Modern La Union

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Presently, La Union is still "young" when compared to older provinces such as Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Pampanga, Cebu and Cavite. It is a class - A, progressive and developing province. Its 155 years of existence since 1850 testifies to reality of the original vision -- a province geared towards peace, prosperity, growth and development. The original "dozen" towns have grown to 19 municipalities and a city. The additional eight are: Santol, San Gabriel, Bagulin, Burgos, Pugo, Tubao, Rosario and Sudipen. Although the rate of economic progress has been noticeable faster in the coastal towns, the interior towns have coped with the pace. The network of modern infrastructure has contributed to the present progressive condition in agriculture, commerce and industry. In the late 1990's, the national leadership declared La Union as one of the archipelago's 12 regional industrial centers.

Beach Fever

Since the advent of martial law in 1972, La Union has all the more progressed markedly. In commerce, merchants visit and trade from neighboring provinces. Every town has a "tienda" day. Aside from rice and tobacco, the inhabitants grow cotton, silk coconuts, cacao, mangoes and vegetables. The prime commercial and savings banks have their branches in San Fernando. The Central Bank of the Philippines has built its regional office thereat. Tourists are lured by the alluring beaches especially during the weekends. Thus, more new resort areas have mushroomed along the sandy beaches between Bauang and San Fernando. Filipinos have caught up the "beach fever". Nestled in one of the environment-friendly hills of the city of San Fernando is the home of the only botanical gardens north of Metro Manila. The other tourist-getting spots is the Pindangan ruins and Poro Point in the southern portion of the city.

The Gateway

Due to her strategic location as the "gateway", La Union has become the entrepot to the Ilocos and a by-way to the Cordilleras. The famous Kennon Road starts from the foothills of Rosario ascending up to Baguio City, the summer capital. The two other road arteries, Naguilian Road and Marcos Highway, have also contributed to easier transportation to the Cordillera region. Accessible by land, the province has contributed greatly to the easy transport of farm products from the "barangays" to the "ili" (town proper) or "poblacion". The provincial administrations from the 1960's to the present have enacted measures to further boost its socio-economic growth especially among the farmers and merchants.

People: La Union's Richest Resources

Throughout the entire 155 year-history of La Union, several sons and daughters have contributed to the evolving national history. Some of these names have a familiar ring to us today: Diego Silang, patriot and hero; Camilo Oasis, senator and educator; Francisco Ortega, Speaker pro-tempore; Alejo Mabanag, senator; Mariano Madriaga and Enrique Sobrepeña, religious leaders; Manuel Arguilla, author; Angel Anden, journalist and academician; Nicolas Zafra, historian and educator; Laureana Novicio - Luna, mother of the illustrious Luna brothers; Magnolia Antonino, senator and businesswoman, Manuel Cases, parliamentarian; Epifanio Castillejos, bureaucraft; Joaquin Ortega, lawyer and assemblyman; Jose Aspiras, congressman and ex-secretary of tourism; Juvenal Guerrero, ex-justice of the Supreme Court; Victor F. Ortega, congressman and constitutional convention delegate and now governor; Fortunato Abat, soldier diplomat; Arteimio Tadiar, an officer and a gentlemen; Sixto Domondon, jurist; Melchor P Aquino, noted ambassador and columnist, Justo O. Orros, Jr. Ambassador to Mexico.

These are just few of those who have contributed unselfishly through their individual skills, talents and leadership, towards La Union's development and that of the nation. For indeed, La Union's richest resources are its people. It is through them that the province contributed to the unity, progress and prosperity of the nation.

By JESUS P. ESTANISLAO

THERE are not too many cities or local government units that can make a bold claim as being "the botanical garden city" of the Northern Philippines. San Fernando City in La Union can already make such a claim; moreover, it envisions becoming "the botanical garden city" of the entire Philippines by 2015. It also sees itself by 2015 as "the springboard of economic progress" in the North by becoming more and more the "radiant and dynamic center of health, education, finance and governance" of Region 1.

The vision that San Fernando City has set for actualization by 2015 is fully in line with its mission of inculcating a culture for quality in life and in work and of promoting "community-level initiative and participation." Thus, a "transparent and responsive leadership" in partnership with the citizens of the city can more effectively make the city a "magnet for economic investment."

Investments and all other initiatives are to be pursued always with reference to the city’s core values. These include being "God-loving, peaceful, self-reliant, healthy, pro-active and empowered, proud of their cultural heritage, and living in productive harmony with nature." Both the city’s citizens and leaders have committed to these core values as the permanent anchors or foundation, upon which they aim to carry out their mission and realize their vision.

In light of these core values, San Fernando City has formulated a "credo," which lays out very clearly that the first responsibility is owed to its citizens, who are expected to be "God-loving, hardworking and disciplined." So that citizens’ needs are adequately and promptly attended to, the "professional men and women" who work in the public offices in City Hall have to be cared for: They occupy the next top rung in the ladder of responsibilities. Below them are the City Officials, both elected and appointed. The circle of responsibility the radiates from the communities within the city to the entire city. It further reaches out to the country and the global community. Responsibility to the Creator is mentioned last in the spirit of reserving the very best and the highest for last.

The "credo" of San Fernando City is one proper way of expressing the core values that underlie the city’s "charter statement." The practice of reciting the "credo" each week helps City Officials and all others who work in City Hall to internalize ever more deeply their responsibilities. Once those responsibilities are deeply internalized, then they manifest themselves in all the different facets and aspects of the public governance of the city.

It is in the day-to-day governance of the city that officials and citizens, governors and governed, work in close cooperation and partnership for giving more substance and adding more concreteness to the common good of the city. That common good gains ever more substance through specific steps taken daily towards realizing by 2015 the city’s vision of becoming "the botanical garden city" of the Philippines and "the springboard of economic progress" in the North. The blessings of that common good can become more concrete, and would be enjoyed more tangibly if through solidarity, good governance and responsible citizenship the city remains in dogged and effective pursuit of its mission: Of having a culture for quality in life and in work, thereby making San Fernando City a magnet for economic investments.

source (http://www.mb.com.ph/archive_pages.php?url=http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/09/07/OPED2006090773737.html)

Thanks for replying to my inquiries ergit222. It's very much appreciated! I used to stay at my cousin's place (Selwyn Auto Supply) across from the gas station that is now occupied by RCBC. Vacations in La Union were very pleasant childhood memories. Unfortunately, my yearly summer vacations to La Union were cut short in '75 after I attempted a U-turn in the middle of the highway on my bicycle and was promptly struck by a jeep, roughly in front of were Town & Country Cinema is/was. Is Town & Country still around?

^^The old corner wooden building where Selwyn Auto Supply used to occupy is now being demolished to give way for a new edifice while Canddice Cinema (formerly Town and Country Cinema) burned down last year and presently being reconstructed into a 2-storey shopping arcade. Selwyn Auto Supply, by the way, has moved to its new location and newly constructed commercial building along P. Burgos St, just a stone throw away from its old location. :)

These stones in Luna, La Union have found market not only in the country but also abroad especially in Japan.

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Ancient Moro watchtowers stand along the beaches of Luna. The invasions of Moro pirates gave rise to the construction of watchtowers, locally known as "baluarte". These watchtowers served as a fortress against the invading pirates. It was also utilized as a refuge for the inhabitants who had no time to flee to the hills whenever the pirates were sighted.

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Website: http://www.puertodesanjuan.com/

Puerto de San Juan is a resort hotel located on the north west coast of the Philippines some 6 hours by road from Manila. Accommodation ranges from standard and double rooms to cottages and two room units. Amenities include larger and smaller pools, gardens, restaurant, sports centre, play area, theme park and chapel, with access to a wide sandy beach.

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These stones in Luna, La Union have found market not only in the country but also abroad especially in Japan.

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Ancient Moro watchtowers stand along the beaches of Luna. The invasions of Moro pirates gave rise to the construction of watchtowers, locally known as "baluarte". These watchtowers served as a fortress against the invading pirates. It was also utilized as a refuge for the inhabitants who had no time to flee to the hills whenever the pirates were sighted.

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Wow... awesome photography! What's your aperture and your speed when taking photo number 2?

^^soulmaker27, I don't really know the camera settings used. I guess the one who took the shot used a small aperture as evident with the depth of field and low shutter speed as you can notice the motion blur (foggy?) effect of waves. I am sure he had a tripod then. FYI, I downloaded these photos from regiefernando.com (http://www.pbase.com/tekgik).

BCDA dared to fulfill terms of '99 Poro deal

Inquirer
Last updated 05:11am (Mla time) 09/13/2006

The joint venture partner of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) in the Poro Point seaport has challenged the BCDA to fulfill its obligations under a 1999 agreement in order to resume the stalled development of Poro Point port and industrial zone in San Fernando City in the northern province of La Union.

In a statement, Poro Point Industrial Corp. (PPIC) said the BCDA failed in the past six years to deliver 80 hectares of land that was supposed to be turned over to the joint venture and transformed into an economic hub for the Northern Luzon region.

PPIC president Jun Moran in the statement chided BCDA president Narciso Abaya "for hiding this fact from the public when he accused the joint venture of failing to develop Poro Point."

"As early as January 2001, we have demanded the full turnover of the said parcels of land as part of BCDA's commitment under the 1999 agreement," Moran said.

"What is there to develop when General Abaya has not turned over the land BCDA committed under the 1999 deal," he said.

He dared Abaya to "turn over the entire land today as agreed, and development shall start first thing tomorrow morning." With INQ7.net

http://business.inq7.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=20678

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On the LUKE out
By Carmine Dingasan

There were no waves. Not even a handful of surfers were on the water. There were no rushing waves wiping out surfers. San Juan seemed different that day; almost busy with beach goers but with just the serenity to hear murmurs.

Luke was sitting by the bar, preoccupied with his mobile phone. The morning reflected on him his sun kissed tan and dishevelled hair. Just like his pictures on magazine ads. I approached him and he greeted me with a warm smile.

“Hi, I’m Luke.”
We sat by the quaint café….



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Saints of La Union
By Friena Guerrero

If there is magic in this planet, it is contained in water. – Loren Eisely
6:30 PM. San Juan, La Union. Shadows are mingling under the moonlight and lighted tips of cigarettes dance like fireflies. Even as the sun has punched its clock, I can count at least a dozen surfers still in the water. I am at the San Juan Surf Resort, just a few minutes from San Fernando.

Just a few hours earlier, I was lying on my belly trying to hear Jojo’s instructions over the waves’ murmurs and the din of other revelers. There are a few of us out at the water, all lined up and facing the shore as we wait for the right wave to glide our boards forward. I don’t pretend to know the surfing jargon and Jojo succinctly pares down the lexicon to really just two instructions. “Paddle” and Tayo!!!!”

Contact Go! Travel Magazine @
Unit 2003 20/F MEDICAL PLAZA ORTIGAS
SAN MIGUEL AVE., ORTIGAS CENTER
PASIG CITY, PHILIPPINES

Telephone no.: +632 6386391
Telefax: +632 6380574
e-mail: the_editors@gotravelmag.net

www.gotravelmag.net

Thursday, September 14 2006 @ 12:48 AM BST

Business

The Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), recently signed a contract worth P8.514 million with engineering firm Schema Konsult, Inc. (http://www.schemakonsult.com/) to prepare a detailed engineering design to upgrade the San Fernando Airport in La Union.

PPMC President and CEO Felix Racadio said the upgrade could enable the San Fernando Airport accommodate larger aircrafts similar to the Boeing 737 or Airbus 320.

The airport will provide vital infrastructure support to the existing and future tourism facilities in the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone and to the economic development of La Union.

He said the contract would involve the extension of the runway by more than two kilometers, the expansion of the existing apron and terminal building and the construction of a new state-of-the-art control tower.

Racadio said the design work is expected to be completed by December this year but he wants it done sooner to ensure completion of the upgraded airport before the end of 2007.

He said he BCDA will infuse about P500 million for the project.

The San Fernando airport upgrade is in compliance with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's call for the development of the San Fernando Airport in La Union during her recent State-of-the-Nation Address.(PNA)

source (http://biz.balita.ph/html/article.php/20060914004814261)

Dear SSC Forumers, please take note on our guideline on posting news articles: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=9944541&postcount=8
Do not mind what you have posted before for it will be very tedious if you will edit all of those. It'd be appreciated if you follow the guideline immediately upon your next posting of news articles. Thank You :)

^^ Thanks for the reminder Sinjin. :)

Inquirer
Last updated 00:29am (Mla time) 09/20/2006

Published on Page A14 of the September 20, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

WE would like to correct the impression that the business entities using the Poro Point seaport in San Fernando City are “hesitant to have their vessels dock at the port because of the ongoing government effort to take over the facility.” (Inquirer, 9/9/06)

Our company’s concern is not so much on who will run the port-- the government or a private contractor -- as long as the ships we have chartered are able to dock and unload our cargoes in the port on time, and we are made to pay reasonable fees. In fact, when the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued the cease-and-desist order (CDO) against Poro Point Industrial Corp. (PPIC) on July 25, 2006, our company was still making arrangements with three shipping companies for the transport of our goods to the port.

On April 2, 2006, we had advanced P4 million to the Poro Industrial Port Services Inc. (PIPSI) and PPIC as payment for their services. But barely a day after our ships docked at the Poro Point seaport on Aug. 4, and as we were unloading our cargoes, the PPIC told us to stop and leave the port without informing us of the reason.

We only found out later that it was because the PPIC was issued a CDO. Had we been immediately informed of the CDO, we could have immediately diverted our ships to a different port.

We were only able to dock and unload again when on Aug. 5, the Philippine Ports Authority took over the port operations. But then again, in the ensuing legal battle, the PPA was later issued a temporary restraining order and we had no choice but to divert our ships to the Subic Free Port in Olongapo City.

As a consequence, even if we had paid P800,000 to the PPIC for berthing and security maintenance fees for our two vessels, we had to pay the same amount again to the PPA when it took over the port. We have asked the PPIC to refund to us the fees we paid but until now, we still have to receive our money.

Fortunately for us, PIPSI returned the P2.6 million that we had paid in advance for cargo handling fees.

Like other fertilizer companies, Soil Tech wants the issues to be settled first before it starts docking at the Poro Point seaport again. The TRO issued by the court to the DENR could be lifted anytime and businessmen could be caught unawares again and asked to leave the port while unloading their goods.

How can we return if there are still some problems hounding the port? What is the guarantee that we will not suffer huge losses again?

—NOMER MORFE, operations manager, Soil Tech Agricultural Products Corp., California St., Barangay Madayegdeg, San Fernando City, La Union

source (http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view_article.php?article_id=21950)

Inquirer
Last updated 10:53pm (Mla time) 09/20/2006

SLAMMING Senator Pia Cayetano for not acting on her resolution seeking an investigation of the Poro Point controversy, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago asked that the investigation be transferred to another committee.

Santiago put her feelings on the record, in the form of Senate Resolution 563 which asks the Senate committee on labor chaired by Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada to take over the issue originally given to the environment committee headed by Cayetano.

Santiago noted that “from the time of the first reading -- August 14 -- up to the present, or over five weeks now, the committee on environment has failed, despite repeated reminders, to set a date for public hearing.”

She said “national interest requires early public hearing of the issue, which has caused the virtual closure of the Poro Point International Seaport for some two months now, thus throwing out of work the seaport and workers of the locators.”

Santiago wants an investigation on the “unconstitutional, illegal and immoral means” employed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine National Police and the Coast Guard in taking over control of the Poro Point from its private operator.

Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, a close ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has denied allegations he was behind the government takeover. Juliet Labog-Javellana

source (http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnews/metroregions/view_article.php?article_id=22158)

By Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes
Inquirer
Last updated 10:12pm (Mla time) 09/18/2006

DAGUPAN CITY -- Poro Point Industrial Corp. (PPIC) has challenged the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) to turn over to the company 100 hectares of port area so it could start developing Poro Point in San Fernando City.

Emmanuel Moran Jr., PPIC president, said the PPIC contract called for the BCDA to deliver 30 hectares of seaport area and 50 ha of industrial area to PPIC, but so far only 18 ha of seaport area had been turned over.

“How could we start the development plan when the 18 hectares are not even contiguous?” Moran asked.

Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, who has been working for the rescinding of the PPIC contract, said the corporation reneged on the agreement to allot 840 million pesos to develop the seaport.

Where are funds?

But in March 2001, there was an agreement that the annual guarantee fund that PPIC would pay to the BCDA would be used to start expropriation proceedings of the properties inside the industrial park, Moran said.

He said PPIC had advanced 51.7 million pesos to the BCDA to fund expropriation of 50 hectares of private land covered by 14 titles.

“I do not know what happened to the money,” he said.

Ilocos Sur Representative Salacnib Baterina, in a privilege speech, said the areas turned over to PPIC were more than enough to build additional warehouses and expand the pier area.

But Renato Venturina, PPIC port manager, said the advance payment for the expropriation proceedings should be enough proof that the corporation was sincere in its commitment to develop the port.

“Is (advancing the payment) an action of somebody looking for an alibi?” he asked.

Expenses

He said the PPIC had spent a considerable amount for development.

“They (BCDA) kept on asking us for the development plan and we have been submitting the plan to them, revising the plan as to their specifications. But nothing has come out of it because they cannot deliver to us the land area,” Venturina said.

PPIC counsel Brigido Dulay said the corporation had lost about 17 million pesos since August 4 when the BCDA stopped operations in the port.

After the court issued a temporary restraining order, PPIC resumed operations last week but many former port users were hesitating to dock, fearing losses because of the infighting between the government agencies.

PPIC has a 25-year contract to run the port that Singson claimed was disadvantageous to the government.

Dulay said the relationship between the BCDA and Poro Point Management Corp., on one hand, and PPIC, on the other hand, started to sour in 2004 when a BCDA counsel complained to Abaya about the political pressure to annul the contract with Bulk Handlers Inc. (BHI), which owns 70 percent of PPIC. (PPIC is a joint venture among the BCDA, PPMC and BHI).

PPMC move

Early this year, PPMC issued a resolution nullifying the pre-incorporation agreement among the agencies. But PPIC got an injunction from the regional trial court in San Fernando City against its implementation.

On July 25, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued a cease-and-desist order to PPIC, citing environmental violations and the lack of an environmental compliance certificate.

The order was received by PPIC on Aug. 4. The following day, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) took over the operations of the seaport until PPIC got a temporary restraining order and eventually an injunction from the Court of Appeals stopping the PPA from running the facility.

source (http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnews/metroregions/view_article.php?article_id=21724)

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si luke landrigan yan ha!

si luke landrigan yan ha!
Jadebench, kilala mo si Luke?

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Bustling street scene in San Fernando City with the 5-Storey La Union Provincial Administrative-Commercial Building and Plaza Hotel at the background.

Jadebench, kilala mo si Luke?
nagtuturo siya ng surfing sa san juan!

ergit22, totoo ba yong plan na ililipat ang capital kasi nga city na ang SF..

deleted

ergit22, totoo ba yong plan na ililipat ang capital kasi nga city na ang SF..
Jadebench, SFC is a component city which is a part of LU and is thus governed as part of the province still. Kaya capital pa rin siya pero kung naging chartered city siguro ililipat na sa ibang progressive towns like Agoo or Bauang ang capital :)

Poro port takeover messes up workers

Inquirer
Last updated 03:40am (Mla time) 09/24/2006

Published on page A15 of the September 24, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

DAGUPAN CITY—Workers who were contracted by the Philippine Ports Authority at the Poro Point seaport in La Union have yet to be paid their salaries more than a month after they rendered their services to ensure smooth operations at the facility.

The workers were contracted as a result of a violent takeover of the port by government agents amid efforts to rescind a 25-year contract to run the port held by Poro Point Industrial Corp. (PPIC), a joint venture firm of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and private firm Bulk Handlers Inc.

While BCDA directors maintain the validity of the contract, Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC), a BCDA subsidiary that runs the port, said it should be rescinded. PPMC is headed by a relative of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson who wants the contract rescinded allegedly because it was disadvantageous to the government.

A letter signed by 19 workers, most of them heavy equipment operators and stevedores, was sent to the PPA last week to demand payment for the services they rendered when the PPA ran the seaport from Aug. 6 to 10.

Takeover

The PPA ran the port after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued a cease-and-desist order to PPIC to operate the seaport.

The DENR, which cited environmental violations and the lack of the environmental compliance certificate, has been stopped by the Court of Appeals from implementing the cease-and-desist order.

Ruelito Vidaya, 34, said he worked for a day under the PPA management. He said he was supposed to be paid P235 for his service but the amount has yet to be released.

He said he and his companions had been going to the PPA office to collect their salaries but they were able to talk only to a security guard.

They said the guard could not give them any information about their claim.

Vidaya used to work for PPIC since the company started to operate the port in 1999. But when the PPA took over the port’s operations, he had no recourse but to take on the job “because I needed to earn.”

Another worker, Pepito Padilla, 38, said he also worked for a day as a foreman handling 20 stevedores.

Daily wage earners

Like Vidaya, he worked for PPIC from which he received at least P200 in daily wage.

At least 2,000 workers from San Fernando City and other towns from La Union and its nearby provinces are dependent on the Poro seaport for livelihood.

Abe Munar, PPA port services division manager, said the PPA has yet to pay the workers because the agency has still to collect payments from their clients.

“We are still collecting payments from the companies whose ships docked [at the seaport] and whose cargo we loaded or unloaded,” Munar said in a telephone interview.

He said the companies paid the PPIC berthing fees but these have not been refunded.

“We have billed them, but they said they are waiting for the refund,” he said.

Munar said he has explained the situation to the port workers and “they understood the situation.”

“We wanted to pay some of them but they preferred to be paid at the same time,” he said. Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes, Inquirer Northern Luzon

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=22715

By Peter La. Julian
Inquirer
Last updated 04:28pm (Mla time) 09/29/2006


SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- The airport here, one of the major components of the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone, is being upgraded and expanded as a regional airport to accommodate large aircraft.

The upgrading of the airport started on Sept. 1 after Poro Point Management Corp., a subsidiary of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), signed a P9.23-million contract with Schema Konsulta Inc. to prepare a detailed engineering design.

The consultancy and engineering firm is expected to complete the airport design by December. It is doing preparatory work, including a ground survey, soil testing and an area survey.

Poro Point Management president Felix Racadio said the BCDA would spend close to P500 million for the project.

Among the facilities to be constructed are a modern control tower, a terminal building and a fire station, and the existing terminal building and parking area will be improved and expanded, Racadio said.

He said the airport would accommodate commercial flights from Asian countries like Taiwan, China, Vietnam and Malaysia.

The airport currently serves as an alternate to the Loakan Airport in Baguio City, more than 60 kilometers from here.

The airline Asian Spirit, with two flights weekly, is the only commercial airline using the San Fernando airport. With INQ7.net

http://globalnation.inq7.net/news/news/view_article.php?article_id=23770

By Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes
Inquirer
Last updated 00:14am (Mla time) 10/05/2006

Published on Page A17 of the October 5, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

DAGUPAN CITY—Claiming that it has not violated any environmental law, the Poro Point Industrial Corp. (PPIC) said on Wednesday the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has no basis in stopping the firm from operating the Poro seaport in San Fernando City.

PPIC counsel Brigido Dulay issued the statement after a DENR environmental management staff completed its investigation of the violations allegedly committed by the firm in operating the seaport.

A report on the investigation was submitted to Joel Salvador, Environmental Management Bureau regional director, before the Aug. 5 takeover of the seaport by the Philippine Ports Authority, allegedly at the behest of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).

Quoting the report, Dulay said “no spillages of coal materials were observed within the area of PPIC” and that “only traces of coal materials were found around and at the loading area of the PPIC.”

Somebody else’s trash

The report said the stockpile of coal materials found was owned by Saturn Marketing Corp., a locator at the seaport, and not by PPIC.

It also said that the water discharged by ships docking at the port was not waste water but ballast water used to balance the ships while sailing.

Salvador, reached through his mobile phone, refused to talk about the issue, saying that the case was pending in court.

But a staff member who prepared the report confirmed the findings, adding that the inspection was conducted to verify the alleged 14 violations of PPIC as contained in a report of San Fernando City’s mega multipartite monitoring team.

PPIC contended that it was not a locator but a joint venture partner of BCDA and was thus covered by the ECC issued to the authority.

Salvador said in earlier interviews that if PPIC was covered by BCDA’s ECC, the company should not have paid the penalty when it was informed of its alleged violations.

No imminent danger

Dulay questioned the issuance of the CDO, which, he said, should only be issued when there was an imminent environmental disaster.

“This was not the case with Poro Point. The fact that the CDO was signed on July 25 and issued only on Aug. 4 was evidence that there was no imminent danger to the environment,” he said.

Dulay said the DENR report clearing the PPIC of any major environmental violation “raises more questions as to why the BCDA resorted to an armed takeover of the Poro seaport.”

“General (Narciso) Abaya (BCDA president) was relying on the CDO to justify the use of force. Now that more doubts are being raised on the legality and validity of the CDO, we wonder what his true motives are in expelling the PPIC from Poro Point,” he said.

Dulay said the report of the DENR staff debunked “myths that the armed assault on the Poro Point seaport and bulk terminal was based on alleged environmental issues.”

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=24836

Sunday, October 15, 2006

The plan for Poro Point, the former US base called Wallace Air Station in San Fernando, La Union, has always been to make it an industrial estate with tourism facilities, an airport and a seaport.

In 1994 the John Hay-Poro Point Development Corp. (JPDC) was established to oversee the combined development of Camp John Hay in Baguio City and Poro Point in San Fernando, La Union.

In 1997 the Philippine Ports Authority turned over the 15.53-hectare seaport to the BCDA. Since then continuing improvements have been made. The seaport’s warehousing and transshipment capabilities expanded.

In February 1998 the JPDC also took over the management of the San Fernando Airport from the Air Transportation Office (ATO). The airport will be upgraded to accommodate Boeing 737 and Airbus 300 aircraft.

In 2003 management functions for both the BCDA and its subsidiaries were separated so that the necessary attention and focus could be given to each property. The Poro Point Management Corp. was created.

Soon, the PPMC finalized the master plan to transform the 216-hectare Poro Point Special Economic Zone into an international container facility and cruise destination. Poro Point’s role in the economic development of the Northern Luzon Growth Quadrangle is strengthened by its seaports and airports, making it ideal for commerce, distribution center and export-oriented activities.

The seaport is envisioned to be the hub of a multimodal transport system linked up with the airport, the Northern Luzon Railway and the existing trans-Luzon MacArthur Highway. In addition, it will become an important tourism cruise destination.

The management of the PPMC has embarked on various development projects to strengthen the competitiveness of the ecozone as another reliable venue that will promote more business activities in the region. Among these are the preparation of the detailed engineering plan for road networks, and improvement of existing facilities such as the San Fernando Airport, the Poro Point Tourism Complex, and communications facilities (the Voice of America), among others.

In November 1999 the BCDA and Bulk Handlers Inc. entered into a contract to form a joint venture. The BHI would own 70 percent and the BCDA, through the PPMC, 30 percent of the joint-venture Poro Point Industrial Corp. The PPIC was to be the developer and manager of the seaport (using BHI expertise) and help the BCDA-PPMC with the industrial estate and other aspects of the project. The BHI side was to pay, as it did, P50 million annually whether it made a profit from operating the port or not.

There has always been some tension, as in all joint ventures, in the implementation of the contract. Unknown to the public, there were already efforts as early as 2004 to have the contract declared invalid.

But the lawyers of the BCDA found no legal reason to nullify the contract that would keep the BCDA safe from negative repercussions.

By early 2006 rumors were flying that the BCDA was planning to take over the job of operating and developing the seaport from the PPIC-BHI.

May 2006

As rumors thickened, the National Consumer Welfare Advocates Inc., the largest consumer and citizen group in Northern Luzon, told the media of its apprehensions. The group’s spokesman, Conrado de los Reyes, said, “The rumors of the BCDA plan are creating fear among investors and businessmen in La Union and in the Ilocos region as a whole.” Workers in Poro Point were also agitated by rumors about the change in management at the seaport.

June 2006

By June the details of the conflict had become known to the public through various analytical columns and statements made by the PPMC and the PPIC officials.

Bulk Handlers Inc. leaked stories to the press that it was being eased out of the contract it had won in a proper bidding in 1999. Its adversaries were accusing it of not having done anything much to develop 80 hectares of land into a seaport as stated in the contract. The real estate would consist of 30 hectares in the seaport and 50 hectares in the economic zone. But the BHI explained that the contract would lease the land it was to develop for 25 years, and that it had been given only 18 hectares in the seaport and none in the economic zone area. Still, the BHI said it was dutifully paying P50 million a year to the BCDA.

In any case, the rumors circulated that “a powerful politician”—who everyone immediately identified as Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson—was behind the effort to kick the BHI out. The rumors, published in the national dailies, on the Internet and aired on radio and TV, linked Singson to the issue without any positive proof that he was involved in any manner at all.

But commentators and analysts pointed to the presence of men and women identified with the governor on the board and in the management of PPMC. These suggested that Singson was at least in the know.

By June 2006 it became known also that the moves to remove the BHI from Poro Point did not prosper although the PPMC board passed a resolution nullifying the contract.

The BCDA ignored the resolution because its legal counsel, as well as that of the BCDA subsidiary for John Hay, found no case against the BHI and instead found the risk of legal trouble for the BCDA.

The BCDA president and chief executive officer, Narciso Abaya, also said the agency could not nullify the management contract for the Poro Point seaport in La Union, because only the courts could do so.

“The prevailing sense among the members of the BCDA board is that only the courts could declare such contracts null and void,” said Abaya. “We have no powers to nullify contracts.”

Abaya was talking about the courts because in early June the San Fernando City Regional Trial Court had issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the BCDA and the PPIC from taking over the Poro Point seaport from the BHI. The BHI had earlier filed a complaint and petition for a TRO on the PPMC board resolution.

The San Fernando City RTC’s decision elated businessmen and workers’ groups.

Reports coming out in the media described attempts by the BCDA board to change the decision earlier made not to allow the PPMC resolution against Bulk Handlers. There was, reportedly, an attempt to make the BCDA board endorse the PPMC resolution while the BCDA president, Narciso Abaya, was abroad. The move did not prosper. The majority of the BCDA board did not change their original decision to refuse cognizance to the PPMC resolution.

To protect its interest, the BHI group petitioned the San Fernando City RTC to grant it the protection of a writ of preliminary injunction (an improvement on the TRO) stopping the PCDA and the PPMC from further taking steps to take over the seaport.

BHI’s petition is granted

Once again there was jubilation among businessmen and civic leaders in Northern Luzon.

Besides stopping the BCDA and the PPMC from carrying out the PPMC board resolution nullifying BHI’s contract, the court also ordered the BCDA and the PPMC to observe the terms of the agreement signed by the BHI and the BCDA in 1999 to operate the seaport.

Once again the National Consumers’ Welfare Advocate (NCWAI) had something to say: The preliminary injunction “is a major legal victory shared by the entire business community in Northern Luzon.”

It added that the injunction “would prevent the further growth of anxiety among businessmen and investors in the region.”

The group also urged the BCDA and PPMC officers “to disclose if there are any other investors in the BCDA zones whose contracts are being reviewed for no clear reason [as in the case of the BHI].”

The NCWAI also said something columnists in Manila, including The Manila Times’ Dan Mariano, have written: “Investors need assurances that the BCDA is not plotting for their ouster from the development zones through a so-called review of the validity of their contracts.” It called for BCDA officials to “dispel speculations and fears that the BCDA is looking at contracts signed in the past that can be reviewed and eventually junked” to serve the interests of powerful persons.

Everything would have been happy enough if the next event had not happened.

On August 5 the BCDA and PPMC, using armed force, took over the Poro Point seaport.

Manila newspapers, including The Manila Times and its columnist Dan Mariano, reported and commented on the BCDA action. Instead of quoting from ourselves, we will use this report by Henry S. Lagasca, the government’s Philippine Information Agency correspondent in San Fernando City. Note that the report we run here verbatim tries to treat all sides more or less equally treated.

PIA report

“SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (10 August): There will always be doubters as to the transparency and subterfuge of high government officials that has kept ordinary citizens in the dark on controversial issues that are of public concern.

“For one, the takeover of the Poro Point seaport last Saturday was reportedly instigated by a close ally of Malacañang, upon prodding of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) through its subsidiary, the Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC), and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), which wrestled control of the seaport from the Poro Point Industrial Corp. (PPIC), a private investor bulk handling firm that has been operating in the seaport since 1999.

“News sources said that Gov. Chavit Singson of Ilocos Sur, because of his ‘import business,’ is the interested party behind the takeover of the port of San Fernando.

“Singson, in an interview with the media, however, refuted these allegations, saying that the BCDA was merely correcting PPIC’s ‘lop-sided’ contract forged during the Estrada administration where it was allowed to lease the port complex for 25 years with a maximum of P50-million rental a year.

“But BCDA chairman Narciso Abaya, however, vehemently denied ‘he was acting in the interest of Singson.’

“He said he doesn’t have a hand in helping Singson gain control of the port.

“The issue in this case was that the PPIC violated environmental laws and lacks an environmental compliance certificate (ECC). The DENR had acted on the issue when Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega of San Fernando reported the waste discharges from the port in the bay area affecting marine resources. Investigation results prompted the DENR to issue a cease-and desist order.

“The PPIC said that the lack of an ECC should not be the reason to cancel the contract.

“Gov. Victor F. Ortega of La Union urged both parties to end the standoff by observing the rule of law to prevent a violent ending to the takeover.

“Meanwhile, vessels docked at the seaport unloaded their cargo starting Tuesday under the supervision of the PPA. But Port Manager Silverio Mangaoang Jr. said port operations are still far from normal due to barricades set up by PPIC workers.

“The PPIC, on the other hand, called on the BCDA and the PPMC to respect the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the court stopping these agencies from a forcible takeover of the seaport.

“The PPIC had obtained a TRO from the San Fernando RTC last Monday, but the PPA refused to budge, escalating tensions to the standoff.

“PPIC’s Rene Venturina said the company would exhaust all legal means so it would continue to operate the seaport.”

This PIA report errs about the TRO. What the PPIC holds from the RTC is a writ of preliminary injunction, not a TRO.

(Continued tomorrow)



Sunday, October 15, 2006


Review of key events in the Poro Point row


The plan for Poro Point, the former US base called Wallace Air Station in San Fernando, La Union, has always been to make it an industrial estate with tourism facilities, an airport and a seaport.

In 1994 the John Hay-Poro Point Development Corp. (JPDC) was established to oversee the combined development of Camp John Hay in Baguio City and Poro Point in San Fernando, La Union.

In 1997 the Philippine Ports Authority turned over the 15.53-hectare seaport to the BCDA. Since then continuing improvements have been made. The seaport’s warehousing and transshipment capabilities expanded.

In February 1998 the JPDC also took over the management of the San Fernando Airport from the Air Transportation Office (ATO). The airport will be upgraded to accommodate Boeing 737 and Airbus 300 aircraft.

In 2003 management functions for both the BCDA and its subsidiaries were separated so that the necessary attention and focus could be given to each property. The Poro Point Management Corp. was created.

Soon, the PPMC finalized the master plan to transform the 216-hectare Poro Point Special Economic Zone into an international container facility and cruise destination. Poro Point’s role in the economic development of the Northern Luzon Growth Quadrangle is strengthened by its seaports and airports, making it ideal for commerce, distribution center and export-oriented activities.

The seaport is envisioned to be the hub of a multimodal transport system linked up with the airport, the Northern Luzon Railway and the existing trans-Luzon MacArthur Highway. In addition, it will become an important tourism cruise destination.

The management of the PPMC has embarked on various development projects to strengthen the competitiveness of the ecozone as another reliable venue that will promote more business activities in the region. Among these are the preparation of the detailed engineering plan for road networks, and improvement of existing facilities such as the San Fernando Airport, the Poro Point Tourism Complex, and communications facilities (the Voice of America), among others.

In November 1999 the BCDA and Bulk Handlers Inc. entered into a contract to form a joint venture. The BHI would own 70 percent and the BCDA, through the PPMC, 30 percent of the joint-venture Poro Point Industrial Corp. The PPIC was to be the developer and manager of the seaport (using BHI expertise) and help the BCDA-PPMC with the industrial estate and other aspects of the project. The BHI side was to pay, as it did, P50 million annually whether it made a profit from operating the port or not.

There has always been some tension, as in all joint ventures, in the implementation of the contract. Unknown to the public, there were already efforts as early as 2004 to have the contract declared invalid.

But the lawyers of the BCDA found no legal reason to nullify the contract that would keep the BCDA safe from negative repercussions.

By early 2006 rumors were flying that the BCDA was planning to take over the job of operating and developing the seaport from the PPIC-BHI.

May 2006

As rumors thickened, the National Consumer Welfare Advocates Inc., the largest consumer and citizen group in Northern Luzon, told the media of its apprehensions. The group’s spokesman, Conrado de los Reyes, said, “The rumors of the BCDA plan are creating fear among investors and businessmen in La Union and in the Ilocos region as a whole.” Workers in Poro Point were also agitated by rumors about the change in management at the seaport.

