Clark and Subic Infrastructure and Urban Planning [Archive] - Page 4

ericlucky290

January 31st, 2008, 03:25 AM

IBM cites Clark Freeport ’s IT competitiveness
CDC - Public Relations Department:
1/30/2008:

CLARK FREEPORT— Information Technology (IT) giant IBM has cited Clark Freeport’s edge in IT noting that this former United States military facility has become a strategic location for its expansion programs.

IBM Philippines President James Velasquez, in an interview over Aksyon Central Luzon Special Edition hosted by Sonny Lopez, said Clark has “become a strategic place for IBM to focus its efforts in.”

Velasquez said IBM is eyeing Clark in line with their ongoing GEO Expansion programs, which taps top regions outside Metro Manila with IT opportunities.

“We are committed to bring out our IT and Business Solutions to Clark ’s business landscape, majority of which are classified under Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs),” he said.

Velasquez said the SME/Mid-market is one of IBM's largest and fastest growing market opportunities, adding that “IBM recognizes the contributions mid-sized businesses make, in innovation within their industries as well as being the driving economic engine for the global economy.”

Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Liberato Laus has, likewise, cited IBM for bringing IT solutions to locator and investor firms based at Clark .

Laus, during IBM’s product and services launching at the Holiday Inn Clark dubbed “IBM@Clark, Technology and Business Solutions for Clark Business Leaders,” noted Clark’s competitiveness in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.

“We are ICT-prepared [in Clark ] as technology advances run at a fast pace,” Laus said.

In April last year, the Department of Trade and industry (DTI) and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) have given Clark a 9.23 score (10 being the highest) in ICT readiness.

The DTI and CICT, Laus said, have certified that Clark has met most of the crucial requisites of being an ideal destination for ICT locators.

“ Clark is positioning itself as a viable outsourcing center for ICT and ICT-enabled services due to its strategic location, highly-skilled and trainable manpower pool, and available investment areas with adequate facilities,” Laus said.

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Firm to infuse P40M on its agri/eco-tourism project in Clark
CDC - Public Relations Department:
1/22/2008:

CLARK FREEPORT— Officials of Clark Development Corporation announced the signing of lease agreement with agricultural business firm that will infuse P40 million for its agri/eco-tourism project at the Clark Sub-Zone inside the Sacobia Area here.

CDC President Liberato P. Laus signed the agreement with Jose Jose, president of Green Canyon Leisure Farms Corporation, who plans to promote the eco-tourism by building cottages, picnic areas swimming pool and other outdoor sports, including the production of hybrid yellow corn in a 29.6 hectares area in the Clark Sub Zone.

The hybrid yellow corn will be sold to piggery and poultry feed manufacturers in the country. It will also employ 60 workers in its initial operations, Laus said.

Sacobia Area (or the former Clark Sub-Zone) has been transformed earlier as Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) under the administered area of CDC.

Among the plans of CDC is to make the area agro-industrial project site for investors interested in the same project.

Laus also said that farm resort will also produce organic green leafy vegetables for Clark main zone restaurant’s consumption. Mud fish, cat fish and tilapia to be harvested and delivered live in aquariums to nearby restaurants and consumers at the CSEZ.

The firm also intends to Plant Mangoes and other fruit bearing trees and utilize the mountain slopes by planting mahogany, narra, molave and other trees for future use as lumber and timber to be harvested in 20 to 25 years.

The CDC Marketing Department said the owner of the agri-eco tourism project has existing project and owner of Aeromart Worldwide Services operating inside the Berthaphil Business Park in Clark Freeport.

Aeromart is one of the suppliers of aircraft parts in major cities in the world.

kiretoce

February 11th, 2008, 09:25 PM

Subic woos Dubai investor (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business1_feb11_2008)

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority plans to allocate at least 100 hectares of land along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway for the 51 auctioneers of used vehicle imports that face eviction from the Freeport.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza told reporters that the relocation of the auctioneers and importers of used vehicles outside of the Freeport would facilitate the entry of Dubai’s Jafza International, the world’s fourth-largest marine terminal operator.

Jafza Dubai earlier announced plans to invest between $200 million and $250 million over the next three to five years to re-develop the Freeport as its logistical hub in the region. It operates Economic Zones World, a free trade zone in Dubai with 6,000 locator-companies. Arreza said some of these companies, which handle logistics operations, also wanted to offer their services in Asia.

The Dubai-based company is choosing among four areas within the Freeport—the Industrial Technopark, Boton Wharf, the Subic Bay International Airport and the residential Cubi area for its proposed industrial and logistics zone.

Arreza said the ideal place for such an investment is the Boton area, where the auctioneers are located. He said the area needed further development to Jafza’s requirements.

“We can perhaps allocate 100 hectares along the SCTEx [for the Subic auto auctioneers] and compensate them for any improvement or expropriation made in Boton,” said Arreza.

The 51 auctioneers occupy around 55 hectares in the Boton area, each with their own auction yard.

Arreza said the Boton area was being leased to the auctioneers for P30 per square meter against the going rate of $1.25 per sq. m. or roughly P50 per sq. m. The contracts with the auctioneers range from 25 to 50 years.

“Should they agree to the relocation, they can still unload the used vehicles in Boton but the actual auction would be done some place else,” said Arreza.

He said a delegation from Jafza was expected to arrive between February and March to negotiate directly with the auctioneers. The Dubai firm is proposing to expropriate or buy out the rights of the auctioneers over the property.

He said SBMA could also help the auctioneers by providing them incentives for investments in the new site. A new Malacañang directive gave SBMA the power to grant incentives to an expanded area outside of the Subic Freeport, including Olongapo City and other areas.

Arrez said it was about time that Subic Bay Freeport was redesigned into a logistics zone.

“Subic is being eyed as the logistics hub in the country and there’s an opportunity to tie up not only with Jafza but also its sister company, Dubai Autozone,” said Arreza.

Dubai Autozone is the largest second-hand auto trading company in the world. It provides used vehicles to the rest of the Middle East market and Africa.

“We’ve invited them to come here also to re-export their used vehicles to Africa and the rest of Southeast Asia,” said Arreza. Dubai Autozone, he added, re-exports at least 30,000 units per month to Middle East, Africa, South and Southeast Asia as well as Pakistan.

The investment commitment from Jafza Dubai was among those raised by the official visit of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the United Arab Emirates last month.

xandro

February 12th, 2008, 04:16 AM

I've heard the Jose “Peping” Cojuangco would like to build an Olympic village within Clark, pero di ko alam kung matutuloy iyon. Alam nyo na walang budget and before the government will create an Olympic village, it will opt to use the money on other infastracture

I think they can create an Olympic village in Clark. POC, which Peping Cojuangco is heading, is not a government institution but rather under the IOC (International Olympic Committee), an international governed body. They can get external funding without passing through the government. As said in their website (www.olympic.ph): "The POC is a private, non-governmental organization composed of and serves as the mother organization of all National Sports Associations in the Philippines."

POC is often mistaken for PSC, the Philippine Sports Commission, which is actually the government institution for sports.

icarusrising

February 16th, 2008, 05:33 PM

SBMA eyes $2.5-B investments in 3 yrs

By Bebot Sison Jr.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Philippine Star Online

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – After breaching its $5-billion investment target last year, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has increased its goal to $7.5 billion, or $2.5 billion more in fresh investments within the next three years.

SBMA administrator and chief executive officer Armand Arreza made this announcement the other day as he revealed a $250-million investment commitment in Subic by Jafza International FZE, the global economic zone operations arm of Economic Zones World, which is owned by the government of Dubai.

“Now that we have exceeded our original target of $5 billion when Subic investments reached $5.4 billion in 2007, we have adjusted our 2010 goal to $7.5 billion,” he said.

At the same time, Arreza expressed confidence the SBMA would be able to corner the additional $2.5 billion investments within three years due to the investor-friendly policies the agency has put in place over the past two years.

He said these include streamlining investment processing by standardizing terms and reducing processing period; organizing the SBMA business group into industry-focused units; facilitating the automatic renewal of certificates of registration and tax exemption for locators; and streamlining port processing procedures.

Moreover, the SBMA has reduced power rates, stabilized water charges, re-established fiber optic link to Subic, reaffirmed value-added tax exemption of locators and cracked down on smuggling.

“With all these measures, the SBMA has succeeded in re-establishing Subic as a viable and attractive investment destination in the last two years,” Arreza said.

The SBMA official also said the scheduled opening of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) in March and President Arroyo’s Executive Order 675, which extends Subic’s tax and duty-free regime to surrounding communities, “will bring in bigger investment opportunities for Subic and the rest of Central Luzon.”

“These will be our two enablers – the tools that would facilitate the entry of more investments,” Arreza said.

The SCTEX project, he explained, will hasten the flow of goods and manpower within the Subic-Clark growth corridor, while EO 675 will build a strong economic base in areas around the two free ports.

The entry of Jafza International, Arreza also said, is proof that Subic is on its way to realizing its potential as a logistics and service hub in Southeast Asia.

Under a memorandum of agreement signed with Jafza CEO Salma Hareb, the Dubai-based company will invest in the development of the Subic airport, Boton wharf, Subic Techno Park and the Crown Peak hotel complex at Cubi Point.

The Jafza project will involve the master-planning and development of mixed-use properties, including port operations, logistics, and industrial and commercial components.

Thereafter, the company will also be responsible for operations, sales, leasing, marketing, and property and asset management for the areas covered by the project.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27

icarusrising

February 22nd, 2008, 09:17 AM

Dubai company starts survey
for $250-M Subic devt project

By Henry Empeño
Correspondent

The Business Mirror

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Jafza International, the renowned Dubai-based operator of free-trade zones around the world, has begun collection of market data in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in preparation for its $250-million development project here.

A team, headed by Jafza general manager Noel Gulliver William, arrived here Tuesday and conducted the following day an ocular survey of the four contiguous project areas: the Boton logistics district, Subic Techno Park, Subic airport, and Cubi’s residential and leisure complex.

Two other Jafza officials, Sherif Muhtaseb and Anwar Muhamed, joined William during the survey.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza, who met with the group on Tuesday, said the Jafza delegation is “laying down the foundation” for the project, which will involve the planning, development and management of mixed-use properties here.

“They collected pertinent information about the area and other market data,” Arreza said, adding that the data will be used in financial modeling and preparing the project master plan.

The project, which will capitalize on Jafza’s expertise in managing what is internationally recognized as the most successful and fastest-growing free-zone operation in the world—the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai—is expected to launch Subic as a leading player in the global logistics industry, Arreza said.

