitor arrivals here.

Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr. said that a new executive order will "probably" be issued, providing such policy for secondary gateways.

These are international airports outside Metro Manila equipped with Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security facilities.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines lists nine such airports outside Metro Manila, namely: Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Puerto Princesa International Airport in Palawan, Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA), Kalibo International Airport in Aklan, Mactan International Airport in Cebu, as well as Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga international airports in Mindanao.

Officials said the policy will enable foreign airlines to apply directly with the Civil Aeronautics Board to increase their flights without having to go through bilateral government-to-government air service talks. But they will still not be allowed to bring passengers from one point to another in the country.

Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) President Danny J. Piano said in a recent letter to Malacañang that SBIA would need such a policy to revive business.

Mr. Piano explained that since Federal Express transferred its overnight delivery hub from this freeport to China almost two years ago, SBIA had become underutilized and almost dormant.

"Even while the SBFCC formed the Subic Airport Revival Committee and collaborated with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and many other organizations, our progress has been slow partly because of limited rights of budget carriers," Mr. Piano said in his letter.

"By providing for a more liberalized air space, we would undoubtedly reinvigorate the SBIA faster," he added.

"Liberalizing our air space will enhance access to Subic Bay and surrounding destinations. We are a freeport, after all."

Subic Bay Gateway Park (SBGP) Senior Manager Roland P. Addun said in a phone interview that the policy should encourage foreign budget carriers like Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia Berhad to use this freeport as a hub.

SBGP, a 300-hectare industrial park, now hosts 500 sublessees and 150 direct locators, including some Taiwanese export firms.

AirAsia Philippines, Inc. said during its launch last month that it will start commercial flights in the country, using either Clark or Subic as its base.

"It would be a welcome development for all of us if AirAsia would consider Subic as soon as it has been entitled to pocket open skies policy," Mr. Addun said.

Mr. Addun said reports that businessman Antonio "Tony Boy" O. Cojuangco, who had led local investors in partnering with AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes to put up AirAsia Philippines, is firming up investments in various facilities here "all...point to Subic as the next hub of AirAsia after the granting [sic] of pocket open skies policy." (RMG, BusinessWorld)

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Hermosa hopes for industrialization thru EO 675

HERMOSA, Bataan — Local government officials in this town have expressed enthusiasm in bringing to life Executive Order No. 675, which provides for the development of “additional secured areas” that may be operated as special economic zones under the supervision of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Hermosa mayor Danilo Malana said in a dialogue with SBMA officials that local community leaders here are amenable to the implementation of EO 675, as they believe this will help realize their vision of an industrialized municipality.

EO 675 was issued in November 2007 to allow the extension of the secured area of the Subic Bay Special Economic and Freeport Zone (SSEFPZ) to areas within the SSEFPZ but outside the presently fenced-in former US Naval Base.

Malana and members of the Hermosa town council received a briefing on EO 675 from SBMA administrator Armand Arreza at the Sangguniang Bayan Conference Room in the town’s municipal hall.

“We are amendable to Executive Order 675,” said Malana. “The only missing link is the exit (from the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) to Hermosa, and then we can declare an area as extension of the Subic Freeport,” he added.

Malana told Arreza that the municipality has already identified 400 hectares of generally flat land at Sitio Mabiga in Barangay Tipo for the proposed extension area of the Subic Bay Freeport. Mabiga is about 10 minutes drive from Subic Freeport and about 25 minutes from Clark.

“Travel time will be shorter if an SCTEx exit road right in the proposed extension area is opened,” Malana pointed out.

Arreza said that under EO 675, the SBMA may declare areas outside the former US Naval Base as “additional secured areas” that may be operated as a “special economic and freeport zone” to be supervised by the SBMA.

The additional secured areas will be entitled to all tax, fiscal and other investment incentives (except real estate tax for privately-owned property) under Subic’s free port regime. However, only establishments in secured areas may avail of the duty-free
privileges enjoyed by businesses in the free port.

The declaration of an additional secured area may only take effect after a concurrence by a resolution of the concerned town or city council.