June 2006

By June the details of the conflict had become known to the public through various analytical columns and statements made by the PPMC and the PPIC officials.

Bulk Handlers Inc. leaked stories to the press that it was being eased out of the contract it had won in a proper bidding in 1999. Its adversaries were accusing it of not having done anything much to develop 80 hectares of land into a seaport as stated in the contract. The real estate would consist of 30 hectares in the seaport and 50 hectares in the economic zone. But the BHI explained that the contract would lease the land it was to develop for 25 years, and that it had been given only 18 hectares in the seaport and none in the economic zone area. Still, the BHI said it was dutifully paying P50 million a year to the BCDA.

In any case, the rumors circulated that “a powerful politician”—who everyone immediately identified as Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson—was behind the effort to kick the BHI out. The rumors, published in the national dailies, on the Internet and aired on radio and TV, linked Singson to the issue without any positive proof that he was involved in any manner at all.

But commentators and analysts pointed to the presence of men and women identified with the governor on the board and in the management of PPMC. These suggested that Singson was at least in the know.

By June 2006 it became known also that the moves to remove the BHI from Poro Point did not prosper although the PPMC board passed a resolution nullifying the contract.

The BCDA ignored the resolution because its legal counsel, as well as that of the BCDA subsidiary for John Hay, found no case against the BHI and instead found the risk of legal trouble for the BCDA.

The BCDA president and chief executive officer, Narciso Abaya, also said the agency could not nullify the management contract for the Poro Point seaport in La Union, because only the courts could do so.

“The prevailing sense among the members of the BCDA board is that only the courts could declare such contracts null and void,” said Abaya. “We have no powers to nullify contracts.”

Abaya was talking about the courts because in early June the San Fernando City Regional Trial Court had issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the BCDA and the PPIC from taking over the Poro Point seaport from the BHI. The BHI had earlier filed a complaint and petition for a TRO on the PPMC board resolution.

The San Fernando City RTC’s decision elated businessmen and workers’ groups.

Reports coming out in the media described attempts by the BCDA board to change the decision earlier made not to allow the PPMC resolution against Bulk Handlers. There was, reportedly, an attempt to make the BCDA board endorse the PPMC resolution while the BCDA president, Narciso Abaya, was abroad. The move did not prosper. The majority of the BCDA board did not change their original decision to refuse cognizance to the PPMC resolution.

To protect its interest, the BHI group petitioned the San Fernando City RTC to grant it the protection of a writ of preliminary injunction (an improvement on the TRO) stopping the PCDA and the PPMC from further taking steps to take over the seaport.

BHI’s petition is granted

Once again there was jubilation among businessmen and civic leaders in Northern Luzon.

Besides stopping the BCDA and the PPMC from carrying out the PPMC board resolution nullifying BHI’s contract, the court also ordered the BCDA and the PPMC to observe the terms of the agreement signed by the BHI and the BCDA in 1999 to operate the seaport.

Once again the National Consumers’ Welfare Advocate (NCWAI) had something to say: The preliminary injunction “is a major legal victory shared by the entire business community in Northern Luzon.”

It added that the injunction “would prevent the further growth of anxiety among businessmen and investors in the region.”

The group also urged the BCDA and PPMC officers “to disclose if there are any other investors in the BCDA zones whose contracts are being reviewed for no clear reason [as in the case of the BHI].”

The NCWAI also said something columnists in Manila, including The Manila Times’ Dan Mariano, have written: “Investors need assurances that the BCDA is not plotting for their ouster from the development zones through a so-called review of the validity of their contracts.” It called for BCDA officials to “dispel speculations and fears that the BCDA is looking at contracts signed in the past that can be reviewed and eventually junked” to serve the interests of powerful persons.

Everything would have been happy enough if the next event had not happened.

On August 5 the BCDA and PPMC, using armed force, took over the Poro Point seaport.

Manila newspapers, including The Manila Times and its columnist Dan Mariano, reported and commented on the BCDA action. Instead of quoting from ourselves, we will use this report by Henry S. Lagasca, the government’s Philippine Information Agency correspondent in San Fernando City. Note that the report we run here verbatim tries to treat all sides more or less equally treated.

PIA report

“SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (10 August): There will always be doubters as to the transparency and subterfuge of high government officials that has kept ordinary citizens in the dark on controversial issues that are of public concern.

“For one, the takeover of the Poro Point seaport last Saturday was reportedly instigated by a close ally of Malacañang, upon prodding of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) through its subsidiary, the Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC), and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), which wrestled control of the seaport from the Poro Point Industrial Corp. (PPIC), a private investor bulk handling firm that has been operating in the seaport since 1999.

“News sources said that Gov. Chavit Singson of Ilocos Sur, because of his ‘import business,’ is the interested party behind the takeover of the port of San Fernando.

“Singson, in an interview with the media, however, refuted these allegations, saying that the BCDA was merely correcting PPIC’s ‘lop-sided’ contract forged during the Estrada administration where it was allowed to lease the port complex for 25 years with a maximum of P50-million rental a year.

“But BCDA chairman Narciso Abaya, however, vehemently denied ‘he was acting in the interest of Singson.’

“He said he doesn’t have a hand in helping Singson gain control of the port.

“The issue in this case was that the PPIC violated environmental laws and lacks an environmental compliance certificate (ECC). The DENR had acted on the issue when Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega of San Fernando reported the waste discharges from the port in the bay area affecting marine resources. Investigation results prompted the DENR to issue a cease-and desist order.

“The PPIC said that the lack of an ECC should not be the reason to cancel the contract.

“Gov. Victor F. Ortega of La Union urged both parties to end the standoff by observing the rule of law to prevent a violent ending to the takeover.

“Meanwhile, vessels docked at the seaport unloaded their cargo starting Tuesday under the supervision of the PPA. But Port Manager Silverio Mangaoang Jr. said port operations are still far from normal due to barricades set up by PPIC workers.

“The PPIC, on the other hand, called on the BCDA and the PPMC to respect the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the court stopping these agencies from a forcible takeover of the seaport.

“The PPIC had obtained a TRO from the San Fernando RTC last Monday, but the PPA refused to budge, escalating tensions to the standoff.

“PPIC’s Rene Venturina said the company would exhaust all legal means so it would continue to operate the seaport.”

This PIA report errs about the TRO. What the PPIC holds from the RTC is a writ of preliminary injunction, not a TRO.

(Continued tomorrow)

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/oct/15/yehey/top_stories/20061015top3.html

Monday, October 23, 2006

THE conflict over the Poro Point seaport appears to linger and an end appears nowhere in sight. What makes the authorities feel more jittery about the mess is how the investment community is negatively reacting to the issue.

The controversy came to a head when some government regulatory agencies, at the instance of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, mounted an armed assault at the seaport and bulk cargo terminal sometime in August in an apparent bid to drive away a legitimate private investor in the wake of a business feud. Despite the passage of time, the aftershock of that military action, unheard of in recent local business history, seems to persist. And whether or not BCDA president and chief executive Narciso Abaya admits it or not, the ill-advised use of arms might may have exacted a heavy toll on BCDA’s other projects aimed at generating investments.

The most evident sign that the fray is still heating up, instead of abating, was the recent move by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson—widely believed to be the instigator of the government takeover of the Poro Point seaport operations— to file plunder charges against Abaya and 43 other past and present BCDA executives, in connection with the Poro Point contract signed in 1999. Under the contract, the BCDA, and Poro Point Industrial Corp. formed Bulk Handlers Inc. to manage and operate the biggest and most modern seaport in Northern Luzon.

After Singson accused Abaya of protecting the private investor in the seaport, plunder raps are expected to be the focal point of the battle royale between the political kingpin of Ilocandia and the former Armed Forces chief of staff.

A dumbfounded Abaya asked why he was included by the Ilocos Sur governor in the case. The filing of the plunder case, however, is seen by some as a public relations gambit rather than a legal maneuver. The media-savvy governor knows the PR value of having his nemesis hailed to court.

But it will be myopic to presume that this is just a big fight between Singson and Abaya. Of greater importance is the realization that the damage that the simmering row is making on the government’s credibility before the international community.

A recent newspaper report has documented the reactions of the international business community to the Poro Point row. The report quoted Robert Sears of the American Chamber of Commerce as saying: “It’s worse when it is the subsidiary of a government that granted the contract that attacks the winning bidder.”

“The Philippine country representative for a big Dutch-European Union bank commented: “It’s the same thing that Marcos cronies did to drive away investors.”

“I can never be sure that even after the contracts have been signed and carried out for some years, some big fish who has the power over the government or who has relatives in government will suddenly have the contract rescinded or nullified,” the banker said.

Michael Winston, chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce-Philippines, warned that this “could be another case of Piatco, which is not good for foreign investments in the country.”

Henry Schumacher of the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry has this to say: “This could be an indication that the government does not have the ability to honor its contracts.”

Abaya attempted to downplay the negative fallout of the controversy. He tried to paint a rosy picture of a continuing support for BCDA projects from among the biggest developers “despite the Poro Point issue.” But the failure of bidding the BCDA’s Fort Bonifacio Big Delta project tends to belie his claim.

Perhaps it is time that the authorities face the fact that the Poro Point row has already taken much toll on the investment climate in the country. It is already clear at this point. The government is not winning the hearts and minds of investors after what happened at the premier seaport in the north.

* * *

source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=felMaragay_oct23_2006

By Jessie R. Valdez

San Fernando City, La Union (26 October) -- To preserve the environment and protect the people from exposure to pollution caused by hazardous emissions and toxic elements, the city of San Fernando, La Union under the leadership of City Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega, known to be a clean air warrior, has taken a substantive boost.

With her full commitment and dedication, her programs on air pollution control with solid waste management, greening and fisheries resource management had helped a lot in improving air quality in the city.

Also, through her continuing advocacy such as the use of "basura", messages of composting, recycling and waste management thru seminars and jingles that were carried on radio before as well as personal visits to the barangays, she was able to successfully motivate the people to implement environmental ordinances.

Motor vehicles or the transport sector are the major contributors of air pollution in the cities and provinces. It impairs human health, causes deterioration of ecosystem and affects the economy such as tourism, as it reduces the attraction of an area for visitors.

It was for this reason, that previous reports said, Mayor Ortega met with the city tricycle drivers and operators to encourage them to use the new 4 stroke engine operation instead of the old 2 stroke engines. With her offer for a free-interest loans to augment their expenses, the Mayor was able to convince them and this led to the passing of a city resolution.

In the city, all motorized vehicles are required to be checked for gas emission before they're registered at the LTO. This for one reason why rare are seen of smoke belching tricycles and other motor vehicles plying the route in the city.

Based from previous reports, the city is among the top cities in the list of cities which have excelled in the sanitation, environmental protection and clean & green campaign.

The Ecological Sanitation (ECOSAN) project of the city in reducing, revising, & recycling waste with 62 ecosan toilets have piloted 2 barangays - San Agustin and Nagyubuyuban while at Fisherman's village, barangay Poro and Science Centrum have one ecosan units each. San Fernando City is proud to be the very 1st in practicing ECOSAN technology in the country.

According to the report, ecosan technology, human waste is transformed into something beneficial to the human race while preserving precious drinking water.

On the city's marine protection, the report also revealed that the city established a Kasay marine Protected Area (MPA) by virtue of a City Ordinance No. 2004-010, and is located at barangays Cannaoay and San Vicente. The area was established for the rehabilitation and replenishment of fishery and coastal resources.

Garbage collection and disposal is treated at the city's engineered sanitary landfill. With the waste disposal management program of the city, it has gained national distinction when it became a model landfill in the country. It doesn't endanger human health and even human life.

Environmental protection is a global concern. It is not a responsibility of a single person but of everyone. The cooperation of the people will be indispensable. Let's help the Government in its intensified campaign of protecting and preserving the environment for this lies in its conviction that environmental care goes hand in hand with economic growth. Clean air is for all. (PIA La Union)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&sec=news&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p061026.htm&no=29

Commentary: "Paeng" proved gov't preparedness, quick response
By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union (31 October) -- Supertyphoon "Paeng" (international codename: Cimaron), the second powerful typhoon to hit the country this year slashed across Northern Luzon yesterday, leaving 14 dead and a trail of destruction.

Before exiting out to China Sea, Paeng blew houses, toppled electric posts, uprooted trees and caused landslides and flooding especially in Northeastern provinces of Luzon.

Nearly 30 northern provinces were placed under storm alert. Schools were closed and government work was suspended.

In the Province of La Union, Governor Victor F. Ortega conducted a "preventive evacuation" of some 5908 people living in the flood prone barangays in the municipalities of Bangar, Caba, Aringay and the City of San Fernando.

Governor Ortega marvelled that typhoon Paeng left minimal damages in La Union.

Everyone was just thankful the super hawler weakened when it hit Sierra Madre Mountains and further weakened when it ran into the Cordilleras that when it exited through La Union its wind velocity further weakened to 120 kph and its gusts to 150 kph, according to weather bureau.

With the trauma left by "Milenyo" still fresh from everybody's mind, the local government units and the agencies involve in disaster management were really on their toes.

Typhoon Paeng has showed the efforts of all concerned government agencies in ensuring the optimum preparedness and quick response indicating the government's improving disaster management operations.

President Arroyo herself was satisfied with the preparations made for the calamity. The NDCC, other concerned agencies and local government units were commended for speedily and effectively responding to the disaster preparedness hence, won the day for the people.

Divine interventions has also spared the country from what was expected to be massive destruction.

The government works to ensure the speedy recovery from the damage Paeng has caused and assures the availability of funds for assistance to those affected by the typhoon. (PIA La Union)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&sec=news&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p061031.htm&no=89

By Tetch Torres
INQ7.net
Last updated 07:38pm (Mla time) 11/03/2006


THE Court of Appeals stopped the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) from taking over the Poro Point Seaport.

In a resolution issued by the appellate court's ninth division, it noted that the rights of the Poro Point Industrial Corporation (PPIC) will be prejudiced by the DENR’s cease and desist order.

"The cease and desist order has been issued without a prior and proper notice of violation sent to the petitioner (PPIC), and thus appeared to have violated the latter's right to due process," the court said in a decision penned by Associate Justice Miraflor Punzalan-Castillo.

"To reiterate, petitioner PPIC's right to operate and manage the Poro Point seaport pursuant to the pre-incorporation agreement with the BCDA and the Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), unless nullified, takes the nature of a property right, the deprivation of which must observe the basic tenets of due process," it added.

The Appeals Court said the P3-million cash bond posted by PPIC would remain in force. It also ordered the DENR to file a memorandum within 10 days

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnews/metroregions/view_article.php?article_id=30442

BUTANDINGS (WHALE SHARKS) WOW LA UNION FOLK

AGOO, LA UNION, SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 (STAR) By Jun Elias - Three whale sharks swimming along the shorelines of the southern towns of La Union have become the center of attraction among residents and visitors here.

The whale sharks, locally known as butandings, are four to six meters long. They were seen swimming along the shores of Agoo, Aringay and Caba towns.

Bilmor Bugaoan, an official of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office, said the whale shark sightings started last Wednesday after one of them went near the seashores in Samara, Aringay where fishermen and children had a chance to take a closer look at the "gentle giant."

"We have advised fishermen not to catch them because they are among the endangered marine species," Bugaoan said.

Bugaoan said the sea creatures might have appeared in the area because illegal fishing activities along the Lingayen Gulf, which covers the coastal areas of La Union, were already minimized.

Bugaoan could not yet confirm where the whale sharks came from. Samara Councilor Ruben Ugay said it is the first time that they have seen such friendly creatures.

Ugay said residents were delighted watching the creatures swim less than
20-meters from the village seashore.

Some of the fishermen rode on their motorboats to take a closer look at the butandings. Knowing its importance in the tourism sector, local officials appealed to fishermen in the area not to harm or catch the whale sharks.

Whale sharks have become the main tourist attraction in the coastal areas of Sorsogon, particularly in the town of Donsol.

http://information-hub.ofw-connect.com/OFW_Articles/?q=node/168

By Fred Roxas
Countryside Pulse

IT'S all systems go for the NorthRail project, Phase I of which was divided into two sections, one from Caloocan City to Malolos City and the other section up to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark.

Sun.Star Network Online coverage of the Pacquiao-Morales Sunday fight here

With the groundbreaking rites last April 5, all is set for the construction of the ambitious project.

As envisioned, the 80-kilometer project costing at least US$503 million estimated to be completed in three years is expected by the government to enhance the development and growth potentials of Central and Northern Luzon, according to Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president and CEO Levy Laus.

The other phases will involve the construction later on of extension rail lines to Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales, Bonifacio Global City and of Poro Point Special Economic Zone in La Union.

The first phase of the project involves the clearing of informal settlers and illegal structures along the existing 32.2-kilometer former Philippine National Railways (PNR) tracks between Caloocan City and Malolos City and eventually up to Clark zone.

Records at the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) showed that separate tracks would be constructed for north and southbound trains to allow simultaneous operation.

It will also require, according to BCDA, right-of-way acquisition with a width of at least 30 meters or l5 meters per track.

Impartial observers said that proponents of the NorthRail project would encounter difficulty driving out squatters, including big commercial establishments and concrete residential houses along the former PNR tracks, which has not been used for more than 25 years now.

In Malolos City, at least three big supermarkets and other apartments are constructed by influential and professional squatters right on top of the former railroad tracks. These squatters claimed that they cannot be ejected from their places.

Thousands of commuters and vehicle owners from Central and Northern Luzon have been anticipating the construction of the NorthRail project, saying that they would be economizing in traveling between these places and Metro Manila.

The initial fare rate once the diesel- powered NorthRail starts operation will be P10 boarding fare plus P1 for every kilometer for a total fare of P42 from Caloocan City to Malolos City. Other land-based transportation firms charge an average of P70 between the two cities.

Travel time, once the rail project is realized, would be approximately 32 minutes between Caloocan City and Malolos City.

The Chinese Government through the Export Import Bank of China will fund US$421 million of the project cost, with a repayment period of 20 years inclusive of a five-year grace period at three percent interest per annum.

The remaining US$82 million will be funded by the Philippine Government as counterpart fund, which would already incorporate expenses for squatter relocation.

If the NorthRail project is pushed through and becomes operational, it would be very advantageous to the people of Central and Northern Luzon, according to Mayor Boking Morales of Mabalacat, former president of the Pampanga Mayors' League (PML) and co-chairman of the Metro Clark Advisory Council (Mcac) and Tarlac Governor Jose Yap.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/pam/2006/11/18/oped/fred.roxas.countryside.pulse.html

By: William Jun Garcia

Mayor Mary Jane Ortega expressed surprise when the city won the grand award of “Huwarang Palengke (Best Market)” over General Santos (Gen San) and three other nominees. “I heard that GenSan’s P250-million wet market is newly-built,” she said.

Down from 10 and 5 nominations, region-wide and nationwide respectively, it stood among the bigger cities in the Philippines by copping the Department of Agriculture-sponsored competition.

The San Fernando Auxiliary Wet market went operational in 1991 during the mayoral term of now Congressman Manuel “Manoling “Ortega.

According to Prisca Marcos, a Wet Market employee, Department of Agriculture market evaluators decided to award the top prize for San Fernando not for its old structure but for its proper zoning, meaning, saleable products are arranged into classification in just one area. “You don’t have to look for various vegetables in any place as it is there in one place,” she said.

Marcos added that she also credited a strict and continuous monitoring of weighing scales through its “Timbangan ng Bayan,” where an accurate calibration of weighing scales are made and also acts as a buying public complaint desk. Weighing scales are calibrated by employees of the City Treasurer’s Office. Vendors are often reminded by market staffs of the dos and don’ts of doing their trade and are regularly advised to be courteous to consumers. “We apply an old tenet, ‘Customer is always right,” she added.

“All products have tag prices unlike others,” she added. It was also learned that evaluators also noticed that 100 percent iodized salt are sold.

A Market Vendors Association has a strong and active partnership with the local executives as proven by Mayor Ortega.

Decisive factors which are cleanliness and odorless also helped the city to capture the title. Flies do not swarm in the fish, poultry and meat areas.

The city government which has re-launched its rat control program also contributed to the winning. Residents are rewarded P30.00 for each rat captured even by just showing the tail. “It at least minimizes the presence of rats,” Marcos said.

Mayor Ortega said that when the city won, GenSan’s market staffs, Felix Gamutan, officer-in-charge market administrator; Milagros Polea, market supervisor; and Edwin Wamelda, market inspector immediately flew to the city in a Lakbay Aral to see for themselves how are things managed in the Wet Market. Marcos toured them around. They were reportedly surprised to see its management and would try to apply and emulate the system in GenSan.

“In cleanliness, enzymes or disinfectant are regularly applied in every corner. There is a scheduled picking up of garbage,” Marcos added. She added that at one time the comfort rooms inside won a top award for cleanliness nationwide.

Based on the financial statement of market and slaughterhouse collection, the Wet Market averages P26, 000 on ordinary days and P28, 000 to P30, 000 on “market days” which is on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

“In the month of October, we collected P1, 234, 445. 45, mainly from stall fees,” Marcos revealed.

A cash prize of P500, 000 was awarded to San Fernando as national champion of “Huwarang Palengke,” demonstrating once again, that even a small and still developing city can topple giants through perseverance, creativity and innovation.

hello! may I ask what the developments are in this project?
the place is enormous! :)

i hope to visit the place when i go to la union this weekend...

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/lb-bw-pix3l.jpg

Lexber Beachworld Resort is an affordable, leisure, tourism, and residential vacation property development, built as hotel units. It is strategically located at a 3.4 hectare property by the beach in Brgy. Panicsican, San Juan, La Union, 6 kilometers from San Fernando, La Union, 10 kilometers from Poro Point, and 60 kilometers from Baguio City.

The development framework consists of two condotel (condominium-hotel) type models, Model 48 for the 48 sq.m. units and Model 32 for the 32 sq.m. units. There are 126 Model 48 units, which is located directly facing the beach and 328 Model 32 units. A total of 454 units condotel units will be built. All units will be finished and fully furnished as 3-star hotel units. One distinct advantage of the unit owners is that some of the units are placed in a certain pool, to be operated as condotel or serviced apartelle, managed by the Corporation or a highly experienced hotel management professional group for better efficiency. The owners can earn revenue from their units while they are not using them.

This development project comes complete with the amenities of a world-class resort. It has an aesthetically designed entrance gate and beautifully landscaped open areas and gardens with pipe-in soft music. It has a swimming pool at the center, with a children's pool beside it having slides and other water fun activities. There is an Administration building and a Club House with a multi-purpose hall, convenience store; Laundromat; whirlpool, jacuzzi, sauna, and gym facilities; and shower rooms. There are also designated playgrounds and play areas for sports activities like volleyball, basketball or tennis. Water fun equipments such as jet skis, banana boats and the likes will also be provided. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will put up a Casino Filipino at the Clubhouse extension. Initially, Slot Machine Arcades will be put up. The gaming tables will follow later.

Necessary facilities in the development will be considered for integration in the development design features that will ensure the safety, security and convenience of future owners and visitors. Roads, alleys and all sidewalks, curbs and gutters will be concrete-paved. Basic amenities include 24-hour security, and overhead water tanks. A very significant facility that will be installed is a wastewater treatment system which will be utilized for the treatment of sanitary sewage from the hotel units and restaurant facilities. For every building, there are scenic elevators that service all floors for the convenience of the unit owners, at the same time add to the aesthetic appearance of the buildings, and allow the unit owners and guests to catch a glimpse of the captivating scenery.

i was in the city of san fernando last monday... i love your plaza!... summer na summer punong-puno ng christmas lanterns w/c i thought was cute :D

How many hours ba ang travel from Manila to San Fernando, La Union? Dalawa ang options namin: Partas bus or Cebu Pacific flight from Manila to Laoag.

How many hours ba ang travel from Manila to San Fernando, La Union? Dalawa ang options namin: Partas bus or Cebu Pacific flight from Manila to Laoag.

sa bus, 5-6 hours (kasama yung 1 hour's worth ng pit stops)

May tanong uli ako. Ilang hours ba ang bus ride from Laoag to San Fernando, La Union? Then may bus ba na nagta-travel from San Fernando, La Union to Baguio City? Kung meron mga ilang hours naman?

Hindi ako maka-usad sa travel plan ko kasi di ko alam yung travel time from San Fernando to Laoag, Clark and Baguio.

Laoag to San Fernando = siguro mga 3 hours (matagal na yung 4 hours)

San Fernando to Baguio = mga 1 hour lang yan.

Maraming bus papuntang Baguio na galing ng San Fernando, hindi ka mahihirapan don :)

GMA breaks ground for Poro Pt tourism complex
By Jun Elias
The Philippine Star 05/01/2007
http://philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200705010705.htm

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — President Arroyo led yesterday the groundbreaking of a P5- billion tourism complex project inside the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone (PPSEFZ).

The project, which is being implemented by Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotel and Resort Inc., a subsidiary of the US-based Thunderbird Resorts Inc., will lead off with the construction of a luxury hotel and a world-class nine-hole golf course intended to put the former US military air station at the world map of major tourist and recreation destinations.

Peter Lesar, president of Thunderbird Pilipinas, told the Chief Executive in a briefing that the project, which will be completed by July 2008, will generate 10,000 jobs for local residents and will generate more than P500 million in yearly income for the government.

Lesar said that the tourism complex makes up the second phase of Thunderbird Pilipinas’ total investments in Poro Point.

Mrs. Arroyo said that she was very happy with the project, which she hopes will make La Union a tourist hub because of the Mediterranean-style resort.

Designed for tourism and recreation, the project’s component include luxury hotels themed after the famous village of Santorini in Greece, resort-style villas, condominium units, championship golf course, restaurants, centers, family amenities, aqua sports, and entertainment and gaming facilities.

For the initial phase, Thunderbird has so far spent P250 million over the past two years for the development of PPSEFZ including the establishment of a casino.

This was way above its minimum investment commitment of P162 million for its master development plan as stipulated in its lease agreement forged with the state-run Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) two years ago.

With the President taking a personal interest in Poro Point, BCDA president and CEO Narciso Abaya said the area would likely assume a more vibrant pace of development.

Underscoring the significance of a fully developed PPSEFZ, Abaya said once the tourism infrastructures are in place, Poro Point will be a magnet to both local and foreign tourists, adding that inceased tourist spending will augur well for the economy of La Union and Northern Luzon.

Each foreign tourist brings in $800 and creates one job. Assuming Poro Point can attract 10,000 foreign tourists in a year – a very conservative number, this translates to $8 million into the local economy and 10,000 new jobs generated.

"The economic impact of tourism is immediate. It generates jobs not only inside Poro Point but in the entire region as well," Abaya pointed out.

A key component of the initial phase of development is the transformation of the erstwhile Voice of America building into a multipurpose building, including an entertainment center and a 75-seat fine-dining restaurant.

The cost of phase two, initially pegged at P216 million, is also expected to swell, raising speculations that Thunderbird would likely more than double its commitment under the lease contact.

It covers the construction of the nine-hole golf course, with options to expand to 18 holes in the future. Thunderbird hired IMG Sports Entertainment Media (IMG), one of the world’s leading golf course design firms to plan the world class golf course. The golf course clubhouse would be attached to the hotel and resort complex.

Thunderbird has commissioned the prominent architectural and design firm Impacto to implement a master development plan that involves setting up of a beautiful promenade close to the seashore where a projected "Little Boracay" would emerge out of a short stretch of white sand beach.

With Thunderbird’s all-out pursuit of its program to develop Poro Point into an "ideal tourist destination," complemented by BCDA’s upgrading of the San Fernando Airport to ensure easier access to Poro Point, Abaya said the BCDA is right on track in realizing President Arroyo’s economic agenda of eight percent growth next year.

Thunderbird has leased some 65.5 hectares of real estate in the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone that is under the stewardship of the BCDA. Among the areas leased by Thunderbird include the former Voice of America facilities and some real estate along the Poro Point tourism complext area that includes the Poro Point Cottages and the San Fernando Coral Promenade.

Among the major benefits of Thunderbird’s investment in Poro Point is the increased number of good permanent, full time job opportunities to the people of La Union. Thunderbird is committed to source at least 85 percent of its employees from San Fernando City and the province of La Union provided a sufficient number of these employees are readily available and eligible for hire.

Pumunta kami dati galing Taguig -> San Fernando, mga 8-9 hours ata. Pag dating namin sa San Fernando dun lang kami himinto for more than 10 mins para kumain (sa Max's).

Nakakatawa lang kasi kasama ko gf ko papunta, pero hindi kami sigurado pano papunta dun, kaya sabi nya sundan nalang namin yung partas na bus, pero ang hirap sundan kasi ang tulin, tas pumipina pa.

Hi,

First of all, great site! A lot of information here, but would like a little more.
I am planning a visit in Sept./Oct. 2008 for 3 weeks and would like to stay at a resort since my wife, infant son, mom and dad will be accompanying me. Is there a repository of sort with web site address of resorts in San Fernando LU, especially barrio Carlatan/Lingsat area? If that is too limited, then San Fernando LU area then.

Thanks in advance for any information you can share with me.

Marlon
Texas, USA

go San Fer, a very promising city.................

Nice postings. Il have it posted here too. Visit http://www.sfcty.com din. Ill post the latest updates there. Be a member din dun. Thanks...

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/caprel-pp.jpg

CAPSULE LAYING. (May 4, 2007) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is assisted by Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotels and Resorts Inc. President Peter Lesar (Right), Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Narciso Abaya (Second from Left) and Department of National Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane (Third from left) as she lowers the time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremonies of Thunderbird’s luxury hotel and championship golf course at the Poro Point Freeport Zone (PPFZ) in San Fernando La Union.

Thunderbird Pilipinas has committed to invest P5 billion in PPFZ and is expected to generate 10,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute up to P500 million annually to the government's revenues. Looking on are President and CEO of the Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC) Felix Racadio , Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/PoroPoint-1.jpg

BCDA Public Affairs
BCDA Press Release
Monday, April 30, 2007

SAN FERNANDO City, La Union--Investors are now taking a closer look at Poro Point Freeport Zone in San Fernando City, La Union which the government, through the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is transforming into an investment hub.

This was revealed by Atty. Anthony C. Manguiat, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC), citing an increasing number of inquiries from prospective locators.

Manguiat said this “welcome development” came on the heels of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s enactment of Republic Act 9400 declaring the 236.5-hectare Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone as the Poro Point Freeport Zone; and RA 9399 re-installing the tax incentives granted to locators at former U.S. military bases Clark Field in Pampanga, Camp John Hay in Baguio City and Poro Point which are being converted into special economic and free port zones by BCDA. The business sector largely regarded the twin bills as a vote of confidence by the Congress and the executive department on the capability of the BCDA to fulfill its mandate to develop former military facilities into growth areas, earning revenues that would substantially pump prime the national economy and boost the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Poro Point, a 236.5-hectare of headland that dips into the China Sea, used to be the Wallace Air Station that also housed the Voice of America communications relay facility. BCDA and PPMC envision Poro Point to become “one of the best tourist, commercial, retirement and industrial destinations in Southeast Asia” in the near future. The state-owned firm cited Poro Point’s seaport, industrial park, domestic airport and tourism-commercial area as “strong magnets for investors.” The PPMC also cited Poro Point’s strategic location that makes it “an ideal springboard” for easier access to more advanced Asian countries such as Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong and Vietnam. To enhance access to Poro Point, the BCDA has earmarked close to P600 million for the expansion and development of the San Fernando Airport to upgrade it to world-class standard and enable it to accommodate larger aircraft similar to Boeing 737 and Airbus 320. Part of a hill that touches the seashore would be flattened to give way for civil works to extend the runway to more than two kilometers. The airport masterplan also covers expansion of the existing apron and terminal building, and construction of state-of-the-art Control Tower, among other facilities. The development of a 50-hectare agro-industrial park, with possible reclamation of adjoining wetlands, was also expected to vigorously push the economic growth of Northern Luzon. Meanwhile, Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotels and Resorts Inc. which inked a lease contract with BCDA on was already passed its halfway mark in its efforts to put a major portion of Poro Point in the world map of key centers for tourism, recreation and commerce. Within its first two years of operation, Thunderbird has already poured P569.4 million for the construction and operation of a casino, development of a nine-hole golf course and erection of 30 lodging units. Under the masterplan, the golf course will be expanded further into an 18-hole world class facility, while 30 more lodging units would be built upon reaching 50 percent occupancy rate.

The business sector largely regarded the twin bills as a vote of confidence by the Congress and the executive department on the capability of the BCDA to fulfill its mandate to develop former military facilities into growth areas, earning revenues that would substantially pump prime the national economy and boost the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Poro Point, a 236.5-hectare of headland that dips into the China Sea, used to be the Wallace Air Station that also housed the Voice of America communications relay facility.

BCDA and PPMC envision Poro Point to become “one of the best tourist, commercial, retirement and industrial destinations in Southeast Asia” in the near future. The state-owned firm cited Poro Point’s seaport, industrial park, domestic airport and tourism-commercial area as “strong magnets for investors.”

The PPMC also cited Poro Point’s strategic location that makes it “an ideal springboard” for easier access to more advanced Asian countries such as Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong and Vietnam.

To enhance access to Poro Point, the BCDA has earmarked close to P600 million for the expansion and development of the San Fernando Airport to upgrade it to world-class standard and enable it to accommodate larger aircraft similar to Boeing 737 and Airbus 320.

Part of a hill that touches the seashore would be flattened to give way for civil works to extend the runway to more than two kilometers. The airport masterplan also covers expansion of the existing apron and terminal building, and construction of state-of-the-art Control Tower, among other facilities.

The development of a 50-hectare agro-industrial park, with possible reclamation of adjoining wetlands, was also expected to vigorously push the economic growth of Northern Luzon.

Meanwhile, Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotels and Resorts Inc. which inked a lease contract with BCDA on was already passed its halfway mark in its efforts to put a major portion of Poro Point in the world map of key centers for tourism, recreation and commerce.

Within its first two years of operation, Thunderbird has already poured P569.4 million for the construction and operation of a casino, development of a nine-hole golf course and erection of 30 lodging units. Under the masterplan, the golf course will be expanded further into an 18-hole world class facility, while 30 more lodging units would be built upon reaching 50 percent occupancy rate.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/417378413_ff073f2fe3_o.jpg

San Juan, La Union, 1919
by pio-v (http://flickr.com/photos/71004135@N00/)

Yay, la Union, my province :)

I miss ma province.... tahimik mg thread ng mga taga la Union ah

The Philippine Star

The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) announced the creation of four multimillion-dollar retirement communities in Northern Luzon.

In an interview, PRA acting general manager Colonel Fernando Francisco said investments for each of the four projects would be at least $20 million.

Two of the proposed retirement communities will be in Pampanga, one in La Union and the other in Baguio. The projects are in a retirement township in Porac, Lakeshore in Pampanga, Camp John Hay in Baguio and the Wallace Air Station in La Union. The airfield, in addition to being a retirement community, is also poised to be an eco-tourism project.

Each project will have a minimum of four hectares and 50 to 100 housing units.

Francisco said they would ask for incentives from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

Korean company Sehyun Development Corp. has already laid the groundwork for the development of a retirement village in Nasugbu, Batangas.

Meanwhile, Japanese firm Aseana, a subsidiary of Marubeni, has started its retirement community project along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. The project will be built in a reclaimed area and is worth about $50 million. Ma. Elisa Osorio

source (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=87559)

vX04c0weM-g

NQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON
Requiem for the grand Damortis station

By Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes
Inquirer
Last updated 11:16pm (Mla time) 08/07/2007

ROSARIO, La Union – This used to be full of people, 24 hours a day,” Baltazar Valdez, 72, recalls as he looks around the ruins of the Philippine National Railways station in Barangay Damortis in Rosario, La Union.

In his mind, Valdez tries to reconstruct the “grand station” of his childhood.

“This used to be the freight room, next was the office and [there] was the waiting room for first class passengers. That area was for other passengers while this area was for buses and car service,” he says.

“There used to be four railroad tracks. Trains came and went, and there was not a single hour that the station was empty of people arriving or leaving.”

As one walks around the ruins that offer a view of the Lingayen Gulf, with Valdez describing the old railway station in all its grandeur, the grand Damortis station of old returns to life.

The building stands proud with its tall roof and glass windows fortressed by thick steel bars. Trains chug along the tracks and the familiar whistle pierces the air as coaches arrive or depart. Passengers lug their suitcases or bayong (native bags) while vendors offer water, boiled bananas, corn and rice cakes to weary travelers.

“It was a playground for me,” Valdez says. “But it was also a place of work for me and plenty of residents.”

The Damortis railroad station, established in 1935, could be wider than the PNR’s Tutuban station, Valdez says.

His parents told him that in 1940, when he was 5 years old, the Manila Railways Co. (MRC) bought about 10 hectares of land around the station, “including my parents’ land.”

Additional land was needed as the Manila-Dagupan Railway, which started servicing passengers in 1892, was extended to cover San Fernando.

