Foresters to draft national action plan for forestry

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The country’s top professional foresters converged at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center here on Wednesday for a three-day summit with the end in view of drafting a national action plan on the management and promotion of the country’s forest resources.

The “National Summit Conference on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade,” according to a statement from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is expected to be a high-level meeting of local foresters from academe, the government and wood-based industry sectors to discuss how the forestry profession can elevate its role in the government’s anti-illegal logging campaign and improve the local wood-based industry by promoting the National Greening Program (NGP).

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, who will be the keynote speaker in the event, lauded the holding of the conference, saying it came at a time “when the profession finds itself on new paths forged in the crucible of rectification in the country’s policies on forestry program being pursued by President Aquino.”

“There’s no better time than now that we, as foresters, should take a deeper reflection on how much contribution the forestry profession have made to winning back the country’s forests which, to a great extent, mirrors the state of our profession,” said Paje, who has a bachelor’s degree in forestry science from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, Laguna.

The forestry conference was organized by the 8,000-strong Society of Filipino Foresters Inc. (SFFI) to mark their 64th anniversary celebration.

The SSFI is a non-profit organization formed in 1948, which is now working for the adoption of science and technology in forestry-related activities within the framework of sustainable forest management practices being implemented by the DENR.

Among the topics expected to be discussed in the three-day summit are measures on how the profession could strengthen and unify ongoing efforts to stop wanton forest destruction, and how local foresters could promote sustainable management of forest resources so that the forestry sector can fully contribute to national development.

Among the important outputs expected from the conference are a “National Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade” and an SFFI action plan to promote good governance among its ranks.

Organizers said the conference will feature papers about updates on Philippine forests. These include “Pagsasaayos Ng Kagubatan: Isang Hamon ng Pulitika at Hindi ng Teknolohiya” by Dr. Antonio Contreras; “The State of the Philippine Forests and Analysis of Key Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in the Philippines” by Dr. Antonio Carandang; “Karanasan at mga Isyung Kinahaharap ng Bantay Gubat ng Mangatarem” by Ely Curimao; “The National Greening Program” by DENR-Forest Management Bureau Director Ricardo Calderon;  and “Binhi Tungo sa Tagumpay ng Community-Based Forest Management” by Mariano Saclauso Sr.

Five other papers will tackle enforcement of forestry laws to curb illegal logging. These are: “Forest Law Enforcement” by Gen. Renato Miranda (ret.), Executive Director of the Anti-illegal Logging Task Force; “Forest Laws Enforcement, Governance and Trade in the Philippines” by Philippine Wood Producers Association head Antonio Olizon; “Initiatives on Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance” by Generosa Mislang; “Holistic Evaluation and Approaches to Curb Illegal Logging in the Philippines” by forester-Lawyer Wilfrido Pollisco; and “Framework for a National Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade” by Dr. Manuel Bonita.

Other personalities expected to grace the conference are Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones of Agham, Zambales First District Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chaiman Roberto Garcia. (Henry Empeno, Business Mirror)

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Over 13,000 Join Coastal Cleanup

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Zambales -- More than 13,000 volunteers from various sectors here and in Olongapo City participated in the recent annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) along the 10 sites of the entire coast of Zambales.

The coastal cleanup, organized by the Lighthouse Marina Resort is part of the international coastal cleanup effort organized by The Ocean Conservancy to protect the world's oceans from harmful debris making its way to coastlines from local beaches, waterways, and inland areas.

“We started four years ago with around 600 volunteers cleaning up mainly the boardwalk area. Now, the movement expanded to include the entire Zambales coast, including a pilot area for the inland clean up in Barangay Mabayuan, Olongapo City," Jun Avecilla, ICC Zone Coordinator said.

Most of the garbage collected by the volunteers comprised of plastic bags and containers, cigarette butts, sanitary napkins, diapers, and even old tires. (Franco Regala, Manila Bulletin)

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Century Tuna duathlon up at Subic Freeport

MANILA - Top duathletes from Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Syria and Iran clash for honors in the Century Tuna ASTC Asian Duathlon Championships Nov. 25 at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Records established during the 2006 Asian Duathlon Championships are expected to fall as a fast race course has been mapped out by ASTC (Asian Triathlon Confederation) technical committee chairman Ramon Marchan who led an ocular inspection of several roads and sites at the Freeport with TRAP officials Rick Reyes, Fabie David and coach Melvin Fausto.

The new race course, which will serve both standard (10K run - 40K bike - 5K run) and sprint distance (5K run - 20K bike - 2.5K run) events, was designed to ensure the safety of both participants and spectators and minimize traffic disruption.

With the Remy Field track oval as transition area, the two run legs will stretch out covering the commercial zones, Waterfront Road and reach the lighthouse as its turning point. The bike leg, on the other hand, will stretch from the oval to Rizal Highway, Argonaut Highway and San Bernardo Road.

At stake are cash prizes worth over $5,000, specially designed medals and gift items for winners of Elite, U-23, Junior Elite, Youth, Adult Sprint and age-groupers.

The Century Tuna ASTC Asian Duathlon Championships also serves as an official qualifier for the 2013 World Duathlon Championships slated in Cali, Colombia in mid-2013.

The event is sponsored by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Department, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Fitness First, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines (ACIP), Standard Insurance and Gatorade,

Registration, details: TRAP tel. No. 710-8259, 399-6598, 0916-504-6513, 0915-6394233, Speedo Concept Stores, Bikeking Boni High Street, TRAP office and its official Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/TriPhil. (The Philippine Star)

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3 measures make Subic trade-friendly

Aside from infrastructures built near Subic Bay Port, there are three more reasons to do business at the Central Luzon port, Alberto D. Lina, former customs commissioner and now chairman of Air21, said.

In his presentation at the recently held maritime conference at Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, Lina identified three major measures that the Bureau of Customs has taken to make Subic viable for business.

“First is a non-intrusive container inspection system,” Lina said.

Second is accession to the international convention on the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures, and, lastly, the Citizen’s Charter.

Among the three, Lina emphasized the Citizen’s Charter.

He said in compliance with Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 and in pursuit of its mission to provide quality and performance level service to the public with professionalism and integrity, BOC issued the Citizen’s Charter was issued.

He also explained that the charter was created based on the recommendations of a study from the World Bank in 1993.

“(The BOC) adopted a number of recommendations in a 1993 World Bank study for the operation of the first freeport in the Philippines,” Lina said.

Lina also pointed out that Subic Bay is well equipped with online services that improve customs transactions by importers and other businesses.

“Services are available 24x7, 365 days, accessible anywhere through the internet,” he said.(Malaya Business Insight)

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Using Subic cuts costs saves time, says SBMA

Traders are most likely to benefit from using the Port of Subic as trucking costs as much as 20 percent lower, travel time is halved, and port fees are considerably cheaper, a Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority official said.

Norberto J. Sosa, SBMA director, said in a presentation at a conference at the Subic Freeport that traders win north-bound business are the ones to benefit the most from using Subic port.

He said, for example, the travel distance from Manila to Bataan is 123 kilometers, extremely far compared with the Subic-Bataan route, which is only 20 km.

“Subic to Tarlac is only 60 km while Manila to Tarlac is 125 km,” Sosa said. He also said that Subic is only 60 km away from Clark, compared with Manila, which is 85 km away from the former US Air Force base.

In terms of trucking fees, Sosa said that the costs are trimmed by at least 10 to 20 percent.

Sosa estimated that the fee for trucking via Manila-Clark-Subic is P14,000, while it is only P12,000 for the Subic-Clark-Subic loop.

He likewise pointed out that port fees in Subic are far lower than those charged by Manila’s ports.