Arreza signed the agreement for the Subic project with Salma Hareb, CEO of Jafza and Economic Zones World, during the official visit of President Arroyo to the United Arab Emirates on January 27.

Under the agreement, Jafza will serve as the primary developer, manage the development process, supervise project design and capital raising, and oversee construction and operation. It will also be responsible for operation, sales, leasing and marketing of the developed property.

Meanwhile, the SBMA will assist in project documentation and take charge of all necessary approvals and permits.

Consistent with Jafza’s reputation for setting the highest standards in quality and excellence, Arreza said the development project would adhere to world-class standards set by Jafza, a pioneer in the development and operation of large commercially operated free zones around the world.

“Because of this, the SBMA is optimistic the project will increase Subic’s value as an important port of call for commerce, industry and leisure in the Southeast Asian region,” Arreza said.

On the other hand, Jafza officials appear enthusiastic over the Subic project after they described the free port here as “an ideal gateway to Asian markets,” Arreza added.

According to the Jafza web site, the firm had been a “critical factor in the improvement, expansion and clockwork efficacy of economic trade zones from Tangiers [in Morocco] to Kuala Lumpur.”

Jafza, which is backed by the Dubai government-owned DP World Group, also boasts of over 6,000 companies in its network, including 125 from the Fortune 500 Group, the firm’s web site added.

Among the international ecozone projects undertaken by the said firm are the Djibouti Free Zone in Ethiopia, which now accounts for the majority of trade from Europe, Asia and the rest of the African continent, and the Mediterranean Hub Project (Medhub) in Morocco, which is being positioned as a multimodal logistics platform in the Mediterranean.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0222&232008/economy02.html

icarusrising

March 3rd, 2008, 09:17 AM

Clark forecasts substantial rise in investments
Talks ongoing for $3-B project — CDC exec

The Business World

CLARK DEVELOPMENT Corp. (CDC) expects investments to be robust this year given prospects for new big-ticket projects as well as locator expansions.

About P8-10 billion in investments could come in this year, up almost 70% from 2007’s P5-6 billion, CDC assistant vice-president Bernardo Angeles told BusinessWorld.

"Prospects are good for 2008. Clark’s biggest competitive edge is faster turnaround time because you can cut down on costs when shipping." Mr. Angeles said.

"We also brought down the cost of power, we have the cheapest rates in Luzon," he added.

Total investments in the Clark free port and special economic zone have reached P30.51 billion as of last year, he said. In 2006, locators infused some P3-3.5 billion.

Investments could be even bigger this year, Mr. Angeles said, as CDC is in negotiations with a global information technology (IT) player which is expected to infuse about $3 billion (P120 billion) for its project.

Declining to identify the firm, he said "This will dwarf the investments made by Texas Instruments, Inc. But we’re still working on it ... it’s still in the negotiations stage. Hopefully we can sign a contract by the second quarter."

Texas Instruments has committed to invest P50 billion over five years for its Clark project.

CDC is also expecting existing locators to invest P5 billion for expansions, and is looking forward to the construction of a 1,000-room hotel, an 18-hole golf course, and several luxury villas. A high-end resort is also expected to break ground next month.

Last year’s investments boost was led by Texas Instruments, which initially infused P1 billion, as well as a P1-billion 250-room hotel, a P1-billion convention center, a high-end villa worth P500 million, and a high-end spa worth P100 million.

CDC, said Mr. Angeles, is improving the freeport’s infrastructure to attract more investments. It is also working on tie-ups with several universities for job-matching initiatives.

"We need to have the required manpower. We are asking universities if they can include in their curricula some courses to help prepare their students to meet our job requirements," he said.

CDC President and Chief Executive Officer Levy P. Laus has previously said he expects investments in the business process outsourcing, tourism, real estate and manufacturing industries this year. — BSSD

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Story Location: http://www.bworldonline.com/BW030308/content.php?id=002

icarusrising

March 3rd, 2008, 12:18 PM

Four major investors show interest in Clark

By Paolo S. Romero
Monday, March 03 2008 (www.philstar.com)

At least four major investors are interested in developing the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga which President Arroyo recently designated as the country’s premiere airport, officials said yesterday.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila and Alexander Cauguiran, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC), in separate interviews said two firms from Singapore and two from Kuwait have separately begun exploratory talks in developing wholly or in part the 2,200-hectare aviation complex in Clark.

Favila said Mrs. Arroyo wants the government to try to set a deadline for accepting offers for the DMIA so multi-billion peso development could start under a build-operate and transfer scheme.

“She wants a cut-off date to be set so we can start,” Favila told The STAR. The President earlier told a business forum that Singapore’s Changi Airport was interested in developing DMIA.

Cauguiran and Subic-Clark Alliance for Development chief Secretary Ed Pamintuan described the investors as “serious and financially-strong.”

Cauguiran said one of the Kuwaiti firms wanted to take up CIAC’s offer to fund its $1.2-billion masterplan for the entire aviation complex.

“This one Kuwaiti firm wants to develop alone the entire area after we gave them a presentation of CIAC master plan,” he said. He refused to identify the Kuwaiti firm upon the request of the latter but admitted that it was owned by a member of the Kuwaiti Royal Family.

He said another large Kuwaiti firm wanted to develop a portion of the DMIA as a major state-of-the-art logistics hub.

CIAC executive said one of the Singaporean firms want to put up a maintenance and repair facility for large aircraft while the other expressed interest in putting up a new terminal at the DMIA.

Under the CIAC master plan, several terminals would be put up, including the premiere terminal, concourses and several taxiways, he said.

Cauguiran said the aging Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City cannot accommodate the expanding passenger and cargo needs of various international carriers that want to make the DMIA a major, if not, the primary hub in the region.

He said the NAIA is only 800 hectares in size.

He also disclosed that some American and Chinese firms have expressed interest in the DMIA but he did not give details.

dancethingy

March 3rd, 2008, 01:34 PM

This needs to be front page. This will bring jobs, not chaos. It will bring dignity to those in need of work, not self pity. No amount of rallying can bring this type of development to clark! only infrastructure like the soon to open subic-clark-tarlac expressway, DMIA, and Subic freeport.

Clark forecasts substantial rise in investments
Talks ongoing for $3-B project — CDC exec

The Business World

CLARK DEVELOPMENT Corp. (CDC) expects investments to be robust this year given prospects for new big-ticket projects as well as locator expansions.

About P8-10 billion in investments could come in this year, up almost 70% from 2007’s P5-6 billion, CDC assistant vice-president Bernardo Angeles told BusinessWorld.

"Prospects are good for 2008. Clark’s biggest competitive edge is faster turnaround time because you can cut down on costs when shipping." Mr. Angeles said.

"We also brought down the cost of power, we have the cheapest rates in Luzon," he added.

Total investments in the Clark free port and special economic zone have reached P30.51 billion as of last year, he said. In 2006, locators infused some P3-3.5 billion.

Investments could be even bigger this year, Mr. Angeles said, as CDC is in negotiations with a global information technology (IT) player which is expected to infuse about $3 billion (P120 billion) for its project.

Declining to identify the firm, he said "This will dwarf the investments made by Texas Instruments, Inc. But we’re still working on it ... it’s still in the negotiations stage. Hopefully we can sign a contract by the second quarter."

Texas Instruments has committed to invest P50 billion over five years for its Clark project.

CDC is also expecting existing locators to invest P5 billion for expansions, and is looking forward to the construction of a 1,000-room hotel, an 18-hole golf course, and several luxury villas. A high-end resort is also expected to break ground next month.

Last year’s investments boost was led by Texas Instruments, which initially infused P1 billion, as well as a P1-billion 250-room hotel, a P1-billion convention center, a high-end villa worth P500 million, and a high-end spa worth P100 million.

CDC, said Mr. Angeles, is improving the freeport’s infrastructure to attract more investments. It is also working on tie-ups with several universities for job-matching initiatives.

"We need to have the required manpower. We are asking universities if they can include in their curricula some courses to help prepare their students to meet our job requirements," he said.

CDC President and Chief Executive Officer Levy P. Laus has previously said he expects investments in the business process outsourcing, tourism, real estate and manufacturing industries this year. — BSSD

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Story Location: http://www.bworldonline.com/BW030308/content.php?id=002

lightsaber46

March 4th, 2008, 04:56 AM

who could be this IT company that will investment $3B, this is higher than the $2B HANJIN in Mindanao.

icarusrising

March 5th, 2008, 04:53 AM

Japanese firms top Clark list

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

The Manila Times

CLARK FREEPORT: Japanese investors dominate Clark Freeport, notes Clark Development Corp. (CDC), the government’s estate managing corporation for the zone.CDC reports that Japanese firms top its list of foreign investors as of January 2008.

The report submitted to CDC President Levy P. Laus by the CDC’s Marketing Department noted that out of the 66 foreign investors operating at the Clark Freeport, 35 companies are run by Japanese.

Next to Japan, the report said, is the United States with 25 companies followed by Korea with 17 companies. Taiwan and Australia with 10 companies each complete the top five foreign investors here.

While Koreans top the number of foreign tourists here, Korean investors only rank third in the CDC’s top five list of international locators.

Records also show that Japan ranks as the number one top exporter for January this year. Nanox Philippines Inc. has posted a total of $34.9 million in exports, followed by another Japanese firm, Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc., which posted a total of $18.3 million.

Included in the list are L&T International Group Philippines, Inc. with $10.3 million; Rolls Royce Engine Services Ltd. Inc., $4.6 million; and Smart Shirts (Philippines) Inc., $3.3 million.

In its summary of companies according to nationality, the CDC Marketing Department noted that Clark has 131 foreign firms, 453 local firms, and 148 foreign firms with local equity for a total of 732 firms.

As of January this year, Laus said the CDC has approved 732 investment projects, 203 of which are industrial projects. At least 62 are housing projects followed by 184 service-oriented projects, and 107 commercial projects.

The CDC president also said the 732 projects have a combined committed investment of P85.14 billion, which will employ more than 90,000 workers within the next five years.
-- Mark Louie P. Roxas

Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/05/yehey/prov/20080305pro1.html

Weina

March 7th, 2008, 02:57 AM

$10-million surgery center rises in Subic

FILIPINO health care firm TotalMED Subic Corp. has put up a $10-million medical and wellness center in the Subic Bay Freeport.