When the station expanded, the Valdez family moved to another property in the village, but returned in 1966 as they reclaimed ownership of the land through a court ruling.

It turned out that the PNR (the MRC was renamed PNR in 1964) merely paid his father the expenses to transfer the house to another property, but not the cost of the 3,000-square meter lot itself, Valdez says.

War memories

World War II evokes more memories for Valdez about the station.

The Japanese Imperial Army turned the station into its headquarters and used the trains to transport its war materiel, belongings and food.

“We would sneak inside the station, snatching some rice and other food stuff. did not hurt us,” Valdez says.

In August 1945, Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed at the Lingayen Gulf with his warships to liberate Northern Luzon from the Japanese.

“From the towering trees in the station, we watched the massive dog fight between war planes of the Americans and the Japanese … the Japanese planes fell one [after the other] into the gulf,” Valdez says.

“The Damortis station was a casualty of war. The tracks and the structures were damaged when the Americans bombed the area, but it was still usable,” Valdez says.

After the Japanese left for the mountains of Benguet, it was the Americans’ turn to take control of the station, using the building as their headquarters and the fields near it as an airstrip.

[B]Rebuilding PNR

When the war ended, the PNR rebuilt the tracks and the railroad system resumed business.

Valdez and his friends sold bocayo (coconut candy), balut (boiled duck eggs) and newspapers at the station.

“I was also a shoeshine boy, servicing passengers waiting for their train. We also worked as ‘baggage boys’ and carried bags for a fee … we earned much more than the minimum wage earners at that time,” he says.

As porters, the youngsters would board the trains to Dagupan City in Pangasinan or to San Fernando in La Union. They would usually service the “first class passengers” in the air-conditioned coaches.

American tourists would alight at Damortis and be ferried to Baguio City by chauffeur-driven cars waiting for them at the station.

“In those times, most highways were unpaved and dusty. The trains were the most convenient and fastest mode of transportation,” he says.

He says the Damortis station had the first air-conditioned waiting area, long before buildings were installed with such convenience.

Heyday

Valdez left his hometown in 1958 to work in Manila. He returned in 1963 when the railroad system was at its heyday but with buses slowly taking passengers away from the trains.

Valdez’s niece-in-law, Emilia, 53, arrived in this town in 1978 from Bicol. In the late 1980s, the railroad operations grounded to a halt, she says.

Then silence fell over the once busy station.

Settlers started arriving, filling up the empty areas around the station. Some of them got permission from PNR officials to stay there, says Valdez, a former village chief of Damortis.

But things fell apart in the early 2000 when the PNR decided to sell whatever can be removed from the station’s structures—roof, steel bars, wood.

Even the tracks and wooden sleepers (where tracks lay) were not spared.

“All for a measly P45,000,” Valdez says.

He offered P500,000 to the PNR but this was rejected. “Something was amiss,” he says.

Demolition

Rosario Mayor Bellarmin Flores led officials and residents in filing a petition in court to stop the sale and demolition of the structures.

“We considered it a historical landmark in the province. But we were told that it was not listed as such by the [country’s] historical commission,” Flores says.


Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire...ticle_id=81204

By: Arthur S. Cortez Jr., PIO-LU (source (http://www.launion.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=415&Itemid=550))

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/pop02.jpg

Pinoy Pop Superstar 1st Runner-up Bryan Bryll Cruz Termulo visited La Union last July 6 to 8 together with QTV 11 Balik-bayan Show featuring him as tour guide in his second hometown. Bryan did not only see the splendor and uniqueness of where he came from, but also discover many of the untold stories.

Bryan was born on March 8, 1988 in Bocaue, Bulacan, the third child among four of Benigno Termulo of Bulacan and Ruth Cruz of Bagbag, Bauang, La Union. Yan, as he is fondly called, is very simple yet promising, vigorous and young at heart.

This distinguished son of Bauang is very thankful that he was given the opportunity to be home and experience again the beautiful places, Ilocano cuisines and the people themselves ----- the very reasons why he will always humbly come back in La Union and be more than glad and proud to be an Ilocano. “Nung tinawagan po ako ng QTV 11 para ma-feature ako at ang La Union sa Balik-bayan, sobrang natuwa ako at hindi na nagdalawang isip para makauwi ulit dito. Dalawang beses sa isang taon lang po kasi ako nakakapunta dito kaya hindi ko na pinalampas ang pagkakataon na ito para maipagmalaki ko ang aking probinsya”, Bryan remarked. His comeback trail to his beloved province illustrates the living testimony that indeed there is no place like home.

With an interview by the QTV 11 Balik-bayan, Bryan believes that he was not a born singer. “Nung bata po ako, sa pagsasayaw ako unang nahasa. Kung may reunion po sa family namin, nag-vivideoke kami at dun ko una nalaman na may talento po pala ako sa pagkanta. Sa inspirasyon na bigay ng aking pamilya at malalapit kong kaibigan, tiwala sa sarili at pagtitiyagang makamit ang aking pangarap, nandito po ako ngayon sa kinatatayuan ko”, the 19-year old balladeer recalled.

Being the grand contender in the Pinoy Pop Superstar Season 3, Bryan has earned for himself an unparalleled feat as one of the newest singing sensations in the country’s music scene today. He continually strives to develop himself in his craft. The best way to get to know this reserved balladeer more is through his music. His repertoire of songs include Kung Kailangan Mo Ako, Kung Mawawala Ka, Hanggang, You, Gold, among others.

Pinoy Pop Superstar is a year-long talent search that will encourage local aspirants to become one of the ultimate singing superstars of the Philippines. It begins with a massive audition period. And then, for 40 weeks, 3 contestants will compete in the studio before a panel of judges. The winner of each week challenges the defending champion of the week before. A winner able to defend his or her title for four consecutive weeks automatically qualifies for the grand finals.

Hosted by Drew Arellano, Balik-bayan’s feature on Bryan Termulo in La Union shall be aired on the first Friday of August at 10 o’clock in the evening on QTV 11. A travelogue and a celebrity profile in one extra ordinary magazine show, Balik-bayan is sure to charm every Pinoy!

THUNDERBIRD RESORTS, Inc. will develop a new luxury resort in Poro Point, San Fernando City, La Union. The 65-hectare Mediterranean-inspired resort is the company’s second integrated luxury hotel venue in the Philippines, following the flagship Thunderbird Resorts Rizal, which opened two years ago in Binangonan.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) cites Thunderbird Resorts-Poro Point as a key contributor to converting Wallace Air Station into one of the best tourist, recreation, commercial and retirement destinations in Southeast Asia. Thunderbird Resorts - Poro Point incorporates architectural themes influenced by the Santorini Islands of Greece and has beautiful views of the South China Sea.

Among the resort’s luxurious amenities are two double-sized beds, a walkin closet, a bathroom with hot tub, cable TV, and an inroom kitchen area furnished with a microwave oven, a mini-refrigerator, and a coffee and tea maker. There is also a nine-hole all-weather golf course designed by the renowned International Management Group (IMG).

The resort will also feature a boardwalk with shops and restaurants, a water sports center for jet skiing, scuba diving, and surfing.

source (http://www.mb.com.ph/TOUR20070822101000.html)

30 August 2007


CALIFORNIA -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Thunderbird Resorts, Inc. (CNQ: BIRD.U and FSE: OSJ) today reported the following financial results for the 2007 second quarter ended June 30. All figures are in US dollars:

· Revenues rise 35% over second quarter 2006 to second quarter record $23.3 million

· Property EBITDA climbs to second quarter record $6.2 million, diluted EPS from Continuing Operations improves to $0.02 cents

· Philippine "same store" results reflect a 30% increase in revenues over the second quarter in 2006

· Costa Rica operations are exceeding management expectations; construction of a major hotel/convention/spa/entertainment center/gaming product is underway

·The Company deepens its market leading position in the Central American market while the first expansion into the South American market is completed in Peru.

· Select expansion opportunities in the Southeast and Central Asian markets continue to be explored.

On a GAAP basis, second quarter income from continuing operations were $682 thousand, up 144% from a loss of ($1.7) million in the 2006 Second quarter. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $0.02 cents, an increase of 133% from the loss of ($0.06) cents achieved in the year-ago quarter.

For a more detailed analysis of the results for the period, please review the MD&A at the Company's website or the CNQ website.

In Panama, the Company's portion of 2007 second quarter revenues was $6.9 million which was a 19% increase over $5.8 million for the same period last year. Net income for Panama was $564 thousand for the second quarter in 2007 which was a 13% increase over the $504 thousand for the same period last year. This increase can be attributed to the continued expansion of the operation. We expect continued measured expansions to better serve our clients and to attend to niche markets as opportunities allow.

In Guatemala, revenues for the second quarter decreased 19% over the same period in 2006 to $976 thousand due to closure of the Camino Real location. The Company is experiencing new competition which has slightly impacted revenue, albeit we remain the market share leader. Thunderbird now has three video lottery parlors in Guatemala.

In Nicaragua, the Camino Real and Pharaohs casinos generated revenues of $3.5 million for second quarter of 2007, a recovery from the previous two quarters; however a 5% decrease compared to the $3.6 million generated in the second quarter in 2006. The Company continues to evaluate the market conditions in Nicaragua for further investment.

In Costa Rica, the Company's portion of revenues was $3.1 million for the second quarter in 2007 compared to $2.1 million for the same period last year. The operation has significantly increased in size and is still expanding.

As of August 29, 2007, the operation has 4 casinos, 4 slot parlors, and a slot route division resulting in 212 table positions and 1.235 slot machines compared to 931 slot machines and 226 table positions for the same period last year. The operations generated net income of $238 thousand for the period, compared to $48 thousand for the same period last year. In addition, we have identified opportunities to increase our revenue over the next two to three years via expansions and new operations.

Construction on the 22-acre "Tres Rios" resort project in the suburbs of eastern San Jose is underway. The Tres Rios resort will feature a resort hotel and spa, a convention center and a Fiesta Casino.

We expect that this project will be complete by the fourth quarter of 2008.

In the Philippines, revenues were $8.7 million for the second quarter in 2007. The Fiesta Casino Manila- Eastridge is located adjacent to Metro Manila and is the first private casino that can service both the local and foreign markets. The project has access to an 18-hole golf course and includes Thunderbird's first hotel, which has 43 suites in phase one. The operation, which has 191 table positions and 293 slot machines, generated $4.8 million for the second quarter. The revenues at the Fiesta Casino at Poro Point which has 193 table positions and 160 slot machines continue to exceed management expectations. Both the Fiesta Casinos at Manila-Eastridge and the Fiesta Casino at Poro Point continue to set record revenues.

We have plans to expand of both of our facilities in the Philippines.

In Rizal, on the eastern side of Manila, we are in the engineering plans stages to expand our Thunderbird Resorts–Rizal hotel and casino facility to add an event center, spa, and additional food and beverage areas, as well as an expansion of the existing Fiesta Casino at that location.

Upon completion, that Fiesta Casino will be the first truly major market-style casino in the area. We expect this expansion to be completed during the latter part of 2008.

In San Fernando, construction is underway to expand our Thunderbird Resorts–Poro Point facility to include a nine-hole golf course, a 45-unit hotel and additional food and beverage areas, as well as an expansion of the existing Fiesta Casino at that location.

We expect this expansion to be completed by mid 2008.
Peru Acquisition.

In July 2007, the Company acquired, for $43.5 million, the Hoteles Las Americas properties located in Lima, the capital city of Peru. These six hotels have 655 rooms and several restaurants/entertainment venues, and include three five-star hotels (281 rooms with 562 beds) and two four-star hotels (144 rooms with 388 beds), as well as a resort/convention center. This chain is the largest hotel chain in Peru. Four of the hotels are located in the commercial and financial areas of Lima (Miraflores and San Isidro) and cater to business and foreign leisure/tourist travelers.

Our resort/convention center is known in the Lima market as the largest convention destination for the city. We intend to invest in significant improvements in the hotel properties and to install major market-style casinos and entertainment facilities in at least four of these hotels during 2008 and 2009.


SOURCE (http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?contentID=168323)

DX2XEUof5cE

P79.7-million Poro Point Ecozone Project starts soon
By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union (5 September) -– The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is all set to start its three big projects amounting to Php80 million at Poro Point Special Economic Zone, this city.

According to BCDA Chairman Filadelfo Rojas, Jr., said projects will signal the development of tourism, recreation and commercial complex at Poro Point.

The first project is a six-kilometer Php65.5 million road. Said road will provide an efficient and convenient travel in the Poro Point ecozone.

The second project is the Php11.5 million San Fernando City Coral Promenade. This will help beautify the newly constructed 250 meter seafront walkway.

The ancillary structures will provide a panoramic view of the South China Sea and the scenic white sand beach of La Union. (PIA Ilocos)

US gaming firm to infuse P5B into Poro Point


By Ronnel Domingo
Inquirer
Last updated 07:59pm (Mla time) 09/26/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- A California-based gaming and property developer has earmarked P5 billion for investments in the Poro Point freeport zone in La Union over the next five years to turn the area "into a travel destination that can compete with Phuket and Bali."

An official from Thunderbird Resorts Inc. said the initial phase of developing a 65-hectare leisure and entertainment complex in Poro Point was ongoing and was expected to be finished by yearend.

Fernando Santico, the firm's head consultant on real estate, said the initial phase which would cost about P1 billion had so far created 400 jobs in Poro Point, bringing its total workforce in the Philippines to more than one thousand.

An international property developer of integrated luxury hotel venues, Thunderbird Resorts Inc.'s first project in the country--called Fiesta Resort Casino Manila--opened in Binangonan, Rizal, in April 2005.

"Thunderbird expects employment numbers to grow to 2,000 in the next two years, with an additional 200 to 250 employees manning (the firm's) hotel and golf operations at Poro Point by yearend," Santico said.

He said that, in the company's aim of developing a viable prime tourist drawer in La Union, Thunderbird was banking on the growing domestic and international markets seeking more and more sophisticated business and leisure offerings.

"We walk the extra mile to transform this once-isolated US military air station into (a facility) where guests can experience the 'lifestyle of the rich and famous,'" Santico said.

He said the La Union complex--which would be called Fiesta Resort Casino Poro Point--would have 36 rooms that would be initially made available to guests at a rack rate of $180 a night.

Thunderbird also plans to develop a nine-hole, all-weather golf course set for opening in December.

He said Thunderbird's Poro Point project would also include a retail district, an infinity pool overlooking the beach, spa facilities, convention and event centers, and a water sports complex.


http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=90902

the new fountain at Imelda Garden Park, Agoo

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/12745608/280915703.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/12745608/280915702.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/12745608/280915701.jpg

credits: http://www.pasyalan.net/la_union/agoo/
pictures by: Joseph Sermonia


BEFORE
Imelda Garden
the fountain
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1371/5299666/10891316/184975864.jpg[/QUOTE]

Jollibee Agoo designed like "bahay na bato"
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/12745608/280922229.jpg

picture from: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/08072007/life01.html

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/12745608/280922622.jpg

picturen from: http://www.popilaudico.com/jbagoo.html

the new fountain at Imelda Garden Park, Agoo

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/12745608/280915703.jpg

credits: http://www.pasyalan.net/la_union/agoo/
pictures by: Joseph Sermonia

Nice fountain! Ganda Talaga pag may mga mature na puno sa plaza, especially pag acacia trees. :)

Jollibee Agoo designed like "bahay na bato"
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/12745608/280922229.jpg

picturen from: http://www.popilaudico.com/jbagoo.html

^ Nauna pa ito kesa Jollibee Vigan right?

^^ welcome back to SFC&LU Thread, benchjade. nice photos of beautiful town of Agoo.

Nice fountain! Ganda Talaga pag may mga mature na puno sa plaza, especially pag acacia trees. :)



^ Nauna pa ito kesa Jollibee Vigan right?

nauna yata ang Vigan.

^ Masmaaga lang pala ng onti nag open yung sa Vigan. Na Google ko, April 19, 2002 naman nag open yung sa Agoo. My bad. Mahina na ata memory ko :nuts:

THE CONSUNJI and Lopez groups will join forces to bid for major government projects.

DMCI Holdings, Inc. and First Balfour, Inc., a subsidiary of Lopez firm First Philippine Holdings Corp., plan to construct the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway extension from Tarlac to La Union, officials from both groups said.

The two firms will bid with other members of the Philippine Constructors Association, and possibly with Japanese conglomerate Marubeni. "We’re going for government projects," former Public Works Secretary Fiorello Estuar, vice-chairman and chief executive of First Balfour, told BusinessWorld in an interview on the sidelines of the recent CEO Conference sponsored by the Management Association of the Philippines.

With the Lopez group currently operating the North Luzon Expressway, Mr. Estuar said another sister company, Tollways Management Corp., will also bid for the contract to operate the Subic-Clark-Tarlac main section on an interim basis.

The new road cuts across mountains to connect Central Luzon from McArthur Highway, the principal route from Metro Manila to Northern Luzon after exiting the North Luzon Expressway, to the Subic expressway which goes straight inside the free port, or to the zigzag road towards Olongapo City and the rest of Western Luzon.

The government is looking for an interim operator for the Subic-Clark-Tarlac stretch after a failed bidding for the right to operate and maintain the expressway.

Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. has also expressed interest in the expressway’s operations and maintenance contract, and has approached Israeli firm Africa-Israel to be its partner in the project.

DMCI Chief Finance Officer Herbert Consunji, meanwhile, told BusinessWorld that the Consunji group has always been interested in building the Tarlac-La Union extension, "but we’re still waiting for the terms of reference."

A new company, DMCI Roads, will be formed for the consortium for the extension project, he added. "This [new company will be created] so that the [Consunji group’s efforts on toll road building] would be focused. We don’t want the companies to be handling different things, having different recipes."

But he added DMCI will not bid for the interim contract of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac stretch with the Lopezes.

In other projects, Mr. Estuar said that the Lopez group will also team up with DMCI for the LRT (Light Rail Transit) north extension project that will connect LRT line 1 in Caloocan City to the Metro Rail Transit line 3 along Epifanio de los Santos Ave. in Quezon City. The project will be auctioned by yearend.

Mr. Estuar added the Lopez group will also foray into a contract with DMCI-owned Maynilad Water Services, Inc. for a 50-million liter/day bulk water supply project in Bicutan.

Mr. Estuar was president of Maynilad prior to its reprivatization. He served on a holdover capacity when the DMCI-Metro Pacific group took over the water firm’s operations.

Mr. Estuar, meanwhile, said the Lopez group is also interested in airports, but no specific project has been identified.

In line with the Lopez group’s expansion into infrastructure, the company will create First Philippine Infrastructure, Inc., which will hold the Lopezes’ interest in toll roads. First Philippine Infrastructure, which is headed by Mr. Estuar, is currently a business development unit of First Holdings. — Jennee Grace U. Rubrico

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/dragon.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/ma-cho.jpg

Our Lady of Caysasay, which most Chinese believe is the reincarnation of their "sea goddess" - Ma-Tzu (Ma-Cho).

The foot-long original image of blessed Virgin of Caysasay, which was last brought to La Union in 1974, was dressed with sky blue lace gown and encased in glass urn. this year the image was brought back to La Union from its shrine in Taal, Batangas for the yearly festivities.

Through the Taal Foundation, who's taking care of the 400-year old image, it was brought again to La Union for the annual thanksgiving festivities and pilgrimage, he said.

The original image was prevented from being transported outside Taal since 1974 because of its value. The Chinese devotees then hold annual pilgrimage of Ma-Cho to Taal which commenced in 1979. The practice always starts on the 5th day of the 8th month of the lunar year.

Before the mass and the vigil, the image was brought to the Ma-Cho Temple after the devotees held a procession and a dragon dance around the city proper.

Most of the visitors who attended mass and vigil came from Manila and from southern and northern Luzon most particularly the members and officers of the Blessed Virgin of Caysasay Foundation in Taal Batangas,

The Taoist called their sea patroness Ma-cho while Catholics worship it as "Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception,"

Historical notes reveal that the Virgin was first seen by a fisherman in 1603 at the Pansipit River in Bgy. Caysasay, Taal , Batangas. The village is a sanctuary of "casay-casay" birds or kingfisher. Spaniards called them "caysasay."
Spanish prelates and authorities learned of the discovery of the image and immediately proceeded to the house of the fisherman. Upon seeing the Virgin's image, the visitors made a vow and venerated her.

Since then, the image was enshrined inside the church in Taal where they honor her with Masses.

In the Chinese hierarchy of folk deities, Ma-Cho is the powerful Queen of Heavens and protector of the sea.

Born under the mortal name of Lin Mo-liang (silent girl) during the Northern Sung Dynasty (960-1127 A.D.) in Meizhou Bay in Fujian , China , she is believed to be exceptionally pure of spirit and compassionate. It is said that she had supernatural powers and performed miracles, subduing evil spirits and averting disasters at sea.

Is Our LAdy of Caysasay an image of Virgin Mary?

^^ Yes. Check this...http://www.freewebtown.com/taalresearch/olca.html

Inquirer
Last updated 06:06am (Mla time) 10/16/2007
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/sports/view_article.php?article_id=94696

MANILA, Philippines -- Surfing will be the highlight event in a three-day multi-sports competition set Nov. 2-4 at the Urbiztondo Beach in San Juan, La Union.

Dubbed as the La Union Surfing Break II, the event is expected to lure more than 3,000 participants, including speed climbers, frisbee throwers and beach volleyball players.

“When we started this event last year, we were surprised by the number of participants who showed up, mostly students on their semestral breaks, said organizer television personality Paolo Bediones.

“Our province has been blessed with a surfing place that can accommodate from beginner surfers to the more experienced ones,” said Joseph Dumuk, La Union’s tourism officer.

A project of the provincial government of La Union, the Department of Tourism, DOT Region I, and the municipality of San Juan, the event is supported by San Miguel Corp., Chow King, Mojo Sandals, Asian Spirit, Holcim Philippines, Poro Point Management, Thunderbird Resorts and Jam 88.3.

La Union's P163-M engineered landfill almost done

Jun Elias (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?p=60&type=2&sec=24&act=view&aid=2007101510)

SAN FERNANDO, LA UNION- The phase 2 of the World Bank-funded 10 hectares engineered sanitary landfill in Barangay Mameltac will be completed before the year ends and finishing touches are now on it final stages says Mayor Pablo Ortega.

In his bi-monthly radio program over DZNL Aksyon Radio, Ortega announced that the P163-million landfill will be fully operational by December.

The construction was made by Kane Construction (KCI), a local firm involved in construction of engineered landfills.

Construction of the first phase of the project was completed last year and became operational after the completion of support facilities such as water treatment plant, pumping stations and monitoring wells.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=97843


By Ronnel Domingo
Inquirer
Last updated 05:07am (Mla time) 10/31/2007


MANILA, Philippines--The National Competitiveness Council (NCC), a group formed jointly by the government and the private sector to promote economic competitiveness, has cited eight cities for being “business-friendly” based on its scorecard.

NCC director Virgilio Fulgencio said the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), headed by former finance secretary Jesus Estanislao, has declared San Fernando in La Union province, San Fernando in Pampanga, Marikina in Metro Manila, Naga in Camarines Sur, Sorsogon in Sorsogon province, Calbayog in Samar, Iloilo in Iloilo province and Tagbilaran in Bohol as model cities.

Fulgencio said these cities were adjudged as good places in which to live, work and do business, as the local government units (LGUs) comply with ISA’s public governance system and scorecard (PGS).

The PGS is patterned after the Harvard Business School’s “balanced scorecard” applied on LGUs, he said.

The PGS measures the progress of a city has made in various areas of concern, including competitive infrastructure, responsible citizenship, growth in the per capita gross domestic product, and greater productivity.

The eight city governments have partnered with ISA on a program called Dream Cities, which requires each of them to map out a charter that states their visions for the next few years.

Examples are Marikina’s goal of becoming Southeast Asia’s model city in competitiveness; San Fernando’s positioning to become a tourist destination, and Tagbilaran’s desire to become a premier eco-cultural tourism hub in Asia.

Twelve other cities nationwide have joined the ISA program: Tuguegarao, Dagupan, Tagaytay, Iriga, Cebu, Dumaguete, Ligao, Panabo, Tacurong, Tangub, Toledo and Samal.

The ISA’s support includes help in strategic planning for spurring business, infrastructure development, and zoning. The LGUs are required to involve the community in government affairs.

“They have resources to do these projects,” Fulgencio said. “They also need to create an Office of Strategy Management, which is responsible for the core plan within the city.”

Formed last year to address perceptions that the country’s attractiveness to investors was waning relative to neighboring countries, the NCC has created six groups to formulate action agendas and push initiatives focused on human resources; management expertise in specific public offices; financing to micro, small and medium enterprises; reduction of transaction costs and improved transaction flows; the upgrade of infrastructure, particularly in transportation, and reduction of costs and securing supplies of electricity.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=97876

By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 09:03am (Mla time) 10/31/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- The Court of Appeals voided the cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources stopping the Poro Point Industrial Corporation (PPIC) from operating the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone (PPSEFZ) for violating environmental laws.

In an 18 page decision, the appeals court’s special former 9th division also invalidated the authority of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to take over operations of the Poro Point seaport.

The appeals court said that PPIC is correct in saying that the CDO disrupted the operations of the port facility and business in the area, and that the CDO is baseless.

"Indeed, the issuance of the cease and desist order stumbled and fell every step of the way. Not only were the grounds for the issuance therefore patently baseless, it also violated the basic tenets of due process. Worse, the haste, nay the lightning speed by which the said order was issued, is highly questionable," the court said.

The appeals court said there was no formal complaint or concrete evidence to support the alleged environmental violations of the PPIC, a clear showing of violation of due process on the part of the DENR.

The court noted that under No. 11.1A of the Procedural Manual for Department Administrative Order 2003,30, the proponent of the project must first be given a notice of violation and the benefit of a technical hearing.

"The gross violation of due process in the issuance of the CDO is clearly seen in the lightning speed by which it was issued."

It explained that respondent Joel Salvador, regional director of DENR Environmental Management Bureau's inspections did not show any environmental violations.

Records showed that the April 27, 2006 inspection showed violations not of PPIC but of Saturn Cement Corporation, an individual locator in the port.

The court added that despite the efforts of the DENR to prove environmental law violations through photos, its efforts remain futile because the photos are "barely recognizable and has no indication when it was taken."

Also, the appeals court added that contrary to DENR's claim, PPIC is operating with an Environmental Compliance Certificate which has been issued while it was still being managed by John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation (now Poro Point Management Corporation or PPMC).

The court explained that under the ECC, transfer of ownership of the project carries the same conditions in the ECC.

"Thus, by the transfer of the PPSEFZ project to petitioner, the enjoyment and benefits of the ECC should also redound to the latter."

Former president Fidel Ramos issued Proclamation No. 216 creating and designating the area covered by the former Wallace Air Station and continuous areas in Poro Point as PPSEFZ. It also created the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

On Oct. 7, 1998, former president Joseph Estrada issued Executive Order 31 renaming the John Hay Development Corporation as John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation (JPDC) and establishing it as BCDA's subsidiary and implementing arm to manage the PPSEFZ.

BCDA and JPDC invited proposals for the development of PPSEFZ, among those who responded was Bulk Handlers, Inc.

In 1999, BHI, BCDA and JPDC entered into a Pre-Incorporation Agreement creating a joint venture corporation to develop, manage PPSEFZ that evolved to become PPIC.

PPIC said that while BHI complied with its obligations to deliver annual revenue, it however, failed to turn over the entire project area to them.

Then, in 2006, PPMC, a stakeholder of PPIC and a party to the agreement issued a ruling declaring the agreement void that prompted BHI and PPIC to ask the RTC to issue a temporary restraining order which it granted.

The DENR entered into the picture upon the request of PPMC when it ruled that PPIC violated environmental laws. It dismissed PPIC's appeal prompting the latter to go the the Appeals Court

La Union's P163-M engineered landfill almost done

Jun Elias (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?p=60&type=2&sec=24&act=view&aid=2007101510)

SAN FERNANDO, LA UNION- The phase 2 of the World Bank-funded 10 hectares engineered sanitary landfill in Barangay Mameltac will be completed before the year ends and finishing touches are now on it final stages says Mayor Pablo Ortega.

In his bi-monthly radio program over DZNL Aksyon Radio, Ortega announced that the P163-million landfill will be fully operational by December.

The construction was made by Kane Construction (KCI), a local firm involved in construction of engineered landfills.

Construction of the first phase of the project was completed last year and became operational after the completion of support facilities such as water treatment plant, pumping stations and monitoring wells.



can you post some pictures of this facility here ... http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=540129

By Lito Cinco

IT ALL started last year when a group of outdoor sports lovers organized the La Union Surfing Break to promote the growing sport through proper teaching methods.

It was held during the semestral break to attract a big number of students coming from Metro Manila, Baguio and other northern Luzon provinces.

Over 300 participants got their first taste of surfing, but they were only a small part of the close to 2,000 people, mostly young, who trooped to Urbiztondo Beach in San Juan, La Union to surf and join other beach events such as ultimate Frisbee and sportsclimbing, which were highlighted by a beach party.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/28672048.jpg

Buoyed by the success of that inaugural event, organizers led by television personality Paolo Bediones and sportsclimber-cum-surfer Joey Cuerdo, coordinated anew with the Department of Tourism and the local government units of La Union and San Juan to hold the La Union Surfing Break II set starting today until Sunday with more than 3,000 people expected to join this time.

Aside from staging the surfing clinics for beginners, topped by a competition for the best local surfers, the frisbee event, which will have four teams in the field, and the La Union Speed Climbing Championship, the organizers have also added beach volleyball to the roster of interactive sporting events, to be highlighted again by a beach party.

“The idea is to promote the country’s natural attractions and in this case, what we did was to select the venue and hold simultaneous events that will appeal to young people. At the same time, we would like to make it very affordable by providing them the best and cheapest way of getting to the venue, providing tent space, and ensuring that local food caterers will set up stalls on the beach side,” said Bediones. He added that celebrities have also been invited to join the different events.

But of all the events, the highlight remains to be surfing. In fact, La Union has been holding its own open surfing competition that lures a lot of foreign surfers in the last nine years with a local surfer reportedly ranked already in the top 30 in the region.

“A local surfer, Jun Saguan, with the help of foreign surfers, who come here regularly, was the first Filipino surfer to join an international competition abroad. This means that given the opportunity and the necessary exposure, Filipinos can become world-class surfers,” said Joseph Dumuk, the provincial tourism officer of La Union.

The waves in Urbiztondo are the barrel-types that range from six to 10 feet high. This is the type of wave, where a surfer goes inside the barrel-like wave formed as it approaches the shore. These waves are caused by the Pacific swells.

The added advantage of Urbiztondo Beach is that the place can accommodate beginner surfers as well as the experts with September up to February as the best surfing months.

Dumuk also assured the visitors the availability of lodging places.

“In San Juan alone, we already have around 18 beach resorts. Then, there are also resorts and lodging places in nearby Bauang and even San Fernando. We’re also arranging home stays with local residents.”

Aside from La Union, the other surfing places in the Philippines that have been attracting a lot of foreigners are the ones in Siargao, Surigao which is the most famous, another one in Samar, in Baler, Quezon, and Daet, Catanduanes.

These surfing sites have made the Philippines among the top 10 surfing destinations in the world.

But today, it will be La Union’s turn to show off its surfing waves.

The event is also supported by the Tourism Region 1, Power Up Center, Philippine Ultimate Association, Philippine National Police, San Miguel Corp., Chow King, Thunderbird Resorts, Asian Spirit, Poro Point Management, Holcim Philippines and Mojo Sandals.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports2_nov2_2007

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2228/1782710821_3940e9dada_o.jpg
Church of San Fernando

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2377/1782710323_d3451208cd_o.jpg
Altar of San Fernando Church

Photos by My Visita Iglesia (http://flickr.com/photos/bigberto/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1004/1467131672_52e2790381_b.jpg
San Fernando City at Night | Photo by ysonic (http://flickr.com/photos/ysonic/)

^^ thanks for the nice photos, dxpsycho

By Albert B. Lacanlale

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Is the dateline of this story the right title for this component city?

This question seemed to have resurfaced as confusion on the real title of Pampanga's second city vis-à-vis its namesake in the province of La Union persists, prompting the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) to revisit the charters that converted the two former municipalities into cities.

PamCham executive director Joyce Duldulao said the city in La Union is named "City of San Fernando", which was created by virtue of Republic Act (RA) 8509, sponsored by La Union first district Representative Victor Ortega, signed by then President Fidel Ramos on February 13, 1998 and ratified by the residents via plebiscite on March 20, 1998.

Interestingly though, the country's 99th city in Pampanga was also named "City of San Fernando" in RA 8990, a charter for the city authored by then congressman now San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.

The Pampanga capital city's charter, however, was not ratified until February 2001, three years after La Union City was created.

In practice, however, most people refer to La Union City as "San Fernando City." But the local government's official seal, including the signage at City Hall, bear the name "City of San Fernando."

Duldulao said La Union City officials may have gone with the common practice of placing the word "city" after the actual name of the locality, such as Parañaque City, Quezon City, Olongapo City, Angeles City and others, even after the charter has been made.

While others tend to indicate the name of the province after the city to distinguish one over the other, some correspondence have addresses with only the name of the city mentioned. The zip codes, which are also important in the orderly delivery of mails, are oftentimes neglected.

Confusion as regards the names of places usually lead to the delay in the delivery of important documents sent through the posts.

PamCham, Duldulao said, may seek the assistance of congressmen to find the best way to solve the name impasse.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/pam/2007/11/03/news/city.of.san.fernando.or.san.fernando.city..html

By Michelle P. So
Caught in the Net

IN matters involving deliveries, zip codes play a crucial role in getting those dispatches reaching their correct addresses.

Woe to the postman, a bigger woe for the sender and receiver. Such is the case of San Fernando City in Pampanga and the other San Fernando City in La Union. Cebu has its own San Fernando, only that the place is a town, not a city.

(By the way, Pampanga has names of towns like Mexico and Florida. You don’t need a visa to go to these places.)

To distinguish itself from La Union’s “San Fernando City,” Pampanga’s component city calls itself the “City of San Fernando.” To those not concerned, this hardly matters whether the city is situated before San Fernando or after it.

Folks in San Fernando, Pampanga sometimes find themselves getting postal deliveries intended for those in San Fernando, La Union.

Why is this? The lack of zip code in the address.

In the age of e-mail and Messenger file transfers, does anyone still send documents by post? Yes. Bureaucratic documents, by their nature, have to be sent by mail and need not reach their intended receivers in 80 years.

Why postal mail takes a long time to arrive at our doors is this: the postmen get waylaid by fiestas. They can’t resist the lechon. In the Philippines, there’s a fiesta celebrated every day somewhere in a street, barangay, town, city or province.

And from the experience of San Fernando, both in Pampanga and La Union (and who knows in Cebu as well), the lack of zip codes also delays the delivery of postal dispatches. It’s a plausible reason.

The zip codes make sorting of mail faster and easier but not necessarily the actual delivery quicker. (Remember, it’s the fiestas that delay delivery.) For those who buy online, the zip code of addresses is required. Leave that blank and your purchase is not processed. But even if you have zip-coded your address and your credit card is maxed out, your purchase is not processed either.

This confusion over the correct location of San Fernando City or City of San Fernando has led to mis-deliveries by the post office and to the vexation of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Pamcham), a report in Sun.Star Pampanga says.

Pamcham plans to keep Pampanga’s congressmen earn their keep by doing something about this mis-location problem. Whether they would have the congressmen quarrel with their La Union counterparts over who gets the right to use San Fernando City or have them deliver the parcels themselves, Pamcham is mum.

Based on the dates of the ratification of the city charters of both, La Union got to use San Fernando City first. It ratified the San Fernando City Charter in 1998. San Fernando City of Pampanga ratified its charter in 2001. La Union had a three-year headstart.

With the fuss over this, why doesn’t either local government change the name of its city to Sanfer City? It’s shorter and sounds less religious.

I had no problem finding San Fernando City or City of San Fernando. The bus conductor simply told me this was my stop. I had the zip code printed on my shirt.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/11/08/oped/michelle.p..so.caught.in.the.net.html

TS0sH4TKiy4

The good life consists of getting up in the morning from your queen-sized bed to be greeted by the gentle breeze of the China Sea; drinking coffee while watching the waves kiss the shore; dining in the best restaurant just minutes away from your place; playing golf, going scuba diving, jet skiing or surfing in the afternoon; shopping in the early evening at the boardwalk; watching the sunrise while sipping margarita or playing baccarat in the casino, and then retiring to your Mediterranean-inspired 45-square meter vacation suite after a relaxing massage.