Subic Bay charges P1,481.78 for every 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container and P3,402 for every 40-foot equivalent unit (FEU) box. Meanwhile, the Manila International Container Terminal and the Asian Terminal Inc. charge P2,677.12 per TEU and P6,918 per FEU.

“Bay has lower tariff compared with other ports in the Philippines,” Sosa said.

Sosa said the Port of Subic is on the western side of Luzon off the Western Philippine Sea. It is geographically located at the center of the Asia-Pacific region and is the first and premier freeport of the Philippines at the Subic-Clark Corridor and Metro Luzon Urban Beltway.

“The Subic Bay is surrounded by mountain ranges and provides deepwater harbor that is protected from typhoons,” Sosa said. (Jennifer Ambanta, Malaya Business Insight)

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SBMA signs cooperation agreement with Ulsan

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education (UMOE) in South Korea recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote understanding and cooperation between the two institutions.

The UMOE is located in Ulsan Metropolitan City, which is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis and considered as the nation’s industrial powerhouse.

The agreement, signed on August 30, primarily aims to develop cooperative projects concerning education, as well as culture, tourism, community welfare and development, human resource development, environmental protection, and science and technology.

SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia said that under the agreement, SBMA and UMOE seek to formulate and undertake projects and activities for their mutual development and to advance their respective areas of interest.

The officials who represented UMOE during the signing were Kim Bok Man, director of curriculum management division; Hong Hung Goo, manager of internal education; Jeong Hwi, person in charge for international cooperation; Kim Sun Ae, chief secretary; and Han Kyu Chung, administrator.

Aside from Garcia, those present for the SBMA side were Raul Marcelo, deputy administrator for business; Maria Asuncion Fernando, head of corporate communications; and Armina Llamas, public relations manager.

In the signing ceremony, Garcia pointed out the “very close relationship” between the Subic Bay Freeport and South Korea.

“They (the Koreans) are our number one investors here, led by Hanjin which has proven to be one of the most successful business locators here in the Philippines,” he said.

Garcia added that many Korean nationals have chosen Subic as their place of business, or venue for schooling. “As you know, we have facilities here for different types of business, and we have many English-language schools that are popular to Korean students,” he added.

Garcia also recalled that, as an official in Subic, he recently signed an agreement with officials of the city of Daejung to encourage the exchange of information beneficial to both areas.

“So I would like to take this MOU as a sign that, again, we can work closer with the Korean community in attracting foreign investors to come and invest in Subic,” he said.

As a sign of their commitment to the agreement, UMOE donated 300 bags of relief goods for victims of the recent floods in communities near the Subic Freeport, as well as a brand new laptop and five used netbooks. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)
PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia (right) and Kim Bok Man, director of curriculum management division of the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education, present a memorandum of understanding that they have signed to promote understanding and cooperation.

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SBMA to save P12.5-M this year as it goes virtually paperless

Here’s one good news for the environment: The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has embraced a new culture of a virtually paperless office. And it saves big money, too.

According to Marlo Zerrudo, officer in charge of the SBMA Information Technology Department, the Subic agency has introduced an in-house document management system that facilitates digital archiving and retrieval of office documents and forms.

Dubbed as the Structured Archive and Retrieval System (SARS), which was jointly developed by Ed Michael Cruz and Jan Aries Gomez of SBMA's Corporate Communications office, the new system is essentially scan-based and stores scanned memoranda, letters and forms used by the agency.

Under the system, all correspondence and forms are scanned and archived, with delivery and distribution to addressee-departments and employees done through the agency’s Google-powered corporate e-mail accounts.

Zerrudo also stressed that only documents and forms that require the signature of SBMA officials are printed for hard copies. This enables the agency to save on paper, printer toner, and photocopying services.

More importantly, SARS is web-based. Users of the system can access file documents and forms anytime, anywhere with the use of 3G-enabled PCs, tablets and even smart phones.

As part of the preparation for the full use of the system, each SBMA department has been assigned two document management officers who have been trained to use the system and are now responsible for their respective department’s document flow.

“With this system, the agency can enjoy cost savings of up to P12.5 million in operating and capital expenses this year, as we can do away with the procurement of an off-the-shelf document management system that costs P9 million,” Zerrudo said.

The remaining P3.5-million savings will be realized from the expected 50 per cent decrease in the agency’s P7 million annual budget for bond paper, printer toner and photocopying services.

With this, SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia urged all SBMA employees to help make the system work, so that the target savings could be achieved.

"We always welcome smart and innovative ways of doing work here, especially when they are developed by our own employees, and generate savings and faster turnaround time," Garcia said.

"Data are an essential component of effective management. With this system in place, we now have easy and faster access to high-quality and reliable information in support of more responsive decision-making and service delivery," he added.

Since the implementation of SARS in May of this year, close to five gigabytes of the Agency’s official documents and forms have been stored digitally in the system. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA task force to market Subic port

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) says it will create a task force specifically to market the facilities of the freeport to possible locators and port users.

The task force, the composition of which is yet to be determined, will have to make its own strategy outside of the measures being undertaken by the private operators of SBMA’s New Container Terminal (NCT) 1 and 2.

SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia, in his speech at the closing ceremony of the Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit recently, said that the task force is needed to attract more shipping lines to call at Subic, as well as more port users to bring in cargo to the freeport.

“We are forming a group primarily to market Subic to possible users such as businessmen, shipping lines and other stakeholders,” Garcia said in his speech.

“Hopefully, with the task force, we could properly market Subic to both the local and international market,” Garcia added.

At the moment, the capacity of Subic’s NCT 1 and 2, is underutilized with only about 5 percent utilized out of its 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annual capacity.

Aside from the Vale Group of Brazil, the world’s biggest iron ore producer which uses SBMA as its transshipment hub for ore exports to China, only limited containerized cargo vessels are calling at the port.

These container carriers include APL, Wan Hai and Greek shipping line Tiger Lines, which is a joint venture company of Avin International S.A. and Zeniba Shipping.

Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) and its parent, International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), operators of NCT 1 and NCT2, respectively, have already formed separate teams also to market the Subic facility to both local and international users.

So far, their marketing strategy has netted one shipping line, which intends to connect Subic to and from Singapore. However, no timetable as to when the shipping line will start full commercial operations was set.

Both SBITC and ICTSI, meanwhile, have already asked the SBMA to be ready with its incentives for truckers and brokers who will complement the operations of the shipping lines at the freeport such as free staging and marshalling area for truckers and investment incentives for brokers who will set up any facility at the port.

They likewise asked the Department of Transportation and Communications to give Subic one last marketing push to kick-start full commercial operations of the port and realize its dream to becoming one of the major shipping and logistics hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.

Shipping lines, on the other hand, led by the Association of International Shipping Lines, as well as their agents led by the Philippine Ship Agents Association, said the only way to lure more lines to call to Subic is enough cargo volume to sustain their operations.

Otherwise, the shipping lines will continue to shun the port unless the SBMA can provide the base cargo traffic for the carriers. (Jennifer Ambanta, Malaya Business Insight)

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TO DRIVE GROWTH: Private sector pushes Subic port

The private sector is calling for better utilization of the Subic Bay Port to enhance growth of the local shipping industry and economy of Central Luzon that is served by the freeport.

Ramon T. de Leon, chairman of the Pac-Atlantic Group, said during the recently concluded shipping industry conference in Subic that the private sector wants to improve utilization of the economic zone’s port not only to increase revenues but also to enhance its business potential.

De Leon said better utilization of the port’s facilities will bring more opportunities for the local shipping sector, which is mostly based in Manila’s North Harbor, and may even grab the attention of those who would want to set up new branches.