The facility, inaugurated last week, is the first free-standing, full-service ambulatory surgery center in the Freeport area, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza said in a statement.

TotalMED partnered with Taiwanese health care products manufacturer MedTecs for this venture.

"This presents a high income-generating potential for Subic Bay, which has an excellent environment that is naturally conducive to healing," Mr. Arreza said.

Citing government data, he said the estimated total revenue generated by medical tourism in Asia amounted to $2.5 billion in 2006. This is expected to grow further to about $4.5 billion in 2012.

The same statement quoted Raymond Ricardo, president and chief executive officer of TotalMED, as saying that his company plans to put up more medical facilities and services in the country.

TotalMED is targeting the more than 100,000 employees of companies located in Subic and Clark free ports; some 5,000 retired US servicemen residing in the Subic-Clark area; as well as medical tourism clients from the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, and Asia.

"With the completion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway project [by the end of this April], we are also anticipating a heavy influx of patients from the northern part of Luzon, like Baguio City, Ilocos, Tarlac, and Pampanga," Mr. Ricardo said. — BSSD

3cr

April 30th, 2008, 12:20 PM

17 investment deals worth P1.6B signed
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW043008/content.php?id=041

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Seventeen new foreign and local companies yesterday signed contracts committing fresh investments worth $40 million or about P1.64 billion within this special economic zone.

Property developers, electronics manufacturers, a food processing equipment maker, metal fabricators and ship component builders were among those who have pledged to put in the money and hire workers.

The new foreign direct investments generated by the Freeport zone include companies from the US, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Europe, along with two local firms that had signed separate contracts with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

"The SBMA is mandated to create jobs by enticing more investors. We welcome the diversity of the new locators engaged in manufacturing, maritime services, property development and tourism-related businesses," said SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza.

Yesterday’s ceremonial mass contract signing was held at the Formosa Hall inside the administration building of the 300-hectare Subic Bay Industrial Park (SBIP).

Mr. Arreza said the Subic Freeport remains attractive to both foreign direct investments and local companies and continues to be one of the top investment sites in the Asia-Pacific region.

Subic Daesung Corp., a South Korean firm engaged in construction and operations of condominiums and hotels, restaurants and retail shops topped the list in terms of committed investments, at $15 million.

Daesung Director Hong Yeul Kim said the company would also venture into English language education for Korean tourists, executives and their families.

Filipino firm Subic Enerzone Corporation (SEZ), an Aboitiz-owned electric distribution utility managing the power distribution system of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, will be venturing into property and leisure by developing condominiums and hotels.

SEZ Vice-President and General Manager Dante Pollescas said the Enerzone has committed $10.4 million in investments.

Another Filipino firm, Palm Gold International Ltd., will invest $1.9 million. It will import gambling equipment and operate slot machine arcades.

Meanwhile, American CEI World Wide, Inc. has pledged $2.35 million and will build a refurbishing, repair and quality-testing plant for printers, copiers and fax machines. Grace Tioaquen, CIE operations manager, said the company would import and export, and transfer cargo for forwarding or reshipment.

Another US company, Cook Group and Pacific Associates, Inc., will set up a youth camp, corporate team building and recreational facilities, security academy and retirement village at the Ilanin forest district with total investments worth $1.4 million.

Meanwhile, HCM Marine Corp., a Korean firm, will manage, broker, repair and maintain vessels, committing $50,000.

Three other Koreans firms — Spoint Corp., SubicKor Corp. and Builenc Phil. Co. Ltd — will provide support and contracting services to shipbuilding giant Hanjin Heavy Industry Corp. (Phil.) for the manufacture of ship components. The combined investments of the three firms will be $400,000.

South Korea’s Dong Yang Food Machinery (Phils), Inc. has also pledged $468,000 for the manufacture of biscuit machinery and parts, food processing and trading.

Two Japanese manufacturers — E’OS Sutro Technology Subic and Rings-three, Inc. have committed $280,000 and $220,000 respectively. Both will manufacture and fabricate electronic parts and board assembly.

Likewise, Rayshine Photonics (Phils.) Corp., a Taiwanese firm that designs and assembles LCDs (liquid crystal display), will invest $100,000.

Other companies that pledged investments were sporting goods retailer Bike Boutique with $300,000; convention center operator Global Dongsan Philippines with $1.2 million; and restaurant and spa operators Buma Subic and PhilKor Utopia, with $37,500 each.

kiretoce

May 14th, 2008, 05:07 PM

Clark and Subic stakeholders to intensify calls to liberalize aviation policy (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=118230)

Business and political stakeholders in Clark and Subic signed today a collective manifesto calling on President Arroyo to sign Executive Order 500-B, which intends to effect a pocket open skies policy at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).

This is the second time the stakeholders are collectively sending their sentiments to the president. In 2007, they also wrote a letter to president Arroyo, but did not make this public.

Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA) president Jeannie Ng, a signatory, told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak that they need to intensify calls for the liberalization of aviation policy in Clark as E.O. 500-B is awaiting the President's signature. Ng said they will not allow other parties who oppose the liberalization to have their way.

Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific are among those who opposed the opening up of Clark. Cebu Pacific CEO Lance Gokongwei said they want reciprocity. "I have no problem if you give all the rights to a foreigner, as long as you give the same rights to the Philippine carriers," he once told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak in an interview.

But stakeholders argued that reciprocity may not be ideal in all cases. In the case of Middle East, for instance, placement agencies have been complaining that many OFWs could not report to work because of the lack of flights. "The clamor for [the liberalization of the aviation industry] is not just a Pampanga phenomenon. It's nationwide," said Francisco Villanueva Jr., also of CILA.

To enforce reciprocity, "there should be a local airline that would like to fly," argued Pampanga Rep. Carmelo Lazatin. In the Middle East, there is none. Carriers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates—among the top destinations of OFWs—usually use up their weakly seat allotments, which is specified in the bilateral air agreements between the Philippines and the respective countries.

As a result, there are about 1,000 OFWs everyday who cannot go to these destinations because of lack of flights, based on estimates of Federated Association of Manpower Exporters. While the Middle Eastern airlines are using up all their seat allocations, their local counterparts are not.

Currently, PAL is the designated local airline to fly the route, so it should also be able to deploy the flights regularly. But PAL has limited planes. It only has 34 at the moment, and most are deployed to other OFW-heavy destinations, such as US, Australia, and Japan.

Cebu Pacific, the other local airline that mounts overseas flights has almost the same number of planes as PAL's, but it is currently concentrating coverage to regional destinations where turnaround is faster, in keeping with its budget flights business model.

However, even if PAL is not picking up the excess traffic, the country's oldest airline is still able to commercially service the routes through a commercial agreement with the Middle Eastern airlines. In the industry parlance, this agreement is called a code-share arrangement. The foreign airlines "rent" the seat allocations from PAL so it could mount flights more than how much it is allowed in the agreements.

In other words, the lack of seats for OFWs is partially addressed through the code share agreement, which benefits PAL more than it does the foreign-exchange remitting Filipinos.

"PAL is making money out of this without even flying," Lazatin said.

Reciprocity

The stakeholders said the Middle East is only waiting for the Philippine air panel for a new set of air negotiations. The aim is to increase the seat allocations for each country. The foreign carriers are willing to increase their commercial flights since they can afford to increase the number of planes plying the route.

Lazatin is saying the clamor of local airlines for reciprocity can only be had when they could now afford to mount their own flights. "When you (Philippine Airlines) don't fly, they (Middle Eastern airlines) should be allowed to fly," Lazatin said.

"We would like to define reciprocity as value for value," said Villanueva. He added that besides OFWs, tourists are also potent source of passenger traffic.

"We should recognize the economic value of tourism." He cited Bali as an example. Indonesia liberalized air policy in pocket areas, like Bali, to spur tourism. In a liberalized air situation, flights to and from Bali are not regulated. Airlines can fly freely to that specified destination, in the process luring more tourists.

The stakeholders are clamoring for President Arroyo to allow the same for Clark.

Other signatories of the manifesto included Clark Investors and Locators Association officials Francisco Villanueva Jr., and Carmen McTavish, entrepreneurs Freddie So and Mario Lazatin, and Mabalacat Water District Chair Diosdado Pangilinan, among others.

The arguments of the stakeholders in the manifesto are the following:

At 3 million international arrivals in 2007, the Philippine tourism industry has been the laggard in the ASEAN, which has a total international arrivals of 50 million in the same year;

The Philippines is the most endowed country in the ASEAN region in terms of natural tourist attractions and English-speaking population noted for their hospitality;

Accelerated development of the tourism and logistics sector in the Philippines could lead to dramatic increase in employment and opportunities for local entrepreneurs. (The logistics industry is considered as one of the fastest growing sectors in the world economy with an estimated foreign exchange revenue contribution of US$9 trillion annually and employment of 40 million people worldwide).

All these will be addressed with a globally-competitive aviation industry, they said in the statement. The stakeholders also reminded President Arroyo that she declared it her policy and vision to develop the Clark-Subic corridor as the best international and service logistics center in the region.

Rep. Lazatin is also drafting a bill that seeks to liberalize aviation industry nationwide. But while the stakeholders are supportive of the proposed bill, they acknowledge that it is going to be a long battle in Congress.

Executive Order 500-B, on the other hand, is just a signature away.

PasigGuy

May 16th, 2008, 08:18 PM

SBMA sees boost for Subic from new container terminal
05/17/2008 | 02:01 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us MANILA, Philippines - A newly opened container facility is expected to help industries in Luzon reach global markets and position Subic Bay as a maritime logistics center, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SMBA) said Friday.

The New Container Terminal-1 (NCT-1), which comprises the first phase of Subic’s $215-milion port development project, has a cargo handling capacity of 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), SBMA Administrator Armand C. Arreza said in a statement.

"With the newly-opened Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, the NCT-1 — and later the NCT-2 - could exponentially increase global market access for industries in Central and Northern Luzon," Mr. Arreza said.

The facility is expected to help the Subic Bay Freeport attract foreign investments and boost local trade.

The NCT-1, which is now being operated by the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp., unloaded its first shipment last month when the 1,200-TEU M/V Eagle Excellence delivered cargoes from the port of Kaoshiung in Taiwan.

Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. general manager Aurelio Garcia said the new facility is expected to bring in port users from Subic, Clark and Tarlac.

He said the government was also conducting road shows here and abroad to entice businesses to use Subic as a transshipment hub.

The SBMA earlier said it approved 30 new projects in the first two months of the year, with total investments of $13.2 million. This brings the total number of investors in the former US naval base to 961.