All of these experiences can be had in just one location—Thunderbird Resorts-Poro Point. Thunderbird Resorts Inc. only had luxury in mind when it initiated the development of the Thunderbird Resorts-Poro Point, a P5-billion, 65-hectare Mediterranean-inspired resort in Poro Point, San Fernando La Union, which is expected to intensify San Fernando’s presence in the international tourism scene. Apart from its 38 spacious suites, which has two double-sized beds, a walk-in closet, a bathroom with hot tub, cable television, and an in-room kitchen area furnished with a microwave oven, a mini-refrigerator, and a coffee and tea maker, Thunderbird Poro Point also has a nine-hole all-weather, world-class golf course designed by International Management Group, an international sports, talents and events management group which services a wide range of clients, from Tiger Woods to the Nobel Foundation. A boardwalk with several shops, a 75-seat fine dining restaurant, water sports complex for surfing, diving and jet skiing, spa facilities, the Fiesta Casino for non-stop gaming, convention and recreation centers are some of the added amenities of the resort. For its guests to feel and experience the lifestyles of the rich and the famous, the price is about P8,000 a night.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo led the groundbreaking rites of Thunderbird Resorts-Poro Point. The President lauded the investors for the job opportunities which will be available not just to the locals of San Fernando but to residents of Northern Luzon as well. During its initial construction, the United States-based company has already provided 412 jobs and is expected to create another 10,000 jobs in the next 10 years.

According to Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and chief executive Narciso Abaya, investments like the Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point promise to increase tourist influx not just in La Union but the whole Northern Luzon. Abaya cited the resort company as one of the major contributor in promoting Wallace Air Station, a 101-hectare base land in Poro Point under BCDA, as a major tourist recreation, commercial and retirement destinations in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Thunderbird is capitalizing on the booming local and international tourism market in the north, setting its sights on building more tourist destinations in the region. The 10-year-old recreational property developer first made its mark in Guatemala with the launch of its gaming facility in Camino Real Hotel and since then expanded its business to countries like Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica and the Philippines.

With the opening of Thunderbird Resorts-Poro Point, the company hopes to start its expansion to the Southeast Asian region.

The Thunderbird Resorts-Poro Point, which will soon be called Fiesta Resort Casino Poro Point, It is the second investment of Thunderbird in the Southeast Asia, the first one is a similar luxury resort in Binangonan Rizal, which was inaugurated in April 2005. Thunderbird Resorts-Binangonan offers the same grandeur as Poro Point, with its 48 luxury suites strategically located 250 feet above sea level, providing a panoramic overlooking view of the Laguna de Bay and the Manila Skyline.

With the opening of Thunderbird Resorts-Poro Point, the good life will only be just five hours away. —Dheza Marie Aguilar

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=goodLife3_nov15_2007

Related News (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=75575)

La Union DepEd boosts investments in education

By Jessie R. Valdez
PIA La Union (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p071122.htm&no=51)

San Fernando City, La Union-- In line with the Arroyo government's commitment to boost investments in new school buildings and other facilities to ensure that students have greater access to education, Department of Education (DepEd), Division of La Union reported that there were 16 additional academic classrooms and replacements that were already completed while 6 new academic buildings were also constructed.

La Union Schools Division Superintendent Edna C. Leal bared in their 2007 Regular School Building Program Priority Listing and Areas Experiencing Acute Classroom Shortage Report that in said project alone, DepEd has spent a total of P5,930,000.00.

Supt. Leal said, for this year, they also prioritized the distribution of armchairs/desks with a total of 5,742 for the elementary and secondary levels including tables and chairs of teachers which she expects the distribution to be completed before the year ends because the increase in the number of classrooms and chairs in the province also translates to an increase of student-pupil enrollees.

On the other hand, DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus said in a statement that various private sector interventions under DepEd's Adopt-a-School Program have yielded positive outcomes. "There is an urgent need for stronger public-private sector alliance to meet the education needs of students, children and out-of-school youths particularly in Mindanao-ARMM," Sec. Lapus added.

Lapus cited the Text2teach with the Ayala Foundation and Nokia which resulted in a 5 % increase in the achievement level in English and Science of school beneficiaries.

To support the move, La Union DepEd has implemented the Personal Computers for Public Schools which is in line with PGMA's Cyber Education program, has acquired 600 computers in partnership with the Ayala Foundation, Smart, GILAS, Japan government and the L.U. Provincial government. As a result, students had substantial improvement by performing well with the use of computer-aided instruction and IT integration while teachers had enabled them to upgrade their capabilities using virtual teacher training modules.

Other similar initiatives include the establishment and enhancement of barangay reading centers and school libraries which are already in place in 59 barangays in the city of San Fernando, LU. The city DepEd, city government thru the city library in partnership with private entities and individuals provide books, reading materials, toys and furnitures.

Agnes J. Baltazar, city Chief Librarian said, last year, they distributed 80 books per barangay reading center including some toys for children particularly in far flung areas while 200 books were given 6 public secondary schools. Baltazar added that the Ansan Korea Government donated 10 computer sets while the city government's counterpart was the installation of an internet.

Baltazar said, the 6,508 books donated and distributed came from: Asia Foundation, SM Foundation, Feed the Hungry Inc., National Library and 3 balikbayans from US – Dr. Belinda Aquino,, Dr. Kenneth Slater and Ms. Lilia Kanasoot.

She believes that with this number - 65,388 students / children who availed of the computer with free internet access and researchers in the city library since last year, have also improved their achievement level in English and other academic subjects including those in other barangays who visits the library on Saturdays.

The Arroyo government also continue to strengthen its various college scholarship grants and loan packages to poor but deserving students giving them a chance to garner tertiary level education and a chance at a better life. The scholarship includes the Safe 4, STUFAP and other study grants being implemented by CHED and its affiliates.

Ferry boat to ply Pangasinan, La Union rivers

Sun.Star (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/pan/2007/11/25/news/ferry.boat.to.ply.pangasinan.la.union.rivers..html)

DAGUPAN CITY -- A passenger ferry boat will ply the rivers of Alaminos and Dagupan in Pangasinan and San Fernando in La Union soon.

Dagupan Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. said the project was initiated by Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza.

He said the funding for the construction of three ferry stations will likely be provided by the local government of the cities with a counterpart from the National Government as part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's super regions project.

The ferry system, Fernandez said, will greatly enhance the tourism of Alaminos; the trade, commerce, shop and dine business entities of Dagupan, as well as, the regional seat in San Fernando, La Union.

The mayors of the three cities held an initial meeting about the plan last November 15.

"This is another plus factor in luring more tourists in Dagupan," Fernandez said.

The project will also provide employment opportunities for Dagupeños who are graduates of maritime schools, the mayor added.

The project will be a joint venture among the three cities. There will be two kinds of ferry boat, a 30-seater and a 100-seater.

Fernandez said initially they will start with four units, with the number to be increased later.

The operation of a ferry boat will greatly reduce travel time.

Travel time by bus from Alaminos to Dagupan is more than an hour, while it takes about two hours from Dagupan to San Fernando, La Union. (LCMY/Sunnex)

^^
First Ferry Service in Northern Luzon Endorsed

Businessmen, including owners of resorts and hotels in Dagupan, are now excited over the plan to put up a point-to-point ferry service that will connect three cities in Region 1.

They said the novel project had their solid backing since it maximized water transportation, a neglected means of transport in the region.

The cities of Dagupan, Alaminos and San Fernando are collaborating to set up the ferry system that will traverse the vast expanse of the Lingayen Gulf.

Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. announced that the ferry service was initiated by Mayor Hernani Braganza to hasten tourism and business activities in the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union.

Fernandez said Braganza, San Fernando City Mayor Pablo Ortega and himself had set up a technical working group to study the project that would be of mutual benefit to the three participating cities.

"The ferry system will greatly enhance the tourism potentials of Alaminos, the shop and dine environment of Dagupan as well as travel to the regional capital in San Fernando City," Fernandez told newsmen.

If one is from San Fernando, he can visit the Hundred Islands in Alaminos in the morning and before going back to his point of origin, he can drop by Dagupan and do business and make some shopping.

He said the project was going to be a tri-venture among the three cities and each one would contribute their own money for the project and also would provide their own passenger berths.

The technical working group is currently studying two types of ferries, a 30-seater and a 100-seater.

"Depending on the study, we will lease or purchase the ferry service units in the Pasig river," he said.

He said they were initially considering four units for the trial run and eventually work out a loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines for the full implementation of the project.

He said if the project would prove to be successful, the three cities were going to unload their investments and pass the project to the private sector.

"We will just pioneer this project and invite private sector to continue with it," he said.

The ferry service is expected to cash in on foreign tourists who will be coming from Baguio.

They may board at the passenger berth in Dagupan on their way to the Hundred Islands.

He said it took usually five hours for tourists from Baguio to reach the Hundred Islands.

With the ferry system, the travel will just be only two hours

http://news.balita.ph/html/article.php/20071124184005533

By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union (18 December) -- The government's rehabilitation project of the San Fernando Airport at Poro Point here is in full swing.

The airport's upgrading with an estimated cost of P500 million is being funded by the Bases Conversion Development Authoriy (BCDA). It is expected to turn the San Fernando Airport into a modern facility that complies with the international civil aviation standards.

The scope of the project which is being implemented in two phases include the improvement of the landside facilities, airside facilities, air navigation systems and support facilities based on the requirements of the International Civil Aeronautics Organizations (ICAO).

The first phase of the upgrade includes hill removal and leveling, construction of a new control tower, renovation of fire station, fencing, excavation of ditches and channels, overlay of taxiway and runway widening.

According to Engineer Virgilio Salayog, Chief, Construction and Maintenance Division of the Poro Point Management Corporation, a subsidiary of BCDA, the hill removal and leveling is now 60 percent complete and is expected to be finished next month. It would extend the runway to 2,130 meters, enabling the airport to accommodate large aircraft like Airbus 320 and Boeing 737.

The present airport has 1,320 meter runway and it could only accommodate turboprop aircraft and the C-130 cargo plane of the Philippine Airforce.

The airport is currently classified as secondary airport serving as alternate to the Loakan Airport in Baguio City.

The project is expected to be completed before the end of next year.

The improved San Fernando Airport will provide vital infrastructure support to the existing and future tourism facilities in the Poro Economic and Freeport Zone. It is expected to push tourism, business and agriculture potential of the Ilocos and the Cordillera.

The airport will also serve as an export outlet of agricultural products of Northern Luzon and will help local and international tourists rediscover the North.

The San Fernando Airport upgrade is one of the major infrastructure projects committed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her last State-of-the-Nation Address. (PIA La Union)

In 2008, international property developer, Thunderbird Resorts, will excite golf enthusiasts with the opening of its world-class golf course in Poro Point, La Union.

To ensure that golfers experience a first rate playing experience, Thunderbird Resorts forged a partnership with International Management Group (IMG), to lead the design development for The Cliffs Golf Course & Beach Club situated on a peninsula, within the property owned by Thunderbird Resorts.

IMG is the leading management agency for athletes, coaches, and sports organizations—with clients including the International Rugby Board, Major League Baseball, Wimbledon, and United States Golf Association, to name a few. IMG is also known for representing and managing the careers and brands of the world’s most celebrated personalities and sports figures like Venus Williams, Michael Schumacher, Hilary Duff and Tiger Woods.

One of IMG’s areas of expertise is its prolific golf enterprise. IMG is currently responsible for representing Tiger Woods and Annika Soren*stam, the world’s number one male and female golfers. IMG also works with some of the leading names in golf to create critically-acclaimed signature-designed courses and design solutions that help developers maximize their property’s value, playability, and marketing impact.

Now, in the Philippines, IMG is handling the design of the first world-class golf course in Poro Point, La Union. The Cliffs Golf Course & Beach Club will feature a 9-hole par 72 all-weather championship golf course, with signature holes by the cliff side and a breathtaking 270 view overlooking the South China Sea. The course is touted to give golf aficionados an exciting new place to tee off in the North. Only an hour away from Baguio City and with its proximity to Vigan and Pagudpud, it is the perfect alternative destination for golfers who flock to the greens of Camp John Hay and Baguio Country Club to practice their swings.

The Cliffs has several unique water features which provide challenges for shot making. Several old trees in the area give the impression that the course is mature, and minimal construction changes allowed for the retention of the natural beauty of its environment and its surrounding areas.

Sand-capped and built to USGA specifica*tions, the entire course uses the newly released Sea Isle Supreme Seashore Pasplalum turf. Besides being environmentally friendly, the Sea Isle Supreme is the most tolerant turfgrass used in the golf industry, tolerating droughts and having a fine leaf blade for putting greens, fairways, and tees.

According to Tim Walker, VP Golf Develop*ment, Sta. Elena Properties, Inc., “The Cliffs will feature two unique ocean holes, one of which is potentially the best par 3 hole in Asia.”

The golf course is efficiently designed to hold all water run-offs from the fairways to go through the canals and to be assimilated into the earth so that it will be channeled back and recharged to the trenches and back again for irrigation purposes. The rolling terrain is also another asset, offering various elevation changes and challenges perfect for golf players. The course’s planned expansion to 18 holes is something to look forward to, along with its hotel opening and introduction of forty guest suites.

Strategically positioned in the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone, Northern Luzon’s catalyst for development, Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, home of The Cliffs Golf Course & Beach Club, is included in President Gloria Arroyo’s plans for San Fernando, La Union, to be developed into a tourism attraction that can compete with Phuket and Bali. Home of the Voice of America (VOA) and a former US military station, Poro Point’s close proximity to other Asian countries and territories like Taiwan, Macau, Canton, Hong Kong, and Japan makes it an ideal destination for commercial service to the Asian market.

With IMG and international property developer, Thunderbird Resorts, The Cliffs Golf Course & Beach Club has already staked claim to being the first ever peninsula golf course in the country.

On its opening in the first quarter of 2008, Thunderbird Resorts will be facilitating unlimited golf play at The Cliffs Golf Course & Beach Club by offering aficionados the opportunity to own golf shares. Golf share ownership will automatically allow Thunderbird Resort’ Vacation Club Members to enjoy benefits which include food & beverage and room discounts, as well as cross benefits to their other properties located in Binangonan, Rizal, and those across the world in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, and Chile.

“In building this golf course and providing live nightly entertainment, watersports activities and the fine dining experience, we hope to give, not just local customers, but also tourists and OFW’s, a tropical escape that combines with a total entertainment experience,” said Fernando Santico, Thunderbird’s RED [Real Estate Development] Consultant.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/dec/23/yehey/property/20071223prop1.html

;16270789']http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1004/1467131672_52e2790381_b.jpg
San Fernando City at Night | Photo by ysonic (http://flickr.com/photos/ysonic/)

diyan pala nila nilagay ang God the Father na nasa church noon.

Mont Blanc Manor, Agoo

http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL465/8551263/15881308/296849290.jpg

The Gate
http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL465/8551263/15881308/296849289.jpg

Clubhouse
http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL465/8551263/15881308/296849288.jpg

I'm here in San Fernando, La Union right now. I'm actually using the internet cafe here in the CSI mall pictured in the 1st page. It's so nice here in La Union. We're visiting my brother in law's family and his family actually lives about 30 min away from San Fernando in Barangay Barako(I think). It's very clean here compared to Metro Manila and even bordering provinces like Cavite and Laguna. Very quiet and the people are very nice.

From here, we'll be going to Pagudpud tomorrow and then to Baguio on the way back to Cavite. I'll post pictures later.

A LOWLAND town is being eyed by tourism officials to be a partner in boosting the arrival of tourists to Baguio City and other provinces in the region.

With the opening of an international airport at Poro Point in San Fernando, La Union, the regional office of the Department of Tourism-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOTC-CAR) is looking into the possibility of twinning Poro Point and Baguio as one packaged destination tour.

The opening of an international airport in areas near Baguio is expected to boost the city's tourist arrival.

DOT-CAR Director Purificacion Molintas said selling Poro Point and Baguio as one tour destination is a helpful strategy in increasing tourist, particularly foreign tourists, arrivals in Baguio and the rest of the region.

"We have to maximize the use of international airports located near us," Molintas said.

The DOT director admitted the lack of an international airport in CAR bugs the arrival of foreign tourists.

The nearest international airport to Baguio at present is located at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, which is seven hours away from the city.

Statistics from the DOT showed more domestic tourists visit the region than foreigners. From the more than four million tourists who visited CAR from 2002 to 2006, only a little more than 300,000 are foreigners.

Earlier, Molintas said Europeans are CAR frequent visitors. She said Europeans prefer mountains over beaches.

The present airstrip in Poro Point is being rehabilitated to accommodate wide body aircraft. When the upgrade is finished in June or July next year, it will be able to take in international flights particularly from the tiger economies of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan.

A Russian tourism expert said last year the Philippines must be able to provide direct flights to its top tourism destinations if the country intends to attract the Russian market.

The envoy said Russians consider ease of travel as a primary consideration in choosing a place to visit.

Close to a million Russians traveled to South East Asia last year, the
Philippines got a measly 30,000 from these international travelers.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bag/2008/01/20/bus/baguio.poro.to.be.promoted.as.one.tour.destination.html

By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union (21 January) -- In support to the San Fernando Airport Upgrading Project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Thunderbird Resorts in Poro Point this city turned-over recently their committed P55 million contribution to the project.

In a simple ceremony held last January 18, 2008 at Thunderbird Resorts Inc. here, top management of the company namely; Chief Executive Officer Raul Sueiro, President Peter Lesar and Chief Financial Officer Alberto Loaiza handed over the symbolic check to Bases Conversion Development Authority official Atty. Isaac Puno III and Poro Point Management Corporation President and CEO, Atty. Felix S. Racadio.

San Fernando City Mayor Pablo C. Ortega was the guest of honor of said event.

The San Fernando airport upgrade is one of the major infrastructure projects committed by President Arroyo during her last State-of-the-Nation Address.

The San Fernando Airport rehabilitation project in Poro Point Freeport Zone with an estimated cost of about P500 million is being funded by the Bases Conversion Development Authority. It began on May 29, 2007 and is expected to be completed by July 2008. The upgrade is expected to turn the San Fernando Airport into a modern facility that complies with the international civil aviation standards to accommodate the international flights from the Asia Pacific region.

The upgrading project entails the improvement of the landside facilities including the expansion and extension of the present runaway of 1,320 meters to 3,100 meter; airside facilities ;air navigation systems and support facilities based on the requirements of the International Civil Aeronautics Organization.

The airport is presently classified as secondary airport, an alternative to the Loakan Airport in Baguio City. It could only accommodate turbo prop aircraft and the C-130 cargo plane of the Philippine Airforce.

Through the joint efforts of the national government, the local government executives in the province and the business group like the Thunderbird Resorts, the rehabilitated San Fernando Airport will provide the vital infrastructure to propel tourism and commerce in the Ilocos region specially in La Union and Baguio City.

Thunderbird Resorts, Inc. is currently developing a 65-hectare Mediterranean inspired luxury resort that overlooks the South China Sea in the former airbase-Poro Point in this city. The resort complex presently operates a gaming facility, but currently underway are the completion of 36 luxury suites, a 9-hole all weather golf and beach club and spacious event venues. Phase I of the development is targeted to be completed by April this year.

The Thunderbird Resorts in Poro Point has presently employed 400 staff most of whom are from the area. It is hiring 100 more personnel for the hotel and golf course operations.

Thunderbird Resorts, Inc. is an international property developer of dynamic themed and integrated venues anchored by casinos. The company operates hotels and casinos in Central and Latin America, Europe and the Philippines. The Thunderbird Resorts – Binangonan Rizal is its first venture in the country and Thunderbird Resorts – Poro Point is its 2nd. (PIA La Union)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080121.htm&no=69

Hi guys, I'm planning in advance for my summer vacation in Luzon (March 22nd to May x) and I'd like to ask a question: What are the "popular" tourist destinations in La Union (particularly old churches, heritage sites)? Thanks in advance for your help

Hi guys, I'm planning in advance for my summer vacation in Luzon (March 22nd to May x) and I'd like to ask a question: What are the "popular" tourist destinations in La Union (particularly old churches, heritage sites)? Thanks in advance for your help

Damortis: Bili ka ng daing, pero may danggit na sa Cebu.
Agoo: Basilica of Our Lady of Charity (3rd Basilica in the country), Eagle of the North Park, Agoo Town Center (formerly Imelda Garden)
Bauang: sa beach nila
San Fernando: Pindangan Ruins, Botanical Garden, Ma-cho Temple
Luna: Our Lady of Namacpacan
Bacnotan: maganda rin church nila

yan lang maalala ko.

Sinjin, maganda sa Agoo pag Semana Santa.

Hi guys, I'm planning in advance for my summer vacation in Luzon (March 22nd to May x) and I'd like to ask a question: What are the "popular" tourist destinations in La Union (particularly old churches, heritage sites)? Thanks in advance for your help

Here's a link:
http://www.travelmart.net/philippines/la-union-attractions.html

^^ Poro Point International Airport will open in mid-2008!

Cordillera tribes realize why they should not fear tourism

By Vincent Cabreza (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/Quay%20Side%20Gantry%20Cranes)
Northern Luzon Bureau

"To attract more tourists to the summer capital, the DOT has tasked tourism stakeholders with marketing the city jointly with the Poro Point International Airport in La Union, which will open in mid-2008."
A LOWLAND town is being eyed by tourism officials to be a partner in boosting the arrival of tourists to Baguio City and other provinces in the region.

With the opening of an international airport at Poro Point in San Fernando, La Union, the regional office of the Department of Tourism-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOTC-CAR) is looking into the possibility of twinning Poro Point and Baguio as one packaged destination tour.

The opening of an international airport in areas near Baguio is expected to boost the city's tourist arrival.

DOT-CAR Director Purificacion Molintas said selling Poro Point and Baguio as one tour destination is a helpful strategy in increasing tourist, particularly foreign tourists, arrivals in Baguio and the rest of the region.

"We have to maximize the use of international airports located near us," Molintas said.

The DOT director admitted the lack of an international airport in CAR bugs the arrival of foreign tourists.

The nearest international airport to Baguio at present is located at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, which is seven hours away from the city.

Statistics from the DOT showed more domestic tourists visit the region than foreigners. From the more than four million tourists who visited CAR from 2002 to 2006, only a little more than 300,000 are foreigners.

Earlier, Molintas said Europeans are CAR frequent visitors. She said Europeans prefer mountains over beaches.

The present airstrip in Poro Point is being rehabilitated to accommodate wide body aircraft. When the upgrade is finished in June or July next year, it will be able to take in international flights particularly from the tiger economies of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan.

A Russian tourism expert said last year the Philippines must be able to provide direct flights to its top tourism destinations if the country intends to attract the Russian market.

The envoy said Russians consider ease of travel as a primary consideration in choosing a place to visit.

Close to a million Russians traveled to South East Asia last year, the
Philippines got a measly 30,000 from these international travelers.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bag/2008/01/20/bus/baguio.poro.to.be.promoted.as.one.tour.destination.html

^^ This is uber great news!!! Another international airport in the north!

^^ Soon all provinces in Region-1 will have an airport that can handle international flights!

ILOCOS NORTE: Laoag International Airport : operational
ILOCOS SUR: Vigan Airport : approved, will undergo airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
LA UNION: Poro Point International Airport : mid-2008
PANGASINAN: Lingayen Airport : undergoing airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
PANGASINAN: Alaminos International Airport : Planning stage
PANGASINAN: Santa Barbara International Airport: Looking for foreign funding

^^ Soon all provinces in Region-1 will have an airport that can handle international flights!

ILOCOS NORTE: Laoag International Airport : operational
ILOCOS SUR: Vigan Airport : approved, will undergo airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
LA UNION: Poro Point International Airport : mid-2008
PANGASINAN: Lingayen Airport : undergoing airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
PANGASINAN: Alaminos International Airport : Planning stage
PANGASINAN: Santa Barbara International Airport: Looking for foreign funding

Have you ever thought that this would be a monumental waste of the people's money? these provinces are just adjacent to one another and can be served by just one really good airport of international standards. think of economies of scale. Don't you know that of all the airports in the philippines, only those in manila and cebu (and possibly clark now) are making profit and all others are losing money and being subsidized by the national government? It means that the more airports we have, the more taxpayers money being used for their operations. Now, the government is building all these airports just because they are the local politicians pet projects, but it cannot even buy support equipment like new radars or hire additional controllers for the existing ones. That is why our airport rating has been downgraded. :bash::bash::bash:

Pangasinan having three airports are just too much redundancy. Cagayan Valley doesn't even have a big airport to serve its size. I think Hundred Islands can be served by specialized tour bus coming from either Poro Point or DMIA.

^^ Soon all provinces in Region-1 will have an airport that can handle international flights!

ILOCOS NORTE: Laoag International Airport : operational
ILOCOS SUR: Vigan Airport : approved, will undergo airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
LA UNION: Poro Point International Airport : mid-2008
PANGASINAN: Lingayen Airport : undergoing airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
PANGASINAN: Alaminos International Airport : Planning stage
PANGASINAN: Santa Barbara International Airport: Looking for foreign funding

sobrang dami na yata ng airport sa atin.

^^ Yung sa Poro point and Alaminos galing yun sa national gov't. Sa Ilocos Sur and Lingayen initiative naman ng provincial gov'ts using "provincial funds". Sa Santa Barbara naman, yung mayor naghahanap ng "private" foreign investors, para sa airport and economic zone.

Ang mga airport terminals naman hindi tulad sa Visayas or Mindanao na grand talaga.. it wont cost billions of pesos. Basic facilities lang. Just like sa Tuguegara Airport, may regular int'l fights na. Focus lang talaga nila yung expansion ng runway na pwede mag accomodate ng international flights, chartered or regular flights.. Besides mga airlines naman nagrerequest para sa expansion nga mga airports, they want to tap the tourism potential of North Western Luzon. Kapitbahay lang naman namin ang East Asia.

Well hindi natin masisisi ang mga local gov'ts sa Ilocos-Pangasinan Region kung aggressive sila sa mga infa projects. Sana ganun rin sa mga ibang regions sa ating bansa. :):)

^^ Soon all provinces in Region-1 will have an airport that can handle international flights!

ILOCOS NORTE: Laoag International Airport : operational
ILOCOS SUR: Vigan Airport : approved, will undergo airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
LA UNION: Poro Point International Airport : mid-2008
PANGASINAN: Lingayen Airport : undergoing airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
PANGASINAN: Alaminos International Airport : Planning stage
PANGASINAN: Santa Barbara International Airport: Looking for foreign fundingang OA!?! what a waste of money, space and energy.

^^ Yung sa Poro point and Alaminos galing yun sa national gov't. Sa Ilocos Sur and Lingayen initiative naman ng provincial gov'ts using "provincial funds". Sa Santa Barbara naman, yung mayor naghahanap ng "private" foreign investors, para sa airport and economic zone.

Ang mga airport terminals naman hindi tulad sa Visayas or Mindanao na grand talaga.. it wont cost billions of pesos. Basic facilities lang. Just like sa Tuguegara Airport, may regular int'l fights na. Focus lang talaga nila yung expansion ng runway na pwede mag accomodate ng international flights, chartered or regular flights.. Besides mga airlines naman nagrerequest para sa expansion nga mga airports, they want to tap the tourism potential of North Western Luzon. Kapitbahay lang naman namin ang East Asia.

Well hindi natin masisisi ang mga local gov'ts sa Ilocos-Pangasinan Region kung aggressive sila sa mga infa projects. Sana ganun rin sa mga ibang regions sa ating bansa. :):)That's not the point. The point is, sinong magmemaintain ng lahat ng ito in the long run? I'm very sure that the local government could not maintain 3 airports in a single province. And besides, kung hindi naman pala siya ganun kalaki eh why bother building hindi ba? Kung private airport eh bahala silang gumawa... at malugi. Who in their right minds would build a private airport when there's already a big international airport nearby? Hindi ba't lugi agad yun? Mabuti sana kung mas marami pa sa MM na tourists ang pumupunta diyan pero hindi naman. :ohno:

And another thing, it is good to be aggressive and ambitious in building infras. But it is much better to be realistic and consider the feasible things. Building airports might be good BUT if it is not much needed then it would rather become a liability than asset. What they need to do is to have just one major international airport per region then have fast CONNECTION (i.e. roads/expressways and railways) to these international gateways. CONNECTION is way way better. Heck, they can't even have decent social services and they intend to build multiple airports in just one region/province? That's totally insane. Just as insane that is happening now in old Bacolod Airport. :no::ohno:

^^ Clarifacation lang,Existing na yung mga airports sa Poro Point, Vigan and Lingayen. E-extend lang nila yung runway to accommodate planes no larger than A320s.. unlike sa Bacolod or Iloilo na nagtayo sila ng new multi-billion complex. Low-cost Low-maintenance regional gateways lang ang gagawin nila. Same goes with Alaminos airport. Malaki pa nga IRA ng Alaminos City kesa sa price tag ng proposed city airport. BOT naman yung proposed sa Sta Barbara, at part yun ng eco zone. Sa mga tourist naman, sabi nga nila, build it, and they would come. Accessibility lang naman hanap ng foreign tourists. Gusto nila yung pinakamabilis na way para makarating sila sa destination nila.

I agree, having a central hub with expressways and railway transport is a better option, though mas malaking money talaga ang kelangan kung magtatayo nito sa Region-I. Ang topography ng region iba, building expressways and railways would cost billion$ of dollar$. Ngayon pa nga lang yung bagong DMIA airport hub hindi magawa gawa dahil sa mga anomalies. At ang NorthRail hindi masimulan, may problem pa sa funding.. Phase 4 ng NorthRail is Clark to La Union. Kelan pa kaya matatapos yun 2030?

Money for airport maintenance is not a problem for the neighboring province of Pangasinan. Bihira nga humingi ng financial help sa national gov't, and that's a fact. For everyone's info: Taas ng budget surplus ng Pangasinan last year. Top billionare IRA Province pa nga. Tourism rin ang focus ng new local administration kaya walang problem dito. Yung 3 airports may mga purpose: Alaminos for tourists, Lingayen for students and private planes, Logistics naman yung sa Sta Barbara. If updated kayo sa mga developments sa area, mga airlines mismo humihingi nga improved airport facilities.

Kaya welcome talaga ang mga developments na ganito sa lugar namin. At least tuloy na at pwede na magamit. Lahat naman ng airports na to may feasibility study na ginawa.

^^ok. good luck then.

^^ Soon all provinces in Region-1 will have an airport that can handle international flights!

ILOCOS NORTE: Laoag International Airport : operational
ILOCOS SUR: Vigan Airport : approved, will undergo airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
LA UNION: Poro Point International Airport : mid-2008
PANGASINAN: Lingayen Airport : undergoing airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
PANGASINAN: Alaminos International Airport : Planning stage
PANGASINAN: Santa Barbara International Airport: Looking for foreign funding

Whoa! That's a lot of airports.

Next door neighbor, Palayan City, is also interested on converting their airport to international standard.

sobrang dami na yata ng airport sa atin.

Yeah. I'd rather have one grand airport in Pangasinan than have three small ones. I would think that Sta Barbara would be the best site since it's right smack between Urdaneta & Dagupan, the two busiest cities not just in Pangasinan but in the entire Region 1. People going to Alaminos can be taken there from the airport through shuttle buses.

Next door neighbor, Palayan City, is also interested on converting their airport to international standard.

The capital of NE? Does barrera_marquez know about this? :lol:

poro pt intl airport is one of the major projects under the "super region" plans. i agree that we should have a major intl airport with network of good road connections to tourist destinations in the region. 3 intl airports in one province sound odd.

Unpaid taxes lead to La Union power plant takeover

By JUN ELIAS (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=108295)
The Philippine Star


BAUANG, La Union – The provincial government has taken over the 225-megawatt power plant of the Bauang Private Power Corp. (BPPC) in Barangay Payocpoc here after the Supreme Court (SC) resolved with finality that the company has to pay P1.866 billion in taxes on its buildings and equipment.

The BPPC plant, with an assessed value of P57 billion, was declared a property of the provincial government after it was auctioned last Feb. 1 at the provincial capitol in San Fernando City.

Provincial treasurer Francis Estigoy told The STAR that the power plant was automatically sold to the provincial government because not a single bidder took part in the public auction.

"After the SC decision, we completed all the legal procedures in order to collect the taxes on their (BPPC’s) equipment and buildings. However, the negotiations bogged down that’s why we resorted to a public auction to collect some P1.866 billion in taxes and penalties," he said.

Estigoy said the provincial government decided to auction the power plant after Gov. Manuel Ortega disagreed with the BPPC’s request to pay only 10 percent of the total tax assessment.

"They (BPPC) wrote us in September that they were negotiating to pay only 10 percent (of the) assessment but the governor disagreed because it was so very low and we already won at the SC at 80 percent assessment level," he said.

He said the BPPC’s request for 10-percent assessment level was based on payments made by several power plants to the National Power Corp. (NAPOCOR).

The 10 percent level is a special assessment accorded to government-owned and controlled corporations.

On June 20 last year, the SC’s Third Division resolved with finality the Oct. 4, 2006 decision of the First Division denying BPPC’s petition challenging the assessment made by the Central Board of Assessment Appeals.

"The Court resolves to deny for lack of merit petitioner’s motion. No further pleadings shall be entertained in this case. Let the entry of judgment be made in due course," the decision stated.

Estigoy said BPPC’s legal counsel, represented by the Puno and Puno Law Office, wrote the provincial government last week to prevent it from taking over the power plant because there is a pending injunction issued by the Bauang regional trial court.

However, Estigoy said the injunction is only for the warrant of levy, which was issued on Nov. 16, 2000, while the SC decision covers the non-payment of taxes and penalties since the BBPC began operating in 1995.

BPPC officials here could not comment on the case because their head office in Manila is the once handling the matter.

Estigoy said the BPPC had not bother to pay the taxes on its equipment and buildings since 1995 as it insisted that NAPOCOR was the one responsible for it.

The power plant of the BPPC, a sister company of the Lopez-owned Meralco, was built under a build-operate-and transfer scheme with a 15-year contract with the NAPOCOR which expired in 2010.

The BPPC was given a one-year redemption period and to settle amicably the unpaid taxes and penalties.

^^ Poro Point International Airport will open in mid-2008!

the sun star report dated Jan 2008 said the airpot will open June or July next year. So will it be open in mid-2008 or mid-2009?

Cordillera tribes realize why they should not fear tourism

By Vincent Cabreza (http://business.inquirer.net/money/features/view/20080126-115006/Cordillera-tribes-realize-why-they-should-not-fear-tourism)
Northern Luzon Bureau

"To attract more tourists to the summer capital, the DOT has tasked tourism stakeholders with marketing the city jointly with the Poro Point International Airport in La Union, which will open in mid-2008."Mid-2008. According to PDI Northern Luzon, dated Jan 26, 2008. :)

Stones, source of income

By JAHRYLL GONATO

For the families living in coastal communities, Luna stones are their major source of income. Every bucket of stones is essential in sustaining their daily needs. In Barangay Barrientos, mountains of segregated and packed stones will open your way to the vast endless shore of stones. These colorful and unique stones made Luna well known in many countries. Luna stones are widely used in many industries. This made the demand increase in each passing year.


http://www.nordis.net/blog/wp-content/files/luna_jahryll5863.jpg
LUNASTONES. One of the most expensive and rarest Luna stones are used in landscaping and decorating aquariums. The small faded colored Luna stones are also used as pendants. Photo by Jahryll Gonato/NORDIS

Together with an increasing demand is the increasing number of stone pickers relocating their homes closer to the beach to make their work easier. The whole beach becomes their workplace during the morning and their sanctuary during the afternoon. Everywhere you look, you will see mountains and sacks of stones in all shapes and sizes. During weekends, stone picking also serves as bonding time for families when parents and their children pick stones together. Most of the stone pickers collect stones during the day and go fishing by night for food, especially if they did not earn enough from stone picking.

The stone system

In Barangay Barrientos, stone pickers rest and find refuge beside the watchtower ruin, Baluarte after working all morning. No one can tell the hard work they put into picking stones. They all look so happy playing cards and charades. The blissful laughter of children while running around the Baluarte will simply amaze and fill you with contentment of the simple life they are living.

Amid the sound of laughter that filled the shores of this humble community, I met Mang Mario Islao, 52, single, who has been a stone picker for 10 years. He lives with his brother’s family.

I curiously followed Mang Mario around, while he meticulously went through every stone he saw. Obviously, he was looking for a particular kind, the faded colored stones. As he described the stone, he handed me one just to show what he was looking for. Then went on looking, inspecting each stone he laid eyes on.


http://www.nordis.net/blog/wp-content/files/luna_jahryll5699.jpg
A STONE PICKER’S LIFE. At 2:00 PM, when everyone is resting from the morning work of picking Luna stones, Mang Mario Islao continues to meticulously search the shores of Brgy. Barrientos Luna, La Union for faded colored stones under the blighting heat of the sun. Photo by Jahryll Gonato/NORDIS

After that short conversation, Mang Mario minded his own business. But my never-ending questions forced him to explain to me their system of stone picking venture – different kind of rocks and how they sell it.