“More opportunities for freight forwarders, brokers and truckers in Subic, establish new or branch offices, promote fair competition, and local job creation,” de Leon said in his presentation.

He also pointed out that utilization of the Subic port will help de-congest Manila’s roads and ports, saying “this may lead to increased productivity, less pollution, and fuel savings.”

De Leon also urged the government to come up with facilities that port operators and shipping industry players can rely on for fast, credible statistical information.

“Determine accurate Central/Northern Luzon shipping data and present to shipping lines,” de Leon said.

De Leon also believes that a law should also be enacted to pursue the utilization of the port in Subic to fulfill commitments beforehand.

He also said the government should give firm authority and mandate to the organizations it had created to promote Subic.

According to de Leon, in 2011, Subic New Container Terminal 1 handled 27,671 TEUs.

He said this number can be improved further if the Subic port is highly utilized.

De Leon concluded that utilization of Subic Bay Port will bring about positive synergies in businesses related to shipping.

“The benefits extend to other stakeholders: locators, vessel operators, logistics service providers, port operators and the national government,” de Leon said. (Jennifer Ambanta, Malaya Business Insight)

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Another US sub docks in Subic; US spy plane joins coastal drill

Amid concerns over the frequent visits of United States naval assets in the country, another US submarine will dock today in Subic Bay for supposed routine port and goodwill visit, while a US Navy surveillance plane yesterday joined local security forces in an exercise aimed at safeguarding coastal areas in the strife-torn Mindanao.

In an advisory, the US Embassy in Manila announced the arrival of USS Hawaii (SSN-776), a Virginia class submarine, on Subic Bay, Zambales, where another US Navy asset, USS Frank Cable, an LY Spear class submarine tender, is docked since its arrival last Monday.

The US Embassy said USS Hawaii is in the country for “a routine port call and goodwill visit that highlights strong historic, community and military connections between the US and the Republic of the Philippines.”

Philippine Navy spokesman Col. Omar Tonsay said the USS Hawaii will be on Subic Bay until Sept. 12, primarily for “replenishment and rest and relaxation for the (US) troops.”

“It (USS Hawaii) has no engagement with the Philippine Navy,” he added.

Aside from the two submarines, a number of US naval assets had docked in Subic Bay during the past months, including the USS North Carolina, the USS Mercy and the USS Louisville.

A US guided missile destroyer, the USS Milius, also made a stop in Manila last month.


The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has scored the Aquino administration for the frequent visits of US military assets in the country, masquerading as “routine port calls and goodwill visits” but actually meant to impose the US military might in the Asia Pacific.

The communist group has accused Washington of using the South China Sea dispute to pressure China.

Relatedly, US navy surveillance plane PC-3 Orion flew over the Davao Gulf in the south from an airport in the central Philippines in a mock mission to help local authorities track a seaborne vessel, said Philippine Navy (PN) Capt. Robert Empedrad.

“The Orion was available, so we requested they take part and spot a vessel,” he told Agence France Presse.

“They (Orion crew) reported (the target vessel’s position) to us and after we determined the real position of contact, we instructed our ships to conduct an interception.”

PN and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) patrol vessels also took part in the exercise, while the US aircraft flew back to an airport in Cebu City after its mission, he added.

The exercise will help the US Navy to coordinate with the PN, PCG, maritime police and other agencies in securing Mindanao, Empedrad said.

He added it would boost security and help protect the island from terrorism, piracy, drug smuggling, gun-running and human trafficking. (Mario J. Mallari, The Daily Tribune, with AFP)

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Perpetual dominates NCAA beach volleyball in Subic Freeport

The University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) dominated the 84th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) beach volleyball events held here by winning two of the three championship bouts on September 2.

UPHSD won the senior women’s title for the fourth straight time, as Norie Jane Diaz and April Anne Sartin defeated San Sebastian College’s Czarina Karen Berbano and Gretchen Soltones in two sets, 21-16 and 23-21.

Meanwhile, Jay dela Cruz and Sandy Domenick Montero, also from UPHSD, captured the senior men’s title by defeating Rudy Gatdula and Erickson Joseph Ramos of Colegio de San Juan de Letran in two sets, 21-17, 30-28.

In the junior’s division, however, UPHSD’s attempt at a championship sweep was thwarted by Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) when EAC’s Jopet Adrian Movido and Toshihiro Wada won over UPHSD’s Jherald Martinez and Christopher Soriano.

This year’s games gave the players a different feel from the past tournaments, since they had to play through strong winds and occasional rain at Subic Freeport’s Boardwalk Park.

According to Rev. Fr. Victor Calvo of Letran, who is chairman of the NCAA management committee, they decided to bring the beach volleyball games to Subic in order to achieve the genuine beach feel that the players should have while playing the sport.

“Talagang magiging beach volley kasi may beach eh. Sa Manila kasi puro artificial setting, hindi beach,” Fr. Calvo noted. “Alam mo ‘yung ambiance? Dapat ganito — malakas yung hangin. Saka para rin makapag-out of town ‘yung players natin, para sa excitement nila,” he added.

Fr. Calvo also said that they wanted to bring the NCAA outside Metro Manila in order to attract players in the provinces to join NCAA teams.

He also said that the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is very receptive when it comes to sporting events because the agency promotes sports tourism.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, meanwhile, said he was happy that the NCAA had chosen Subic as the venue for this year’s championship.

“Sports tourism is a major feature of our strategic plan. Almost all of the sports can be played here in Subic,” Garcia said during the opening ceremonies. “We are very happy that collegiate beach volleyball has come to Subic and we hope that it would make Subic its home.” (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
With sea, ships and sky in the background, competitors in the 84th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) beach volleyball championship enjoy playing in a natural beach environment at the Subic Bay Freeport.

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LGUs get P57.4-million tax share from SBMA

Seven municipalities and a city adjacent to this premier free port received a total of P57.4 million in revenue shares as their portion in the taxes paid by Subic Bay Freeport-registered enterprises in the first half of this year.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said that the shares given to local government units (LGUs) are intended to augment local resources and enable stakeholder communities to benefit from Freeport businesses by augmenting the funds of nearby LGUs for development projects in health, education, peace and order, and livelihood generation.

The LGUs included Olongapo City, which received P13.88 million; and the Zambales towns of Subic, with P8.55 million; Castillejos, P4.92 million; San Marcelino, P6.95 million; and San Antonio, P5.06 million.

In Bataan, Morong town received P4.95 million, Hermosa P5.87 million, and Dinalupihan P7.21 million.

“This is basically the SBMA’s contribution to help improve the living conditions of residents in contiguous and affected communities,” Garcia explained.

“The intention is to create parallel development between the Subic Bay Freeport and its neighbors,” he added.

According to the SBMA Treasury Department, the shares released accounted for two per cent of the five per cent tax on gross income paid for by free port locators for the period January to June 2012. The other three per cent of the taxes paid are remitted directly to the national government.

The SBMA began releasing the shares directly to the LGUs, after a new tax collection scheme was implemented in August 2010 by the agency to ensure the prompt release of shares to the local government units.

Previously, corporate taxes were remitted straight to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which remitted the same to the National Treasury. Thereafter, the Department of Budget and Management would release the two per cent share to the concerned LGUs.

The LGU share is determined according to population (50 per cent), land area (25 per cent), and equal sharing (25 per cent).

Garcia said the shares given by the SBMA to the neighboring communities would benefit almost 600,000 residents in the said areas. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

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US Navy submarine tender arrives in Subic Bay

An American warship that provides at-sea support to the US Navy’s attack submarines in the Pacific region arrived here on Monday, coinciding with the start of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 11-day swing of Southeast Asia to push for regional unity in face of increasing Chinese aggressiveness in the area.