Among the new investors are Korea’s Hanafil Golf & Tour, Inc., which plans to develop a recreational facility for $3 million and create 1,495 jobs; Malaysian firm Palm Gold International Ltd., which committed to invest $1.9 million; and real-estate developer Grand Pillar International Development, Inc., with $1.9 million.

"Given this growing investment trend that started two years ago, when Subic breached the $1-billion yearend total, chances are we’d get a higher investment output for the third succeeding year," Mr. Arreza said.

New investments in Subic reached $1.42 billion and $1.67 billion in 2006 and 2007, respectively. - BusinessWorld

portludlow

May 19th, 2008, 03:08 AM

P1-B hotel-casino to rise at Clark
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/pam/2008/05/19/news/p1.b.hotel.casino.to.rise.at.clark.html

CLARK FREEPORT -- A P1-billion tourism-related establishment is set to rise inside this Freeport, the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) announced.

This, after the Blue Bonnet Amusement Corp. recently held groundbreaking rites signaling the construction of Saint Hiyan Hotel and Casino, said CDC Executive Vice President Philip Jose Panlilio.

Panilio, who was among the executives who participated in the groundbreaking rites, said the presence of Saint Hiyan Hotel and Casino will bolster the potential of Clark as a magnet for tourism-related investments in the Central Luzon region.

He added that, aside from boosting the tourism industry of Clark and the rest of the region, Saint Hiyan Hotel and Casino will also generate employment as it plans to hire at least 600 workers once fully operational.

Richard Kwon, chief executive officer of Blue Bonnet, said the company has done its best efforts to build a casino and hotel here since 2007.

Kwon added that he is pleased to announce that the groundbreaking event as been the result of the support, kind contribution, and continuous efforts of friends and partners like the CDC.

In December 2005, Blue Bonnet signed a lease agreement with the CDC for the establishment of a P1-billion tourism-related investment here.

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila.

(May 19, 2008 issue)

kiretoce

May 27th, 2008, 10:46 PM

garzland

May 31st, 2008, 01:38 PM

Korean firms put up P1-B resort hotel in Subic (http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Tourism_24/Korean_firms_put_up_P1-B_resort_hotel_in_Subic.shtml)

MANILA, May 28 (PNA) — Two South Korean companies have teamed up here recently to put up a resort hotel project worth P1.075 billion, firming up Korean participation in a building boom expected to hit Subic in the next few years.

MGfnd Subic Inc. and Subic Rexmier C&D Co., Ltd. signed an investment deal on Monday for the Rexmier Resort & Hotel, said Administrator Armand Arreza of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

“This is a welcome development considering that we expect more tourists coming in after the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) turned the Subic and Clark free ports into one super-destination for tourists,” Arreza said.

“The resort-hotel itself could serve as a new attraction, especially to foreign tourists,” he added.

The proposed Rexmier Resort & Hotel will be located at a 2.5-hectare lot along Perimeter Road at the Subic Bay Gateway Park and will cater mostly to the growing market in Korean tour junkets, as well as tour groups from the United States and Japan, said MGfnd chairman Chang Young Ryu.

“(Subic) is an excellent place to visit and there is also a strong Korean business community that helped us establish our presence here,” Ryu said.

“Of course, during their stay here in Subic, we would encourage our guests to also visit other attractions here, like beaches, theme parks and the entertainment centers,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rexmier president Nam Young Woo said the resort-hotel will include 170 condotel units and a 43-room hotel complemented by facilities like a 25-meter swimming pool, health and wellness spa, a fusion restaurant-bar, gift shops, and an indoor golf driving range.

He added that the decision to set up the project in Subic was based on an extensive research in the Korean and Philippine tourism markets.

Among the banks that are helping finance the project are NH Investment & Securities, Industrial Bank, Suhyup Bank, Dae Young Savings Bank, and Prime Savings Bank, said Woo.

The Rexmier Resort & Hotel will be among several property development projects slated for implementation in the Subic Bay Freeport starting this year, giving rise to an expected construction boom in the next few years.

Last month, several other property developers signed investment contracts with the SBMA to build condominiums, hotels, restaurants and other leisure projects.

These include Subic Daesung Corp., which committed $ 15 million for mixed-used commercial buildings, and power distributor Subic Enerzone Corp., which pledged $ 10.4 million for hotel and condominium projects.

The SBMA Investor Services Department also said that several construction and property management firms have signed in early this year in anticipation of the projected building boom.
Among them are Hanil E&C Subic, Inc., which put up $ 11 million for the design, planning and construction of medium-to high-rise commercial buildings, and 7-Tower Peroperties and Management Consultants, which committed 5,000 for another real estate management business. (PNA)

mwg12a

June 2nd, 2008, 05:11 AM

I wish there would be some corporation willing to build another resorts that's similar to Cebu, such as the Plantation and the up coming imperial hotel and beach resort, so that there would also be similar to it in Luzon which is not necessarily for attracting foreign tourist but the local tourist as well....

kalbongdad

June 2nd, 2008, 05:23 AM

just recently....i went to subic...para ma subukan ang sctex....well nde naman ako na disappoint....imagine...from sta ines exit.....35 min...lang ang subic....so nag lunch lang kami don at balik na agad....sctex...is really good....na notice ko lang when i was in subic...dami ng singkit.......parang singkit invasion na to.....mga koreander.....karamihan......malamang...di magtatagal....mas marami pang koreander sa subic kesa pinoy....

JustHorace

June 2nd, 2008, 09:07 AM

^^Even the street signs in Subic are in Chinese/Korean! Hahaha. You're right about SCTEx. Laking tulong talaga. Subic has never been this accessible.

Potchot69

June 3rd, 2008, 08:56 AM

stephencua

June 4th, 2008, 05:45 AM

i cant find the NLEX thread so im posting this here..

Arroyo orders reduction of toll rates at NLEX
06/04/2008 | 10:55 AM
Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday directed the Toll Regulatory Board to reduce the toll rates at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) effective June 30.

In her directive, President Arroyo hoped the fare remain at 2004 level and that no increase will take effect in the next 30 months.

The President said that by reducing the toll rates, food production cost as well as delivery cost, will also go down. - GMANews.TV

bartstrife99

June 4th, 2008, 04:31 PM

PasigGuy

June 19th, 2008, 03:06 PM

Clark to house $1-B Samsung Electronics plant
06/19/2008 | 05:51 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us MANILA, Philippines- A strategic are inside the Clark Special Economic Zone will be home to the planned $1-billion production plant of top chip maker Samsung Electronics.

A top government official privy to the negotiations said that the government gave Samsung a choice between Clark and Subic Ecozone, but Samsung Electronics preferred the latter instead due to the lack of available land inside the Subic Bay.

"In fact, there is already an area reserved for Samsung inside Clark," he said.

Samsung Electronics is one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world and South Korea's top electronics company. It makes various types of consumer devices including DVD players, big-screen television sets, and digital still cameras, computers, color monitors, LCD panels and printers.

It also manufactures semiconductors such as flash memory and communications devices ranging from wireless phones to networking switches. The company which is the flagship member of Samsung Group, also makes microwave ovens, refrigerators, air conditioners, and
washing machines.

The official further confirmed that it took the government over a year to finally close the deal with Samsung who wants to engage in chips production for exports to other major countries worldwide. The delay was caused by the tax evasion issue against its company president in
South Korea.

The official said Samsung's operations in Clark would be similar to what Texas Instruments is presently into.

Clark was the same zone where United Parcel Service housed its services, until recently, when the firm decided to downsize its business in the Philippines and relocate elsewhere. - GMANews.TV

dancethingy

June 19th, 2008, 04:25 PM

^^ We need more of these investments

It would be nice for the republic to learn and take all they can from these investors because in the event they pack up and leave, we can take over the operations and do some manufacturing of our own.

Askal82

June 20th, 2008, 05:58 AM

^^ Exactly, its the very idea of technology transfer. Ideas translate to investment opportunities.

spearhead

June 22nd, 2008, 03:01 AM

Nayong Pilipino sa Clark: New Tourist Haven (http://www.mb.com.ph/TOUR20080528125845.html)

A newly-opened tourist destination which is now attracting hordes of visitors and tourists is the Nayong Pilipino Sa Clark Expo located inside the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

Envisioned by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a prime tourist and educational destination, the president personally inaugurated the Nayong Pilipino Foundation, Inc. that enjoys the full support of the president. Its theme is "Buhay Na Yaman" which focuses on the rich indeginous and cultural traditions of the Filipino. The park is a well-synchronized productof inter-agencycollaboration among the Department of Tourism, The Philippine Tourism Authority, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples, the National Historical Institute and the Department of Education.

Featured attractions in the Nayong Pilipino Sa Clark Expo are the authentic Ifugao and Kalinga Villages. A rare Antique Ifugao native house made of all-Narra wood forms part of the Ifugao Village. Transported from far-away Haliap in Kiangan, Ifugao, the old house has a history of having housed six generations of Ifugao families.

A cluster of indigenous Kalinga houses was built by Kalinga National Artist Alonso Saclag. Both the Ifugao and Kalinga houses were made of well-seasoned first-class wood and were built without the use of nails. The parts were ingenously fitted together with pegs and rattan binders by expert native craftsmen.

Daily demonstrations of Cordillera traditional arts and crafts like woodcarving and back-strap weaving, can be enjoyed by visitors to the Ifugao and Kalinga villages. Ifugao and Kalinga dances can be presented upon request of park guests.

Currently under construction are the Muslim and Aeta villages. The four native villages represent the "Pre-colonial Era" of the park.

Executive Director Cecil Alvarez of the National Comission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) announced during the inauguration of the Nayong Pilipino sa Clark Expo that a "School of Living Traditions will be set up this year within the Nayong Pilipino sa Clark compound. The special school will offer opportunities to local and foreign students and visitors to learn the unique ways of life and customs of indigenous Filipinos and get glimpses of their cultural traditions and practices."

The ‘Colonial Era’ portion of the park includes heritage houses replicating the houses of our national heroes which showcase life during the revolutionary period. At the heritage area, visitors are transported to the time of Rizal, Aguinaldo and Mabini.

Another attraction of the park is a replica of the Barasoain church which was the seat of the Philippine revolutionary congress and where the Malolos constitution was drafted. Within the church corridors are exhibits of religious and historical artifacts.

There are cottages and villas at the Nayong Pilipino Sa Clark Expo which offer overnight stay to visitors at a reasonable rate. The park also accepts reservations for weddings, seminars, parties and conferences.