The faded colored stones and egg stones are the most expensive kinds of Luna stones because they are difficult to find or collect. While the cheapest are the common gray rough stones, which resembles the stone commonly known as panghilod (scrubbing stone) only rougher, grayish black stones and the usual round stones. Their price ranges from P20 - P45 per pail depending on the size of the pail and the kind of stone. Most customers order the not so colorful stones for landscaping.


http://www.nordis.net/blog/wp-content/files/luna_jahryll5821.jpg
Photo by Jahryll Gonato/NORDIS

They get paid weekly. Everyday they would pick stones of every kind and segregate them. By the end of the week, they would go to town to deliver the segregated or packed stones to the buyers from Manila that they work for. Their buyers are the ones who clean, pack and export Luna stones nationwide and to different countries.

In a week, he usually earns more or less P1,000 depending on the number of pails of stones he is able to deliver. All stone pickers command the same price to avoid dispute in their neighborhood.

Mang Mario never stopped picking stones during the whole conversation. He would glance and smile occasionally but kept on looking from one stone to another. Amazingly, I never saw a trace of exhaustion in his face. He was really determined to fill his pail before sundown. Most of the time he had an expressionless straight face, it was like I was not there.

When I asked him how his life as a stone picker was, he said, “Mahirap kasi kung minsan wala ring kita. Kaya kailangang magsipag kasi kung hindi, walang kakainin ang pamilya ko. Wala naman akong magagawa kasi ganun talaga buhay.” ( It is hard because there are times when we do not earn enough. We have to work harder, so that we can sustain our family’s basic needs. I cannot do anything, that is just how life is.)

The non-associated stone pickers

In Nalvo Sur, another coastal barangay in Luna, I met Manang Amy Daffun, 47, widow, who has been a stone picker for 15 years. Like other stone pickers, she also relocated her house along the beach where she gathers. She lives with her three children and their respective families.

Nalvo Sur offers more variety of stones. Coral, marble, brighter colored and flat just name it, they have it. From the different kinds of stones, our conversation went to the topic of associations of stone pickers. She told me that they do not have a stone pickers’ association or cooperative in Nalvo Sur.

Meron kami dating asosasyon pero nawala rin kasi sa pulitika. Hindi magkasundo sa lahat ng bagay. Wala rin naman naitutulong kaya binuwag na lang,” (Before, we had an association but we decided to put an end to it because it was no longer helping stone pickers.) Manang Amy said.

Manang Amy further explained that stone pickers work separately. They have agreed on a uniform price to minimize the pressure of competition. She accepts pre-paid orders. The customers provide the plastic or sack for the stones while Manang Amy picks and cleans the stones. She also arranges the delivery.

There are times when we do not earn enough from stone picking,” she said. Whenever these times come, her sons go fishing.

Manong Mario and Manang Amy are just two of many stone pickers in Luna who stay under the scorching sun for hours just to fill a pail with stones. Their lives greatly depend in stone picking. All their hard work for P25 a pail. While those who buy stones from them profit more than the pickers themselves.

Reaching out to stone pickers

Last year, the Provincial Government of La Union launched a Basic Cooperative Financial Management and Operations Seminar (Sagip Luna Project) to reach out to stone pickers of Luna. Based on the official website of the local government of La Union, the training was an idea of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture to provide people with working knowledge and skills in recording cooperative business transactions and preparation of basic financial statements.


http://www.nordis.net/blog/wp-content/files/luna_jenelyn20143.jpg
STONE PICKERS BY DAY, FISHERMEN BY NIGHT. Men, women and children fill the shores of Brgy. Barrientos, La Union during the day. But as the night sets in, the women and children go home while the men become fishermen searching the sea for food. Photo courtesy of Jenelyn Gonato

City officials also assured the Stone Pickers Development Cooperatives of Luna, La Union that they will be one of the priority beneficiaries of the Republic Act 7171 funds (Tobacco Exise tax) in the amount of P600,000 which will be equally divided among the 12 existing cooperatives to serve as their seed fund.

This project is a huge step for the Luna stone pickers. At least for those who belong to the 12 cooperatives. Unfortunately for those, like Manang Amy, whose community do not have a cooperative, it would mean nothing.
Having a broad knowledge about business and its financial aspect is necessary in the business of stone pickers. Aside from the financial aspect of stone picking, government should also educate stone pickers about the environmental aspects of their business. They should be reminded that Luna stones are vital resources that should not be abused.

Stones take a long period of time to form. Do not think that the earth will never run out it. Luna beaches and stones should be used in the right manner. It is better to inform the stone pickers of the environmental problems that might happen. Education about the environment and financial assistance are the best step the government could give to the Luna stone pickers. This would help them to run their business but also conserve the environment.

---
Thanks to The Northern Dispatch Weekly (http://www.nordis.net/blog/?p=2165#more-2165) for the Article

^^ I think I saw this on TV..

^^ Controversial athlete Nancy Navalta is from Luna. Also a former stone picker him/herself(??)
Remember him/her? (http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Nancy_Navalta%27s_gender)

^^ Controversial athlete Nancy Navalta is from Luna. Also a former stone picker him/herself(??)
Remember him/her? (http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Nancy_Navalta%27s_gender)

Yeah, I remember him/her. :)

^^I also remember him/her. Where is he/she now? :lol: Parang tongue twister.

Pictures from San Fernando City.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2558077850_196761439c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2558077850/)
Poro Point in the distance

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/2579609612_758ee76491.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2579609612/)
Thunderbird Resorts

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2578770723_b16b050424.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2578770723/)
Fiesta Casino, Thunderbird Resorts

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/2579606906_ce1574fa0e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2579606906/)
Vegas Cafe, Thunderbird Resorts

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/2597346814_dd32d7363b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2597346814/)
Bureau of Immigration, San Fernando City

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2597350806_cf54d5da52.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2597350806/)
Bureau of Immigration, San Fernando City

^^ Soon all provinces in Region-1 will have an airport that can handle international flights!

ILOCOS NORTE: Laoag International Airport : operational
ILOCOS SUR: Vigan Airport : approved, will undergo airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
LA UNION: Poro Point International Airport : mid-2008
PANGASINAN: Lingayen Airport : undergoing airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
PANGASINAN: Alaminos International Airport : Planning stage
PANGASINAN: Santa Barbara International Airport: Looking for foreign funding

There are also other smaller airports in Pangasinan:
1. Carmen, Rosales
2. Mayor Guico's (PGMA's cousin) private airport in Binalonan

Basilica of Our Lady of Charity
---the country's third basilica after Cebu and Manila.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL252/1891404/18110486/304804862.jpg
picture from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Our_Lady_of_Charity.jpg

OT:

^^ Soon all provinces in Region-1 will have an airport that can handle international flights!

ILOCOS NORTE: Laoag International Airport : operational
ILOCOS SUR: Vigan Airport : approved, will undergo airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
LA UNION: Poro Point International Airport : mid-2008
PANGASINAN: Lingayen Airport : undergoing airport expansion to accommodate int'l flights
PANGASINAN: Alaminos International Airport : Planning stage
PANGASINAN: Santa Barbara International Airport: Looking for foreign fundingThere are also other smaller airports in Pangasinan:
1. Carmen, Rosales
2. Mayor Guico's (PGMA's cousin) private airport in Binalonan

Meron pang isang private airport sa Mangatarem :)

^^Kanino naman yun? Sobrang dami. :nuts:

3 International Airports in Pangasinan!! gusto nyo talagang maging #1 tourist destination ang lugar nyo ah. How about hotels and accomodation marami rin bang bago?

^^Nah. Isa lang ang magiging International Airport sa Pangasinan and that is Alaminos since yun yung approved ni PGMA. Malabo yung sa Sta. Barbara although eto yung preference ko since nasa pagitan to ng Urdaneta City at Dagupan City. Yung sa Lingayen naman feasible pero bakit ka pupunta ng Lingayen to go to Hundred Islands kung may Airport naman sa Alaminos?

Sa Pangasinan thread natin to paguspan. :baeh3:

^^Yeah, buti pa nga. :lol:

La Union bullish at 158

By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union -- Bouyed by the province's continued registration of positive economic growth since the last quarter of 2005 to present, despite the political noise and the long dry spell that hit the province in the third quarter of last year, Governor Manuel C. Ortega leads this year a meaningful, substantive and productive celebration of the 158th Foundation Anniversary of La Union as a province.

The weeklong celebration with a theme: "Moving on to Greater Heights for Sustainable Peace, Unity and Progress for all", starts on February 25 with the opening of a two-day Mega Jobs Fair which will be participated in by 50 employers for both domestic and overseas employment. The jobs fair is in consonance with the government's job generation program.

To showcase the agricultural and fishery products of La Union and to highlight the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) of each of the 19 municipalities and the City of San Fernando, a week-long Agri-Trade and Tourism Fair will also be opened on February 25. The fair is also intended to promote La Union as a tourists destination.

A whole day Youth Congress is scheduled on February 26, to educate and empower the youth of La Union on the pressing issues and concerns their sector is facing today.

To recognize the contributions to the province's economic growth by the micro-entrepreneurs and the womenfolk, the Federation of Market Vendors Association and the La Union Vibrant Women Association will have their evening activities on February 26 and 28 respectively.

La Union is a very unique province. It was created out of the union of three contiguous provinces of Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Benguet. It is characterized by the blending of these cultures all rich, vibrant and colorful. To showcase this beautiful culture, an Indigenous People's Festival which will start with an Ethnic Street Dancing followed by Choral and Cultural Competition which will be participated in by the various indigenous communities of the province will be held on February 29. The festival will be highlighted by a Search for Miss Indigenous Peoples (IP) 2008.

As the province is also home to many overseas Filipino workers, balikbayans and even international expats, a special evening is dedicated for them on March 1st.

The day-day which is March 2 is a twin celebration. It will start with a Thanksgiving Mass at the Provincial Capitol, followed by a program and fellowship lunch at the La Union Botanical Garden to also celebrate its anniversary.

In the afternoon of same day the illustrious sons and daughters of the province including the outstanding contributors to the development of the province, will be feted in a Recognition and Testimonial Program at the Provincial Capitol.

The celebration will be capped with the selection and coronation of Miss La Union from among the beauties coming from the 19 municipalities and one city of the province, in the evening of March 2nd.

La Union was founded by Don Torribio Ruiz dela Escalera and was formally declared as a province on March 2, 1850 by Governor General Antonio Maria Blanco through a Superior Decreto. (PIA La Union)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p080219.htm&no=73

By: William Jun Garcia

Foreign investors and tourists are expected to multiply with the rehabilitation of the San Fernando Airport , which is most likely to be completed on July 8, according to Mayor Pablo Ortega.

The airport, located at Barangay Canaoay has been widened to accommodate international flights, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hongkong, Korea and Indonesia.

Thunderbird Resorts Inc., international property developer, has formally turned over a total of P55-million as contribution for funding its rehabilitation and development to Bases Conversion Development Authority recently.

Mayor Ortega added that the addition of an international-standard airport will not only enhance the economy of the city but also of the whole region. It was estimated to reach up to P516-million after its development.

He added that employment will also increase with the presence of a soon-to be-opened golf course and a hotel in the area, as well as generates income for the city government.

The Mayor’s foresight was reiterated by the private business sectors in the province. Raul Sueiro, chief executive officer of Thunderbird Resorts said that travelers in and out of the city and the province can now avail of chartered flights to transport them.” It would attract tourists and are welcome to enjoy its beaches,” he said. He added that Thunderbird Resorts has invested a total of P600-million in the Poro Point Special Economic Freeport Zone.

It was learned that the airport development is 17 percent complete, including the runway, tower, power house, fire and water stations and the terminal building as of December.

Tourism, recreational commercial area is also under construction which included the golf course which started its construction February last year. It is 90 percent finished as of January 18. The hotel construction which started last May is 63 percent complete, According to Katherine Pada of the Poro Point Management Corp.

An industrial development which will include the rehabilitation of the city seaport is also underway. At present, five of its piers cater to local and international shipping. The rehabilitations of these ports are vital to the operations of the Poro Point Special Economic Freeport Zone. On March 2007, Rep. Act 9400 was amended to confirm the present status of the Poro Point freeport zone.

There also were reports that Loakan Airport in Baguio City may face closure after the completion of the San Fernando Airport but were denied by City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista in an interview with ABS-CBN. “The City Mayor (Pablo Ortega) may have been misquoted,” he said, reacting to an alleged pronouncement of President Gloria Arroyo, which was also reiterated by Mayor Ortega in a recent press statement.

The Motorcycle Club of La Union - MCCLU, based out of San Fernando, La Union invite you all to view their 10 recently added videos of The 2008 San Fernando, La Union Town Fiesta Moto-Cross Race on YOU TUBE.
http://youtube.com/user/MCCLUvideos

http://i.ytimg.com/i/F7XSYjqreoVYucEpe3Cseg/1.jpg

^^ @mccluvideos, thanks for sharing and welcome to SSC. regards kina bob orbe, andre, tolitz, nick atbp dyan sa mcclu. mabuhay ang bike group niyo.

Northern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 21:12:00 03/01/2008


BAGUIO CITY, Philippines--The casino war here may have been won by the city government, which had opposed its operation, but the casino's owners may be laughing all the way to the bank.

Cheryl Ann Ruiz Arnold, corporate communications officer of Thunderbird Resorts Inc., said 60 percent of customers of their casino in nearby San Fernando City in La Union come from Baguio.

The casino attracts from 1,000 to 2,000 patrons daily, said Arnold.

Thunderbird is the same company that wanted to open a casino in Baguio five years ago but the thunder against it was stronger here.

Arnold said they are not planning to revive their campaign in Baguio within the next two to three years and are satisfied with their operations at the Poro Point Freeport.

Instead, Baguio residents drive for an hour to La Union to play in the casino.

Baguio Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. was among those who opposed the casino plan by Thunderbird. The proposed casino was supposed to have been built at Camp John Hay.

Bautista said the city still has no reason to approve the plan. The city council has been opposing proposals to establish a casino in Baguio in the past 10 years.

Thunderbird had signed a lease contract in 2006 with the Bases Conversion Development Authority for a 65-hectare resort at Poro Point, a former American naval base.

The firm's operation was approved by the La Union government despite opposition from religious groups that were ignored in the course of approving the casino.

Thunderbird complements the other casino in the region, the Fort Ilocandia Resort and Casino in Laoag City, which caters mostly to Taiwanese tourists.

The Panama-based Thunderbird has plunked $13 million in its Poro Point resort since 2006 and will invest another $16 million for the second phase including the establishment of a golf course, said Arnold.

She said the firm also contributed P55 million in January to the San Fernando Airport upgrading project.

The airport's rehabilitation is being undertaken to accommodate international flights from East Asia, Arnold said.

Frank Cimatu, Inquirer Northern Luzon
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080301-122228/Casino-rejected-by-Baguio-prospers-in-La-Union

Agoo town designates ‘quiet zones’

By JUN ELIAS
The Philippine Star

AGOO, La Union – Quiet please.

Councilors of this pilgrimage town recently passed an ordinance designating "quiet zones" preventing motorists from blowing their horns near churches, schools, hospitals and even residential areas.

"This (ordinance) will respect the solemnity of religious services and protect the rights of churchgoers, patients, and students while holding their classes. We should not disturb them," said Mayor Sandra Eriguel told The STAR.

The municipal council led by Vice Mayor Jaime Boado Jr. passed the ordinance last Jan. 22. The provincial board approved it last week.

Blowing of horns near schools is prohibited from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; public buildings, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; residential zones, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and hospitals, any time of the day, except in emergency cases.

Violators face a fine of P1,000 for every offense.

Pilgrims frequent the Agoo Basilica, which is located along the national highway fronting the Agoo Civic Center.

I'm stoked to see a thread on San Fernando City and La Union. My wife's originally from La Union and her father works in Bauang. Even though every time i go back to the Philippines and spend the majority of my time in Cagayan De Oro, i always make time for the long journey from Manila to La Union. I've spent many an hour roaming around San Fernando City, all the way to Rosario. I miss the beaches in Caba. Can't wait to come back in March next year.

City sustains tricycle volume

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- The City Government has maintained for the past 10 years the number of tricycles plying in the city. Of the total number, only 30 units remain to be converted from two-stroke to four-stroke.

Mayor Pablo Ortega said there are 1,600 white colored tricycles plying their streets. He said they have not issued additional franchises to prevent tricycle congestion in the city.

He said during the renewal of franchises, the tricycles are checked whether it is in good running condition, its taillight working, and others. All drivers are also required to wear the ID issued by the City Government.

Ortega said San Fernando City was also the first local government unit (LGU) in the country to implement color-coding of tricycles.

In the province of La Union, the color of tricycles in Bauang town is blue, orange in Bacnotan, pink in Balaoan, and green in Naguilian.

Among others, the color-coding scheme was implemented to prevent tricycles from being used in the commission of crimes and for easy identification where a tricycle was registered.

Ortega said they are successful in the campaign concerning the conversion of two-stroke tricycles into four-stroke even without passing an ordinance to support it.

To further convince the drivers and operators about the pollution being emitted by motorcycles, the mayor said the tricycle drivers underwent checkup, a number of them were found having tuberculosis.

"We emphasized to the tricycle drivers and operators that the smoke/pollution emission of a two-stroke motorcycle/tricycle is equivalent to the emission of 10 jeepneys," he said.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/poro.jpg

Opening in the 1st quarter of 2008 in San Fernando City, La Union is Thunderbird Resorts – Poro Point.

Nestled on a peninsula in over sixty-five hectares of prime property, Thunderbird Resorts – Poro Point is a Mediterranean-inspired hotel that offers the exciting atmosphere of an international casino, a challenging round of golf and the serenity of a beautiful seaside landscape.

Each of our rooms offers a spectacular view of the ocean and provides all the components for carefree living such as cable television, internet access, a minibar, valet parking, and room & laundry service.

Fiesta Casinos at Thunderbird Resorts – Poro Point is open round-the-clock and features a variety of exhilirating slot machines and table games. Music and party lovers are invited to the Cabana Bar inside Fiesta Casinos for nightly live entertainment with up & coming show bands and comedians.

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Within our property is a 3,450 yard, nine-hole golf course designed by the renowned International Management Group (IMG).

Take a short 15-minute trip and break the waves in San Juan, the Surfing Capital of the North or head up and enjoy the cool mountain breeze in Baguio City, the Summer Capital of the Philippines – only an hour's drive away.

In Thunderbird Resorts – Poro Point, you can definitely have the best of both worlds!

source (http://www.thunderbirdresorts.com/info/philippines/en/resorts.poropoint.aspx)

Pictures from the new market in Balaoan, La Union.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/2597569998_5e675380de.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2597569998/)
Balaoan Market

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2596533671_7db93ddb0e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2596533671/)
Balaoan Market parking

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3004/2597553444_df2eb9cdab.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2597553444/)
Balaoan Market

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3156/2578753837_d4231a86d5.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2578753837/)
Fruits and vegetables at the Balaoan Market

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2596746795_36960a0447.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2596746795/)
Bananas

International dev’t project to boost La Union tourism

BAUANG, La Union – A world-class development project would soon be implemented in this town, to boost its tourism and economy and outlying provinces of northern Luzon.

A master plan is now being prepared for the Bauang Development Project to lay down the socio-economic, environmental and physical blueprint for the development of around 200 hectares of land along China Sea and Bauang River as an international golf course with hotel resort complex, trade, business and tourism center due to its strategic location near the proposed international airport at nearby San Fernando City, La Union.

A memorandum of agreement was recently signed between the Bauang Paradise International Dev’t. Corp. and DEMCOR Inc. for the latter to start the master plan composed of detailed engineering and architectural designs.

The DEMCOR Inc. would be paid P55 million for consulting services.

The agreement was signed between BPIDC chairman Adrian C. Lee, president Roberto P. Orsolino respectively and DEMCOR Inc. president Manuel R. Contreras.

The BPIDC’s vice chairperson is Eun Kyung Lee while board members include Alfred P. Dizon, publisher of Northern Philippine Times and lawyer Philip Kiat-ong.

Bauang municipal mayor Roberto P. De Guzman and town councilor Gabriel A. Sotto witnessed the signing of the BPIDC-DEMCOR agreement at the mayor’s office.
This, after the BPIDC made a memorandum of agreement with the municipal government of Bauang to undertake the project.

Under the agreement, the BPIDC was established and mandated to act as the implementing agency for all development initiatives and activities within the project area.

The master plan shall consider local, regional and national goals of the government’s Medium Term Development Plan.

Mayor De Guzman told the media the development plan would not only benefit the people of Bauang but also outlying areas of northern Luzon.

Foreign investors are reportedly now interested in joining the project which local officials said, would put Bauang in the world tourism map like the Summer Capital of Baguio, Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao and the mountain hideaway of Sagada town in Mountain Province.

Local government officials said Bauang is an ideal spot for tourism and development projects as it is the “Gateway to Northern Luzon.”

It is adjacent to the China Sea, is only an hour’s ride from Baguio and around three hours away from the industrial zone of Clark in Pampanga, also a former American military camp like Poro Point in La Union.

A lot of foreigners like European, Australian and American expatriates have established their residence in this tropical “paradise” town due to its scenic spots, friendly people, relaxing atmosphere and low crime rate.

Bauang has become bullish with tourists and visitors pouring in due to development initiatives of the local government led by Mayor De Guzman. “I urge everyone to come to our town and enjoy it,” he said.

Bauang recently won as the “cleanest and greenest town” in the province.

De Guzman has come up with “I Love Bauang,” a project to enhance the town. The mayor recently donated some sailboats to barangays so constituents could use these for tourism or economic purposes.


http://northphiltimes.blogspot.com/search/label/La%20Union

By janice on Apr 3, 2008 in News

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Mayor Pablo Ortega has ordered the implementation of a radical four-day work week scheme as part of the city government’s austerity measures to minimize the effect of recent price increases.

Vice Mayor Pancracio Nisce had also issued an executive order to compel more than 500 employees of the city government, except those in front-line services, to report for work from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. as part of the city’s austerity measures.

Nisce said the work scheme, which was ordered implemented last week, is expected to mitigate the adverse effects of the series of oil price increases on the government’s fiscal position and the country’s dollar reserves, and is also a measure to maximize the impact of climate change.

Ortega, who arrived yesterday from a goodwill trip abroad, said the initiative is expected to result in substantial savings from electric consumption and other maintenance costs in city hall operations.

He said the implementation of the four-day work week will last until the end of May.

The scheme, which has been implemented in 2002 and 2005 by several government offices, is pursuant to President Arroyo’s call for austerity measures among government agencies. By Jun Elias

Thunderbird ready to open golf course, hotel

By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines--Panama-based Thunderbird Resorts Inc. has set for soft opening within the second quarter its golf course and hotel in Poro Point, La Union, as the firm pursues opportunities for the country to serve as its gaming hub in Southeast Asia.

In a 2007 fourth-quarter report released last week, Thunderbird also said it plans to expand its casino at the former naval facility where it is undertaking a P5-billion multi-stage project.

Last November, the company announced that it was allocating some $14.5 million or some P600 million to complete expansion projects in both Cainta, Rizal--where its first facility is located--and Poro Point.

Additionally, Thunderbird had set aside $6.3 million or some P260 million for the construction of a third hotel and casino complex in Cavite City, where it has entered into a preliminary agreement to lease a property in the Island Cove area.

However, the firm said last week it had dropped plans for the Cavite project, citing delays in securing a gaming license.

At Poro Point in San Fernando City, Thunderbird is set to open a nine-hole golf course, which may be expanded to 18 holes depending on whether the government would agree to lease more land.

As for the hotel, it would be opened with an initial batch of 40 rooms although "there is space to expand modularly up to 250 rooms over time as demand merits."

Further, Thunderbird is considering to expand by 1,000 square meters its existing casino at Poro Point to allow for the addition of 120 slot machines and 56 tables as well as food and beverage operations.

Expansion work on the Poro Point casino--which currently has 177 slot machines and 192 tables--is expected to start within this quarter, with expanded operation set for the first quarter of 2009.

Last September, Thunderbird announced it was investing some P5 billion at the Poro Point freeport zone over the next five years to turn a 65-hectare area "into a travel destination that can compete with Phuket and Bali."

In developing a viable prime tourist drawer in La Union, Thunderbird was banking on the growing domestic and international markets that are seeking more and more sophisticated business and leisure offerings.

Last week, Thunderbird said its management believes that the Philippines "will provide additional opportunities for expansion in the future, as well as serving as our hub for further expansion into southeast Asia."

Thunderbird's current operations are spread over Panama, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Peru, Nicaragua and Guatemala.

In Cainta, Thunderbird has started work on the expansion of the hotel and casino facility to accommodate a 990-square-meter event center that can hold up to 900 people.

Aside from that, planned additions include those in the food and beverage area as well as 200 new slot machines and 28 tables.

Completion of expansion in Cainta--which currently has 292 slot machines and 193 tables--is expected in the fourth quarter this year.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20080413-130138/Thunderbird-ready-to-open-golf-course-hotel

Basilica of Our Lady of Charity, Agoo, La Union

Agoo lies between San Fabian, Pangasinan and Bauang, La Union. Worth seeing in Agoo is the Agoo Basilica, which was built in 1892 after a severe earthquake. Probably the most beautiful church in La Union, it has a Shrine of Our Lady and is the most important place of pilgrimage in the province during Holy Week.

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Bauang, La Union

Bauang Bridge I
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Bauang Bridge II
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Bauang Public Market
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Bali Hai Beach Resort
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http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/thunderbirdresort_poropt.jpg

The Beach Club Membership is P125,000.00 and annual dues of more or less P800. It is good for a period of 20 years. The membership may be used in the other branches or resorts of the developer. The members enjoy free use of facilities (beach, club house, swimming pool) and a discount on hotel rooms. Members can bring an unlimited number of guests and their guests can also enjoy a discount. In addition to the said facilities, there is also a casino and golf course in the resort.

http://www.thunderbirdresorts.com/philippines/

^^Nice. P125k for 20 yrs & just P800 in annual fees? Not bad IMO. You can even bring N number of guests. :yes:

San Juan, La Union
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Balaoan, La Union
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Amburayan Bridge (connecting La Union and Ilocos Sur)
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Philippine Airlines will resume flying to San Fernando, La Union from Manila in August, thus giving Baguio-bound passengers an alternative airport in the likely event the Pine City’s Loakan airport gets blanketed in fog.

The new flight will also enable deep-pocketed Metro Manilans of a certain persuasion to make a discrete weekend trip to enjoy the offerings of the adjacent Poro Point’s Thunderbird casino-resort.

source (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business5_april30_2008)

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http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/DINENGDENG.JPG
DINENGDENG DANCE—Members of the Agoo street dancing group, representing the “Dinengdeng” Festival, execute their winning choreography during its focal presentation at the city plaza on April 30 night which earned for them the top prize in Category 2 of the ‘Festivals of the North’ during the Dagupan Bangus Festival. (Photo by Willy Lomibao)

http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/news/inside-news/

Philippine Airlines will resume flying to San Fernando, La Union from Manila in August, thus giving Baguio-bound passengers an alternative airport in the likely event the Pine City’s Loakan airport gets blanketed in fog.

The new flight will also enable deep-pocketed Metro Manilans of a certain persuasion to make a discrete weekend trip to enjoy the offerings of the adjacent Poro Point’s Thunderbird casino-resort.

source (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business5_april30_2008)

Interesting, so they will manage to meet the deadlines and will get that airport ready? Amazing.... (Back in December it looked like a slow process there..)
Did you hear anything about other airlines going there?

Makan a la Pinoy: Dinengdeng 101

Ni BRENDA S. DACPANO

Dinengdeng – putahe a nateng a nailuto iti danum, natimplaan ti bugguong, ken nasagpawan ti tinuno nga ikan wenno lames. Iti sabali a lugar, maawagan daytoy ti inabraw. Ti dinengdeng ket putahe ti Ilokano. Simple ngem napnuan sustansya ken naimas.

Ginagarak a binuya ti Dinengdeng Festival 101 Recipes idiay Agoo, La Union idi Mayo 1. Paset daytoy ti maysa a lawas a selebrasyon ti maika-4 a Dinengdeng Festival manipud Abril 30 agingga Mayo 7, 2008. Iti tengnga ti kalsa ti nakaplastaran dagiti lamisaan ti dinengdeng. Manipud iti batog ti plaza agingga iti batog ti munisipyo.

http://www.nordis.net/blog/wp-content/files/makan2008_0504a.jpg
4th DINENGDENG FEST. A queue of 101 tables of dinengdeng along the street of Agoo, La Union last May 1, 2008. The Dinengdeng Festival pays tribute to a favorite vegetable dish of Ilocanos. It aims to promote the simple yet healthy dish. Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano/NORDIS

“Ita laeng nga adda pasalip iti panagluto ti dinengdeng. Kadagiti immuna a piesta ket nagpakan laeng,” kinuna ni Carmencita Vitug, maysa kadagiti nakisalip. Inlanad ti kadua ni manang Carmencita nga adda tallo a criteria iti panagpili ti mangabak – presentation, panangidasar iti produkto ti sponsor ken raman. Amin a nakisalip ket naikkan ti P150 a paggatang kadagiti ramen. Ngem kuna ti maysa a nakisalip a kurang kano daytoy ta gimmatang pay ti banga ken dadduma pay a kasapulan. Adda kuarta a premyo dagiti mangabak agingga iti maika-20. “Lima ribu ti premyo ti umuna. Dagiti saan a nakaragpat iti 20 ket adda gungguna na a gift pack,” kinuna ti maysa a nakisalip manipud iti San Juaquin Sur.

“Saan a mabalin nga igisa, saan a sagpawan ti karne, ngem mabalin ti sida ken pasayan,” innayon ni manang Dominga Vallejo iti barangay Baluarte. Isuna kano ti nagluto iti isalip da a dinengdeng a marunggay ken okra a nasagpawan ti pinirito nga oriles. Dinamag met ni dati a mayor a ni Dr. Eufranio Eriguel no mabalin nga isagpaw ti pusit ket mabalin kinuna dagiti nakisalip.

Dagiti 101 a putahe ti dinengdeng ket insaganan dagiti nagpasalip, binunot laengen dagiti representante ti 49 a barangay no ania a putahe ti lutuen da. Kinuna ti maysa a nakisalip a maymayat koma no isu da a mismo ti agpili ti lutuen da. Mayat met ketdi ti bunot ta ababa a panawen laeng a praktisen da a lutuen ti putahe a nabunot da, mas challenging. Ngem no siak laeng a maysa ti mangikeddeng ti regulasyon kaykayat ko diay impromptu. Basta adda amin dagiti ramen a kasapulan, iti mismo sango dagiti hurado ti paglutuan tapno makita no siasinno a talaga ti nalaing, creative ken adda originality na.

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ADU A NATENG. Naiyaplag iti sidewalk iti tiendaan ti Agoo dagiti lako a nateng. Nalaklaka bassit ti presyo ti nateng ditoy kumpara iti syudad. Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano/NORDIS

Aglilinnumba dagiti nakisalip a mangiplastar kadagiti dinengdeng da. Pinnapintasan ti presentasyon. Adda pay center piece a sabsabong ti katuday ken karabasa, bunga ti karabasa a natugkelan ti tarong ken nabitinan ti bagas ti kamote. Idi narugianen ti panagplastar, rinugiak metten a siripen dagiti banga ti dinengdeng.

Saan ko a rinamanan amin a putahe. Agasem ngay no ramanam ti 101 a putahe! Mamutikangkang kan a, ti bussog, kayong. Rinamanak laeng dagiti saan a gagangay kaniak kas ti buridibod a damortis. Nasam-it met gayam ken adda bassit sugpet na a kasla saba a naata. Nalaukan ti bagas ti kamote a gagangay a ramen ti buridibod. Maysa pay a damo a maramanak ket ti dinengdeng a naata a guyabano ken patani. Mayat ti kumbinasyon ti banglo ti guyabano ken ayamuom ti patani. Nananam ken nagita gapu iti patani. Mayat daytoy a linuto dagiti maestra ti Baybay Elementary School ti barangay San Manuel Sur. Napili daytoy a maikadua a gungguna iti pasalip. Maika-3 ti dinengdeng a mais, uong ken paria. Maika-4 met ti singkamas ken alugbati. Maika-5 ti buridibod. Adu ti naisalip a buridibod ngem ti linuto ni Zenaida Aboot iti Sta. Rita Elementary School ti napili. Ur-urayek met la ketdin ti anunsiyo iti umuna a gungguna ngem saan pay gayam a maibaga iti dayta nga aldaw. Maibagan to kano iti Rabii ti Umili.

Kalpasan ti panagraman dagiti hurado, dimmarup dagiti tattao nga agiinnuna a mangitaya kadagiti pinggan da tapno maigaoan ti dinengdeng. Mayat ti makipangan ditoy ta libre ken naimas pay. Saan a nagbayag ket naibus dagiti dinengdeng ken nakirkiran dagiti banga ti innapuy.

http://www.nordis.net/blog/?p=2497

Interesting, so they will manage to meet the deadlines and will get that airport ready? Amazing.... (Back in December it looked like a slow process there..)
Did you hear anything about other airlines going there?

They need to meet the deadline to coincide with the Thunderbird Resort inauguration and opening. I understand Asian Spirit flies 3X weekly every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Manila to San Fernando Airport.

Real Estate
Hotel Ariana in La Union opens doors on May 15
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Real%20Estate&p=49&type=2&sec=37&aid=2008050822
Friday, May 9, 2008

Hotel Ariana, a Business Hotel and Convention Center, located in Bauang, La Union opens its door to the public with a grand opening on May 15, 2008. Designed by Architect Daniel C. Go and Associates, phase 1 of the new hotel boasts of a distinctly modern aesthetics with a contemporary minimalist twist. The architectural firm, which is known for their innovative designs and service excellence, envisioned the facade of the new hotel to possess a dignified and imposing character while the interior gives an impression of calm and serenity. With its subtle tropical colors and geometric composition, the hotel stands out as a new landmark in La Union.

Situated a few meters away from the beach, large windows not only allow natural light and ventilation, it gives an excellent view of the dramatic sunset. The hotel is designed to accommodate and provide everything that a convention delegates or weary travelers would need. Areas for social functions as well as places for relaxation are well integrated into the layout.

The developer insisted that the hotel should be “a cut above the rest” in comfort and service. Every detail to achieve that was considered and taken into account during the planning and design stage. The interiors are well furnished and the lobby has a cozy ambience perfect for gatherings and meetings. The hotel’s coffee shop, MKA Cafe, boasts of a sumptuous menu and a serene venue for any activity that requires a private and intimate atmosphere.

The Ballroom on the third floor provides for a perfect venue for conventions and seminars as well as weddings and parties. It was designed to accommodate a large number of guests at any time and can be subdivided into smaller function rooms for multiple activities when needed.

Hotel Ariana is located 257 kilometers North of Manila and only 12 kilometers away from San Fernando, the capital of La Union. It is the only Business Hotel and Convention Center in the area that can provide an exceptional level of service and comfort. For inquiries and reservations, call Grace or Genevive at telephone nos. (072) 705-0080, (072) 705-0050 ; Fax no. 8880050 or email at hotelariana@gmail.com

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 03:26 PM
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Local%20News&p=54&type=2&sec=2&aid=2008051324

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union - The establishment of a ferry system along the Lingayen Gulf, which will sail from Hundred Islands in Alaminos City going to Dagupan City and Poro Point here, vise versa, will boost the economy and tourism industry in northern Luzon, according to Mayor Pablo Ortega.

Ortega said the project will enhance local revenue because the primary destinations of passengers will be on various tourism areas like the Hundred Islands, the business center of Dagupan, resorts and pristine beaches and the surfing center in La Union, including tourist areas in the cities of Baguio and Vigan.

“The ferry system will serve as a mode of transportation for travelers because it will lessen the time of travel by land which is about four hours from San Fernando to Alaminos. The four hours can be reduced by half by sailing,” Ortega said during the 5th meeting of the executives of the three cities here.

Ortega, along with Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, who conceived the project, Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez and Dir. Leonardo Quitos of the National Economic and Development Authority signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on April 18 in Dagupan City for the establishment of the project.

Based on the MOA, the ferry system is envisioned to help strengthen and spur economic, tourism and cultural ties between the three cities and will increase accessibility of tourists within these areas.

The project is supported by the Regional Development Council Support Committee, a committee composed of representatives from concerned regional line agencies, the private sector and non-government organizations.-- Jun Elias

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080515.htm&no=55

By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union (15 May) -- The rehabilitation project of the San Fernando Airport in La Union is on a high gear as the Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC) set the resumption of the operations of the airport to August this year.

The San Fernando Airport upgrade with an estimated cost of P500 million is being funded by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).

The project is one of the major infrastructure projects committed by President Arroyo under her Super Regions development blueprint. It began on May 29, 2007 and is expected to be completed end of 2008.

The upgrading project entails the improvement of the landslide facilities including the expansion and extension of the present runway of 1,320 meters to 3,100 meters; airside facilities; air navigation systems and support facilities based on the requirements of the International Civil Aeronautics Organization.