Arreza said that many new investment proposals submitted to the SBMA cannot be approved, as the Subic By Freeport has no more space available for industrial parks or even for expansion projects.

“The solution can be found along the stretch of vacant and available spaces along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway which are agricultural or undeveloped,” he said.

Arreza also noted that Olongapo City, which is near the Subic Freeport, does not have enough flat land and open space for industrial use, while the road going to Subic town is narrow and not suitable for trucks and trailers.

With its more than 400 hectares of available open space and its wider access road, “Hermosa is the ideal expansion site for the Subic Bay Freeport,” Arreza added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic to host 26th ASEAN Council of Teachers confab

Representatives from eight teachers associations in the Southeast Asian region, as well as some international groups, will be meeting in this free port on December 10-12 for the 26th ASEAN Council of Teachers (ACT) Convention.

The convention, which will be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), will be hosted by the Philippine Public School Teachers Association (PPSTA), an organization composed of more than 200,000 public school teachers all over the country employed under the Department of Education (DepEd).

In a letter to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, PPSTA president Mario Ramirez said the three-day convention will convene more than 1,000 public school teachers, half of whom are expected to arrive from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore and South Korea.

“We have decided to hold the convention and all incidental events relative thereto right in the heart of Subic,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said that the Subic Freeport has all the essential features an ideal venue should have, including superior access and available facilities, as well as tourism attractions that convention delegates may wish to visit during the activity.

The Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center — now the biggest convention facility in the country — can easily seat 5,000 persons comfortably, with plenty of spaces for exhibit booths and displays, as well as for dining, lounging and parking.

Most importantly, the convention venue is located at the heart of Subic and just minutes away from duty-free shops, restaurants, hotels, and health spas. The venue is also close to beaches, theme parks and other recreational and eco-tourism parks in the free port.

“These features guarantee remarkable experience that each delegate will enjoy during their stay here,” Ramirez added.

Meanwhile, Arreza expressed appreciation for PPSTA’s decision to host the convention in Subic, noting that this simply means that Subic is a better option for meetings, conferences, conventions and exhibits of any size.

He added that the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center has been the venue of numerous international conferences because of its outstanding features. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subicwater unveils US$1-M sewage treatment plant

Subic Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (Subicwater), a private utility firm operating here and in Olongapo City, inaugurated on Thursday its newest sewage treatment plant worth US$1-million.

The new treatment plant brings the number of Subicwater’s sewage treatment facilities to six. The firm also operates two water treatment facilities here and in Olongapo City.

The inauguration, which was held inside the Subicwater compound here, was graced by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga, Subicwater chairman Herbert Consunji, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce president Danny Piano, SBMA Ecology Center manager Amethya dela Llana-Koval, and Subicwater board president Lex Magrata, who represented the City of Olongapo.

During the simple ribbon-cutting ceremony, SBMA’s Salonga praised Subicwater for what he said was “another major accomplishment towards attaining the vision of this free port to fully comply with the Clean Water Act of the Philippines.”

“This new sewage plant demonstrates Subicwater’s commitment to ensure the health and sanitation of our communities. It is worth its million-dollar cost as, in the end, the bay of Subic from where thousands of people depend for their living, will be protected from wastewater pollution,” Salonga stressed.

Salonga also commended Subicwater officials for “putting their money where their mouth is.”

According to Subicwater officials, the new facility employs the sequencing batch reactor technology (SBR) and is capable of handling five million liters of wastewater daily.

The facility is expected to treat 64 percent of the sewage being generated at the central business district of the Subic Bay Freeport.

Subicwater’s Consunji, meanwhile, said that Subicwater takes pride in being among the best in the country in terms of complying with the Clean Water Act.


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“As we adhere to the Clean Water Act of 2004, the people can expect Subicwater to push for the construction of more sewage treatment plants in the Subic Bay Freeport and in the City of Olongapo,” said Consunji.

Subicwater officials also said that a sewerage master plan for this free port and the adjacent city of Olongapo is currently in the works.