The Nayong Pilipino sa Clark is headed by Dr. Evelyn Kilayko, Chairman of the Board and Atty. Charito L. Planas, Executive Director and Board Members Joy Belmonte-Alimuring, Rosario Anna D. Conti, Imelda S. Gomez, Dr. Alcestis M. Guiang, Atty. Rio C. Inocencio, Susan Calo-Medina and Ma. Lourdes D. Velarde.

Glad to know that a once been tauted as a "White Elephant" during the Ramos administration, is now open again and becoming usefull again.

BTW, anyone here knows any updates of these reported cable cars, suspension bridge, and skytrains? That bullet train is probably the one they planned to connect DMIA to manila.

B. Opportunities For Investors

The SBMA offers various incentives to local and foreign investors locating within Industrial Estates in the Subic Bay Freeport (see Incentives offered to an SBF Enterprise). The investors must export at least 70% of their production.
- A proposed Multi-use Zone (148 ha) will be a convention centre to attract business from neighbouring Asian countries. There are also plans for effective conversion and/or urban renewal of Olongapo City into commercial or trade areas.
- Investment opportunities are also offered in any of the planned tourist areas within the Subic Bay Area. Areas include the Peninsula Area, Grande Island, Pegueña/Mayanga Island and Subic Bay Olongapo.
- The following areas of infrastructure development are also opportunities for investors:

- Upgrading of existing airport to handle both domestic and international flights
- Bullet and sky trains, and railways within and outside the Subic Bay Area
- Construction of suspension bridge - Subic Bay/Olongapo to the Peninsula
- Construction and maintenance of cable cars
- Various highways: East-West Expressway; highway linking airport to city; Manila to Subic Bay
- Port terminal for passengers or for commerce use
- Ferry service to and from Manila, Subic Bay and other areas in the SBF
- Power plants
- Water supply
http://training.itcilo.it/actrav_cdrom1/english/global/frame/epzppi.htm

:)

flymordecai

June 22nd, 2008, 10:25 AM

Anyone have pics of Nayong Pilipino Clark since it reopened?

diz

June 22nd, 2008, 10:39 AM

I do.. of me tho. :S

I'll post em tomorrow ! :D They were taken August last year.

pinas4real

June 22nd, 2008, 07:37 PM

Jafza adds FedEx site to Subic plan

http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20080623127985.html

By BERNIE C. MAGKILAT

Jafza International, Dubai World’s wholly-owned subsidiary in charge of the conglomerate’s economic zone development and logistics division, is revising its investments plan in Subic as it would consolidate over 200 hectares of property including the facility to be vacated by FedEx to be transformed into an integrated logistics center instead of its previous plan to develop only the 55-hectare Boton wharf.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand C. Arreza told reporters that Jafza is currently undertaking a feasibility study for free on how to reposition the airport into the entire logistics zone of the freeport.

This time, the Jafza study covers the Boton area where the auctioneers of imported used motor vehicles are located, the oil depot down to the airport. These areas are being eyed for conversion into the freeport’s integrated logistics center zone.

"They’ve brought in their team of master planners and logistics experts," Arreza said.

Jafza is expected to finalize its decision after the completion of its study or its due diligence.

"We’re waiting for Jafza so we can also make a decision on what to do with entire logistics area," he said.

Earlier, SBMA has signed a memorandum of agreement with Stratospheric Airship Technologies Sdn Bhd (SAT) of the United Kingdom for the manufacture of commercial airships at the facility that would be left behind by FedEx, which will abandon its Subic hub for China starting December this year.

SAT intends to invest $ 500 million to build solarpower commercial airships that will carry broadband and telecommunications equipment. The project is expected to employ 2,500 employes at full capacity.

But Arreza said that the problem with SAT is they would in effect "chop-chop" the logistics area since it would only be requiring a 20-hectare area of flat land. SAT is also open to another area near the Subic Bay Industrial Park, an ideal site for its kind of operation. SAT’s operation also hinges on finalized orders for airships.

As a logistics center, Arreza said, there is a need for a huge space for the handling of heavy equipment and warehousing aside from the flight operations at the airport.

But what makes Jafza a coveted investor, Arreza said, is it can bring in its other affiliates to locate in Subic including tourism companies.

For instance, Dubai Autozone, one of Jafza’s subsidiaries, may also operate a trading house for used motor vehicles for reexport. Dubai Autozone is the largest second hand auto trading for Africa and Middle East.

According to Arreza the affected 51 auctioneers and importers of used motor vehicles may be relocated to a place along the ClarkSubic expressway where they could be compensated for their investments and improvements made in their location in Boton.

"We can compensate them for improvements or push for expropriation proceedings," he said. Most of the auctioneers have 25year long-term leases with SBMA and have been paying rentals of P30 per square meter. The going rental rate in the Freeport is $ 1.25 per square meter.

Arreza said that SBMA would also grant incentives to the auctioneers in their new location because of the expanded coverage of the Freeport under Executive Order 675.

The auctioneers, he said, would be able to save on cost by bringing to their new location their imported cars, do the conversion there and conduct their auctions there instead of maintaining huge yards inside the Freeport.

The Dubai-based group finds the synergy between the port and free zone operations in Jebel Ali and abroad.

The Subic Bay agreement incorporates Jafza International’s proposal of the phased lease and consolidation of four areas within the Subic Bay Freeport to form an adjacent industrial/logistics zone within the Freeport as well as the renewal & re-alignment of a prestigious residential and leisure area. (BCM)

diz

June 25th, 2008, 07:46 AM

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1107/hpim0539jm5.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2049/hpim0540au6.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5337/hpim0541ao4.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6156/hpim0542iw4.jpg

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/5895/hpim0543bf8.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1024/hpim0544zl3.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3952/hpim0546lx9.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/2807/hpim0547mz7.jpg

diz

June 25th, 2008, 07:49 AM

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/7678/hpim0556lz9.jpg

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/2197/hpim0548yo9.jpg

Church Courtyard (right side of church)
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/5093/hpim0549og8.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/8/hpim0552up2.jpg

Where concerts are held
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7859/hpim0553xs3.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5721/hpim0554zo9.jpg

diz

June 25th, 2008, 07:51 AM

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/1156/hpim0566xl4.jpg

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/8955/hpim0557kw2.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/7258/hpim0558xc3.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/1269/hpim0559af9.jpg

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/3795/hpim0560hi8.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8984/hpim0563xm1.jpg

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/9451/hpim0564wm5.jpg

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/5895/hpim0565uk1.jpg

flymordecai

June 25th, 2008, 07:54 AM

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/7678/hpim0556lz9.jpg

It looks abandoned! :lol: BTW, this structure looks very interesting. Is this an Ivatan House Pavilion or something?

diz

June 25th, 2008, 07:57 AM

I have no idea. It had no entrance. I also questioned its presence there.

le Reine

June 25th, 2008, 08:01 AM

^^oh no, don't tell me it's a replica of the rice terraces??? :lol:

PasigGuy

June 25th, 2008, 10:53 AM

ganda, malapit ba sa Expo Filipino yan?

axel(08)brixx

June 25th, 2008, 11:05 AM

Parang ayan nga mismo ang dating Expo Filipino..!!

Lam nyo guyz kulang lang yan sa Promotion..gaya ng 30,000 capacity Amphitheater jan..!!

Dba it can rival Araneta Coliseum by staging concert and other event there..!! wak lang xempre basketball kasi..la naman court yan eh..^8^V

:banana::banana::banana:

absinthe_888

June 25th, 2008, 07:19 PM

yup, its the 50 hectare clark expo, white elephant project of el tabako...diba jan ginanap yung finals ng pbb season 1?

diz

June 25th, 2008, 09:37 PM

ganda, malapit ba sa Expo Filipino yan?

The Nayong Pilipino is right next to it. They use the same parking.

tyronne

June 25th, 2008, 11:27 PM

Aba, binata na si Diz. The last time you posted your pix you looked like you were just 8 years old or so hehehe! jk :D

Yes, they should promote this tourist site more.

diz

June 26th, 2008, 01:16 AM

^ :D

portludlow

June 26th, 2008, 01:40 AM

Thanks sa pics.

^^sa susunod diz, sa fields ave ang camwhoring mo. OK :D :lol:

spearhead

June 26th, 2008, 02:28 AM

So diz, u mean talagang magkaiba pa yung Expo sa Clark Nayong Pilipino? O yung Clark Nayon ay nasaloob lang ng Expo ground?

Maraming salamat sa photos! :)

diz

June 26th, 2008, 04:08 AM

walang anuman :D

@portludlow: saan yun?

spearhead: hmmmm..... well, yung entrance na ginamit namin papunta sa Nayon ay nasa loob ng Expo parking to the left of the expo entrance.

baka magkatabi lang sila.

ericlucky290

June 26th, 2008, 04:50 AM

It looks abandoned! :lol: BTW, this structure looks very interesting. Is this an Ivatan House Pavilion or something?

I guess that is actually a rice terraces. They do plant palay there. And what is interesting is that the houses on that area are home of Aetas. They plant vegetables which gives a feeling of barrio life.

PasigGuy

June 26th, 2008, 06:14 AM

The Nayong Pilipino is right next to it. They use the same parking.

I see, kase the last time ako nakapunta sa area na yan was 2003. medyo malawak ang space dyan

flymordecai

June 26th, 2008, 07:02 AM

I agree with those said they need to promote this place better. I'm glad it's reopened ( or finally opened?), but they should promote it better by holding more events at Expo Pilipino since they're in the same area. That should make it more attractive and known to tourists.

pau_p1

June 26th, 2008, 07:26 AM

not that attractive.... that's just me.. last month I was looking at it in the web which I think to be a good place to bring a foreigner, but it does not look appealing for me... it did not reach the same expectation as the original Nayong Pilipino...

and yeah it looked deserted..

sayang talaga yang Expo Filipino site na iyan.. they should have put some rides there to attract the youth.. but they did not.. so it did not raked the expected earnings...

jefflacs

June 26th, 2008, 07:35 AM

During Expo filipino time prior to the time it was closed, there are rides there pero carnival type rides lang hinde yung permanent type. Too bad when it was opened hinde pa siya 100% completed, there are still some construction activities and I think up to now there are areas na hinde pa talaga 100% tapos :(

kratos1211

July 5th, 2008, 07:48 PM

Freeport expressway undergoing rehabilitation

SUBIC FREEPPORT -- The Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX) is undergoing rehabilitation and is expected to become as good as new next month.

The Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), which is overseeing the repair work, said the 8.6-kilometer road "has served its full 10-year design life," but will be restored to its original state as MNTC gives it a new lease on life.

MNTC is also the builder and concessionaire of the 84-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

With 40 percent of the job already done, MNTC engineers are optimistic they will hit their target completion date, which is Aug. 15.

The SFEX was constructed in 1995-1996 and was completed in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Meeting in Subic.

The road was opened to traffic in November 1996 and has not undergone any major pavement repair since then.

MNTC Senior Vice President for Operations Luigi L. Bautista said that because of effective maintenance, the roadway has endured the daily traffic pounding it. "This is the first time that we are implementing the rehabilitation work," Bautista said.

The project included the rehabilitation of the "heavily travelled" east-bound lanes. This involved the removal of existing asphalt pavement and, if necessary, the structural base material may also be replaced in same sections.

"After the rehabilitation of the base material at specific locations, a complete overlay of the entire 8.6-kilometer stretch of the SFEX would be carried out and to complete the repair, new thermoplastic pavement marking would be installed," Bautista said.

The MNTC assured motorists that despite the maintenance work, vehicle flow would remain smooth through proper traffic management, and deployment of enough number of enforcers.

MNTC is also setting up concrete barriers and plastic cones, as well as installing of appropriate warning and road signages at the repair site in an effort to ensure the safety of motorists. (Jonas Reyes)

PasigGuy

July 6th, 2008, 09:46 AM

^^

...good to know...
...they also need to dismantle the toll gate for NLEX-SFEX and the SBMA gates (or move it somewhere) o kaya sana i combine nalang nila itong 3 gates.

- SCTEX toll gate
- NLEX/SFEX toll gate
- SBMA gate.
para isang hintuan nalang...:)

Goku_25

July 6th, 2008, 11:30 AM

I saw a pic of Subic Freeport Expressway looks like dilapidated and it needs to be rehabilitated and expand it into four lanes.

FerrariLover

August 24th, 2008, 05:09 AM

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Arroyo to groundbreak $1.25b logistics park in Clark
Updated: 11:05 AM, August 24, 2008

08/24/2008 | 09:49 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will lead the groundbreaking of a new $1.25-billion logistics park in Clark Freeport Zone on Monday, Malacañang said Saturday night.

A Palace statement said President Arroyo will be the guest of honor at ceremonies marking the start of construction of the Global Gateway Logistics City (GGLC).

It said President Arroyo will also ceremonially lay down the time capsule at a predetermined area within the venue to formally start the construction of the GGLC.

Last April 4, the President witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between Kuwait Gulf and Link (KGL) Investment Company and the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC).

The MOA called for the establishment of a Logistics Park in the world-class Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) Civil Aviation Complex.

It specified the development of a large mixed-use aviation oriented logistics complex on a 167-hectare area within the former US military base here.

Development of the GGLC project entails two stages. The first stage, which will cost $25 million, will build roads and install street lights, fencing, landscaping, sidewalk, utilities and access points.

The second stage, which will cost $1 billion, will see the development over a period of seven years of the main facilities and buildings.

Once completed, the GGLC will provide logistics-dependent businesses with warehousing, distribution, multi-nodal logistics, and light manufacturing services alongside complementary business operations and facilities to support aviation-related activities within the DMIA's Civil Aviation Complex.

It is expected to generate some 35,000 new jobs and spur economic progress in the province and outlying regions by providing other sources of livelihood to its citizens. - GMANews.TV
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

wheel of steel

August 24th, 2008, 08:10 AM

ericlucky290

August 25th, 2008, 03:50 AM

This is an old news but I would like to post it to inform everyone that CDC has its new President.

New CDC prexy bares strategy for Clark (http://www.clark.com.ph/default.asp?module=News&newsID=304)
CDC - Public Relations Department:
8/5/2008:

CLARK FREEPORT – Newly-appointed Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Benigno N. Ricafort revealed plans for the development of the Clark citing “participative management” as his strategy “to effectively manage the Freeport.”

Ricafort, who replaced businessman Liberato P. Laus, stressed that participative management is enjoining “full cooperation and support” of all Clark stakeholders noting that this will be his trademark for the Clark Freeport.

To further achieve participative management, Ricafort said he will promote the principle of networking among CDC employees and officials “to create a greater community image for the Clark Freeport.”

According to Ricafort, he will still continue Laus’s plans and programs for Clark, including other “worthwhile” projects of past CDC presidents. He assured that he will push for the continuation of past projects that have spurred development inside the Clark Freeport.

“I am not here to outdo whatever the other past [CDC] presidents have done. I am just here to get things done,” said Ricafort before his first meeting with all CDC officials held at the CDC Operations and Technical Services (OTS) building.

Ricafort noted that he “will not have a hard time” managing the Freeport “since all the groundwork and development plans have all been laid out.”

He also noted that his administration will be bullish in the development of the Sacobia sub-zone, poised as the Clark Freeport’s “next frontier,” citing the area’s potential to attract more companies to invest here.

The new CDC president also expressed his gratitude to the support extended by local officials led by Pampanga congressional representatives Mikey Arroyo of the 2nd District, Carmelo Lazatin of the 1st District, and Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales, who is also co-chairman of the Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC).

Earlier, Morales announced that Local Government Units (LGUs) within the Metro Clark area have assured Ricafort of their support.

Representative Arroyo extended his support saying he is confident that Ricafort will meet the expectations of Clark stakeholders.

“I’m sure he (Ricafort) will do well…I am confident that with his vast experience and our compiled support, the new CDC chief will do more to live up to expectations,” the Presidential Son said.

Morales also stressed that local officials want to help in the development of the 32,000-hectare Sacobia sub-zone, which is being geared as Clark’s “next frontier.”

“I believe Mr. Ricafort practices the principle of unity, solidarity, and teamwork which is why we assure him the LGU’s active participation in the development of Clark and the Sacobia sub-zone,” Morales said.

Morales added that Ricarfort “is accepted by the business community and Local Government Units” saying that Metro Clark mayors are “relying on his promise that the under his term the CDC will continue to coordinate and cooperate with LGUs,” Morales said.

bartstrife99

August 25th, 2008, 02:02 PM

Kuwaiti firm joins ‘billion-dollar’ club of investors in RP

Arroyo leads groundbreaking ceremony in Clark
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:34:00 08/25/2008

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE -- A Kuwaiti firm has joined the "billion-dollar club" of investors in the country as it seeks to set up a world-class business park here.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the groundbreaking ceremonies here Monday marking the start of construction of the $1.025-billion Global Gateway Logistics City (GGLC) of the Kuwaiti government-owned firm KGL Investment Co.

The project will be carried out by Peregrine Development International, which has an executive team that has experience and knowledge of operations in the Philippines since 1972.

"Last April, we witnessed the signing of the agreements for this project. After only four months, now we see it take off. We welcome Kuwait's trust in our economy," Arroyo told the audience, which includes the representative of the Kuwait royal family, Shiek Ahmad Daoud Salman Al-Sabah.

Arroyo said that with the investment, KGL joins Texas Instruments and other members of the billion-dollar club.

The project, first fully integrated master-planned center for airport and aviation-oriented operations and businesses in the country, is expected to generate at least 35,000 new jobs and spur economic development in the province and in the region.

Arroyo thanked Kuwait for granting her request to commute to life imprisonment the death sentence of Filipino workers Marilou Ranario and May Vecina.

She also acknowledged the Kuwaiti government for extending developmental loan to the country. Its biggest project, she said, was the road from Pagadian through Lanao del Norte and Sur and Maguindanao to Cotabato City, stretching 115 kilometers.

Arroyo said Kuwait has offered to help upgrade the Davao Regional Hospital into a national cancer center, the Cotabato Regional Medical Center into a regional cancer center, and modernize the Zamboanga Medical Center surgery block.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is this the right thread to post it here?? let me right if I'm wrong thanks. :lol:

icarusrising

September 4th, 2008, 02:46 AM

DMIA terminal construction attracts 11 bidders (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/09042008/headlines06.html)

By Lenie Lectura
Reporter

A PLAN to construct the $142-million Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) Terminal 2 has attracted 11 bidders, Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president Victor Jose Luciano said on Wednesday.

“Many have expressed interest. There are 11 foreign and local bidders. The bidding process is meant to select a joint-venture partner. The government will take 30 percent of the project and the remaining [will go] to the winning bidder,” said Luciano, who was present during Cebu Pacific’s press briefing on its newest hub in Clark.

The foreign bidders include companies from China, Singapore, Korea and the Middle East. Local bidders include FF Cruz and the Ayala Group, revealed Luciano.

“We will open their bids [by] middle of September and we will make an announcement by end of this month,” he said.

CIAC has started plans for the development of the DMIA Terminal 2 to increase passenger capacity to 7 million to 8 million annually.

On April 4 President Arroyo led the inauguration of the expanded DMIA terminal, which increased passenger capacity to 2 million annually from its previous 500,000 passengers.

An in-flight catering facility has been set up inside the aviation complex that is being managed and operated by Miascor and Gate Gourmet Philippines, which produces around 1,500 meals a day for air carriers operating at the airport.

DMIA averages 50 flights a week and it is expected to increase due to the entry of more air carriers, such as TransGlobal Airlines and Spirit of Manila Airlines, which are set to mount flights at the airport this year to benefit overseas Filipino workers in the country, as well as those working in the Middle East and the Asian region.

Asiana Airlines of Korea started its flights via Clark-Incheon-US, which are scheduled every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

diz

September 4th, 2008, 03:43 AM

but for 8 million pax.. that's pretty big for the Philippines.

flymordecai

September 4th, 2008, 11:08 PM

^^ Yeah, but for $142M this will look like a budget terminal if its capacity is at a relatively high 8 million passengers/year.

bartstrife99

September 6th, 2008, 07:40 AM

wow good news!

richard24

September 7th, 2008, 12:04 PM

^^ Yeah, but for $142M this will look like a budget terminal if its capacity is at a relatively high 8 million passengers/year.

sabi sa clark website, 7 million passengers a year, IATA service level 'C'

anong ibig sabihin kaya ng level "C"?

http://www.clarkairport.com/Bidding/Supplemental/SupplementalNotice04.pdf

bartstrife99

September 7th, 2008, 12:38 PM

sabi sa clark website, 7 million passengers a year, IATA service level 'C'

anong ibig sabihin kaya ng level "C"?

http://www.clarkairport.com/Bidding/Supplemental/SupplementalNotice04.pdf

siguro by level ng capacity yung upgrade nya let me say like this!