The airport is presently classified as secondary airport, an alternative to the Loakan Airport in Baguio City. It could only accommodate turbo prop aircraft and the C-130 cargo plane of the Philippine Airforce. The upgrade is expected to turn the San Fernando Airport into a modern facility that complies with the international civil aviation standards to accommodate the international flights from the Asia-Pacific region.

Based on the report of Project Engineer Virgilio M. Salayog, the over-all physical accomplishment as of end April 2008, is 54.52 % as against the target of 54.13% or 0.39% ahead of schedule.

Earlier, the Thunderbird Resorts Inc., an international property developer who is operating a resort complex at the Poro Point Freeport Zone has contributed P55 million to the airport upgrade.

The rehabilitated San Fernando Airport will provide the infrastructure to propel tourism, commerce and trade especially in La Union and Baguio City.

Recently, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) expressed its interest of expanding its domestic operations service in San Fernando Airport starting August this year. This welcome development was relayed by Atty. Felix S. Racadio, President and CEO of PPMC, which operates and manages the San Fernando Airport.

Initially, PAL will fly thrice a week to and from Manila using Q300 and Q400 aircrafts, which can seat 56 and 74 passengers, respectively.

"PAL's decision to include San Fernando in its expansion program is a big boost to the ongoing efforts of transforming the Poro Point Freeport Zone into a world-class tourism and commercial destination", Racadio said. "In no time, Poro Point and the rest of La Union including the nearby provinces will be more accessible to the domestic and foreign tourism markets, he added.

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to inaugurate on June 4, 2008 the 36 luxury suites and 9-hole all weather golf course which are part of the 65-hectare Mediterranean inspired luxury resort that is being developed by the Thunderbird Resorts in the former airbase inside the Poro Point Freeport Zone. (PIA La Union)

Makan a la Pinoy: Dinengdeng 101

Ni BRENDA S. DACPANO

Dinengdeng – putahe a nateng a nailuto iti danum, natimplaan ti bugguong, ken nasagpawan ti tinuno nga ikan wenno lames. Iti sabali a lugar, maawagan daytoy ti inabraw. Ti dinengdeng ket putahe ti Ilokano. Simple ngem napnuan sustansya ken naimas.

Ginagarak a binuya ti Dinengdeng Festival 101 Recipes idiay Agoo, La Union idi Mayo 1. Paset daytoy ti maysa a lawas a selebrasyon ti maika-4 a Dinengdeng Festival manipud Abril 30 agingga Mayo 7, 2008. Iti tengnga ti kalsa ti nakaplastaran dagiti lamisaan ti dinengdeng. Manipud iti batog ti plaza agingga iti batog ti munisipyo.

http://www.nordis.net/blog/wp-content/files/makan2008_0504a.jpg
4th DINENGDENG FEST. A queue of 101 tables of dinengdeng along the street of Agoo, La Union last May 1, 2008. The Dinengdeng Festival pays tribute to a favorite vegetable dish of Ilocanos. It aims to promote the simple yet healthy dish. Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano/NORDIS

“Ita laeng nga adda pasalip iti panagluto ti dinengdeng. Kadagiti immuna a piesta ket nagpakan laeng,” kinuna ni Carmencita Vitug, maysa kadagiti nakisalip. Inlanad ti kadua ni manang Carmencita nga adda tallo a criteria iti panagpili ti mangabak – presentation, panangidasar iti produkto ti sponsor ken raman. Amin a nakisalip ket naikkan ti P150 a paggatang kadagiti ramen. Ngem kuna ti maysa a nakisalip a kurang kano daytoy ta gimmatang pay ti banga ken dadduma pay a kasapulan. Adda kuarta a premyo dagiti mangabak agingga iti maika-20. “Lima ribu ti premyo ti umuna. Dagiti saan a nakaragpat iti 20 ket adda gungguna na a gift pack,” kinuna ti maysa a nakisalip manipud iti San Juaquin Sur.

“Saan a mabalin nga igisa, saan a sagpawan ti karne, ngem mabalin ti sida ken pasayan,” innayon ni manang Dominga Vallejo iti barangay Baluarte. Isuna kano ti nagluto iti isalip da a dinengdeng a marunggay ken okra a nasagpawan ti pinirito nga oriles. Dinamag met ni dati a mayor a ni Dr. Eufranio Eriguel no mabalin nga isagpaw ti pusit ket mabalin kinuna dagiti nakisalip.

Dagiti 101 a putahe ti dinengdeng ket insaganan dagiti nagpasalip, binunot laengen dagiti representante ti 49 a barangay no ania a putahe ti lutuen da. Kinuna ti maysa a nakisalip a maymayat koma no isu da a mismo ti agpili ti lutuen da. Mayat met ketdi ti bunot ta ababa a panawen laeng a praktisen da a lutuen ti putahe a nabunot da, mas challenging. Ngem no siak laeng a maysa ti mangikeddeng ti regulasyon kaykayat ko diay impromptu. Basta adda amin dagiti ramen a kasapulan, iti mismo sango dagiti hurado ti paglutuan tapno makita no siasinno a talaga ti nalaing, creative ken adda originality na.

http://www.nordis.net/blog/wp-content/files/makan2008_0504b.jpg
ADU A NATENG. Naiyaplag iti sidewalk iti tiendaan ti Agoo dagiti lako a nateng. Nalaklaka bassit ti presyo ti nateng ditoy kumpara iti syudad. Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano/NORDIS

Aglilinnumba dagiti nakisalip a mangiplastar kadagiti dinengdeng da. Pinnapintasan ti presentasyon. Adda pay center piece a sabsabong ti katuday ken karabasa, bunga ti karabasa a natugkelan ti tarong ken nabitinan ti bagas ti kamote. Idi narugianen ti panagplastar, rinugiak metten a siripen dagiti banga ti dinengdeng.

Saan ko a rinamanan amin a putahe. Agasem ngay no ramanam ti 101 a putahe! Mamutikangkang kan a, ti bussog, kayong. Rinamanak laeng dagiti saan a gagangay kaniak kas ti buridibod a damortis. Nasam-it met gayam ken adda bassit sugpet na a kasla saba a naata. Nalaukan ti bagas ti kamote a gagangay a ramen ti buridibod. Maysa pay a damo a maramanak ket ti dinengdeng a naata a guyabano ken patani. Mayat ti kumbinasyon ti banglo ti guyabano ken ayamuom ti patani. Nananam ken nagita gapu iti patani. Mayat daytoy a linuto dagiti maestra ti Baybay Elementary School ti barangay San Manuel Sur. Napili daytoy a maikadua a gungguna iti pasalip. Maika-3 ti dinengdeng a mais, uong ken paria. Maika-4 met ti singkamas ken alugbati. Maika-5 ti buridibod. Adu ti naisalip a buridibod ngem ti linuto ni Zenaida Aboot iti Sta. Rita Elementary School ti napili. Ur-urayek met la ketdin ti anunsiyo iti umuna a gungguna ngem saan pay gayam a maibaga iti dayta nga aldaw. Maibagan to kano iti Rabii ti Umili.

Kalpasan ti panagraman dagiti hurado, dimmarup dagiti tattao nga agiinnuna a mangitaya kadagiti pinggan da tapno maigaoan ti dinengdeng. Mayat ti makipangan ditoy ta libre ken naimas pay. Saan a nagbayag ket naibus dagiti dinengdeng ken nakirkiran dagiti banga ti innapuy.

http://www.nordis.net/blog/?p=2497

mas okay tong dinengdeng festival kesa sa tobacco festival noon. wala naman na kasing tinatanim na tabako sa agoo.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080523.htm&no=28

By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union (23 May) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will mark another milestone in the country's communications industry as she launches Tuesday the Philippine leg of the Asia-America Gateway (AAG) in Barangay Baccuit, Bauang, La Union.

The US$550-Million AAG fiber cable network project of the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications (PLDT) is 20,000- Km. long that will connect Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii and the US West Coast.

The AAG is expected to propel the country's economic development as it boosts BPOs, call centers and other growth industries that depend on advanced telecommunication services. It will also heighten the broadband initiative and international connectivity that will execute strategic business solutions, improve customer value and put its highest priority on network stability.

From Bauang, the President will motor to Poro Point Freeport Zone in San Fernando City to inaugurate the Thunderbird Resort Hotel and Golf Course.

The President will conduct a Cabinet group meeting at the Diego Silang Hall of the La Union Provincial Capitol in the afternoon.

In the two-hour meeting the President and members of her Cabinet will discuss measures to further enhance good governance.

The local government officials in the provinces of La Union and Pangasinan, the heavily battered areas by typhoon "Cosme" hope that a package of assistance from government for the rehabilitation of the affected areas will be included in the agenda of said Cabinet meeting.

President Arroyo and her Cabinet will return to Manila in the afternoon of the same day immediately after the meeting.

The Provincial Government of La Union led by Gov. Manuel C. Ortega, by virtue of Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 111-2008, entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with SiTEL Philippines, Inc. represented by its Country President, Mr. Danilo Sebastian L. Reyes and Site Director, Mr. Rodney L. Spires, for a Community Training for Employment Partnership last April 10 at the Diego Silang Hall, Capitol Building, San Fernando City, La Union.

Under the MOA, PGLU shall provide the second floor of the La Union Provincial Administrative and Commercial Center along Quezon Avenue, San Fernando City, La Union where the communication firm’s training rooms and laboratories shall be constructed. Known as SiTEL Academy, it shall provide the Call Center Training Course Curriculum, hardware, fixture, trainers and other manpower for efficient Call Center Training at no cost for the Provincial Government and trainees.

Qualified trainees shall be hired by SiTEL as Global Knowledge Workers or Call Center Representatives and shall provide an “English Enhancement Training” to PGLU staff. The Call Center picked La Union as one of its newest sites in the country for its strategic location and booming economy. The province takes pride of its 98% literacy rate and competent labor force.

SiTEL is a global Business Process Outsourcing leader. It caters customer care and transaction processing needs through 65,000 associates in 28 countries. It also provides world-class solutions from on-shore, near shore and offshore locations across more than 145 facilities throughout North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. The Call Center’s award-winning services provide clients with the strategic insight, scale and diversity of offerings to ensure the best return on customer investment.

Present during the MOA signing were PGLU officials led Gov. Manuel C. Ortega represented by Vice-Gov. Eulogio Clarence Martin P. De Guzman III who signed the agreement in behalf of Governor Ortega who was then with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Laoag City and Bangued, Abra; municipal officials; SiTEL top officials; media personalities; and PESO Managers of the Province, city and municipalities. The MOA signing was witnessed by Dr. Geoffrey S. Tilan, Provincial Administrator, who also gave a closing remarks during the program. (By: Israel O. Rudio, PITO-LU)

PGMA inaugurates $500-million submarine cable system in La Union

By Henry S. Lagasca

San Fernando City, La Union -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is set to visit La Union tomorrow to lead the cable landing ceremony of the Philippine leg of the Asia-America Gateway in the municipality of Bauang.

The US$ 500 million milestone project is the first high-bandwidth optical fiber submarine cable system with a span of 20,000 kilometer cable network that connects Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darrusalam, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Philippines, Guam, Hawaii and the United States.

The construction of the submarine cable system enables the Philippines to become Asia's new hub for regional and trans-Pacific connectivity and at the same time, meeting the expected rapid growth industries that depend on advanced telecom services and further propel the country's economic development.

Later in the day the President will also lead the opening of the Thunderbird Resorts Hotel in Poro Point that serves as a major tourism anchor for Northern Luzon within the Poro Point Freeport and Economic Zone in San Fernando City, La Union.

The new resort complex boasts of a 36-suite Mediterrenean-inspired hotel with a nine-hole all weather championship golf course and several amenities including fine dining outlets, an active boardwalk and outdoor amphitheatre.

President Arroyo will also preside an afternoon out-of-town Cabinet meeting jointly with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).

Proposed to be discussed during the joint NEDA and NAPC Cabinet Group meeting are issues and government interventions on education in the wake of the school opening in June, soaring oil prices and the swath of destruction left by Typhoon "Cosme." (PIA Region 1)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080526.htm&no=21

San Fernando Airport part of PGMA's aeronautical highway

By Renee F. De Guzman

San Fernando City, La Union -- As part of the Arroyo administration's vision to link the Philippine archipelago as a strategy to further spur countryside development, the government is now focused on the development of an aeronautical highway after the successful completion last April of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) or the "RO-RO" transportation system.

The ambitious plan include the development and upgrading of the country's "potential tourism airports" to bolster the tourism industry.

The developed airports will solve the access problems in many beautiful but inaccessible tourists destinations in the country.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation and Communication is still in the process of identifying which of the country's 87 airports would be part of the aeronautical highway according to Secretary Leandro Mendoza.

He said of the country's airports only 27 percent are fully utilized even as he underscored the many development potentials an airport can offer to the host community.

"The potential is not just on tourism but there are bigger opportunities. Trade opportunities could be enormous", he said citing Singapore and Dubai.

Mendoza added that some of the airports that would be part of this aeronautical highway are now being upgraded and/or on-going construction.

These airports included the San Fernando in La Union, Guiuan in Northern Samar, San Vicente, and Busuanga in Northern Palawan, Butuan, Siargao, Zambales, Lagundigan in Cagayan de Oro.

In a related move the government has fastracked the rehabilitation work of the San Fernando Airport which began in May 29, 2007 and is expected to be completed end of this year. (PIA La Union)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p080522.htm&no=28

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p080527.htm&no=14&r=&y=&mo=

Poro Point Freeport Zone (27 May) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo leads today's (27 May 2008 – Tuesday) inauguration rites for a luxury hotel and a world-class nine-hole golf course here meant to put San Fernando City, La Union at the world map of major tourist and recreation destinations.

The President is expected to arrive at the Poro Point Freeport Zone in the morning and will be accompanied by members of her official family, notably Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, and Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila.

On hand to welcome Mrs. Arroyo are Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Chairman Aloysius Santos, BCDA President and CEO Narciso Abaya, Thunderbird Resorts Inc. Chief Executive Officer for Philippine Operations Raul Sueiro, La Union Gov. Manuel Ortega, Rep. Victor Ortega, San Fernando Mayor Pablo Ortega, and the BCDA and Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC) Board of Directors.

The Poro Point Freeport Zone is under the stewardship of the BCDA through its subsidiary, PPMC.

President Arroyo is expected to lead in the unveiling of the Thunderbird Resort-Poro Point Hotel and Golf Course marker.

Thunderbird has leased some 65.5 hectares of land in the Poro Point Freeport Zone that it is developing into a leisure resort, sports, entertainment and tourism complex.

Thunderbird has so far infused some P700 million in the development of the Poro Point over the past three years. Thunderbird has committed to invest $100 million over a 25-year period. It has also contributed P55 million for the upgrade of the San Fernando Airport to enable it to accommodate larger aircraft like Airbus 320 and Boeing 737. The expansion project is slated for completion by year-end.

Underscoring the significance of a fully developed Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone, Abaya said that with the tourism infrastructures in place, Poro Point will attract both local and foreign tourists. "Increased tourist spending will augur well for the economy of La Union," Abaya said.

Prior to the completion of the hotel and golf course in Poro Point, Thunderbird already operates a 75-seat fine dining restaurant and entertainment complex.

With Thunderbird's all-out pursuit of its program to develop Poro Point into an "ideal tourist destination," complemented by BCDA's upgrading of the San Fernando Airport to ensure easier access to Poro Point, trade and commerce in San Fernando and its neighboring areas are likely to increase significantly.

Among the major benefits of Thunderbird's investment in Poro Point is the increased number of permanent, full-time job opportunities to the people of La Union.

Thunderbird is committed to source at least 85 percent of its workforce from San Fernando City and the Province of La Union.

Thunderbird Director for Marketing Cheryl Arnold said, the resort features 36 well-appointed luxury suites. Each of the hotel's 45-square meter suite comes with exclusive amenities such as double-sized beds, a walk-in closet, a bathroom with separate shower and hot tub, hi-speed wireless internet, iPod with docking station & surround sound system, coffee and tea maker, in-room electronic safe, and a balcony that offers breathtaking view of the South China.

The Cliffs Golf Course, on the other hand, is a nine-hole, par 72 all-weather championship golf course, designed by the International Management Group (IMG) and maintained by Sta. Elena Properties, Inc.

The golf course features a unique ocean hole that is undoubtedly one of the best Par 3 holes in Asia. Playing from a variety of lengths, this medium to short Par 3 will require precise club selection as the golf ball might end up flying over the cliff and landing on the sea.

"For those who prefer the challenge of water sports, be it jetskiing, kayaking, wake boarding or surfing, there's much to do in one of the three coves at the adjacent white beach of the Cliffs'Beach Club," Arnold added

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080528.htm&no=08

San Fernando City, La Union (28 May) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated the Phase 1 of the P5-billion Thunderbird Resort-Poro Point Hotel and Golf Course at the Poro Point Freeport.

The President cut the ribbon and formally unveiled the commemorative marker signaling the opening of the integrated resort complex that boasts of 36 luxury hotel suites.

The President then took a look at the panoramic view of the South China Sea from the resort complex and toured its facilities that also include luxury suites with exclusive room amenities, a nine-hole all-weather championship golf course, restaurants and casino.

The Thunderbird Resorts is the second project in the country of the California-based gaming and property developer. Its first venture in Philippines is the Fiesta Resort Casino in Binangonan, Rizal.

Since 2005, Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotels and Resorts, Inc. has invested more $25 million and has committed a total investment in the country of up to $100 million over the next decade.

Up for full development in the resort over the next five years are a retail district for shopping, water sports complex for diving, surfing and jet skiing, an infinity pool overlooking the South China Sea, and a spa complex.

The establishment of the multi-billion dollar world-class resort in Poro Point is expected to greatly enhance foreign investments in La Union and the nearby provinces, and generate 5,000-10,000 employment opportunities for local residents.

Comment ko lang sa fastfood sa San Fernando eh madamot sila sa chicken... I thought nung una KFC San Fernando lang yun, nung kumain kami ng chicken sa Jolibee, yun din. maliit tapos di rin breast agad yung sineserve di tulad sa KFC at Jolibee Baguio, breast agad ang ibibigay at malalaki pa yung chicken.

Hi guys! What is there to be expected of Bauang, La Union? Me and my team could be having a team building/outing within the next two months. Is it near Poro Point? Are there resorts there? Please give me an idea. Thanks! :D

Hi guys! What is there to be expected of Bauang, La Union? Me and my team could be having a team building/outing within the next two months. Is it near Poro Point? Are there resorts there? Please give me an idea. Thanks! :D

Beaches with very fine grayish sand and huge waves. ;)

Hi guys! What is there to be expected of Bauang, La Union? Me and my team could be having a team building/outing within the next two months. Is it near Poro Point? Are there resorts there? Please give me an idea. Thanks! :D

hi kevinb, check out websites of some beach resorts in La Union here. (http://www.pinoysites.org/phil172.htm)

Poro Point is located at the western part of San Fernando City. The place is about 10-15 minutes drive from Bauang beach areas. :)

^^ Thanks! I'm excited with Bauang and Poro Point kahit malayo pa ung pagpunta namin dyan! :lol:

^^ you're welcome and enjoy your time. less than an hour drive lang to baguio from there.

Biahe ti PAL a Manila-San Fernando City, marugian

Ma. Theresa B. Santos

San Fernando City, La Union - Inwaragawag ti Philippine Airlines nga addanton biahe ti eroplanoda manipud Manila-San Fernando City mangrugi inton Agosto.

Kinuna ti maysa nga opisial ti PAL a mamitlo iti makalawas ti biahe manipud Manila-San Fernando City ken vice versa babaen ti Q300 ken Q400 aircrafts ti flag carrier ti pagilian a mangrugi inton Agosto.

Malaon ti Q300 ti 56 a pasahero idinto a 74 a pasahero ti malaon ti Q400.

Manamnama a sakbay ti Agosto, malpas ti pannaka-upgrade ti airport ditoy siudad.

Maikalkalawa ti 1,320 meters a runway iti 3100 meters ken maikalawa ti aglawlaw ti airport tapno maakomodarna ti moderno a pasilidad ti maysa a kabaruanan nga airport, ken pakaipatakderan iti air navigations system ken support facilities kas intuyang ti International Civil Aeronautics Organization.

Panggep ti Poro Point Management Corporation a pagbalinen daytoy nga international airport a mangakomodar iti Asia Pacific Region.

Kanaig itoy, manamnama ti yaay ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ditoy siudad inton Hunio 4 tapno inaguraranna ti 36 luxury suites ken 9-hole all weather golf course kas paset ti 65 nga ektaria a Mediteranean inspired resort a maipaspasdek iti Poro Point Freeport Zone.

Ti pannaka-develop ti Poro Point Freeport Zone ket paset ti super region a bision ti gobierno iti Amianan a Luzon.

Iti yaay ti PAL ditoy, manamnama ti dakkel a yaabante ti turismo ken negosio, saan laeng nga iti rehion Uno no di pay iti Cordillera.

http://www.tawidnewsmag.com/content/view/2418/66/

^^ you're welcome and enjoy your time. less than an hour drive lang to baguio from there.

Less than an hour lang from Bauang to Baguio? Ui! Ma-suggest nga yan sa team namin! Hehe. Pinagpipilian kasi namin ang Baguio and Bauang. Most of us have been to Baguio already but none has been to any part of La Union so I suggested we go there instead. So if some wants to go to Baguio as well, segway na lang siguro siya within the Bauang-Poro Point trip. :D

^^ you're welcome and enjoy your time. less than an hour drive lang to baguio from there.

Less than an hour lang from Bauang to Baguio? Ui! Ma-suggest nga yan sa team namin! Hehe. Pinagpipilian kasi namin ang Baguio and Bauang. Most of us have been to Baguio already but none has been to any part of La Union so I suggested we go there instead. So if some wants to go to Baguio as well, segway na lang siguro siya within the Bauang-Poro Point trip. :D

I took these pictures of Poro Point last month.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/2832107853_57fb2bc657.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2832107853/)
Poro Point Boardwalk

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/2832041849_444d9bd097.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2832041849/)
Poro Point Boardwalk

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3114/2812780821_c0b359e0ae.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2812780821/)
Thunderbird Resorts hotel overlooking Poro Point

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2832881382_a8fdd56e59.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2832881382/)
Thunderbird Resorts overlooking Poro Point

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/2832889322_bea158420e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2832889322/)
Thunderbird Resorts hotel overlooking Poro Point

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/2812775513_815aca268f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2812775513/)
Poro Point Rocks

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2243/2832948988_5d946550fa.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2832948988/)
Poro Point and South China Sea

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2832115617_ebc3504a25.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxph/2832115617/)
Poro Point Sunset

^^ beautiful shots, :cheers:

can anyone go to the boardwalk? I mean is it open for the public? the view is nice.

I love san fernando! Ayos dun sa sea park, di ganun ka crowded nung pumunta kami.

can anyone go to the boardwalk? I mean is it open for the public? the view is nice.
yap, pwede pumunta dun. just drive to poro point and ask any guard on duty for direction to boardwalk. the view there is simply breathtaking and relaxing.:)

^^ beautiful shots, :cheers:

Thanks!

can anyone go to the boardwalk? I mean is it open for the public? the view is nice.

We had just eaten dinner at the restaurant there, and then went to checkout the Boardwalk. You have to go past the golf course to get to it, and there's not a lot of parking there.

There were guards there, and they said you needed a pass from the Casino. After talking on their walkie talkie they let us walk around a little, though. Next time I'll know to ask for the pass after we eat. Not sure how strict they are about that, but there were several other people there, and people playing golf, too.

^^dave3, last time i went there with my family was early this year and we just asked the guards for direction to boardwalk. They let us through after some standard checking of passengers, vehicle and all that stuff. Ya, if you are new to the place, it's much better to check out the casino facilities first then ask casino/restaurant staff for assistance in going to boardwalk.

could somebody teach me how to post images here.got some fresh pix of san fernando.thanks!

could somebody teach me how to post images here.got some fresh pix of san fernando.thanks!
How to Post Photos (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=458527)

How to Post Photos (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=458527)

thanks ergit.i'm going to try it later.
dave:thanks sa info about the boardwalk.punta ako dun sa sunday watch laban ni pacman sa casino.

thanks ergit.i'm going to try it later.
dave:thanks sa info about the boardwalk.punta ako dun sa sunday watch laban ni pacman sa casino.
bugbog sarado si diaz. :cheers:

http://www.sanfernandocity.gov.ph/largegallery/Most_Competitive_Small_City.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/smallsizedcities.jpg

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/Thunderbird_Resorts_Poro_Point_Faca.jpg
RCI, the world leader in timeshare exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, today announced the launch of its first points-based affiliated resort in the Philippines. RCI entered into an agreement to sign on Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point – the company’s 18th affiliated resort in the Philippines, which will be part of the RCI global network of over 4,000 affiliated resorts in nearly 100 countries.

This new vacation ownership offering is a 20-year points-based Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point Vacation Ownership membership. Under the corporate arrangement between Thunderbird Resorts and RCI, members of Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point Vacation Ownership will be issued Thunderbird Resorts Vacation Points that can be converted to RCI Points. The RCI Points program will allow Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point Vacation Ownership members access to the RCI exchange network which consists of over 4,000 RCI affiliated resorts around the world. Thunderbird Resorts Poro Points Vacation Ownership members also will be provided with a personalized reservation service via a designated toll-free line and email, which is provided by RCI as part of its back-office support.

Situated on a peninsula across 650,000 square meters in Poro Point, San Fernando City, Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point is a Mediterranean-style hotel with suites overlooking the breathtaking South China Sea. In addition, it also offers an exciting combination of a casino, a convention center and commercial center along with a nine-hole par 36 golf course, as well as access to a private beach. It offers 10 vacation ownership units furnished with modern amenities including a walk-in closet, spacious bathroom, cable flat screen television, surround sound speakers, iPod docking stations, hi-speed wireless internet, and mini-kitchenette facilities.

In addition, Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point Vacation Ownership members can also indulge in membership benefits at the newly-opened luxury five-star Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point of VIP check-in at the resort and complimentary use of the golf course. Members will also be given the opportunity to enjoy special rates at all Thunderbird resorts worldwide, and the exclusive "Thunderbird Vacation Club" discount privileges at selected restaurants and bars.

“We are delighted to work with Thunderbird Resorts to offer our members an innovative vacation exchange option in the Philippines,” said Winnie Ding, chief financial officer of Group RCI, Asia Pacific. “The addition of a third Points-based resort to the Asia network is in line with our plan to offer our members added ease and flexibility to transact and exchange through RCI Points. Vacation owners of Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point can exchange their Thunderbird Resorts Vacation Points for RCI Points and enjoy a wide array of holiday options including resort and villa accommodations or cruises. This is our 18th affiliated resort in the Philippines and it’s a further testament of our commitment to one of Asia’s fastest growing destinations.”

The collaboration with Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point comes at a time when RCI is focused on expansion in the Philippines. According to the Department of Tourism, the Philippines showed a CAGR of 7 percent in tourist arrivals over the period of 2000-2006. Based on World Travel & Tourism Council’s 2007-2016 Annualized Real Growth in Visitor Exports (international visitors’ spending) Report, the Philippines is predicted to be one of the fastest growing destinations at 5.7 percent.

“Choosing RCI was an easy decision as it is the world leader in timeshare and vacation exchange. They have the expertise and an end-to-end suite of services to help us establish our vacation ownership offering and provide a differentiated proposition to potential buyers. At the same time, the RCI brand is a well respected vacation exchange brand that has more than 30 years of history and a strong global presence. Being part of the RCI affiliated resort network means that we can reach out to almost 4 million members, and this will certainly benefit our resort,” said Peter Lesar, president, Thunderbird Resorts, The Philippines.

Thunderbird Resorts is one of the fastest growing businesses in Latin America, offering customers dynamic, themed and integrated resort venues anchored by casinos. It has two operations in the Philippines which will serve as a platform to the entire Southeast Asian market.

SOURCE (http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/26361)

Visit www.missuniverse.com or www.nbc.com to vote for Miss Philippines for the Best National Costume award at the Miss Universe 2008 pageant. Vote ASAP kasi baka mag-close na ang voting. Thanks and God bless!

SFC rises to No. 1 as most competitive city in RP (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080725.htm&no=80)
By Jessie R. Valdez

San Fernando City, La Union (25 July) -- "It is indeed our pride that the city of San Fernando La Union is now number 1 as most competitive cities throughout the country under small-sized cities category chosen by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center in its Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project," Mayor Pablo Ortega said during their Flag Raising Ceremony held recently in front of the city hall.

The Mayor explained that with this award for the fifth time, which the city rose from no. 4 until finally we got number 1, shows evidently that the city has gone far towards progress and it is all because of the undying support of the city officials and the residents.

Ortega recognizes that working together in unity for the common welfare of his constituents, paved the way to the progress the people now enjoy. He further explained that with the city administration's theme "Continuity & Innovation for Unity, Peace and Progress for All", he urged everyone to continue upholding the spirit of unity, solidarity and teamwork in order to continue contributing to the peace and progress of the city and to the country as well.

AIM Policy Center Executive Director Frederico Macaranas disclosed that those cities chosen on top have attained keen investment interest, thus, boosting their local economies.

Among the 90 cities who vied for this competitive ranking project were evaluated on the following factors: dynamism on local economy, cost of doing business, infrastructure, human resources & training, responsiveness of LGUs to business needs and quality of life.

This annual award of the AIM encourages other cities to improve their overall competitiveness emphasizing the crucial role of MSMEs as the backbone of development.

MSMEs is one of the pet programs of the Arroyo Administration as outlined in PGMA's SONA by providing loans for livelihood projects thru concerned government agencies to help local cities and provinces boost their economies, create new jobs that will fuel the growth of the economy and reduce poverty incidence since this will improve the plight of the poor. (PIA La Union) [top]

SFC rises to No. 1 as most competitive city in RP (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080725.htm&no=80)
By Jessie R. Valdez

San Fernando City, La Union (25 July) -- "It is indeed our pride that the city of San Fernando La Union is now number 1 as most competitive cities throughout the country under small-sized cities category chosen by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center in its Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project," Mayor Pablo Ortega said during their Flag Raising Ceremony held recently in front of the city hall.

The Mayor explained that with this award for the fifth time, which the city rose from no. 4 until finally we got number 1, shows evidently that the city has gone far towards progress and it is all because of the undying support of the city officials and the residents.

Ortega recognizes that working together in unity for the common welfare of his constituents, paved the way to the progress the people now enjoy. He further explained that with the city administration's theme "Continuity & Innovation for Unity, Peace and Progress for All", he urged everyone to continue upholding the spirit of unity, solidarity and teamwork in order to continue contributing to the peace and progress of the city and to the country as well.

AIM Policy Center Executive Director Frederico Macaranas disclosed that those cities chosen on top have attained keen investment interest, thus, boosting their local economies.

Among the 90 cities who vied for this competitive ranking project were evaluated on the following factors: dynamism on local economy, cost of doing business, infrastructure, human resources & training, responsiveness of LGUs to business needs and quality of life.

This annual award of the AIM encourages other cities to improve their overall competitiveness emphasizing the crucial role of MSMEs as the backbone of development.

MSMEs is one of the pet programs of the Arroyo Administration as outlined in PGMA's SONA by providing loans for livelihood projects thru concerned government agencies to help local cities and provinces boost their economies, create new jobs that will fuel the growth of the economy and reduce poverty incidence since this will improve the plight of the poor. (PIA La Union) [top]
City gets top performance rating

SAN Fernando City in La Union Province has consistently maintained its stature as one of the Top Performing City-Small Cities Category.

This is based on the competitive survey conducted all over the country by the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project (PCCRP) administered by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center.


Joining San Fernando City are the cities of Dagupan in Pangasinan, Bayawan, Calapan, Calbayog, Dipolog, Laoag, Malaybalay, Naga, Surigao, Tagbilaran and Tuguegarao.

It's the fifth award for San Fernando City.

San Fernando City Mayor Pablo Ortega, together with the other mayors from the awardee-cities, received the recognition on July 4, 2008 during the PCCRP 2007 presentation at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati City.

San Fernando City received an overall rating of 7.55 percent, higher than the rating received by Davao City and Olongapo City--which both received 7.05 percent in the big-sized and medium-sized cities category, respectively.

"We are on top of other competitors, and we are glad that we have maintained our competitiveness," Ortega said.

The city was assessed as number one in human resources and training, infrastructure, and responsiveness to business needs.

"AIM, a well-known and respected institution, has exerted effort to look at the situation of each city in the Philippines," the mayor said, explaining that AIM selected the cities it evaluated for the competition.

Accordingly, the PCCRP is a flagship research undertaking of the AIM Policy Center that seeks to identify the best cities in the Philippines in which to live, work, and operate a business.

San Fernando City has been included in the top 10 competitive cities since 1999 when the PCCRP was launched.

During the first round in 1999, it was in fourth place and eventually improved when it ranked third in the second round in 2002.

In 2003, it became number 2 in its category, topping two competitiveness drivers, namely, human resources and training and quality of life. In 2005, the city was number 1 in linkage and accessibility and responsiveness to business needs.

The PCCRP surveyed 90 cities for the 2007 round. The cities were rated based on the competitive drivers broken down into dynamism of local economy, cost of doing business, infrastructure, human resources and training, responsiveness of the local government unit (LGU) to business needs, and quality of life. (LCMY/Sunnex)

Enabling people with disabilities to earn (http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&story_id=150889)

First posted 19:17:48 (Mla time) July 26, 2008
Tonette Orejas
Central Luzon Desk




CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Regional Council on Disability Affairs in Central Luzon has put more focus on efforts to improve the access of people with disabilities (PWDs) to employment and livelihood opportunities.

The event that it held here on Friday to observe the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week gave more technology demonstrations for PWDs.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority tapped the Atriev, a computer school for the blind, to show how the software JAWS (Job Access With Speech) can help the visually impaired get skills in information technology and use these to get employment.

No less than Carol Catacutan, Atriev’s training program director and who is blind, led the training team. Tesda also held contests in encoding and transcription.

The Department of Science and Technology taught ways of preparing sweetened banana chips, spicy anchovies, squash bread and lemon juice concentrate.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shared tips in making vinegar out of fruits, fish balls, banana burger and gift items from recycled materials.

The Department of Agriculture gave instructions on how to make handicraft from corn husk.

The 500 or so PWDs like Reyson Urbino and Josephine Panlilio stayed on, trying to figure out their prospects from this exposure.

No company has hired the 23-year-old wheelchair bound Urbino but he tries to make a living at home by repairing computers. This computer technician lost his leg to a vehicular accident.

Panlilio, 47, wants to sell school supplies but the lack of capital has put the plan at bay for many years.

She earns by getting commissions from delivering school supplies sold by her sister. She goes from one school to another on wooden crutches. A moving train dragged her right leg when she was 18, prompting doctors to cut it to stop the spread of infection.
What is sure, they said, is that despite their conditions, they have not lost the will to live, support themselves and their families or be productive members of their communities.

Rodolfo Mendoza, chair of the Central Luzon Federations of PWDs, said that in the last five years, government agencies have gone out of their way in providing skills training to PWDs.

Gray area

A gray area, however, is the success rate of efforts to increase access to jobs.

The actual numbers of PWDs who have been assimilated in workplaces or even those who actually finished their education are not known, Mendoza said.

This is because the survey by the government, done through the Department of Health, is a continuing undertaking, not a time-bound count, he said.

Adelina Apostol, assistant regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the agency that chairs the RCDA, confirmed the lack of information.

What DSWD has managed to track down was the compliance rate of government agencies and local governments in the hiring of the PWDs, she said.

Amendments to the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (Republic Act No. 7277) require government agencies to employ 5 percent of PWDs in their workforce, Apostol said.

That ceiling has not been attained due largely to the factor of skills, she said.

Mendoza, who has been working for 17 years in the social service arm of the Nueva Ecija government, said PWDs should land jobs because of their skills, not out of sympathy or generosity.

Richard Dakoykoy, president of the Federation of PWDs in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, said the provincial and city governments have “well supported” the education of the group’s 500 members aged 3 to 18. The federation has 1,000 members.

“What we need now is more support for livelihood,” said Dakoykoy, citing feedback from the group’s members.

A polio victim, he got work as a computer trainor at DSWD.

Discrimination is not the reason for why those they knew had not obtained work.

The “big accomplishment” to date is that there has been a growing awareness on the need of PWDs to be mainstreamed, Mendoza said.

Response from LGUs

Local governments, he said, are beginning to be more responsive.

For the first time, he said, the Pampanga government allotted P4.7 million for PWD-related programs. The provincial board approved the budget request of Gov. Eddie Panlilio last week, Mendoza said.

He said that amount surpassed the combined one percent budget for PWDs and senior citizens as required by Presidential Proclamation No. 240.

“The one percent, on its own, is a big help if it is properly used,” Mendoza said.

At the lobbying of the CLFPWD, the Regional Development Council’s sectoral committee on social development has passed a resolution encouraging local officials to create a PWD office and set aside funds for its programs.

To date, PWDs have no sectoral representation in the RDC, Mendoza said.

“That’s what we are fighting for,” he said.