According to a statement from the United States Embassy in Manila, the USS Frank Cable (AS-40) docked in this free port “for a routine port call and goodwill visit that highlights the strong historic, community, and military connections between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines.”

Clinton, who is scheduled to meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is expected to offer strong US support for a plan to ease tensions over disputed islands in the South China Sea, where China has overlapping claims with other countries, including the Philippines.

Reports also said Clinton will urge Southeast Asian nations to present a united front in dealing with territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The US Embassy, however, did not mention any connection between Clinton’s visit and the arrival of USS Frank Cable, and simply said that the ship would be here “to engage with their counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and to allow the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation.”

 The statement released by the embassy’s Information Office also contained an invitation for media representatives join a tour of the ship on Monday, Sept.10, “where they may take photos and conduct interviews with senior officers and crew of the ship.”

The LY Spear-class USS Frank Cable (AS-40) was designed as a "submarine tender" for the nuclear-powered, fast-attack "Los Angeles-class" submarines, which are said to form the backbone of the US Navy’s submarine force.

The 664-foot, 23,000-ton “warship that fixes warships” can provide food, fuel, weapons, and other supplies to submarines, while carrying a full array of maintenance equipment and personnel.

The ship is home-ported at the Apra Harbor in Guam, where it was assigned after refitting to replace the USS Holland in the Western Pacific as Commander Seventh Fleet’s mobile repair and support platform.

It is now one of the only two submarine tenders in the US Military Sealift Command’s 26-vessel "Special Mission Ships" Program." (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

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Another SBMA employee to receive Pagasa Award

A community relations officer of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), who initiated several community development projects for fisher folk in the Subic Bay area, will be conferred the Pagasa Award in Malacañang this month.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia proudly announced on Thursday that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has chosen SBMA employee Marilou Dungog as one of this year’s recipients of the Pagasa Award, which is given for outstanding contributions resulting from an idea or performance that directly benefit more than one department of the government.

Dungog, an administrative officer of the SBMA’s Public Relations Department, will be the fifth SBMA employee to receive the Pagasa Award.

PRD manager Armie Llamas said that Dungog, who embraced the fisher folks in Olongapo City, Morong in Bataan, and San Antonio and Subic in Zambales, “painstakingly undertook several projects that helped in the economic uplift of the communities.”

Llamas said that despite limited funds for community relations projects, Dungog never complained nor showed any pessimism but instead endeavored even more to reach out to the people.

“Despite the odds, she kept going and pursued her advocacy in helping the fisher folk become self-sustaining and economically independent. And with her admirable tenacity and persistence, she was able to accomplish remarkable feats that have steered them to greater heights,” she noted.

For her part, Dungog, who placed second in the search for the 2011 SBMA Employee of the Year, attributes her success to God, for the inspiration and talent; to her family, for the reason why she strives more; and to the fisher folk without whom she could not have achieved anything significant.

“Para akong tumama sa lotto,” she remarked. “Sa likod pala ng mga hirap na dinaanan ko para ma-organize ang mga fisher folk communities dito sa Freeport area ay may naghihintay na napakalaking pagkilala at pagpapahalaga,” she added.

With the award, Dungog urged her colleagues in the government sector to have “mahabang pasensya” and not focus on what benefit could be gained from the people in the community, but rather on what one could share with them.

Chairman Garcia, meanwhile, said that the SBMA workforce has consistently produced recipients of various awards of excellence. These include printing machine operator Randy Canlas, who received a similar Pagasa award in 2010; SBMA fire chief Ranny Magno, who also received a Pagasa award in 2010 for leading the SBMA Fire and Rescue Team in helping recover and retrieve trapped miners in Itogon, Benguet, in September 2008; the SBMA Fire and Rescue Team, which was conferred the Gawad KALASAG (National Level) in 2009 for extraordinary courage, heroism, self-sacrifice, and bravery against all odds in times of emergencies and disasters; 2007 SBMA Employee of the Year Joel Viray, who was Pagasa awardee in 2008; and 2008 SBMA Employee of the Year Edmund De Jesus, who also made it to the regional finals in 2009.

SBMA Chairman Garcia said that SBMA employees work with malasakit, excellence and passion — the agency’s core values — in support of the SBMA goal of helping in the economic development of the country and in improving the lives of its stakeholders. “And it apparently pays off for everyone, especially for those who render their best in public service,” Garcia said.

“It is not surprising, therefore, that we now have several SBMA employees in the honor roll of the CSC Pagasa Award,” Garcia added. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA employee Malou Dungog is set to receive a Pagasa Award for projects for fisher folk communities in the Subic Bay area.

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PNoy: ‘Philippines and Subic now open for business’

The Philippines, especially Subic, is now open for business, as the country begins to reap the fruits of good governance, according to President Benigno Aquino II.

In a speech delivered by Maritime Industry Authority deputy administrator Nicasio Conti on behalf of the chief executive during the recent Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit here, President Aquino said that the country’s efforts in regaining the national dignity and the confidence of the world send a clear message that the Philippines is ready.

“From weeding out corruption and government in society, to prudently spending our budget, to streamlining our business processes at the national and local levels, we are continuing to regain our national dignity and the confidence of the world in our capabilities,” he said. “The Philippines is open for business and the Filipino people mean business.”

Mr. Aquino also noted the recent upgrades given by international rating agencies to the country and said that these recognition by international observers gave the Philippines new opportunities for development.

“From Luzon to Mindanao, the gears of development are turning, providing opportunities and possibilities that we could only imagine in the past,” he said.

At the same time, President Aquino also noted the rise of Subic as a major logistics hub.

“Here in Subic, we are seeing the emergence of a world-class logistics and investments hub in Southeast Asia. With the Philippines as the fourth largest shipbuilding nation worldwide, boasting the construction of 117 ships in 2011, we are becoming an excellent alternative location for shipbuilding and ship repair,” Mr. Aquino said.

He further noted that the development that the country is enjoying is a product of Filipino ingenuity and action.

Mr. Aquino then pointed out the importance of good governance in national development and how it brings out the best in the Filipino people: “Good and conscientious governance yields positive results, igniting a virtuous cycle of continuous prosperity founded on trust and competence, and at the core of our reform agenda — the empowerment of the common Filipino: to aspire, to work harder, to be more productive, for the greater good of our people. “

“We are witnessing the growth for our nation, reaching its fullest potential,” he added.

With this, Mr. Aquino asked everyone to unite to ensure that the country remain on course towards progress.

“By working hand in hand to ensure that democracy, standards and cooperation prevail because every venture won, every investment obtained, every job created in our land is not only the victory of an enterprise but the success of one Filipino movement, of a nation treading the straight and righteous path, towards a more equitable, a more modern, more peaceful Philippines,” he stated.

The first Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit was successfully held here last week, with more than 500 shippers and shipping line operators attending the two-day event at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said that representatives from various shipping and logistics companies from as far as South Africa, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, aside from the Philippines, attended the forum which focused on the advantages of Subic as a logistics and investment hub.

Garcia said the maritime conference should be an eye opener because the Port of Subic has one of the most beautiful and technologically-advanced container terminals in the whole country, and it is now ready for business as an alternative port to Manila. (FMD/MPD-SBMA))

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Passenger/cargo hub plans for Subic, Clark

Subic and Clark are poised for greater growth as over P100 billion worth of existing infrastructure and road projects and those still in the pipeline are designed to turn the two freeports into world-class passenger and cargo hubs.

“The most relevant goal is to create a world-class passenger mobility and cargo distribution network,” Arsenio M. Balisacan, secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and NEDA director-general, said at the recently held Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit 2012.

Balisacan said the Aquino administration envisions Subic and Clark as centers that will provide globally competitive passenger mobility and cargo distribution services.