A=21- 27M
B=14-21M
C=7-14M

ericlucky290

September 15th, 2008, 04:25 AM

Power firm inaugurates P200-M substation in Clark (http://www.clark.com.ph/default.asp?module=News&newsID=309)
CDC - Public Relations Department:
9/3/2008:

CLARK FREEPORT – Officials here on Wednesday inaugurated the P200-million substation of the Clark Electric Distribution Corporation (CEDC) which aims to provide investors and locators here reliable energy “that meets the demand of a growing economic and logistics hub.”

CEDC President Jesus Francisco said the Kalaw Substation has an ultimate capacity of 83MVA (Mega-volt Ampere) and was built to provide the needs of the Freeport and is in tune with the vision of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of a world-class services and logistics center nestled at the heart of Clark.

“The facility was constructed to provide the needed capacity of the emerging world-class logistics hub and tourist haven. It will also enhance the flexibility and reliability of Clark Electric lines within Clark,” Francisco said.

Francisco said the substation costs more than P120 million while construction of the office building would cost at least P30 million.

The office building, Francisco said, “has to be built in consonance with needs of Clark investors and locators.” Among the Clark investors that would benefit from the substation are Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc, KGL-Global Gateway Logistics City, Nanox, SMX, Amertron, Poongsan, Cyber City Teleservices, NCO, e-Telecare, ICOR, and other foreign business firms.

“It is just fitting that the electric utility provider should have a world-class office building servicing world-class customers inside Clark,” Francisco said.

In a speech during the event, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Benigno Ricafort said the state-owned firm welcomes the operations of the Kalaw substation as it faces its latest challenge –the development of Clark’s “next frontier.”

Ricafort furthered that Clark’s next frontier is a 10,680-hectare area in the Sacobia Valley north of the Freeport that would devote at least 2,000 hectares of land for education, tourism, and commercial investments.

“As we face this challenge at the CDC, I also challenge Clark Electric to work with us in our bid to develop the next frontier and transform it into world-class investment and tourism haven,” Ricafort said.

In response to Ricafort’s challenge, Francisco said Clark Electric is looking into the possibility of putting up one substation per year depending on the “anticipated load growth” inside the Clark Freeport.

“CDC is introducing a lot of growth in Clark which is why we are looking into the possibility of building one substation every year depending on the anticipated load growth of the Freeport,” Francisco said, who added that the Kalaw substation is Clark Electric’s 4th power distribution facility here.

red_jasper

September 22nd, 2008, 05:37 AM

Monday September 22, 10:40 AM

MANILA, Sept 22 Asia Pulse - Philippines based International Container Terminal Services, Inc's (ICTSI) New Container Terminal-1 (NCT-1), located in Subic Bay Freeport, was recently awarded a three-year certification for its compliance with the International Code for the Security of Ships and Port Facilities (ISPS). NCT-1s certification was issued by Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) under Cecilio Penilla, administrator of the office for transport security.

ISPS is a security regulation by the United Nations (UN)s International Maritime Organization (IMO) established in 2004 to counter increasing terror threats in global maritime trade.

Aurelio C. Garcia, general manager of Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), operator of the NCT-1, said the ISPS clearance is an indication that the new terminal is ready for global trade as well as ensuring the safety and security of all containers stored in its terminal.

"As the new trading gateway in northern Philippines serving the industries of Subic, Clark and Tarlac economic zones, we are priming the NCT-1 to be at par with the worlds best practices in terminal operations," he said.

"More than complying with the ISPS, the safety and security procedures and installations in place at the NCT-1 ensure the quality of our container handling services. We are bringing in ICTSIs brand of expertise to the terminal, and we assure our customers, shipping line and consignee alike, that we are committed to give only the best service," Garcia added.

Headquartered in the Philippines, ICTSI is on its 20th year of operation.

Source (http://asia.news.yahoo.com/080922/4/3pdib.html)

ericlucky290

September 23rd, 2008, 04:59 AM

CDC installs new traffic lights inside Clark Freeport (http://www.clark.com.ph/default.asp?module=News&newsID=312)

CLARK FREEPORT – The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) announced that it is currently installing new traffic lights worth P7.1 million along strategic areas of this Freeport.

According to CDC Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Manager Arthur Valdez, new traffic lights have been installed along the intersection of M.A. Roxas and Ninoy Aquino Streets near PLDT Clark and along M.A. Roxas Street near the Friendship Gate.

Valdez said the traffic lights near the PLDT Clark office costs P3.6 million while the ones installed near Friendship cost P 3 million. The amount, he added, includes the installation of direction and traffic signage.

Also, Valdez announced that the CDC has repaired traffic lights along C.M Recto Street going to the Mabalacat Gate with a cost of P577,000.

Valdez said with the installation of new traffic lights the CDC can assure motorists safety and hassle-free vehicular and human traffic inside the Freeport.

The traffic lights, which are now fully operational, were imported from China and installed by local contractor Traffic Signal Builders, Inc.

ericlucky290

October 14th, 2008, 06:10 AM

Hotel firm seeks payment deadline extension for Pampanga resort (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/126900/Hotel-firm-seeks-payment-deadline-extension-for-Pampanga-resort)

MANILA, Philippines - Gatchalian-led Waterfront Philippines, Inc. (WPI), the winner in the bid for the privatization of the former Mimosa Leisure Estate, has asked the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) to extend the payment deadline so that it could take over the resort.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, WPI said it has filed on Monday an appeal with the CDC to reconsider extending the deadline pending the resolution of licensing issues with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporaton (PAGCOR).

Last July, WPI won the right to lease, develop and manage the resort located in Clark, Pampanga. It signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CDC to pay P770 million upfront within 90 days after the approval of the agreement.

WPI is seeking a 60-day extension in paying the amount “or until such time that a legal and binding solution shall have been worked out with the government agencies affected," the company said in its disclosure.

WPI said it still has to resolve the issuance of a gaming license from PAGCOR so that it can better manage the resort-casino.

CDC earlier said that WPI will pay P1.5 billion for the contract to lease and manage the former Mimosa Leisure Estate.

WPI, which is owns a chain of hotels nationwide, said it will set up a subsidiary to manage the Pampanga resort. This new subsidiary will have a capitalization of P10 million. - Veronica C. Silva, GMANews.TV

icarusrising

October 22nd, 2008, 01:30 PM

ICTSI, SBMA hail new terminal as ‘prime link’
Shipping (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=823:ictsi-sbma-hail-new-terminal-as-prime-link&catid=29:shipping)
Written by VG Cabuag / Reporter

WEDNESDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2008 18:33
MONTHS after it won a concession to operate the new container port terminal in Subic Bay, publicly listed International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is pushing the facility as the prime trade link in the main island of Luzon.

Together with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA)—owner of New Container Terminal-1—ICTSI is trying to market the port terminal to import and export companies in Central and Northern Luzon that still prefer to do business in the Port of Manila for shipping their goods.

“The strategic location of Subic to your manufacturing plants means a significant decrease in transport costs and faster delivery time of cargo,” said Ferdinand Hernandez, SBMA’s senior deputy administrator for operations.

Subic’s proximity to the economic zones of Northern and Central Luzon makes it the ideal international trading gateway in the region, the SBMA said.

“With our strategic location, world-class port infrastructure, competitive port tariffs and the expertise of an international port operator, Subic is ready and positioned to serve industrial locators in the region,” Hernandez said.

He underscored the newly opened Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway that has significantly reduced trucking transit times and fees in conjunction with Subic as gateway to other points of Luzon.

“Unlike other ports located in metropolitan areas in Luzon, Subic is traffic jam-free and has no truck ban,” Hernandez added.

The new container terminal in the free port’s Cubi Point was developed with money given by the Japan Bank of International Cooperation.

ICTSI created Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) to manage its port holdings in Subic Bay and holds a 25-year concession to operate the New Container Terminal-1.

The terminal has an area of 13.16 hectares and an annual capacity of 300,000 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units). Its berth consists of a 280-meter wharf with a controlling depth of 13 meters and is equipped with two post-Panamax quay cranes.

Over 80 reefer stations are installed in the container yard and the gate has six truck lanes designed to keep the flow of traffic through the terminal as smooth as possible.

“SBITC is investing to further improve terminal operations and to construct other support facilities,” said Aurelio Garcia, SBITC general manager.

The company intends to buy more container-handling equipment as the volume throughput increases in the coming years.

Garcia said his company also invested in human-resources training and development.

Additional money was put into a terminal operating system for gates and container yard management, as SBITC plans “to fully computerize operations,” Garcia added.

The company’s present clients include American President Lines, Wan Hai Lines and Tasman Orient.

Established in 2000, SBITC is the exclusive international container terminal operator at the Subic Bay Free Port. It operated the NSD Terminal there for seven years before transferring container-handling operations to the NCT-1 in May.

ericlucky290

October 23rd, 2008, 04:49 AM

Waterfront loses rights over Mimosa (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20081023-167916/Waterfront-loses-rights-over-Mimosa)
By Elizabeth Sanchez-Lacson, Tonette Orejas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:12:00 10/23/2008

State-owned Clark Development Corp. (CDC), overseer of the Clark Special Economic Zone north of Manila, has canceled a claim of Waterfront Philippines Inc. to operate the 206-hectare Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday, Waterfront, the hotel chain of plastics magnate William Gachalian, said it had received a letter from CDC confirming that the CDC board had canceled the bidding process for the Mimosa estate because of a “supervening event that materially affected the terms of the project.”

CDC said it had not extended the deadline for Waterfront Philippines to comply with its obligations under a memorandum of agreement with CDC.

CDC reached the decision at a board meeting on Oct. 17, citing a condition imposed by the government’s casino franchising firm Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) on Waterfront, CDC president Benigno Ricafort said.

Pagcor wanted Waterfront to pay P350 million in debts of Mondragon Leisure Resorts Corp., the estate’s previous operator, before it issued a casino license.

Pagcor vice president for corporate communications, Edward King said a casino license would not be automatically granted to the entity that would acquire Mimosa. “Whoever the buyer is has to apply separately for a license,” he said.

CDC took over the Mimosa in 1998 as Mondragon’s debt reached more than P1 billion in land lease and taxes.

CDC and Waterfront signed on July 14 a memorandum of agreement in which Waterfront committed to pay P930 million by before Oct. 11.