That is one of the avenues to systematize the data banking, especially in knowing whether more PWDs are getting employed or doing gainful businesses.

For now, he said the availability of skills training programs and initiatives to help PWDs are important so they can gain jobs and livelihood.

Access does open a lot of doors, according to Catacutan.

Some of the Atriev graduates are living proof.

Alona Batneg of Baguio City became a medical transcriptionist in 2006.

Julius Charles Serrano, who finished a 4-year computer science course at the STI College in Manila, started the first Daisy Talking Book production in the Philippines while Josefina Olorocissimo works for a research and recruitment team.

For Maricell Fornis, the computer studies helped her get past the tragedy of losing her eyesight from a car accident. Yolanda Naputo said it helped her assist her blind daughter, Shiela, to learn math and reading.




Copyright INQUIRER.net. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Dear Ergit,

do you have an update on the airport development or even time schedules for the first flights?

I am back in SF and need to go to Manila in the next days. Why not catch the opening flight, hehehe....

Thanks in advance!

ARROYO'S STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS (Transcript) (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/109854/ARROYOS-STATE-OF-THE-NATION-ADDRESS-(Transcript))
07/28/2008 | 11:26 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
2nd Regular Session of the 14th Congress
Republic of the Philippines
28 July 2008

Thank you, Speaker Nograles. Senate President Villar. Senators and Representatives. Vice President de Castro, President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, members of the diplomatic corps, ladies and gentlemen:

I address you today at a crucial moment in world history.

Just a few months ago, we ended 2007 with the strongest economic growth in a generation. Inflation was low, the peso strong and a million new jobs were created. We were all looking to a better, brighter future.

Because tough choices were made, kumikilos na ang bayan sa wakas. Malapit na sana tayo sa pagbalanse ng budget. We were retiring debts in great amounts, reducing the drag on our country’s development, habang namumuhunan sa taong bayan.

Biglang-bigla, nabaligtad ang ekonomiya ng mundo. Ang pagtalon ng presyo ng langis at pagkain ay nagbunsod ng pandaigdigan krisis, the worst since the Great Depression and the end of World War II. Some blame speculators moving billions of dollars from subprime mortgages to commodities like fuel and food. Others point of the very real surge in demand as millions of Chinese and Indians move up to the middle class.

Whatever the reasons, we are on a roller coaster ride of oil price hikes, high food prices and looming economic recession in the US and other markets. Uncertainty has moved like a terrible tsunami around the globe, wiping away gains, erasing progress.

This is a complex time that defies simple and easy solutions. For starters, it is hard to identify villains, unlike in the 1997 financial crisis. Everyone seems to be a victim, rich countries and poor, though certainly some can take more punishment than others.

To address these global challenges, we must go on building and buttressing bridges to allies around the world: to bring in the rice to feed our people, investments to create jobs; and to keep the peace and maintain stability in our country and the rest of the world. Yet even as we reach out to those who need, and who may need us, we strive for greater self-reliance.

Because tough choices were made, the global crisis did not catch us helpless and unprepared. Through foresight, grit and political will, we built a shield around our country that has slowed down and somewhat softened the worst effects of the global crisis. We have the money to care for our people and pay for food when there are shortages; for fuel despite price spikes.

Neither we nor anyone else in the world expected this day to come so soon but we prepared for it. For the guts not to flinch in the face of tough choices, I thank God. For the wisdom to recognize how needed you are, I thank, you Congress. For footing the bill, I thank the taxpayers.

The result has been, on the one hand, ito ang nakasalba sa bayan; and, on the other, more unpopularity for myself in the opinion polls. Yet, even unfriendly polls show self-rated poverty down to its 20-year low in 2007.

My responsibility as President is to take care to solve the problems we are facing now and to provide a vision and direction for how our nation should advance in the future.

Many in this great hall live privileged lives and exert great influence in public affairs. I am accessible to you, but I spend time every day with the underprivileged and under represented who cannot get a grip on their lives in the daily, all-consuming struggle to make ends meet.

Nag-aalala ako para sa naka-aawang maybahay na pasan ang pananagutan para sa buong pamilya. Nag-aalala ako para sa magsasakang nasa unang hanay ng pambansang produksyon ng pagkain ngunit nagsisikap pakanin ang pamilya. I care for hardworking students soon to graduate and wanting to see hope of good job and a career prospect here at home.

Nag-aalala ako para sa 41-year old na padre de pamilya na di araw-araw ang trabaho, at nag-aabala sa asawa at tatlong anak, at dapat bigyan ng higit pang pagkakakitaan at dangal. I care for our teachers who gave the greatest gift we ever received – a good education – still trying to pass on the same gift to succeeding generations. I care for our OFWs, famed for their skill, integrity and untiring labor, who send home their pay as the only way to touch loved ones so far away. Nagpupugay ako ngayon sa kanilang mga karaniwang Pilipino.

My critics say this is fiction, along with other facts and figures I cite today. I call it heroism though they don’t need our praise. Each is already a hero to those who matter most, their families.

I said this is a global crisis where everyone is a victim. But only few can afford to avoid, or pay to delay, the worst effects.

Many more have nothing to protect them from the immediate blunt force trauma of the global crisis. Tulad ninyo, nag-aalala ako para sa kanila. Ito ang mga taong bayan na dapat samahan natin. Not only because of their sacrifices for our country but because they are our countrymen.

How do we solve these many complex challenges?

Sa kanilang kalagayan, the answer must be special care and attention in this great hour of need.

First, we must have a targeted strategy with set of precise prescriptions to ease the price challenges we are facing.

Second, food self-sufficiency; less energy dependence; greater self-reliance in our attitude as a people and in our posture as a nation.

Third, short-term relief cannot be at the expense of long term reforms. These reforms will benefit not just the next generation of Filipinos, but the next President as well.

Napakahalaga ang Value Added Tax sa pagharap sa mga hamong ito.

Itong programa ang sagot sa mga problemang namana natin.

Una, mabawasan ang ating mga utang and shore up our fiscal independence.

Pangalawa, higit na pamumuhunan para mamamayan at imprastraktura.

Pangatlo, sapat na pondo para sa mga programang pangmasa.

Thus, the infrastructure links programmed for the our poorest provinces like Northern Samar: Lao-ang-Lapinig-Arteche, right now ay maputik, San Isidro-Lope de Vega; the rehabilitation of Maharlika in Samar.

Take VAT away and you and I abdicate our responsibility as leaders and pull the rug from under our present and future progress, which may be compromised by the global crisis.

Lalong lumakas ang tiwala ng mga investor dahil sa VAT. Mula P56.50 kada dolyar, lumakas ang piso hanggang P40.20 bago bumalik sa P44 dahil sa mga pabigat ng pangdaigdigang ekonomiya. Kung alisin ang VAT, hihina ang kumpiyansa ng negosyo, lalong tataas ang interes, lalong bababa ang piso, lalong mamahal ang bilihin.

Kapag ibinasura ang VAT sa langis at kuryente, ang mas makikinabang ay ang mga may kaya na kumukonsumo ng 84% ng langis at 90% ng kuryente habang mas masasaktan ang mahihirap na mawawalan ng P80 billion para sa mga programang pinopondohan ngayon ng VAT. Take away VAT and we strip our people of the means to ride out the world food and energy crisis.

We have come too far and made too many sacrifices to turn back now on fiscal reforms. Leadership is not about doing the first easy thing that comes to mind; it is about doing what is necessary, however hard.

The government has persevered, without flip-flops, in its much-criticized but irreplaceable policies, including oil and power VAT and oil deregulation.

Patuloy na gagamitin ng pamahalaan ang lumalago nating yaman upang tulungan ang mga pamilyang naghihirap sa taas ng bilihin at hampas ng bagyo, habang nagpupundar upang sanggahan ang bayan sa mga krisis sa hinaharap.

Para sa mga namamasada at namamasahe sa dyip, sinusugpo natin ang kotong at colorum upang mapataas ang kita ng mga tsuper. Si Federico Alvarez kumikita ng P200 a day sa kaniyang rutang Cubao-Rosario. Tinaas ito ng anti-kotong, anti-colorum ngayon P500 na ang kita niya. Iyan ang paraan kung paano napananatili ang dagdag-pasahe sa piso lamang. Halaga lang ng isang text.

Texting is a way of life. I asked the telecoms to cut the cost of messages between networks. They responded. It is now down to 50 centavos.

Noong Hunyo, nagpalabas tayo ng apat na bilyong piso mula sa VAT sa langis—dalawang bilyong pambayad ng koryente ng apat na milyong mahihirap, isang bilyon para college scholarship o pautang sa 70,000 na estudyanteng maralita; kalahating bilyong pautang upang palitan ng mas matipid na LPG, CNG o biofuel ang motor ng libu-libong jeepney; at kalahating bilyong pampalit sa fluorescent sa mga pampublikong lugar.

Kung mapapalitan ng fluorescent ang lahat ng bumbilya, makatitipid tayo ng lampas P2 billion.

Sa sunod na katas ng VAT, may P1 billion na pambayad ng kuryente ng mahihirap; kalahating bilyon para sa matatandang di sakop ng SSS o GSIS; kalahating bilyong kapital para sa pamilya ng mga namamasada; kalahating bilyon upang mapataas ang kakayahan at equipment ng mga munting ospital sa mga lalawigan. At para sa mga kalamidad, angkop na halaga.

We released P1 billion for the victims of typhoon Frank. We support a supplemental Western Visayas calamity budget from VAT proceeds, as a tribute to the likes of Rodney Berdin, age 13, of Barangay Rombang, Belison, Antique, who saved his mother, brother and sister from the raging waters of Sibalom River.

Mula sa buwang ito, wala nang income tax ang sumusweldo ng P200,000 o mas mababa sa isang taon – P12 billion na bawas-buwis para sa maralita at middle class. Maraming salamat, Congress.

Ngayong may P32 na commercial rice, natugunan na natin ang problema sa pagkain sa kasalukuyan. Nagtagumpay tayo dahil sa pagtutulungan ng buong bayan sa pagsasaka, bantay-presyo at paghihigpit sa price manipulation, sa masipag na pamumuno ni Artie Yap.

Sa mga LGU at religious groups na tumutulong dalhin ang NFA rice sa mahihirap, maraming salamat sa inyo.

Dahil sa subsidy, NFA rice is among the region’s cheapest. While we can take some comfort that our situation is better than many other nations, there is no substitute for solving the problem of rice and fuel here at home. In doing so, let us be honest and clear eyed – there has been a fundamental shift in global economics. The price of food and fuel will likely remain high. Nothing will be easy; the government cannot solve these problems over night. But, we can work to ease the near-term pain while investing in long-term solutions.

Since 2001, new irrigation systems for 146,000 hectares, including Malmar in Maguindanao and North Cotabato, Lower Agusan, Casecnan and Aulo in Nueva Ecija, Abulog-Apayao in Cagayan and Apayao, Addalam in Quirino and Isabela, among others, and the restoration of old systems on another 980,000 hectares have increased our nation’s irrigated land to a historic 1.5 million hectares.

Edwin Bandila, 48 years old, of Ugalingan, Carmen, North Cotabato, cultivated one hectare and harvested 35 cavans. Thirteen years na ginawa iyong Malmar. In my first State of the Nation Address, sabi ko kung hindi matapos iyon sa Setyembre ay kakanselahin ko ang kontrata, papapasukin ko ang engineering brigade, natapos nila. With Malamar, now he cultivates five hectares and produces 97 cavans per hectare. Mabuhay, Edwin! VAT will complete the San Roque-Agno River project.

The Land Bank has quadrupled loans for farmers and fisherfolk. That is fact not fiction. Check it. For more effective credit utilization, I instructed DA to revitalize farmers cooperatives.

We are providing seeds at subsidized prices to help our farmers.

Incremental Malampaya national revenues of P4 billion will go to our rice self-sufficiency program.

Rice production since 2000 increased an average of 4.07% a year, twice the population growth rate. By promoting natural planning and female education, we have curbed population growth to 2.04% during our administration, down from the 2.36 in the 1990’s, when artificial birth control was pushed. Our campaign spreads awareness of responsible parenthood regarding birth spacing. Long years of pushing contraceptives made it synonymous to family planning. Therefore informed choice should mean letting more couples, who are mostly Catholics, know about natural family planning.

From 1978 to 1981, nag-export tayo ng bigas. Hindi tumagal. But let’s not be too hard on ourselves. Panahon pa ng Kastila bumibili na tayo ng bigas sa labas. While we may know how to grow rice well, topography doesn’t always cooperate.

Nature did not gift us with a mighty Mekong like Thailand and Vietnam, with their vast and naturally fertile plains. Nature instead put our islands ahead of our neighbours in the path of typhoons from the Pacific. So, we import 10% of the rice we consume.

To meet the challenge of today, we will feed our people now, not later, and help them get through these hard times. To meet the challenges of tomorrow, we must become more self-reliant, self-sufficient and independent, relying on ourselves more than on the world.

Now we come to the future of agrarian reform.

There are those who say it is a failure, that our rice importations prove it. There are those who say it is a success—if only because anything is better than nothing. Indeed, people are happier owning the land they work, no matter what the difficulties.

Sa SONA noong 2001, sinabi ko, bawat taon, mamamahagi tayo ng dalawang daang libong ektarya sa reporma sa lupa: 100,000 hectares of private farmland and 100,000 of public farmland, including ancestral domains. Di hamak mahigit sa target ang naipamahagi natin sa nakaraang pitong taon: 854,000 hectares of private farmland, 797,000 of public farmland, and Certificates of Ancestral Domain for 525,000 hectares. Including, over a 100,000 hectares for Bugkalots in Quirino, Aurora, and Nueva Vizcaya. After the release of their CADT, Rosario Camma, Bugkalot chieftain, and now mayor of Nagtipunan, helped his 15,000-member tribe develop irrigation, plant vegetables and corn and achieve food sufficiency. Mabuhay, Chief!

Agrarian reform should not merely subdivide misery, it must raise living standards. Ownership raises the farmer from his but productivity will keep him on his feet.

Sinimula ng aking ama ang land reform noong 1963. Upang mabuo ito, the extension of CARP with reforms is top priority. I will continue to do all I can for the rural as well as urban poor. Ayaw natin na paglaya ng tenant sa landlord, mapapasa-ilalim naman sa usurero. Former tenants must be empowered to become agribusinessmen by allowing their land to be used as collateral.

Dapat mapalaya ng reporma sa lupa ang magsasaka sa pagiging alipin sa iba. Dapat bigyan ang magsasaka ng dangal bilang taong malaya at di hawak ninuman. We must curb the recklessness that gives land without the means to make it productive and bites off more than beneficiaries can chew.

At the same time, I want the rackets out of agrarian reform: the threats to take and therefore undervalue land, the conspiracies to overvalue it.

Be with me on this. There must be a path where justice and progress converge. Let us find it before Christmas. Dapat nating linisin ang landas para sa mga ibig magpursige sa pagsasaka, taglay ang pananalig na ang lupa ay sasagip sa atin sa huli kung gamitin natin ito nang maayos.

Along with massive rice production, we are cutting costs through more efficient transport. For our farm-to-market roads, we released P6 billion in 2007.

On our nautical highways. RORO boats carried 33 million metric tons of cargo and 31 million passengers in 2007. We have built 39 RORO ports during our administration, 12 more are slated to start within the next two years. In 2003, we inaugurated the Western Nautical Highway from Batangas through Mindoro, Panay and Negros to Mindanao. This year we launched the Central Nautical Highway from Bicol mainland, through Masbate, Cebu, Bohol and Camiguin to Mindanao mainland. These developments strengthen our competitiveness.

Leading multinational company Nestle cut transport costs and offset higher milk prices abroad. Salamat, RORO. Transport costs have become so reasonable for bakeries like Gardenia, a loaf of its bread in Iloilo is priced the same as in Laguna and Manila. Salamat muli sa RORO.

To the many LGUs who have stopped collecting fees from cargo vehicles, maraming, maraming salamat.

We are repaving airports that are useful for agriculture, like Zamboanga City Airport.

Producing rice and moving it cheaper addresses the supply side of our rice needs. On the demand side, we are boosting the people’s buying power.

Ginagawa nating labor-intensive ang paggawa at pag-ayos ng kalsada at patubig. Noong SONA ng 2001, naglunsad tayo sa NCR ng patrabaho para sa 20,000 na out of school youth, na tinawag OYSTER. Ngayon, mahigit 20,000 ang ineempleyo ng OYSTER sa buong bansa. In disaster-stricken areas, we have a cash-for-work program.

In training, 7.74 million took technical and vocational courses over the last seven years, double the number in the previous 14 years. In 2007 alone, 1.7 million graduated. Among them are Jessica Barlomento now in Hanjin as supply officer, Shenve Catana, Marie Grace Comendador, and Marlyn Tusi, lady welders, congratulations.

In microfinance, loans have reached P102 billion or 30 times more than the P3 billion we started with in 2001, with a 98% repayment record, congratulations! Major lenders include the Land Bank with P69 billion, the Peoples’ Credit and Finance Corporation P8 billion, the National Livelihood Support Fund P3 billion, DBP P1 billion and the DSWD’s SEA-K P800 million. For partnering with us to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit, thank you, Go Negosyo and Joey Concepcion.

Upland development benefits farmers through agro-forestry initiatives. Rubber is especially strong in Zamboanga Sibugay and North Cotabato. Victoria Mindoro, 56 years old, used to earn P5,000 a month as farmer and factory worker. Now she owns 10 hectares in the Goodyear Agrarian Reform Community in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, she earns P10,000 a week. With one hectare, Pedro and Concordia Faviolas of Makilala, North Cotabato, they sent their six children to college, bought two more hectares, and earn P15,000 a month. Congratulations!

Jatropha estates are starting in 900 hectares in and around Tamlang Valley in Negros Oriental; 200 in CamSur; 300 in GenSan, 500 in Fort Magsaysay near the Cordero Dam and 700 in Samar, among others.

In our 2006 SONA, our food baskets were identified as North Luzon and Mindanao.

The sad irony of Mindanao as food basket is that it has some of the highest hunger in our nation. It has large fields of high productivity, yet also six of our ten poorest provinces.

The prime reason is the endless Mindanao conflict. A comprehensive peace has eluded us for half a century. But last night, differences on the tough issue of ancestral domain were resolved. Yes, there are political dynamics among the people of Mindanao. Let us sort them out with the utmost sobriety, patience and restraint. I ask Congress to act on the legislative and political reforms that will lead to a just and lasting peace during our term of office.

The demands of decency and compassion urge dialogue. Better talk than fight, if nothing of sovereign value is anyway lost. Dialogue has achieved more than confrontation in many parts of the world. This was the message of the recent World Conference in Madrid organized by the King of Saudi Arabia, and the universal message of the Pope in Sydney.

Pope Benedict’s encyclical Deus Caritas Est reminds us: “There will always be situations of material need where help in the form of concrete love for neighbour is indispensable."

Pinagsasama-sama natin ang mga programa ng DSWD, DOH, GSIS, SSS at iba pang lumalaban sa kahirapan sa isang National Social Welfare Program para proteksyonan ang pinaka-mahihirap mula sa pandaigdigang krisis, and to help those whose earnings are limited by illness, disability, loss of job, age and so on—through livelihood projects, microfinance, skills and technology transfer, emergency and temporary employment, pension funds, food aid and cash subsidies, child nutrition and adult health care, medical missions, salary loans, insurance, housing programs, educational and other savings schemes, and now cheaper medicine—Thanks to Congress.

The World Bank says that in Brazil, the income of the poorest 10% has grown 9% per year versus the 3% for the higher income levels due in large part to their family stipend program linking welfare checks to school attendance. We have introduced a similar program, Pantawid Pamilya.

Employers have funded the two increases in SSS benefits since 2005. Thank you, employers for paying the premiums.

GSIS pensions have been indexed to inflation and have increased every year since 2001. Its salary loan availments have increased from two months equivalent to 10 months, the highest of any system public or private—while repayments have been stretched out.

Pag-Ibig housing loans increased from P3.82 billion in 2001 to P22.6 billion in 2007. This year it experienced an 84% increase in the first four months alone. Super heating na. Dapat dagdagan ng GSIS at buksan muli ng SSS ang pautang sa pabahay. I ask Congress to pass a bill allowing SSS to do housing loans beyond the present 10% limitation.

Bago ako naging Pangulo, isa’t kalahating milyong maralita lamang ang may health insurance. Noong 2001, sabi natin, dadagdagan pa ng kalahating milyon. Sa taong iyon, mahigit isang milyon ang nabigyan natin. Ngayon, 65 milyong Pilipino na ang may health insurance, mahigit doble ng 2000, kasama ang labinlimang milyong maralita. Philhealth has paid P100 billion for hospitalization. The indigent beneficiaries largely come from West and Central Visayas, Central Luzon, and Ilocos. Patuloy nating palalawakin itong napaka-importanted programa, lalo na sa Tawi-Tawi, Zambo Norte, Maguindanao, Apayao, Dinagat, Lanao Sur, Northern Samar, Masbate, Abra and Misamis Occidental. Lalo na sa kanilang mga magsasaka at mangingisda.

In these provinces and in Agusan Sur, Kalinga, Surigao Sur and calamity-stricken areas, we will launch a massive school feeding program at P10 per child every school day.

Bukod sa libreng edukasyon sa elementarya at high school, nadoble ang pondo para sa mga college scholarships, while private high school scholarship funds from the government have quadrupled.

I have started reforming and clustering the programs of the DepEd, CHED and TESDA.

As with fiscal and food challenges, the global energy crunch demands better and more focused resource mobilization, conservation and management.

Government agencies are reducing their energy and fuel bills by 10%, emulating Texas Instruments and Philippine Stock Exchange who did it last year. Congratulations, Justice Vitug and Francis Lim.

To reduce power system losses, we count on government regulators and also on EPIRA amendments.

We are successful in increasing energy self-sufficiency—56%, the highest in our history. We promote natural gas and biofuel; geothermal fields, among the world’s largest; windmills like those in Ilocos and Batanes; and the solar cells lighting many communities in Mindanao. The new Galoc oil field can produce 17,000-22,000 barrels per day, 1/12 of our crude consumption.

The Renewable Energy Bill has passed the House. Thank you, Congressmen.

Our costly commodity imports like oil and rice should be offset by hard commodities exports like primary products, and soft ones like tourism and cyberservices, at which only India beats us.

Our P 350 million training partnership with the private sector should qualify 60,000 for call centers, medical transcription, animation and software development, which have a projected demand of one million workers generating $13 billion by 2010.

International finance agrees with our progress. Credit rating agencies have kept their positive or stable outlook on the country. Our world competitiveness ranking rose five notches. Congratulations to us.

We are sticking to, and widening, the fiscal reforms that have earned us their respect.

To our investors, thank you for your valuable role in our development. I invite you to invest not only in factories and services, but in profitable infrastructure, following the formula for the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.

I ask business and civil society to continue to work for a socially equitable, economically viable balance of interests. Mining companies should ensure that host communities benefit substantively from their investments, and with no environmental damage from operations.

Our administration enacted the Solid Waste Management Act, Wildlife Act, Protection of Plant Varieties, Clean Water Act, Biofuels Act and various laws declaring protected areas.

For reforestation, for next year we have budgeted P2 billion. Not only do forests enhance the beauty of the land, they mitigate climate change, a key factor in increasing the frequency and intensity of typhoons and costing the country 0.5% of the GDP.

We have set up over 100 marine and fish sanctuaries since 2001. In the whaleshark sanctuary of Donsol, Sorsogon, Alan Amanse, 40-year-old college undergraduate and father of two, was earning P100 a day from fishing and driving a tricycle. Now as whaleshark-watching officer, he is earns P1,000 a day, ten times his former income.

For clean water, so important to health, there is P500 million this year and P1.5 billion for next year.

From just one sanitary landfill in 2001, we now have 21, with another 18 in the works.

We launched the Zero Basura Olympics to clear our communities of trash. Rather than more money, all that is needed is for each citizen to keep home and workplace clean, and for garbage officials to stop squabbling.

Our investments also include essential ways to strengthen our institutions of governance in order to fight the decades-old scourge of corruption. I will continue to fight this battle every single day. While others are happy with headlines through accusation without evidence and privilege speeches without accountability, we have allocated more than P3 billion – the largest anti-graft fund in our history – for real evidence gathering and vigorous prosecution.

From its dismal past record, the Ombudsman’s conviction rate has increased 500%. Lifestyle checks, never seriously implemented before our time, have led to the dismissal and/or criminal prosecution of dozens of corrupt officials.

I recently met with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US agency that provides grants to countries based on governance. They have commended our gains, contributed P1 billion to our fight against graft, and declared us eligible for more grants. Thank you!

Last September, we created the Procurement Transparency Group in the DBM and linked it with business, academe, and the Church, to deter or catch anomalies in government contracts.

On my instruction, the BIR and Customs established similar government-civil society tie-ups for information gathering and tax evasion and smuggling monitoring.

More advanced corruption practices require a commensurate advances in legislative responses. Colleagues in Congress, we need a more stringent Anti-Graft Act.

Sa pagmahal ng bilihin, hirap na ang mamimili – tapos, dadayain pa. Dapat itong mahinto. Hinihiling ko sa Kongreso na magpasa ng Consumer Bill of Rights laban sa price gouging, false advertising at iba pang gawain kontra sa mamimili.

I call on all our government workers at the national and local levels to be more responsive and accountable to the people. Panahon ito ng pagsubok. Kung saan kayang tumulong at dapat tumulong ang pamahalaan, we must be there with a helping hand. Where government can contribute nothing useful, stay away. Let’s be more helpful, more courteous, more quick.

Kaakibat ng ating mga adhikain ang tuloy na pagkalinga sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino. Iisa ang ating pangarap – maunlad at mapayapang lipunan, kung saan ang magandang kinabukasan ay hindi pangarap lamang, bagkus natutupad.

Sama-sama tayo sa tungkuling ito. May papel na gagampanan ang bawat mamamayan, negosyante, pinunong bayan at simbahan, sampu ng mga nasa lalawigan.

We are three branches but one government. We have our disagreements; we each have hopes, and ambitions that drive and divide us, be they personal, ethnic, religious and cultural. But we are one nation with one fate.

As your President, I care too much about this nation to let anyone stand in the way of our people’s wellbeing. Hindi ko papayagang humadlang ang sinuman sa pag-unlad at pagsagana ng taong bayan. I will let no one – and no one’s political plans – threaten our nation’s survival.

Our country and our people have never failed to be there for us. We must be there for them now.

Maraming salamat. Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

Well, no idea if it is worth reading, just hope that we get some English summary, hehehehe..... oh, there are English parts, sorry, mea culpa!

Actually, I know what I want to read: Corruption will be stopped by tomorrow as ruling families will work for the benefit of the nation and not just their tribe, then our country will rise to new heights.

Oooops, sorry, I just woke up!

Excuse the sarcasm, it helps sometimes, but my spirit is positive, really!

Dear Ergit,

do you have an update on the airport development or even time schedules for the first flights?

I am back in SF and need to go to Manila in the next days. Why not catch the opening flight, hehehe....

Thanks in advance!

Hello, hello, nobody here anymore....?

Two days ago somebody in a travel office told me that the airport in SF will not open before the End of the year.... Its only second had information, but this would be really sad news....:ohno:

From Philippine Airlines Express # 02-855-8888

Philippine Airlines Express starts flights from Manila to San Fernando, La Union on August 15, 2008

Cost:

Manila to San Fernando, La Union
P4,966 Includes everything
P200 Terminal Fee

San Fernando, La Union to Manila
P4,966 Includes 'almost' everything
Terminal Fee (awaiting inf.)

Flights:

Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun.

Departs Manila 2:50pm
Arrives SF: 3:40pm
- Quick turn around -
Departs SF: 4pm
Arrives Manila: 4:50pm

From Philippine Airlines Express # 02-855-8888

Philippine Airlines Express starts flights from Manila to San Fernando, La Union on August 15, 2008

Cost:

Manila to San Fernando, La Union
P4,966 Includes everything
P200 Terminal Fee

San Fernando, La Union to Manila
P4,966 Includes 'almost' everything
Terminal Fee (awaiting inf.)

Flights:

Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun.

Departs Manila 2:50pm
Arrives SF: 3:40pm
- Quick turn around -
Departs SF: 4pm
Arrives Manila: 4:50pm

If this is true, then you made my day, hehehe.... And they do it from the new Terminal, wow!:banana:

By janice on Apr 3, 2008 in News

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Mayor Pablo Ortega has ordered the implementation of a radical four-day work week scheme as part of the city government’s austerity measures to minimize the effect of recent price increases.

Vice Mayor Pancracio Nisce had also issued an executive order to compel more than 500 employees of the city government, except those in front-line services, to report for work from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. as part of the city’s austerity measures.

Nisce said the work scheme, which was ordered implemented last week, is expected to mitigate the adverse effects of the series of oil price increases on the government’s fiscal position and the country’s dollar reserves, and is also a measure to maximize the impact of climate change.

Ortega, who arrived yesterday from a goodwill trip abroad, said the initiative is expected to result in substantial savings from electric consumption and other maintenance costs in city hall operations.

He said the implementation of the four-day work week will last until the end of May.

The scheme, which has been implemented in 2002 and 2005 by several government offices, is pursuant to President Arroyo’s call for austerity measures among government agencies. By Jun Elias


I know this is a bit old but why doesn't Ortega and Nisce limit the number of government vehicles being used outside office hours?

Customs surpasses collection target in July (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=200808024&type=2)
By Evelyn Z. Macairan
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it surpassed its revenue target for the fourth straight month after collecting P25.57 billion for the month of July, which is P2.58 billion higher than its assigned target.

Based on a preliminary report, the BOC said it was commissioned to collect P22.991 billion in import duties and taxes in July, but actual collection reached P25.570 billion, or a surplus of P2.579 billion.

While only 10 out of the 15 ports and the Office of the Commissioner (Ocom) were able to meet their respective targets on the seventh month of the year, the agency as a whole was able to meet the targets set by the President.

“We are doing everything we can to keep on track,” said Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales.

In terms of percentage, the Port of San Fernando in Pampanga was the top performer in July with 94.2-percent or a higher collection surplus of P97 million. Its target was P103 million but it collections reached P200 million.

While the Ocom’s target was P1.665 billion, its actual collection was P3.047 billion, or a surplus of P1.382 billion.

Other achievers were the Port of Manila collecting P8.361 billion compared to its target of P7.5 billion, or a surplus of P861 million; the Manila International Container Port’s target was P5.75 billion compared to its actual collection of P5.864 billion or a surplus of P114 million; the Port of Batangas target was P4.831 billion compared to its actual collection of P4.96 billion or a surplus of P129 million; the Port of Legaspi’s target of P3.1 million compared to the actual collection of P5.1 million or a surplus of P2 million; and the Port of Iloilo’s target of P24 million compared to its actual collection of P32 million or a surplus of P8.4 million.

The Port of Cebu’s target for July was P430 million compared to the actual collection of P510 million or a surplus of P80 million; the Port of Cagayan de Oro’s target was P265 million compared to its actual collection of P277 million or a surplus of 12 million; the Port of Davao’s target was P163 million compared to its actual collection of P172 million or a surplus of P9.2 million; and the Port of Clark’s target was P81 million compared to its actual collection of P82 million or a surplus of P1.2 million.

Meanwhile, the five ports that failed to meet their targets were the Port of Zamboanga that obtained a 65.4 percent deficiency rate. It was only tasked to accumulate P6 million in taxes and duties, but it’s collection only reached P2.1 million.

Other ports with lackluster performance were the Port of Surigao which was given the target of P4.3 million but it only accomplished P2.1 million; the Port of Tacloban which was assigned with P41 million but it only gathered P31 million; the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was tasked with P1.737 billion but it only managed to collect P1.646 billion; and the Port of Subic was tasked with P388 million but only collected P379 million.

“We can attribute this positive performance to the enhanced anti smuggling drive, an updated valuation database. We also got rid of suspicious importers and traders from our accredited list so most of that is left are those legitimate ones,” Morales said.

July is the fourth month in a row that the BOC was able to exceed its monthly targets. Last April, it was supposed to acquire P21.73 billion but it amassed P21.758 billion; in May, it was tasked to collect P21.462 billion and it reaped P21.904 billion; and in June it was assigned P21.47 billion and registered P25.427 billion.

Back to top

If this is true, then you made my day, hehehe.... And they do it from the new Terminal, wow!:banana:

PAL Express now has the Manila - San Fernando, La Union flight information on their website


http://www.philippineairlines.com/tridionroot/CorporateWebsiteParent/flights/timetable/mnlsfe_sfemnl_timetable.jsp?to=SFE

PAL expands domestic routes


Thursday, August 7, 2008
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will undergo a modest expansion of its domestic network on Aug. 15 when it commences regular jet service to Dumaguete and adds a third daily frequency to Zamboanga.

On the same day, the carrier’s low-fare brand PAL Express will start turbo-propeller service from Manila to three points in Northern Luzon — Tuguegarao (Cagayan), Cauayan (Isabela) and San Fernando (La Union) — as well as to Ormoc (Leyte) in Eastern Visayas.

Dumaguete, a pioneer PAL destination that the airline first served in February 1946, rejoins the network after a decade’s absence. PAL last flew to the Negros Oriental capital in June 1998, when operational difficulties forced a suspension of the service.

This time, PAL will field two flights daily, with convenient morning and afternoon departures. The first service, PR 291, departs Manila at 7 a.m. and arrives in Dumaguete at 8:20 a.m. The return flight, PR 292, leaves Dumaguete at 9 a.m. and lands in Manila at 10:20 a.m.

The afternoon service, PR 293, departs Manila at 3:20 p.m. and touches down in Dumaguete at 4:40 p.m. It returns as PR 294, leaving Dumaguete at 5:20 p.m. and arriving back in Manila at 6:40 p.m.

The Airbus A319 aircraft, which feature the only business-class service in the Manila-Dumaguete sector, will be deployed on the route. The state-of-the-art jet seats 126 passengers in Fiesta (Economy) Class and eight in Mabuhay (Business) Class.

Meanwhile, PAL said it will add a mid-morning flight to Zamboanga on Aug. 15, raising total frequency to three flights daily, in response to rising demand.

The new service, PR 127, departs Manila at 10 a.m. and arrives in Zamboanga at 11:45. The return flight, PR 128, leaves Zamboanga at 12:25 p.m. and lands in Manila at 2:10 p.m. Airbus A319 jets will operate the frequency.

On the other hand, PAL Express goes through its third major expansion in two months. The turbo-prop unit added five routes to its main Cebu hub last July 1, followed by four routes to its Manila hub on July 15 (plus an extra route to Manila on Aug. 1).

The launch of four more services on Aug. 15 boosts the PAL Express network to 22 routes nationwide — 11 apiece from Cebu and Manila. Overall, from Aug. 15, the PAL domestic network will count 18 jet and 22 turbo-prop routes. — Mary Ann Reyes

Back to top

PAL resumes La Union flight

By Jun Elias
Tuesday, August 12, 2008

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Philippine Airlines has resumed operation last week at the newly renovated and expanded Poro Point International Airport here while the formal launching of its inaugural flight was set on Aug. 15.

Josefa Catherine Bada, vice president for airport operation of the Poro Point Management Corp., told The STAR that PAL will be flying in from Manila to San Fernando, vise versa, every Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Bada said PAL will be using its Q300 and Q400 planes that can accommodate 56 and 74 passengers, respectively.

“We are now officially open since Aug. 7 but we will be holding the formal launching of domestic flight on Aug. 15,” Bada said

Lawyer Felix Racadio, PPMC president and chief executive officer, told The STAR recently that the resumption of PAL flights will enhance economic activities in La Union particularly inside the Poro Point Freeport Zone.

“PAL’s decision to include San Fernando in its expansion program is a big boost to the ongoing efforts of transforming the Freeport Zone into a world-class tourism and commercial destination,” Racadio said.

PPMC initiated the airport’s upgrading and expansion early this year after President Arroyo approved the allocation of at least P500 million for the repair and construction of several facilities and installation of navigational equipment.

Racadio said businessmen in La Union and its neighboring provinces welcomed PAL’s expansion program because it will ease their travel time going to and from Manila.

“In no time, Poro Point and the rest of La Union will be more accessible to the domestic and foreign tourism markets,” he said.

He said that the airport’s runway and the upgrading of its facilities can now accommodate international flights using B-737 and A320 aircrafts.

Stuck up

Meanwhile, PAL’s Express, a twin turbo prop plane got stuck at the end of a runway in Catarman, Samar at 8:27 a.m. yesterday when the plane’s landing gear fell off the edge of the runway while turning around at the terminal shortly after landing.

None of the 78 passengers and crew of Flight PR209, a brand-new turbo-prop DeHaviland 4 type plane was reported hurt. – With Rudy Santos

http://philstar.com/index.php?Nation&p=49&type=2&sec=28&aid=2008081138

Execs give selves 20 days to fix NorthRail (http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&story_id=154277)

First posted 01:30:32 (Mla time) August 13, 2008
Tonette Orejas
Philippine Daily Inquirer




CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – China’s economic officials have committed to continue the $900-million NorthRail project and agreed to a 20-day timetable to thresh out the problems that snagged the construction of the modern railway in Central Luzon, according to an official monitoring the project.