The long-term target, they added, is to totally eliminate the threat posed by untreated wastewater, which environmentalists point out as the greatest contributor of both surface and ground water pollution.

Subicwater implemented the first built-operate-and-transfer (BOT) scheme for a water and sewerage system in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, taking over the operation of the water supply and sewerage system in this free port in 1997.

The firm was formed by a joint-venture agreement in 1996 among the SBMA, Biwater PLC of Great Britain, DM Consunji Inc., and the now-defunct Olongapo City Water District. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

Photo: SBMA Chairman Feliciano G. Salonga (2nd from left) tours the $1-million wastewater treatment plant put up by the Subic Water and Sewerage Company Inc. at the Subic Bay Freeport. The new facility is expected to help reduce water pollution in the Subic Bay area.

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Subic Freeport honors 10 outstanding workers (updated)

Out of the 90,000-strong workforce in this former US military base, ten exceptional workers were elevated to “local hero” status recently after making it to the ranks of this year’s Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers.

The ten outstanding workers were announced on Wednesday during a ceremony held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) as part of the Subic Volunteers’ Day celebration. The event was organized by the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation Inc. (SBWDFI).

The ten awardees were Jesus Vener Mallen and Alfredo Sadora of Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corporation, Benamor Labadan and Francisco Roberto of Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium Inc., Jean Castro of Nicera Philippines Inc., Elvira Reyes-Mullis of the Subic Bay Development and Management Center Inc., Mark San Gabriel of Subic Water and Sewerage Company Inc., Marissa Tamayo of NIDEC Subic Philippines Corporation, and Larry Aquino and Nedelyn Catiis of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

In the awarding ceremony, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza lauded the ten winners, noting that they were selected through a rigid screening process that emphasized efficiency, positive work attitude, leadership capabilities and interpersonal maturity.

“The awards that we give out this afternoon do not only represent the best in the more than 1,350 companies located here, but the best of the Filipinos as well,” said Arreza.

“It is not because of the sweet talk done by me and (SBMA) Chairman Feliciano Salonga that investors come here; it is precisely because of the hard work and dedication of workers that these extraordinary ten represent— they show that Subic is the home of world-class workers,” Arreza said.

Meanwhile, SBWDFI president Severo Pastor, who also heads the SBMA Labor Department, pointed out the importance of the annual search for outstanding workers, which is now on its ninth year, by stressing that the annual search institutionalizes the initiatives and programs for customer service and employees’ welfare.

“A great mind balances business practices with people’s welfare and corporate wellness,” Pastor intoned. “Aside from pleasing the firm’s clients, the company management must also nurture the welfare of its employees, who should be considered as the internal customers of the firm,” Pastor explained.

“I sincerely believe that this (award) will inspire more and more workers— the actual driver’ of the businesses here— to attain greater heights, bringing with them their company and also, the economy of the Subic Bay Freeport,” he concluded.

The SBWDFI, which manages the search for the Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers, was established in 2001 to help promote SBMA’s thrust for industrial peace and harmony between employees and employers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

This year’s awards program was organized in cooperation with the SBMA Labor Department and the Mondriaan Aura College. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SUBIC’S PRIDE: The winners in the 2010 search for Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers.

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10 outstanding Subic workers awarded today

As part of the annual celebration of Volunteers Day here, 10 “local heroes” will be honored today (November 24) for their economic contributions to their respective companies and the Subic Bay Freeport.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) labor manager Severo Pastor Jr. said the awardees in the search for the Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers (TOFW) will be feted by the SBMA and the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation Inc. (SBWDFI) in an appropriate ceremony at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Now on its ninth year, the TOFW award has turned out workers who personify excellence in their respective fields of expertise. The winners are selected through a rigid screening process that emphasizes efficiency, positive work attitudes, leadership capabilities and interpersonal maturity.

Pastor, who also heads the SBWDFI, said the awards body “recognizes the vital role that Freeport workers contribute in making Subic a prime mover for economic growth and community development.”