This is on the back of strong economic performance and the presence of the private sector in the shipping business in Subic, a former US naval base, and in Clark, a former US Air Force base.

Because of this, Balisacan said the government and the private sector have invested some P53.4 billion. In addition, there are other projects in the pipeline totaling more than P49 billion.

“Opportunities abound for the maritime industry as investments in Central Luzon continue to grow. Almost P180 billion of new investments were generated in 2011 as compared with the P70 billion new investments in 2010,” Balisacan said.

Balisacan further said that the government’s private-public partnership program in Central Luzon will also boost growth in the region, including its maritime industry.

Among the infrastructure projects in the Subic and Clark area are as follows: the completion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTex); rehabilitation of the North Luzon Expressway; construction of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway and the Central Luzon Link Expressway; widening of MacArthur Highway; rehabilitation of the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Road; rehabilitation of Daang Maharlika, and opening of the Capas-Botolan Road, which will continue to improve access to Subic and Clark.

The construction of Dingalan Port in Aurora and concreting of the Dingalan-Gabaldon Road complete an overland Pacific-West Philippine Sea connection through Subic Port, Balicasan said. (Jennifer Ambanta, Malaya)

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PHL, South Korea sign OSH agreement

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has signed an agreement with South Korea that seeks to ensure the safety and health of Filipino workers employed by Korean industrial companies in the country.

The signing of the accord was seen as an offshoot of a series of industrial-related accidents involving Filipino workers employed by the Hanjin industrial shipyard at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone that led to the deaths of several workers.

The agreement with the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency signed on August 25 seeks to improve the occupational safety and health system in the country, according to Baldoz.

Kosha is an agency of South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor.

The agreement will facilitate Korea’s financial and technical support geared to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) system.

These include:

1. An analysis of the Philippines’s policies on industrial accident prevention, workplace improvement and industrial accident compensation, and provide advice and guidelines for the enhancement of OSH policies in the Philippines;

2. Deployment of experts to the Philippines to provide assistance for the enhancement of OSH policies, especially with regard to industrial accident prevention, workplace improvement and industrial accident compensation;

3. Provision of training to the Philippines’s policy-makers/implementers in Korea so that they can learn about Korea’s experiences, including the implementation of policies on industrial accident prevention, workplace improvement and industrial accident compensation, and the management of relevant institutions. (E. Torres and J. Mayuga, Business Mirror)

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PH-Made Vessel Delivered To London

A bulk-carrier vessel worth $60 million was delivered by Korean shipbuilding company Hanjin Heavy Industry and Construction Co., Ltd.-Philippines (HHIC-Phil) to a British-Australian client during its naming ceremony held inside its facility in Redondo Peninsula in Subic Bay Freeport, Zambales.

The “M/V RTM Cartier”, named after a French explorer and the second vessel purchased by Rio Tinto Shipping Ltd., measures 299.9 meters and weighs in 204,000 deadweight metric tons.

On the ship’s send-off to its homeport is London in the United Kingdom (UK), HHIC-Phil President Jin Kyu Ahn commended the collaborative efforts and professionalism of those involved in the successful completion of the vessel.

“This new ship is equipped with modern technology and embodied the excellent craftsmanship of Hanjin shipyard’s Filipino workforce,” Jin said.

This is the second vessel delivered to Rio Tinto as it also purchased its first vessel from Hanjin, the “M/V Cook,” a 204,000 deadweight metric tons bulk carrier, with an estimated value of US$ 60,000,000 and was delivered by the Korean shipbuilder on May, 2012.

The momentous event was witnessed by HHIC-Phil senior officials, Rio Tinto’s top executives, and representatives from classification society Lloyd’s Register. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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Subic Bay maritime confab ‘hugely successful’

The first Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit opened on Thursday to raves and tumultuous applause, as more than 500 shippers and shipping line operators attended the launch at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) here.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said that the event drew executives from various shipping and logistics companies from as far as South Africa, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, along with officials and other stakeholders from maritime-related firms in the Philippines.

“We had a hugely successful opening, and the attendance really surpassed our expectations,” Garcia said of the two-day event, which was organized by the SBMA and co-hosted with the Subic Bay International Terminal Container Corporation, to promote this free port as a maritime logistics and services hub.

Among the industry experts who joined the conference were Susumo Naruse, secretary general of the International Association of Ports and Harbors; Hector Miole, port district manager for Southern Luzon; Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon ; NEDA deputy director-general Rolando Tungpalan; and Atty. Arnel Casanova, president of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

The conference focused on the theme “Subic Bay: Asia’s Emerging Logistics and Investment Hub.”

Addressing the delegates at the opening of the convention, Garcia said: “It is especially significant that we are holding this summit now when the window of economic opportunity is open to the Philippines as evidenced by our strong economic growth and the huge interest of foreign investors.”

He pointed out that the focus of the international community has now shifted, “even more sharply,” from the “BRICS” group, which is composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, towards Asia’s “VIP” countries, which are Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The Subic conference, Garcia added, should be an eye opener because the Port of Subic has one of the most beautiful and technologically-advanced container terminals in the whole country, and it is ready and open for business as an alternative port to Manila.

Garcia said the conference brings together the key players in the shipping industry — the shippers from Clark, Subic and Central Luzon, and the shipping lines. “We’d like to get the shipping lines to call and get the key shippers to ship from Subic,” he added.

In the same occasion, Commissioner Biazon, who discussed the policy of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) on trade facilitation, lauded the SBMA for helping the bureau in its operations in the Subic Bay Freeport.

He also announced the automation of the bureau’s procedures, especially the transfer of data relevant to the processing of imports, in line with the thrust for “paperless transaction” to curb corruption in the agency.

Garcia said that the BoC’s modernization program should make the Subic Bay Freeport more attractive to port users because it would help make this free port provide efficient services to clients. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)
PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia welcomes delegates to the Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit which opened on Thursday at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

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Subic stages 1st NCAA beach volley match

MANILA - The NCAA resumes its outreach program in Season 88 as it holds its first out-of-town beach volley tournament in Subic Bay, Zambales this Sunday.

NCAA Management Committee chair Fr. Vic Calvo, OP, of host Letran and tournament host Paul Supan of Letran have already made the out-of-town game official by signing a Memorandum of Agreement with Subic Bay deputy administrator Raul Marcelo recently.

The Subic joust comes on the heels of the NCAA’s successful hosting of its first out-of-town basketball tournament in Sta. Cruz, Laguna last month.

A total of 30 games will be played on Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m. while 40 games are set Monday beginning at 7:30 a.m.

After a four-day break, beach volley action resumes on Aug. 31 with 30 matches, Sept. 1 with 32 games and Sept. 2 when all the playoff and championship games in all three divisions – men’s, women’s and boys – will be held.

Focus will be on the Perpetual Help spikers, who topped the women’s division and finished second in both men’s and boys category to emerge last year’s most successful team in the sport.

The Lady Altas kick off their bid against the Lady Cardinals at 11:30 a.m. while the Arellano U-Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo-Jose Rizal men’s and boys’ duels, respectively, will be played on two of the three courts being put up for the event.

“It’s all system’s go for NCAA beach volleyball in Subic and that is another first for the league,” said Supan, who will be assisted by other Mancom members, including Arellano U’s Peter Cayco. (The Philippine Star)

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Subic Freeport celebrates San Roque feast day Disney-style

People dressed as cartoon characters from popular animated films swarmed the Harbor Point Mall here on Thursday as the entire Subic Freeport community led by the Subic Bay Freeport Authority (SBMA) celebrated the feast day of San Roque, Subic Bay’s patron saint.