“It was the singular project mentioned by China’s economic minister. He dwelt lengthily on the need to resume it,” said Edgardo Pamintuan, president of the North Luzon Railway Corp. (NLRC) and chair of the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council.

During the two-day ministerial meetings in China last week, Pamintuan said the Chinese officials assured commitment to the project to “help a neighboring country …to have this monumental transport system as a reflection of their goodwill.”

He said the biggest problem that needed to be settled pertained to the right-of-way, which has not been fully obtained due to 241 structures along the first 64-km stretch of the project from Caloocan City in Metro Manila to Malolos City in Bulacan.

Within 20 days, the Chinese contractor, China National Machinery and Equipment Corp. (CNMEC), will also submit a final design and schedule of work from which the NLRC will decide on the construction cost.

The CNMEC abandoned the project in March reportedly because the previous NLRC board refused to revise the project cost.

“We agree to evaluate now,” Pamintuan said.

He said the CNMEC has agreed to relocate its construction headquarters from Valenzuela City to Guiguinto, Bulacan.

Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza said he had agreed in principle to the plan to help in the resumption of the NorthRail.

The Bulacan provincial board, he said, would be asked to pass a resolution allowing the CNMEC to temporarily use part of a provincial property near the province’s slaughterhouse and flower trading post.

Earlier, Philippine and Chinese officials have adopted a “no comment” policy as they negotiate on the prospect of the suspended NorthRail project.

Pamintuan had announced that the Arroyo administration was pursuing the continuation of the NorthRail not only from Caloocan City to the Clark Freeport but also to the south down to Bicol.




Copyright INQUIRER.net. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For years, I heard that the airport located in San Fernando, La Union was going to be extended. It finally happened.

For years, I heard a Casino and resort was going to be built on Poro Point. It finally happened.

For years, I've been hearing about a boulevard that will be built along the ocean next to the airport, and Poro Point, now I hear that it will happen once the Airport is finished.

I was inquiring about a piece of land near the beach and was advised to not waste my money. This person revealed that the plan is to measure 50 meters from high tide as the reference point to build the road which will be 3 meters wide and traffic will be one way heading North starting in the Pagudpud area. Everything within the 50 meters and 3 meters for the road is to be demolished and cleared to make way for beaches and 1 small port to facilitate boats to 100 Islands and other locations.

Everything east of the boulevard up to the airport wall along the runway will be Eco-Tourism related. Other land areas inland along the boulevard won't be effected.

When I asked, what about the resorts and houses that are being built near the Kasay Marine Sanctuary the response was they were warned that they are wasting their money but they are in denial that the boulevard will happen.

Has anyone else heard this or is this just more gossip?

I hope someone could provide photos of the newly renovated airport.

Expressway, La Union airport seen to boost Cordillera growth (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/31/PROV20080831133898.html)



By DEXTER A. SEE

BAGUIO CITY – The upcoming operation of the San Fernando airport in La Union and the immediate completion of the 84-kilometer Tarlac-La Union toll expressway will surely perk up tourism, agriculture, and economic development in Baguio City and the entire Cordillera.


The San Fernando airport is expected to resume flight operations by October, this year following the completion of the first phase of the half-billion-peso upgrading project funded by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

The San Fernando airport is part of the Poro Point Freeport Zone being managed by the Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC), a subsidiary of the BCDA.

The Tarlac-La Union Toll Expressway Project on the other hand, is being implemented by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and will be completed and is expected to be operational by 2011.

Johnny dela Cruz, president of the Baguio-Benguet Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (BBCCII), said the overflowing development in the city which comes as a result of the completion of the vital infrastructure facilities would also benefit the surrounding communities such as the towns of Itogon, La Trinidad, Sablan, and Tuba, all in Benguet.

With the expected influx of investors in Baguio and Benguet and with the operation of the San Fernando airport and the Tarlac-La Union toll expressway, he said, employment will be provided to thousands of people and there will be sufficient opportunities for livelihood that would help uplift the living condition of families in urban centers.

The Tarlac-La Union toll expressway will be connected to the BCDA’s flagship project, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

The entire 94-kilomete SCTEX is now open for commercial operations. Recently, one of the country’s major bus companies, Victory Liner, started taking the SCTEX Clark-Tarlac route to Baguio, cutting travel time from six hours to four hours.

Aside from the reduced travel time, travel will be safer and more convenient as the buses need not take the narrower and sometimes unevenly paved national road. An added bonus for using the SCTEX is the considerable amount of fuel savings due to non-stop driving. It will only be a matter of time before other bus companies and cargo trucks will follow suit.

Dela Cruz said the provision of access is an integral part of the country’s tourism, agricultural and economic development, and SCTEX and the Tarlac-La Union toll expressway, which will be operational soon, would improve the delivery of goods to any part of Northern Luzon in a short time.

Moreover, locators in the economic zone here will now have alternatives in the use of transportation means to bring their products to Clark and Subic via the inter-connected expressways. They could opt to maximize the use of the San Fernando airport which is much nearer to the city. They could cut travel time and expenses in the transport of their products.

Tourism, agricultural, and economic development in Central and Northern Luzon is in an upbeat mood following the full operation of SCTEX.

The Clark-Tarlac segment of the SCTEX opened last July 25, while the Subic-Clark segment started commercial operation last April 28.

Dela Cruz said the development of surrounding communities that could come as a result of improved access will also benefit this city because people will drop by Baguio to enjoy its cool, romantic weather, pine-scented air, and natural scenery.

Baby tiger shark freed in Lingayen (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008090362&type=2)

Thursday, September 4, 2008


SAN FERNANDO, La Union – A three-month-old tiger shark caught in a net in Barangay Ilocanos here was released in the waters of Lingayen Gulf yesterday by Mayor Pablo Ortega and fishery experts.

The baby tiger shark measured about two feet and had dark brown body with white spots.

“The baby shark did not bore any injury and it was healthy and strong,” Ortega said.

Ortega said fishermen Alex Biares and Ely Parcon caught the tiger shark and immediately placed it in a large plastic basin with seawater to protect it from harm.

“The fishermen are aware of my advocacy (to save endangered species) that’s why they immediately informed my office about their catch so we could properly attend to it,” he said.

Biares said he was surprised when he saw his “catch.” “I knew it was a baby shark because of its shape but the color puzzled me. It’s different from other small sharks that we had caught,” he said.

Biares said he called up Ortega’s office for help because fishermen like him are aware that they should not sell or consume such endangered species and instead report them to the authorities for proper care.

Ortega said adult tiger sharks could reach more than three meters long. – Jun Elias

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RP eyes huge spending for infra program (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/121007/RP-eyes-huge-spending-for-infra-program)
09/17/2008 | 07:45 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us MANILA, Philippines - The government is looking to invest trillions of pesos for infrastructure projects in a bid to perk up the economy amid global uncertainties.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto on Wednesday said that under the updated 2008 to 2010 Comprehensive and Integrated Infrastructure Program (CIIP), the government is seeking P2 trillion from this year to 2010 to finance these projects.

He noted that for the first half of the year, the Philippine economy posted a 4.6-percent expansion, a far cry from its above 7-percent improvement in the same period in 2007, at a time when public construction also slowed.

"What if public construction posted the same growth as in 2007, at 43.4 percent? Our GDP growth in the first half of 2008 would have been 6.9 percent. Our GDP growth targets are achievable so long as our infrastructure programs deliver," he said.

The government’s official economic target for this year is a growth between 5.5 percent and 6.4 percent and 6.1 percent to 6.7 percent in 2009.

Of the total fund requirements, the transportation sector has the highest share at 38 percent or P755 billion, and followed by power electrification, P611 million.

Water resources will get P347.53 million; social infrastructure, P167.91 million; communication, P56.49 million and relending program, P36.69 million.

Recto added that the government is eyeing to finance P1.5 trillion of the total amount, while the private sector is seen to shoulder P613 billion of the investment requirement.

The P94 billion will be funded by the government owned and controlled corporations; P26 billion from government Financial Institutions; P10 billion from local government units and P118 billion through other sources.

Of the whole transport sector, Recto said roads and bridges and rail transport with shares of 44 percent and 39 percent respectively, comprise the biggest investment requirement

"Road and bridge projects are being pursued in support of the government’s thrust of linking the entire country through an effective transport network that would open up new economic opportunities, reduce logistic costs and increase access to social services. Roads are being linked to RORO ports," Recto said.

He said that owing to the huge investments needed for transport projects, the government will continue to tap the private sector in the development of priority projects under the BOT law.

The Tarlac-La Union Toll Expressway, Panguil Bay Bridge, Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway Extension, Daang Hari- SLEX Link Road, South Luzon Expressway Extension Project, and Southern Tagalog Arterial Road Project, among others, are being proposed for private sector financing.

Recto added that the government plans to implement an integrated urban rail-based mass
transport system through projects such as the LRT Line 1 North Extension (Closing the Loop).

To further provide efficient mass transportation, the capacities of existing railway lines will be increased through projects like MRT3 Capacity Expansion, and existing rail facilities will be extended through LRT Line 2 East Extension to Masinag and Line 1 South Extension Project.

"Metro Manila is already crowded. It will be more congested in a decade, as more people flow in from the provinces. Clearly, we don’t want to see EDSA turned into a giant parking lot," Recto said.

In line with decongesting Metro Manila and spreading development in the countryside, other projects lined up are the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project, Phase 1 (Caloocan to Alabang) and Phase 2 (Alabang – Calamba), North Rail Project Phase 1, Section 1 (Caloocan-Malolos) & Section 2 (Malolos-Clark), Mainline South Railway Project (Southrail) Phase IA (Calamba- Lucena), Phase 1B (Lucena-Legaspi) & Phase II (Extension to Sorsogon). GMANews.TV

September 23, 2008 12:47 pm by pna
By Lynda B. Valencia

MANILA, Sept. 23 – Foreign and local tourists will now have an access to the province of La Union as the new San Fernando Airport have been opened.

San Fernando City Mayor Pablo C. Ortega said “Hopefully, it will attract tourists to come here as several Koreans have signified their intentions to open flights from their country to the San Fernando Airport.”


Ortega said there is also possibility of connecting flights between Hong Kong (HK) and San Fernando, noting “that there are many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in HK who are from Region I.”

He also said that this will provide convenience and the shorter time of travel for the OFWs. “In just one hour, they are in La Union.”

Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), started the upgrading after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo approved the allocation of at least P500 million for the project, which also calls for the installation of aeronautical equipment.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights between San Fernando and Manila will be resumed with frequency of four times a week – on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

PAL will be using its Q400 plane that can accommodate 76 passengers starting October 1, 2008. It will depart Manila at 2:50 pm and will arrive San Fernando at 3:40 pm.

Meanwhile, PPMC president and CEO Felix Racadio lauded the resumption of PAL flights here.

Racadio said that airport in La Union will enhance economic activities in the province, particularly in the Poro Point Freeport zone.

He said PAL’s decision to include San Fernando in its expansion program is a big boost to the efforts of transforming the Freeport zone into a world-class tourism and commercial hub.

Other airline companies can also operate connecting flights to the San Fernando airport, Racadio said.

The airport upgrading was done in two phases. Phase I entailed the removal of the obstruction from the southwestern end of the runway, upgrading of the runway, the taxiway and apron pavements.

Also done were the relocation and construction of new control tower, improvements and expansion of the existing terminal, completion of the perimeter fence, completion of the precision approach, path indicator and identification lights.

Phase II entailed the widening of the runway to 45 meters from the existing 36 meters and the construction of the new terminal building, fire station building, taxiway and apron.

At the same time, the scope of works included the sealing of the airport’s runway pavement, procurement of the air navigation for the control tower. (PNA)

FFC/LBV

http://news.balita.ph/2008/09/23/la-union-airport-ready-for-foreignlocal-tourists/

PAL Express, the new, low-fare brand of Philippine Airlines, completed its inaugural flight from Manila to Caticlan May 5, 2008.

PAL Express debuted with 12 flights daily between Manila and Caticlan, gateway to the resort island of Boracay – in time for the peak summer travel period.

The new carrier, which operates a fleet of nine modern Bombardier Q300 and Q400 turbo-propeller aircraft, will boost services dramatically on May 19 when it opens a hub in Cebu. PAL Express will fly a total of 22 routes initially, including some to island and provincial points without air service currently.

Tthe new, low-fares brand of Philippine Airlines, will serve 22 inter-island routes at the outset, including some provincial points currently without air service or underserved by other players, PAL president Jaime J. Bautista announced today.

“With PAL Express, Philippine Airlines is reassuming its traditional mandate of providing quality, affordable air service to outlying communities. Such air link has historically acted as a spur for the development of these areas.” said Bautista.

“PAL Express also allows PAL to offer a low-fare yet high-value alternative in many trunkline and tourist routes such as here in Caticlan,” he added during arrival ceremonies of the inaugural PAL Express flight from Manila.

Other PAL executives onboard the maiden flight were deputy chief executive officer Henry So Uy and assistant vice president for sales Antonio Herrera.

On hand to welcome the PAL delegation were Aklan vice-governor Gabrielle Calizo; members of the travel trade; and representatives from the media.

Caticlan, gateway to the resort island of Boracay, is the first destination of PAL Express, which will operate 12 flights daily from Manila starting today. Brand-new, 50-seater Bombardier Q300 turbo-propeller aircraft are deployed on the high-traffic route.

PAL Express will dramatically expand its network over the next two months, with service scheduled to be launched on 22 routes.

Thirteen of those new routes emanate from PAL Express’ main hub of Cebu, where operations start May 19 with services to five points – Caticlan, Bacolod, Tacloban, Butuan and General Santos.

On the same day, a daily flight between Manila and Busuanga in northern Palawan will also commence.

On May 26, three more services will operate out of Cebu: Davao, with thrice-daily flights; Iloilo, twice daily; and Puerto Princesa, a single flight everyday.

On June 23, four new destinations will be served from Cebu – Dipolog, Ozamiz, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga, with the last service proceeding onward to Davao and back – rounding out the Cebu hub network for now.

On the other hand, PAL Express’ other hub in Manila will add several new routes in July: Surigao, Legazpi, Virac and Cauayan (Isabela) on July 21, and San Jose (Occidental Mindoro), Calbayog and San Fernando (La Union) on July 26.

With PAL Express’ entry, Surigao, Cauayan and San Fernando, which have gone without air service for many years now, will once more enjoy a regular air link to Manila – a service PAL first provided these small cities in the 1980s.

Likewise, travelers to Virac, San Jose, Ozamiz and Calbayog will benefit from PAL Express’ upgraded service and competitive fares. Currently, these points are underserved by existing carriers. (PR)
http://www.cebu-philippines.net/news050808-pal-express.html

LA UNION MEDICAL CENTER
Hospital accepts vegetables as payment

By Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes
Northern Luzon Bureau

AGOO, LA UNION—In the past, patients in remote villages brought vegetables and farm animals to the barangay doctor as payment for medical services.

The practice still flourishes in this agricultural town although with a difference: Instead of seeking medical help from a village doctor working alone, poor patients avail themselves of services of specialists in a medical center with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.

“We accept payment in kind such as vegetables which are given monetary value. The cost is deducted from the hospital bills of patients. The hospital needs to buy vegetables anyway for the patients’ meals,” said Dr. Fernando Astom, chief executive officer of La Union Medical Center (LUMC).

Those who cannot bring farm produce may render labor instead. “We want to remove the dole mentality. We want the poor patients and their families to have a sense of responsibility,” Astom said.

He said the arrangement was giving patients dignity as they were paying partly for the medical services they were getting.

“They can bring village-mates to clean the buildings and the surroundings in bayanihan fashion, with each person helping pay for the bills by working,” Astom added.

The hospital is known for accepting payment in kind and service, thus patients volunteer to bring vegetables, fruits and fish and to serve in the hospital’s kitchen, laundry or in cleaning the buildings and premises.

Last month, village officials and volunteer workers of Barangay Concepcion in Rosario town cut weeds and grasses and swept the hospital yard for half a day to thank the hospital administration for the medical services granted to their village mates.

When Sanita Quintin, a barangay resident, underwent hysterectomy, she paid P2,000 of the more than P8,000 bill as she was able to use the villagers’ services to pay for the operation.

The grandmother of 9-year-old Alexis de Vera was in a quandary when the girl fell from a carabao (water buffalo) and broke her right arm in January this year.

The grandmother, Nanay Ingga, takes care of the girl whose parents have separated.

Alexis needed three operations and incurred a hospital bill of almost P170,000, including the professional fees of doctors from Manila.

How will the old woman, whose only income comes from farming, pay that?

“She is very poor but a sweet woman. She volunteered to render service to pay part of the expenses. She brought vegetables from her farm as payment,” said Felisa Mamaril, a social welfare officer assigned to the hospital.

Nanay Ingga paid about P11,000 worth of vegetables and services and the balance of the bill was written off by the hospital.

Since April 2002 when the hospital started the scheme for poor patients, payment in kind or services had amounted to P881,594, according to hospital records.

LUMC replaced Doña Gregoria Memorial Hospital in 2002 as the provincial hospital of La Union. It sits on a 3.7-hectare lot in Nazareno village.

The lot was donated by the European Union during the term of then Gov. Victor Ortega, now representative of the province’s first district. The donation for the buildings and equipment amounted to P650 million.

Ortega’s wife, Mary Jane, former San Fernando City mayor, said there was no way to operate the P650-million medical complex with P35 million, the annual budget of the provincial hospital where everyone was given medical treatment for free.

Ortega hired Astom, then connected with Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) in San Fernando, to be the hospital chief.

The two thought of operating the hospital as a corporation and came up with a scheme in which patients are categorized into full-paying, charity and nonpaying patients.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development determines to which group a patient belongs.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20081009-165432/Hospital-accepts-vegetables-as-payment

Tacloban City (October 22) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred the awards to the country's Most Business-Friendly Local Government Units, during the closing session of the 34th Philippine Business Conference at the Manila Hotel.

President Arroyo was welcomed by 34th PBC chairman Alfredo Yao, PCCI chairman emeritus Atty. Miguel Varela, PCCI president Edgardo Lacson, PCCI past president Francis Chua, the officers of the PCCI and the 3000 delegates and exhibitors from the PCCI's network of business chambers, corporate members and industry associations nationwide who attended the three-day business conference.

This year's conference theme highlights the significant gains the Philippines has achieved as a result of the tough economic reforms instituted by the President and the country's active participation in global economic integration.

To sustain the country's economic growth, the President has underscored the role of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and ASEAN neighbors China and India, as partners of the Philippines in advancing its economic development and in building a more cohesive regional community.

She pointed out that close cooperation and partnerships are important weapons for the economies of the countries in the region to surge ahead amidst the current global challenges.

President Arroyo personally presented the awards to the Local Chief Executives of the five Local Government Units. Leyte won as the Most Business-Friendly Province; the Cities of San Fernando, La Union and Tarlac for the Most Business Friendly City- Level 1 category; Balanga City as Most Friendly City- Level 2 and Tanauan, Leyte as the Most Business-Friendly Municipality.

These Most Business-Friendly LGUs are being recognized for their efforts in instituting good governance in promoting trade and investment such as innovative and sound business licensing procedures, and efficient conduct of daily operations.

The award highlights the best practices of local government units that promote the growth of businesses, including investment promotion and streamlining of procedures for issuance of business permits in the most expedient, efficient and friendly manner. This is seen to significantly help lower the cost of doing business in the country.

Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla and Tanauan, Leyte Mayor Roque Tiu who were personally present during the Awarding Ceremonies, expressed their gratitude to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for recognizing the efforts of the local government units.

Governor Petilla said that he would take advantage of the Award to make the whole Philippines and the whole world know that the Province of Leyte is a place where investors can do good business.

hi! good pm kamusta la union? last time kong pumunta dyan is visiting csi mall and maluwag siya.

Economy
Written by Max V. de Leon / Reporter
Friday, 07 November 2008 00:27

http://www.calltime.com.au/images/caselogo_sitel.gif

SAN FERNANDO, La Union—Global call-center firm Sitel is likely to become the first large-scale outsourcing firm to locate in La Union province as the company expressed strong interest in setting up operation inside the Poro Point Free-port Zone here.

Cristina Rodrigo, vice president for corporate planning of Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC) that oversees Poro Point, said PPMC has been in constant talks with Sitel executives on the plan of the company to lease at least 3,000 square meters in the free port’s 3.9-hectare IT zone.

Rodrigo said Sitel is looking at setting up an initial 600-seat contact- center facility in the area that will run on three shifts.

Although there is no concrete decision yet, Rodrigo said the company has demonstrated its strong desire to proceed with the project by putting up the “Sitel Academy” here, where it is now training prospective agents that will make up the initial 1,800 agents for the site.

“So it looks like the decision is going to be positive because they already put up their school here,” she told reporters.

Right now, however, Rodrigo said Sitel is still assessing the impact of the financial crisis in the US on the company’s global operations.

Rodrigo said there is still no structure yet in Poro Point’s IT zone.

However, PPMC was informed by Sitel that it can easily build its facility there as the company will just be bringing in prefabricated structures for quick establishment of its building once it decides to proceed with the project.

Rodrigo said Poro Point is already equipped with the necessary telecommunications infrastructure to meet the requirements of call centers.

http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=33:economy&id=1634:sitel-first-large-scale-call-center-to-locate-in-la-union

Economy
Written by Max V. de Leon / Reporter
Friday, 07 November 2008 00:22


SAN FERNANDO, La Union—The Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC) is placing the P1.2-billion Phase 2 of the San Fernando International Airport (SFA) expansion project in the back burner until the government has succeeded in luring airlines to have regular domestic and regional flights here.

Josefa Catherine Bada, PPMC vice president for airport operations, said since the inauguration of the newly improved airport in August, they have yet to attract a single carrier to make regular flights in the SFA.

Right now, Bada said the airport is being used only by 15 flying schools and some chartered flights.

With this, Bada said the second phase of the airport’s expansion will have to wait until they have mustered the necessary traffic volume.

“Phase 2 will be dictated by the market. If there will be enough traffic, Phase 2 will be implemented,” Bada told reporters in a briefing at the new passenger terminal of the SFA on Wednesday night.

The full operation of the airport is critical to the growth of the 236-hectare Poro Point Special Economic and Free-port Zone, which currently has seven locators including Poro Point Industrial Corp. and Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotels and Resorts Inc.

Thunderbird is expecting its occupancy rate to improve by 80 percent once the airport becomes fully operational, necessitating the construction of additional rooms for its current 36-room resort facility. The company is also operating a casino and golf course inside Poro Point, and has already invested some P1 billion in the area.

Bada said they are pinning their hopes primarily on local carriers such as Cebu Pacific and the new Zest-Air (formerly Asian Spirit) to respond to their marketing efforts and do the regular regional flights in the airport.

Asian Spirit was the last airline to have domestic calls in SFA right before it was shut down to give way to the P565-million Phase 1 of the airport’s expansion in May 2007. As of October 31, Phase 1 was already 85-percent complete.

Bada said they are particularly seeking regular Hong Kong-San Fernando flights for the SFA, with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as the main market.

The airport, she said, can serve as the gateway for tourists and OFWs who are going to provinces in Northern Luzon, including the Cordilleras.

Bada said she is certain the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which is spending for the airport expansion, has the ready funds to proceed with the second phase of the project once they have generated the traffic volume.

PPMC is extending the stretch of the runway to 2,120 meters and widening it to 45 meters.

The current airport can accommodate Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 planes, while the passenger terminal’s capacity is only 150 persons.

The PPMC said Phase 2 is more expensive because they would need to compensate the owners of the nearby properties that will be affected by it.


http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1628:san-fernando-airport-expansion-put-on-hold-pending-more-flights&catid=33:economy

Firm plans $ 120-M hotel expansion
http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20081107140133.html

By BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT

SAN FERNANDO, LA UNION - Panama-based Thunderbird Resorts is investing an estimated $ 120 million over the next three years for the construction of a combined 400 rooms, 200 rooms each, and new amenities for its two hotel and casino facilities in Binangonan, Rizal and in San Fernando, La Union.

Alain Richard, manager for both facilities, told reporters the company is investing $ 300,000 for each room that they plan to construct and renovate to expand its existing hotels.

Its Binangonan facility, established four years ago, has a total of 73 hotel rooms but which would be up for renovation and construction of over 100 rooms to make a total of 200 rooms.

The La Union facility, which was opened about five months ago, located in the Poro Point Special Economic Zone and Freeport Zone has 36 existing rooms that would be increased to 200 by 2010. The company is also constructing the Beach Club at a cost of $ 6 million for its water sports and a pool.

Richard said the La Union facility has a higher occupancy rate of 80 to 85 percent much higher than La Union’s about 45 percent.

According to Richard, La Union attracts mostly local tourists and only 10 percent foreign, who are mostly Americans and come to the North by land.

But next year, the company would mount an aggressive marketing campaign in Japan by putting up an office at the Narita airport.

Richard said the Japanese are a better market than the Koreans and Chinese because of their higher spending capability as Japanese both play golf and gamble.

"We are just waiting for the airport’s control tower to be functioning very well," he said noting that the entry of commercial flights would help attract more foreign visitors to stay in the hotel than the locals.

Thunderbird is also negotiating for a new nine hole golf course to bring its golf course to 18 and gives them the leverage to be considered of international standard.

This would make La Union facility lot bigger than the Binangonan facility in terms of area.

Thunderbird employs a combined of 1,600 people of which 800 are in La Union. Richard said the company is not closing its doors on developing other areas in the country under the same concept of a casino and a resort hotel.

"There are so many good real estate deals in this country, we may go for an entirely new or renovate existing facilities," he said.(BCM)

Sitel first large-scale call center to locate in La Union (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1634:sitel-first-large-scale-call-center-to-locate-in-la-union&catid=33:economy)
Written by Max V. de Leon / Reporter
Friday, 07 November 2008 00:27

SAN FERNANDO, La Union—Global call-center firm Sitel is likely to become the first large-scale outsourcing firm to locate in La Union province as the company expressed strong interest in setting up operation inside the Poro Point Free-port Zone here.

Cristina Rodrigo, vice president for corporate planning of Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC) that oversees Poro Point, said PPMC has been in constant talks with Sitel executives on the plan of the company to lease at least 3,000 square meters in the free port’s 3.9-hectare IT zone.

Rodrigo said Sitel is looking at setting up an initial 600-seat contact- center facility in the area that will run on three shifts.

Although there is no concrete decision yet, Rodrigo said the company has demonstrated its strong desire to proceed with the project by putting up the “Sitel Academy” here, where it is now training prospective agents that will make up the initial 1,800 agents for the site.

“So it looks like the decision is going to be positive because they already put up their school here,” she told reporters.

Right now, however, Rodrigo said Sitel is still assessing the impact of the financial crisis in the US on the company’s global operations.

Rodrigo said there is still no structure yet in Poro Point’s IT zone.

However, PPMC was informed by Sitel that it can easily build its facility there as the company will just be bringing in prefabricated structures for quick establishment of its building once it decides to proceed with the project.

Rodrigo said Poro Point is already equipped with the necessary telecommunications infrastructure to meet the requirements of call centers.

Friday, November 07, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]

San Fernando, La Union: The Poro Point Freeport Zone is enticing airlines to put up domestic and international operations in the San Fernando Airport here, following a major facelift the airport recently underwent, officials said.

According to Josefa Catherine Bada, Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC) vice president for airport operations, the first phase of the San Fernando Airport upgrading project, which started in May last year and would be completed in December this year, could accommodate bigger aircrafts such as the 150-seater Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 planes.

The P565-million expansion will see the airport runway widen to 2,120 meters by 45 meters from 1,320 meters by 36 meters. The fund will also be used to construct and rehabilitate buildings, among other facility improvements.

As of end-October, the first phase of the San Fernando Airport upgrade was around 84-percent complete, according to Cristina Rodrigo, PPMC acting vice president for corporate planning and business development.

The San Fernando airport, which was partially reopened in August this year and is currently servicing chartered flights and flying schools, is also in a strategic position to service commercial flights, Bada said.

Before the airport was temporarily shut down in December last year, Asian Spirit operated three flights a week between Manila and San Fernando. Asian Spirit is now restructured into the new carrier Zest-Air.

Bada said PPMC is marketing San Fernando Airport as an entry point of local and foreign tourists visiting the northern part of the Philippines and also of overseas Filipino workers. She disclosed that PPMC is particularly targeting to seal flights between Hong Kong and San Fernando.

PPMC also has a P1.2-billion second phase expansion project in the pipeline, but Bada said that further development would push through once the San Fernando Airport becomes a viable gateway.

“Phase 2 of upgrading San Fernando Airport would be determined by market forces . . . the project starts as soon as there is a market, a demand for our services here,” Bada said.

According to Rodrigo, the airport is earning money despite the absence of commercial operations, but she did not disclose details.

Also, Thunderbird Pilipinas Hotels and Resorts Inc., one of the current locators in Poro Point Freeport Zone, is also looking forward to commercial operations of San Fernando Airport.

According to Yzl Cruz, Thunderbird Resorts marketing services and public relations manager, their hotel operations would benefit from commercial operations of San Fernando Airport, as they see expansion of their facilities by 80 percent once tourists pour in through the airport.--Ben Arnold O. de Vera

http://philrealtyinfonews.blogspot.com/2008/11/poro-point-freeport-courts-commercial.html

wow, maganda talagang strategy ng La Union...bilib ako

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/poro.jpg

Thunderbird resorts (soon to be expanded to 400 beds?)

Baguio rejected the proposal that a casino would be put up within the city, hence Thunderbird resorts chose to invest in San Fernando. And with the opening of an international airport in San Fernando, the future of the city looks promising.:)

anong airline ang may flights sa LU?

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/skyscraper/poro.jpg

Wow! parang nasa Greece!!!!!

December 10, 2008 3:44 pm by pna

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Dec. 10 — The provincial government is bent on implementing the Zero Basura Olympics (ZBO) as provided for in Section 1, Rule 13 of Republic Act No. 9003, otherwise known as the Solid Waste Ecological Act.

This was reiterated by officials and employees who attended a ZBO public consultation held last week at the provincial capitol, jointly conducted by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office.

Attended by provincial and municipal government employees, the consultation was graced by Vice Governor Eulogio Clarence Martin P. De Guzman III, Mayors Jose Abansi of Burgos and Bellarmin Flores II of Rosario, and Vice Mayor Victor Marron of Luna.

The ZBO is a methodology provided for by RA 9003 that can help to solve the growing problem on garbage in every locality throughout the country.

The law mandates all Local Government Units (LGUs) to make their respective communities 100% Zero Waste in 10 months from September 2008 to June 2009.

On the other hand, ZBO is expected to sustain the mechanism for formulating and implementing waste segregation at source (household level).

This includes the adoption of the ecological method of recycling, reuse and reduction of non-biodegradable waste, proper handling of bio-wastes, composting, production of feeds and fuel, water conservation, tree planting and greening efforts, continuing livelihood generation, additional employment and savings from recycling.

It also provides recognitions and citations to top performing LGUs and special awards for best practices implemented on composting; recycling; closure and rehabilitation of dumpsite; and use of alternative technology.

The program is a joint undertaking of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, League of Provinces, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Interior and Local Government, Liga ng mga Barangay, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, Union of Local Authorities in the Philippines, Earth Day Network Philippines, Inc., Philippine Business for the Environment and the Philippines Business for Social Progress.

The consultation was done in line with the provincial government’s Environment and Natural Resources Program towards Sustainable Management and Utilization of Natural Resources. (PNA)

http://balita.ph/2008/12/10/la-union-serious-in-implementing-zero-basura-olympics/
DCT/LVM/rma

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/12/17/08/poro-point-seen-ict-hub-region-1

BY XENIA RIBAYA, ABS-CBN News North Luzon | 12/18/2008 2:04 AM

SAN FERNANDO, LA UNION - Big time players in the country’s business sector are now determined to develop Poro Point as the new ICT Hub in Region 1.

They said that it could be an alternative to Baguio and Metro Manila in the north despite threats of a global economic slump.

In the recent 1st Regional Investment Forum, business frontliners declared that the global recession being experienced in the United States and some European countries should be seen as a great opportunity for giant investors to try their luck in the Philippines.

“Outsourcing is advantageous to the country,” declared Jonathan De Luzuriaga, Business Processing Association of the Philippines executive director for industry affairs. De Luzuriaga said he believes that once US-based companies will start investing in the country, greater employment opportunities will be offered to Filipinos.

“US will outsource almost all of their programs. The Philippines will get a great share of them,” supported Elmer San Pascual of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

Undersecretary Hermenegildo Dumlao, North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Area executive director, said: “Why pay a $1 wage to a New Yorker when you can have an equally competent Filipino agent for just 16 cents?”

Thus, new graduates are now being convinced to work in call centers as authorities continually attract more ITC investors in Poro Point. In line with this, many universities in La Union are now starting to include ICT subjects in their curriculum and continually sending on-the-job-trainees abroad.

Authorities also believe that even US President-elect Barrack Obama’s top priorities of focusing jobs in the US would not hinder the possible economic boom in the Philippines that is forecast by some.

“Obama’s goal is just a political mandate,” said Wilson Chua, CEO of Bitstop, Inc.

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

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Photo by when milko shoots (http://flickr.com/photos/when_milko_shoots/)

:banana::banana::banana:Merry Christmas to everyone!!!:banana::banana::banana:

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Guapple Area of Bauang, La Union

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Guapple and Grapes for Sale!
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MacArthur Highway at Bauang La Union
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The Dried Fish Market of Damortis
Santo Tomas, La Union
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The locality's famed "Espada"
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The people at Damortis Fish Market
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ALL AROUND THE WORLD CELEBRATES TONIGHT


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From SSC-Iligan City

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San Fernando City, La Union
The capital of La Union.

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Agoo, La Union
my Hometown.

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Jose Aspiras Civic Center
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Basilica of Our Lady of Charity
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Pope John Paul II
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^^Wow! Ang ganda naman. Parang nasa Greece. :okay:

http://www.thunderbirdresorts.com/SiteAssets//images/main-en/hero.sub.destinations.philippines.jpg

The first casino and hotel in Southeast Asia, Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal, was opened on April 11, 2005 by Thunderbird’s subsidiary, Eastbay Resorts Inc.

Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal is situated in the town of Binangonan of the Rizal province. This resort is a short drive from downtown Manila and is located on a scenic lake view property that creates the perfect getaway for local Filipinos as well as visiting Asian players seeking a golf, hotel, restaurant, and gaming experience. The lure of Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal is that it's unlike any casino in the Philippines because of its unique offering that includes a hotel, themed restaurants, and a golf resort complex.

In a very short time, Eastbay Resorts Inc. has proven its expertise in Casino and Hotel Management with the following achievements:

Fiesta Casino at Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal is the first private casino in the sector to service both local and foreign markets.

Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal offers Thunderbird’s first hotel in the Philippines that has 43 suites (Phase I).
Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal adjoins an 18-hole championship calibre golf course that has 200 members, which allows the casino operation to offer golf to its patrons.

A year after in April 2006, Fiesta Casino at Poro Point was opened for business. Fiesta Casino at Poro Point offers a luxurious, fine dining experience and live entertainment. Thunderbird Resorts is building a 40-room luxury hotel in Poro Point that is adjacent to a 9-hole, all-weather golf course with signature holes by the cliff-side. Ten out of these forty suites will be open for vacation ownership. Thunderbird Resorts - Poro Point will open in the first quarter of 2008.

http://www.thunderbirdresorts.com/ThunderbirdSiteAssets/philippines/images/main-en/amazing.jpg


http://www.thunderbirdresorts.com/ThunderbirdSiteAssets/philippines/images/main-en/fiesta.jpg
Thunderbird Fiesta Casino at Binangonan

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Thunderbird Fiesta Casino at Poro Point


To date, Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal and Fiesta Casinos in both Rizal & Poro Point have surpassed management expectations as entry points into the Southeast Asia region, proving that each of the resort properties has tremendous opportunities for expansion.

http://www.thunderbirdresorts.com/SiteBase/wrap/theme6/images/common/hero.sub.jpg

Source (http://www.thunderbirdresorts.com/info/en/destinations.philippines.aspx)

Agoo, La Union
my Hometown.

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Jose Aspiras Civic Center
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Basilica of Our Lady of Charity
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Pope John Paul II
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diba meron museum po dito sa agoo???????

more of Agoo...

Basilica of Our Lady of Charity

the exterior
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the Holy Door
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Wishing Well at Our Lady's Garden
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San Jose
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the interiors
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past and present Patron saint of Agoo, Mother and Son, St. Augustine and St. Monica
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the belen and the three kings
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San Jose
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Paintings

The Second Coming of Christ with a local setting
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1971 Canonical coronation of Our Lady of Charity
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Good Friday procession around Agoo
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Plaza de la Virgen

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