“This year, 42 Freeport workers have been nominated for the awards, and only 23 made it as finalists,” Pastor said. “Now, we shall award the final 10 and confer on them the title of outstanding workers for other employees to emulate.”

According to records of the SBWDFI, two of the finalists in this year’s competition come from the SBMA and the rest come from various locator companies here. Two finalists come from the Philippine Coastal Storage & Pipeline Corp., two from the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium, Inc, one from Nidec Subic Phils. Corp (Sankyo Seiki), another from Nicera Phils., Inc., one from the Subic Bay Development & Management Corp. Inc., and another from the Subic Water and Sewerage & Co., Inc.

The awarding ceremonies for the Ten Outstanding Freeport Workers will be held at 3:00 pm at the Subic Bay Exhibition & Convention Center. The event will coincide with a reunion among former SBMA volunteers that will be held at the Volunteers Park here.

The SBWDFI, which manages the search for outstanding workers in Subic, was established in 2001 to help promote SBMA’s thrust for industrial peace and harmony between employees and employers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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'USS Peleliu' drops anchor in Subic

The “USS Peleliu” dropped anchor here (Monday), carrying some 1,000 sailors and around 1,300 Marines as part of its last tour of duty before returning to San Diego, California.

The 5th Fleet support ship, which is 254-meter long and has a 40-meter wide flight deck, was instrumental in the evacuation of hundreds of Filipinos inside this former United States (US) naval base during the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Before the ship’s scheduled departure, some crew members will join local volunteers in renovating at least two schools in Olongapo City, and conduct a school touring at the PMMA.

According to Lt. JG Beth Gauck, the community relations project will be held at the Olongapo City National High School (OCNHS) and the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) in San Narciso, Zambales.

Parts of the projects were the repair and safety improvement of playgrounds, painting of classroom buildings, and planting of fruit trees.

Nicknamed as the “Iron Nickel,” the USS Peleliu was christened in honor of the 3rd Amphibious Force’s assault and capture of Peleliu Island in the fall of 1944.

In June, 1991, while coming back from the Persian Gulf after joining the Operation Desert Storm, Peleliu participated in the evacuation of US Naval Base Subic Bay personnel following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.

Considered as among the world’s largest volcanic incident in the past 100 years, the eruption covered a large region in volcanic ash, and resulted in the destruction of many parts of the former US naval base.

The evacuation included several patients from the maternity ward, resulting in multiple births aboard the ship. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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NEDA makes new push for logistics corridors

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is making a new push to develop logistics corridors, starting with the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) corridor as part of a national transport plan.

Initial discussions on the infrastructure planning under the 2010-1016 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) recommend the creation of "strategic logistics corridors," initially starting off with the SCMB then extending the same northward and then southward.

The MTPDP envisions these corridors as having intermodal transport network system to obtain efficiency.

"The SCMB must be developed to become a seamless intermodal logistics corridor," documents on the initial results of the infrastructure planning subcommittee said.

The documents show how an integrated multi-modal logistics and transport system could not only decongest Metro Manila but also create linkages between business centers and nearby provinces.

This, the NEDA papers said, would help facilitate the efficient flow of commodities and inputs to economic and industrial zones.

"The development of seamless intermodal transport and logistics systems along strategic corridors will promote productivity and competitiveness," the documents said.

The NEDA points to inadequate and unstable funding for the construction and development of facilities as the culprit in the deficiencies in our transport system.

"Assessment of the country’s transport infrastructure network indicates that its quality and capacity remain low, even if the quantity of transport compares favorably with most Asean countries," the papers said.

Subic and Clark are the nearest economic industrial zones to Metro Manila, one offering a port and the other an airport. Metro Manila is linked to the two zones through road networks, the North Luzon expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway.

Linked to Metro Manila by the South Luzon expressway down south is Calabarzon, home to specialized industries and processing activities. The corridors complement each zone’s strengths in agriculture and manufacturing.

The corridor now accounts for 80 percent of the national cargo and about half of yearly economic output. (Malaya Business Insight)

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