With the theme, “It’s More Fun-tasy in Subic @ Harbor Point”, this year’s edition of the annual San Roque Street Dance Competition required participating schools, business locators, and SBMA departments to do a ten-minute number inspired by an animated film.

In the contest, students from the Columban College Arts and Sciences Department successfully defended their title in the student category with their “Shrek”- inspired performance and took home the top prize of P20,000 cash.

The Olongapo City National High School Special Program for the Arts took the second place, while the College of Subic Montessorri placed third.

The Property, Procurement and Management Department, meanwhile, bagged the top prize for the SBMA category with their performance of “The Little Mermaid.” The Tourism Department bagged the second place with their “Tarzan”- inspired number.

For the open category, the group Grand Exquisite Dancers won the top prize, with the James O’Brien Dancers and the Kids Nxt Door placing second and third, respectively.

SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia said the San Roque Festival is a special day for him, since it was during last year’s festivities when he spoke to the public for the first time as the agency’s chairman.

Garcia also thanked San Roque for protecting the Freeport during the heavy monsoon rains that swept the country during the past weeks.

He also praised the efforts of the SBMA's rescue teams at the height of the flooding caused by the heavy rains, noting that the teams rescued around 350 individuals.

“When San Roque was looking over us, I think he is also helping our rescue teams help out residents in the communities surrounding Subic,” he said.

Garcia then wished for a prosperous year for the Freeport: “Sana tuloy-tuloy ang ating pag-angat dito sa Freeport; sana tuloy na gumanda ang negosyo ng mga negosyante dito para maakit ‘yung mga iba na mag-invest dito at mag-provide ng mga trabaho para sa ating mga kasamahan na taga-Olongapo, Zambales at Bataan,” he said.

This year’s San Roque feast day celebration was sponsored by the Ayala-owned Harbor Point mall and was organized by the SBMA through its Tourism Department. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Dancers in Disney animated film-inspired costumes compete in this year’s San Roque Street Dance Competition at the Subic Bay Freeport. The celebration coincided with the feast day of San Roque, Subic Bay’s patron saint.

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SBMA signs MOU with Korea’s “Silicon Valley”

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Daejeon TechnoPark, one of South Korea’s leading technological institutions, in the metropolitan city of Daejeon.

Known as the “Silicon Valley” of South Korea, Daejeon Technopark is the second biggest center of Administration and Science and Technology, and plays a key role in Korea’s domestic economic development.

SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto V. Garcia and Dr. Park Jun Byung, Daejeon Technopark president and CEO, and Daejeon City vice mayor for administrative affairs and director general of science, culture and tourism, signed the MOU in Daejeon City last July.

Also present during the signing ceremony were SBMA director Benjamin Antonio, and several other city and Technopark officials as witnesses.

“The agreement basically aims to build up strategic and collaborative partnerships between SBMA and Daejeon Metropolitan City (DMC), which is South Korea's fifth largest metropolis and science and technology capital,” Garcia noted.

Common collaborative efforts between SBMA and DMC are expected to bring mutual growth and benefit to their respective stakeholders, particularly in the areas of industrial technology, business development and exchange, global network construction, knowledge resource sharing, and support marketing.

According to Garcia, the MOU will allow both SBMA and DMC to promote joint business matching, research projects and cooperative networking among business and research institutes.

The two parties have also agreed to carry out various exchange programs such as technology development, staff training and workforce exchanges in order to foster mutual understanding.

“This is a very significant development for the Freeport, especially considering that Daejeon is home to various private and public research institutes, centers and science parks, the more notable of which include the Electronic Telecommunications Research Institute, the Korean Aerospace Research Institute, the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, the Korea Institute of Energy Research, the National Nanofab Center, and research and development centers of Samsung and LG, among others,” Garcia added.

After the signing, Garcia and Antonio met with Daejeon mayor Yeom Hong-chul and proceeded to Chungnam University, one of the largest government universities among the 18 universities in Daejeon.

At Chungnam, the SBMA officials met with the university vice president, Prof. Oh, who described how a Technopark, in the true sense of the word, should be set up, and that is, in collaboration with an educational institution and a testing/research center.

Prof. Oh is also the secretary general of the World Technopark Association (WTA) and has been involved in setting up techno parks in many parts of the world, including Kenya, Mongolia, Indonesia, Egypt and Sri Lanka.

“With a MOU with Daejeon in place, we hope to develop and replicate that kind of techno park here in the Freeport,” Garcia said. (KMF_SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia (left), Daejeon Technopark officials present a memorandum of understanding they signed for the collaborative partnership between the SBMA and Daejeon Techno Park in South Korea.

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SBMA teams join rescue and relief operations in flood areas

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Fire and Rescue team once again braved torrential rains and rising floodwaters to do what it does best – saving lives and rescuing people from danger and calamity.

Responding to calls for assistance, this time from the onslaught of “habagat”, or the southwest monsoon, SBMA fire chief Ranny Magno deployed the first Fire and Rescue team to the flood-stricken area of Orion, Bataan, as early as Monday (August 6) night.

“From then on, there was no rest for everyone, as four other teams were dispatched on the following day to Olongapo City, including Barangays Mabayuhan and Sta. Rita, which were the worst hit in the city; and also to Dinalupihan, Bataan; and Subic town, Zambales”, he said.

Using a 6x6 military truck lent by Subic Freeport locator United Auctioneer, the group was able to rescue 249 individuals.

Magno also added that the first team that was sent to Orion proceeded to Hermosa, which was totally flooded, before making its way back to the free port on August 8. “By nighttime, all our teams had already returned safely from their respective missions but clearing work in Olongapo awaited them,” he mentioned.

When the floodwaters started receding, the SBMA team began helping out in flushing operations in the city to clear schools and public buildings of mud and other debris. Among the first areas the SBMA cleared were Columban College and the Olongapo City Library.

According to SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia, the agency also opened the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center and the Subic Gym for residents who had to evacuate their flooded homes.

In the meantime, a relief drive was initiated by the SBMA’s Public Relations and Tourism Departments. In coordination with local government units, emergency food supplies from employees, business locators and residents here were distributed to evacuees at the Sta. Rita Elementary School, Sta. Rita National High School, and Tabacuhan Elementary School in Olongapo City.

In Bataan, the SBMA also delivered a total of 660 bags of relief goods to the municipalities of Hermosa and Dinalupihan.

“We shall continue to help in relief operations for families who are still in various evacuation centers in Olongapo City and Bataan, and our rescue teams will also be active in helping clear flood-affected areas,” Garcia also said.

Garcia noted that the past week saw Subic’s 20-year tradition of volunteerism and civic-mindedness in action, as he thanked everyone for donating to the flood victims and commended Magno and his team for their passion to help
“We have one of the best, if not, the best group around,” he added, referring to several recognitions that the team had received in the past years.

These awards include a Gawad Kalasag award, “recognizing excellence on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, and Humanitarian Assistance”, which the team received in 2009 from National Defense secretary and National Disaster Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) chairman Voltaire Gazmin who cited the "extraordinary courage, heroism and self-sacrifice" shown by the SBMA Fire and Rescue Group in times of emergencies and disasters”.

“We’re doing this not for public recognition but for humanity. We’d like to consider ourselves as SBMA ambassadors in the field of public service,” Magno said. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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Images Of The August 7 Flood Aftermath

A resident of flood-stricken Olongapo City with some of his "salvaged" possessions.

A local shoe store getting right back to business.

Even the City Hall was not spared

Rizal Triangle covered court

Can you tell this is a basketball court?

Wall toppled by the floods' strong current

How terrible is the mud left by the flood?

Images of people getting right back on track.

Flood water as mud remover.

Fleet of vehicles parked at the West Bajac Bajac covered court for safety.

The rain-swollen Kalaklan river.

Kids working on having their basketball court back.

Local rescue team's "lifesavers".

First time for this office.

West Bajac Bajac Barangay Captain Rafael Santulan helping his constituents.

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SC stops Subic coal power plant project

The Supreme Court has issued a Writ of Kalikasan against the planned 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. at the Subic Bay Freeport.

The high court in a July 31 ruling restrained the company from proceeding with the construction of the coal power plant after Party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño complained against the expansion of the power plant complex from its original capacity of 300 MW.

RP Energy is a joint venture among Meralco PowerGen Corp., a unit of Manila Electric Co., and Therma Power Inc. of the Aboitiz Group and Taiwan Cogeneration International Corp. Meralco PowerGen owns a 50 percent plus two shares in the joint venture while Therma Power and Taiwan Cogeneration hold the balance.

The Supreme Court also remanded the case to the Court of Appeals for further hearings and judgment.

RP Energy said it was reviewing its legal options after the high court gave it 10 days to respond.

“We respect the process and are mindful of the rights of those who filed the petition. Although we cannot discuss the merits of the case, RP Energy reiterates its strong adherence to the laws that govern us in implementing the project such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ ECC process,” RP Energy said.

“Our records show that we have not violated or reneged on our commitment to safeguard the environment and the communities around us,” it said.

RP Energy president Aaron Domingo earlier said the company was hoping to get the environmental clearance certificate for the second 300-MW unit of the 600-MW project by the fourth quarter. RP Energy aims to complete the coal project by 2015.

“We have advanced the development significantly. The site preparation is almost complete we’re actually mobilizing people already. The ECC is a underway,” Domingo said.

The proposed Subic project will utilize two 300-MW units utilizing the latest clean coal technology. The entire project is estimated to cost $1.28 billion.

Meralco, meanwhile, is pursuing an aero-derivative combined cycle power plant in Calamba, Laguna.

“We have secured the site. We have an ECC and we’re continuing multi-partite monitoring process. The site is available for putting up peaking capacity should Meralco need it,” he said.

Domingo said Meralco PowerGen is also looking at liquefied natural gas and coal projects with a capacity of 300 to 500 megawatts each. (Manila Standard Today)

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Amira C. Foods airs side

AMIRA C. Foods, DMCC, which was recently tagged in news reports in connection with the reported shipment of Indian rice allegedly smuggled into Philippine territory through the Subic Bay Freeport, yesterday broke its silence on the issue.

In a press statement issued by its legal counsels from the Ongkiko Mahit Custodio and Acorda Law Offices, the Amira C Foods said it is a company duly established and existing for more than 50 years, with international presence as a seller of rice products in at least 40 countries, has a reputation to uphold and would never contemplate being a party to any illegal activities.

Denying the allegation that the rice was originally destined for Subic Bay Freeport as ‘completely false, Amira said that in the conduct of the ordinary course of its business, it received an order from an Indonesian importer in November 2011. The order consisted of five cargo ships that were to be shipped from India to Indonesia.

MV Vinalines Mighty, the ship subject of this controversy, was one of the ships included in this dispatch. MV Vinalines Mighty, however, arrived late in Indonesia. Consequently, it was not permitted to unload its cargo in Indonesia, the original port of destination.

Specifically, MV Vinalines Mighty, sailed from India on February 24, 2012, reached Indonesia on March 8, 2012 and stayed in Indonesian waters until March 27, 2012, thus making Amira faced with the prospect of either finding another buyer or re-shipping the goods back to India.

“We raised these facts with the Bureau of Customs and even attached to the appeal the shipment and communication documents that would show the transaction between itself and the Indonesian importer. Even the goods subject of the seizure proceedings have original markings of the Indonesian importer showing its intended recipient,” the statement said.

Considerations of perishability of the goods and the enormous costs of shipping the goods back to India prompted Amira to start looking for free ports in nearby countries, for the purpose of temporarily storing the goods pending determination of its final destination.
 
Of the many free ports considered, the one free port that presented the most attractive prospect in terms of costs was the Subic Special Economic Zone (“ Subic SSEZ”) under the auspices of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (“SBMA”). It had comparably lower operating costs such as un-loading and warehousing fees.

Thus, Amira inquired with SBMA about transshipment facilities in the Subic SSEZ and retained Metro Eastern Trading Corporation (“Metro Eastern”), a duly licensed SBMA authorized locator. On March 26, 2012, Amira signed a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) with Metro Eastern for transshipment, handling, safekeeping, warehousing, and unloading of the shipment once it arrives in Subic SSEZ.

After signing the agreement with Metro Eastern, on March 27, 2012, “MV Vinalines Mighty” sailed from Indonesia and arrived at Subic SSEZ on April 4, 2012. The subject cargo was completely unloaded by Metro Eastern under the auspices of SBMA and BOC personnel by April 19, 2012.

Amira said it did not misdeclare or conceal the goods upon arrival. Neither has it attempted to remove the goods from the warehouse.

News reports reveal that the goods have been abandoned. This is belied by the facts of the case. (People's Tonight)

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Subic exec denies role as broker in rice fiasco

The deputy administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority on Thursday denied that he acted as a go-between for an Indian company accused of smuggling 420,000 bags of rice into the country and a consignee based in the free port.

Stefani Saño said that, contrary to the testimony given at the Senate Wednesday, he did not broker a meeting between Amira C Foods International of India and Metro Eastern Trading Corp., a Subic Bay tenant.

In a statement submitted to the office of SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto V. Garcia, Saño said that, on March 20, Vicente Cuevas, a registered free port investor, invited him to a restaurant inside Subic to meet Indian businessmen who were interested in setting up logistics facilities.

He said that when he arrived at the restaurant, he saw Cuevas, Cesar Bulaon of Metro Eastern, and a group of Indian businessmen who introduced themselves as representatives of Amira Foods.

Protik Guha, who introduced himself as the head of the Indian delegation, said America was one of the biggest grain traders in India and was interested in investing in Subic.

Saño said Guha wanted to know if Metro Eastern was a registered company authorized to handle importations.

Guha also inquired about the SBMA’s policies on transshipment and logistics operations, activities that Saño said the SBMA wanted to promote.

Saño also said he was not at the Senate hearing Wednesday despite newspaper reports that attributed statements to him.

“I was in Subic and was surprised when informed by Chairman Garcia about the allegations made by Bulaon linking him with the rice importation fiasco,” Saño said.

He admitted meeting once more with Amira officials at the Edsa Shangri-La in Mandaluyong on March 22 with Cuevas, but not with Bulaon. At that meeting, the Amira officials again expressed interest in setting up operations at the Subic free port, he said.

He was accompanied at the meeting by Ivy Alipoon from the SBMA’s logistics department, who was appointed account officer for Amira’s project.

On May 21, Amira submitted a letter of intent signifying its plan to set up a business inside the Subic free port, and said it was looking for a one-hectare site to set up its logistics facilities.

Saño, who is scheduled to appear before the Senate panel investigating the rice shipment on Tuesday, said he would be denying any role in its processing or that he helped find the warehouse to store the grain.

Also on Thursday, the Bureau of Customs said the Indian rice shipment was originally 430,000 bags, but 4,000 bags were lost to pilferage, leaving only 426,000 bags.

A memo from X-ray Inspection Project field officer Filemon Obejas Jr. said 430,000 bags of rice consigned to Metro Eastern arrived in bulk, but they could account for only 426,000 bags because of pilferage from the warehouse where it was stored.

It was unclear, however, why only 420,000 bags were eventually reported.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said the shipment from India arrived on April 4 aboard the vessel Vinalines Mighty.

Biazon said his men got suspicious when the importer failed to produce the needed requirements for rice importation such as the allocation and import permits from the National Food Administration.

Metro Eastern said the real consignee of the shipment was Amira, and that the rice was originally destined for Jakarta but its import permit there had lapsed because of the delays in its shipment.

But Subic officials said the shipment was really destined for delivery to the Philippines based on its bill of lading.

A packing list and commercial invoice from Amira also identified Metro Eastern as the consignee and Subic as the port of discharge.

“Without doubt, this is a case of large-scale attempt to smuggle rice into the country. Had we not stopped this illegal rice importation, it could have caused tremendous damage to our local farmers,” said Biazon who ordered the shipment seized.

Amira later filed an appeal to have its shipment released. (Willie E. Capulong, Joel E. Zubano and Othel V. Campos, The Manila Standard Today)

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Rescued Koreans safe in Subic, but their barges still unlocated

The seven Korean nationals rescued off the coast of Zambales on Thursday are now safe and sound in this free port, but the barges they have been towing when they nearly sank due to heavy rains and strong winds are not yet located as of press time.

A top official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said the rescued Koreans remain aboard the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP EDSA II which has docked here after the rescue.

They were identified as Jeon Hong Jong, 47; Kim Kwang Soo, 59; Chi Chong Shik, 43; Kim In Choi, 44; Kim Dong Yang, 30; O Bong Ju, 60; and Han Jung Jeong, 61.

“According to the latest information, the Koreans are now just awaiting instructions from their shipping agent in Manila. In the meantime, they remain aboard BRP EDSA II and they’re all doing well,” said SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia.

The Korean nationals were rescued early Thursday morning from a sinking tugboat off the coast of Zambales, as raging winds and strong rains battered the province.

The Koreans were found aboard M/Tug Kosco 202 in the waters southwest of Capones Island in San Antonio, Zambales at around 6:00 a.m. Philippine Coast Guard crewmen on board BRP EDSA II came to their rescue after the Koreans sent out SOS signals.

The Coast Guard found the tugboat half-submerged in water and got the crew out using life rafts.

The rescued Koreans were then brought to the SBMA Dispensary where they underwent routine medical check-up. None of the rescued Korean nationals were injured.

According to Jong, who is the captain of MV/Tug Kosco 202, their tugboat was pulling two brand-new barges, PB 3207 and PB 3026, that came from Shanghai, China.

Jong said that they were headed for Jakarta, Indonesia when they encountered rough waters off Zambales due to inclement weather. He said they decided to cut off the barges connected to their tugboat when the barges began to fill up with water.

He added that they decided to send SOS signals when their tugboat’s engine room also began taking in water.

According to Romeo Ranojo, SBMA maritime security chief, a local tugboat owned by the salvage firm Malayan, M/Tug Defiance, went to search for the barges but failed to locate them.

It is still unclear whether the abandoned barges sank or went adrift. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Korean nationals undergo check-up at the SBMA Dispensary in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone after they were rescued on Thursday from a sinking tugboat off the coast of Zambales.

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Subic hosts 109th SEIPI general assembly

Some 215 representatives from 83 companies in the semiconductor and electronics sector trooped here last Friday for the 109th general membership meeting of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) at the Subic Bay Yacht Club.

Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas and Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Lilia de Lima graced the event that brought the SEIPI general membership meeting in Subic for the first time.

In his address, Roxas stressed that the administration of President Aquino has been establishing a more conducive business environment for the industry, and added that he is very happy to see how SEIPI has grown through the years.

He also recalled his ties with the industry, noting the 12-year “engagement” he has had with SEIPI, which he described as “certainly longer than (the time) I’ve been married.”

“I just want to say how personally pleased I am to see familiar faces, to see how well you are doing, to see how united you still are, how much you’ve grown, your association and how relevant you continue to be to the economy for your individual entities and corporations, as well as for your employees and other stakeholders,” he said.

Roxas also explained how the government’s economic thrust, as presented in President Aquino's recent State of the Nation Address can help in the continuous growth of the semiconductor industry.

He likewise pointed out how plans to improve the education, agriculture and social sectors would have an effect on SEIPI member companies.

Likening the semiconductor industry to a ship that needs a better environment in order to function better, Roxas added, “No matter what you do, your ship will not ride higher unless the water level also rises. That water level really is the general societal environment in which we all live, work and play.”

“So by having a healthier population, by having more food and some less agitation for wage increases, by having a better educated population, the water level in effect rises, your ship rides higher, you’ll be able to do much better if these things have happened,” he further noted.

After his address, Roxas entertained some questions from SEIPI members during an open forum, while De Lima discussed investment trends in the country.

SEIPI is a non-stock, non-profit organization that was established in 1984. From 13 companies in its first year, SEIPI’s membership has grown to 246 as of March 2012.

The general membership consists of regular, associate, affiliate and honorary member-companies in the Philippines. Of the 246 members, 113 are Filipino-owned while 133 are foreign-owned companies. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas is welcomed by SBMA officials led by Chief Operating Officer Joven Reyes (extreme left of photo) upon his arrival at the Subic Bay International Airport to address the SEIPI general meeting at the Subic Bay Freeport. SBMA Director Ramon Sesdoyro and SBMA consultant Knette Fernando also welcomed Roxas.

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SBMA, BOC deny ‘turf war’, vow close cooperation vs. rice smuggling

Officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) yesterday dispelled reports of a “turf war” in connection with the seizure of some P420-million worth of imported rice here, and vowed to work close together to curb attempts to smuggle rice through this free port.

In a joint press conference at the SBMA office here, SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia and Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon said the two agencies see eye to eye as far as the implementation of customs and tariff laws are concerned.

“Contrary to what has been reported, there is no truth to allegations that there is a turf war between the Bureau of Customs and the SBMA,” Biazon said.

“We are in close cooperation and coordination,” he added.

Garcia meanwhile said that when it comes to the disposition of the seized shipment, the BOC holds sway because the SBMA simply stands as manager of the free port.

“We have cooperated together in the past — as in the case of the inventory of blue-plate vehicles here — and that is what we are doing now,” Garcia said.

“We also look forward to a more harmonious relationship between Customs and SBMA because there should be more vigilance in face of these attempts to smuggle goods through Subic,” Garcia added.

The two officials issued the clarification on Tuesday following the publication of a news item on Monday, which alleged that the SBMA accused Biazon of having “overstepped his authority in the free port.“

SBMA officials said, however, that nobody in the agency had contested BOC operations in Subic.

“In fact, we have not taken any position regarding the implementation of customs and tariff laws in the free port because we abide by the issuances and orders that emanate from the Customs offices,” Garcia said on Monday.

Biazon said the BOC has issued a warrant of seizure and detention on the illegal rice shipment, which costs around P420 million.

He said the BOC’s move to seize the shipment is now under appeal, but if the detention is warranted, the BOC may sell the illegal shipment at an auction.

He added that there is no proof that the shipment is destined for some cooperatives in the country, as earlier reported in the media.

In Tuesday’s forum, SBMA officials also clarified that the agency had not allowed the shipper to make any declaration after finding out that the rice shipment was not covered by the required documents.

“We did not allow them to make a declaration, and we did not issue them any permit, so they cannot move it out and sell it in the domestic market,” said SBMA seaport operations chief Atty. Redentor Tuazon.

Garcia added that after the 60-day reglamentary period of storage had lapsed, “the matter is already in BOC hands.”

After the press conference, Biazon showed the impounded rice to the media.

He said the BOC is expediting the investigation of the shipment so that the rice may not rot before it is finally disposed of. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (center) and Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon reiterate calls for closer cooperation in the fight against rice smuggling at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

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