Waterfront did not pay that amount, but it made a security deposit of P54 million. It asked for a 60-day extension, “or until such time that a ... binding solution can be worked out” to settle the gaming license issue.

Waterfront wanted to operate the casino, saying in a Sept. 30 letter to CDC that the “heart of the estate’s operations lies in the gaming industry.”

“Without clear right to obtain a license ..., the financial viability of the whole project is greatly imperiled,” it said.

This is the fourth time the bidding for Clark’s tourism crown jewel has failed. Edited by INQUIRER.net

icarusrising

October 25th, 2008, 09:35 AM

Businessmen want Subic Bay turned into ‘mother’ port (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=896:businessmen-want-subic-bay-turned-into-mother-port&catid=29:shipping)
Shipping
Written by VG Cabuag / Reporter
Thursday, 23 October 2008 19:53

CONTAINER ports in Subic Bay, a former US military base, could be developed into the country’s transshipment hub after simulations have shown it is closer to most major sea lanes.

Meneleo Carlos, chairman of the National Competitive Council’s infrastructure working group, told reporters at the sidelines of the Philippine Business Conference that his group already started discussions with officials of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on the area’s potential as premier transshipment location.

“We have asked officials and they said they are willing to build more infrastructure there or call for other investors to make Subic as our first mother port,” Carlos said.

“They said they are willing to convert the airport there to expand the port facilities if necessary,” he added.

During the conference, Carlos said that the group is now studying the possibility of moving more cargo through Subic Bay. The group would like to start by launching crane barges with 50-TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit) to 80-TEU capacity through Batangas, Cavite, Manila, Bataan and Subic.

Such approach is now being practiced in the ports of Guangzou along the Pearl River and Shanghai along the Yangtze River, which has about the same distance as the route from Batangas to Subic.

“We expect that the cost of transporting these containers will be much less by craned barges than by trucks running through Metro Manila. It will also result in decongesting Metro Manila and reduce the pollution that these trucks can cause when traffic is clogged,” he said.

There is no transshipment port in the country today. The idea of transshipment revolves on shipping goods to an intermediate destination prior to reaching their ultimate end-use. It is common practice with logistics benefits that center on efficiency.

Most of the country’s large terminals such as Manila International Container Terminal, which handles about 1.3 million TEUs a year, are known as feeder ports.

Subic Bay, at present, does not have enough facilities to become a transshipment port since SBMA is still working on its port capacity.

Subic’s New Container Terminal (NCT)-1, which has an area of 13.16 hectares and an annual capacity of 300,000 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units), is being developed to handle general cargo.

Government is in the process of building another container terminal that will be NCT-2 and of the same size as NCT-1.

Some port officials doubt if SBMA can fill up the capacity as volume of cargoes handled in the port is so small compared to those of the ports of Manila.

This year, SBMA expects a bigger volume of containerized cargo to 43,490 TEUs from 36,451 TEUs in 2007. Noncontainer cargo is expected to increase to 2.66 million metric tons (MTs) this year from the 2007 record of 1.89 million MTs. Ship calls rose from 1,576 in 2006 to 1,778 in 2007.

icarusrising

October 29th, 2008, 02:17 PM

More trade among Asian ports needed (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1046:more-trade-among-asian-ports-needed-&catid=29:shipping)
Shipping
Written by Henry Empeño / Correspondent
Monday, 27 October 2008 19:31

SUBIC BAY FREE PORT—Seeing the potentials of a maritime network formed 10 years ago by seven international seaports in Asia, a Japanese executive has called for more economic exchanges to promote trade among port authorities and the private sector.

Hiroshi Yamanaka, director of the ports promotion division at the Kochi prefectural government in Japan, will be attending the 10th conference of the International Network of Affiliated Ports (INAP) in this free port today and tomorrow. He said the annual event should also be a springboard for more trade exchanges in the private sector.

“I think we must push in this direction,” Yamanaka said in reply to e-mailed questions. “It is very important that we do not let the INAP activities end up as once-a-year activities.”

“I believe that if we could encourage more such exchanges in the private sector, so that they happen not just once but several times a year, we would see some great results,” he said.

While port authorities are in charge of port management, “it is not us but the business sector that is actually conducting trade,” Yamanaka explained.

“So if we try to promote economic exchange, what we need to do is to encourage not only exchanges among officials but also more visits by members of businesses,” he added.

In this scenario, the Japanese executive stressed that INAP could serve as the venue to promote more trade because of closer ties among member- ports throughout Asia.

“One special characteristic of our INAP relationship is that it is not simply a one-on-one port relationship, but a network of allied ports that spans many different countries,” Yamanaka pointed out.

“We can make further progress with respect to economic exchange through INAP, and I believe that these ties between member-ports will lead to the advancement of our respective countries,” he added.

Because of this, Yamanaka said that aside from 10 officials from the Kochi prefectural government, which administers the Port of Kochi, 20 other delegates from the private sector will arrive in Subic for the INAP conference.

The latter group, Yamanaka said, forms part of the “economic mission of businesses” that the Kochi government has encouraged in the years that the hosting of the INAP conference has rotated among member ports.

While the Japanese businessmen did not immediately begin actual trade, Yamanaka clarified that “just seeing the region and talking to people” has brought “about many new ideas and possibilities.”

Many companies in Kochi began to get involved in overseas trade after attending the INAP conference that the Port of Kochi hosted last year, he said.

Yamanaka added that he looked forward to visiting Subic when he heard Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Feliciano Salonga talk about the Subic Bay Free Port during the Kochi conference.

The SBMA announced on Friday that the Subic conference would involve more than the usual plenary sessions and planning workshops among representatives of member-ports.

According to SBMA seaport manager Perfecto Pascual, Subic organizers have also prepared business meetings and product exhibits for delegates to the INAP convention.

The business conferences and exhibits, Pascual explained, are Subic “innovations” meant to further promote member-ports which, in general, “have multiplier effects in terms of employment, generating major industries and increasing export and import activities.”

Pascual added that aside from a trade delegation from Kochi, business delegates from Mokpo Newport have already confirmed attendance in the conference.

Formed in 1998 as a venue for consultation, cooperation and exchange of information among member -ports, the INAP group now includes the ports of Subic Bay and Cebu in the Philippines, Kochi in Japan, Mokpo Newport in South Korea, Tanjung Perak in Indonesia, Qingdao in China and Colombo in Sri Lanka.

lancetrn

October 30th, 2008, 04:22 AM

Philip Morris to build P1-billion warehouse in Subic next year
PHILIP MORRIS Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. will start building a P1-billion tobacco leaf warehouse in Olongapo City next year, with company officials committing to expand operations here despite the global economic slowdown.

The investment will be on top of its recently completed P70-million cigarette warehouse in Batangas.

Targeting the low-income market and strengthening its distribution network have allowed the local subsidiary of the multinational cigarette maker to remain profitable, officials said.

Chris J. Nelson, Philip Morris Philippines managing director, told reporters yesterday they would build the leaf storage facility at the Subic Bay Freeport next year.

The facility will hold up to 24,000 metric tons of tobacco obtained from local and foreign suppliers. It will be four times bigger than its existing facility, also in Subic.

The announcement came as the company inagurated its 3,500-square meter cigarette warehouse extension in Tanauan City, Batangas.

The cigarette warehouse, completed in September, can hold a billion cigarette sticks for sale here and abroad, particularly to Thailand, Pakistan and other countries in the region.

The warehouse increases Philip Morris’s storage capacity by more than half to 1.8 billion sticks. It accomodates increased production and meets the need for more efficient and higher-quality storage facilities, Mr. Nelson said.

"The new investment we are inagurating today is further assurance not only to tobacco farmers, but to all our stakeholders that Philip Morris Philippines is here to stay," he said. "We’ve expanded. It’s hard to predict the next five years, but that’s the trend we want to continue," he added.

Vincent Nguyen, Philip Morris Philippines operations director, said: "We will, in the next five years, make this the best manufacturing [site] in Asia."

The company is upbeat about local prospects and expects "fair to good" profit growth by year-end, Mr. Nelson said, but declined to go into the details.

The firm has kept sales up by launching cheaper cigarette packs containing only five sticks, he said.

Philip Morris International, Inc. earlier said third-quarter profits went up by a fifth to $2.08 billion due to strong sales in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Asked to comment on the country’s ongoing cigarette trade dispute with Thailand, Mr. Nelson cited the need to resolve the case given the uncertainty over the cost of exporting, which has made long-term planning difficult.

Thailand is Philip Morris’s main export market. The two countries have been embroiled in a two-year dispute on the taxes Thailand imposes on cigarettes from the Philippines. — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW103008/content.php?id=043

ericlucky290

November 2nd, 2008, 02:02 AM

Execs: Subic has ‘come long way’ (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20081101-169743/Execs-Subic-has-come-long-way)Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:53:00 11/01/2008

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines—Top officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) are optimistic about the freeport’s prospects in the global maritime sector.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, in his address during the general assembly of the International Network of Affiliated Ports (Inap) here on Wednesday, said compared to 10 years ago, “Subic has come a long way.”

He said Subic is now home to some 1,100 investor-firms that provide jobs to more than 85,000 workers.

He said Subic, which has the newest operating container port in the country, possesses key infrastructure that can support a wide range of businesses.

“With this, Subic now responds to the growing requirements of seaborne trade in Northern and Central Luzon, and is ready for the capacity shortage of 14 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) projected for Southeast Asia,” Arreza told conference delegates.

He said the existence of nine other piers and cargo terminals in Subic, the logistics support infrastructure in the Subic-Clark growth corridor and the free port’s location in the center of the East Asian region would give this free port access to more investments.

During the conference, representatives of Inap’s member-ports installed SBMA Chair Feliciano Salonga as Inap chair for 2008 to 2009.

Salonga said he would steer Inap to survival and expansion, “especially during these challenging times.”

Inap, formed in 1998 as a venue for exchanging information and sharing technology and expertise on marine transport and logistics, held its 10th annual conference here as the global economic downturn began affecting major industries, including the maritime sector.

Masanao Ozaki, governor of the Kochi Prefecture in Japan and outgoing Inap chair, lauded the SBMA for promoting investment and employment opportunities in Subic.

“For the significant increase in [the] number of investors and jobs created in Subic, I would like to show respect to the people of SBMA for the hard work and generous effort in developing the local economy,” Ozaki said.

Hiroshi Yamanaka, ports promotion director at the Kochi port in Japan, said the Kochi government encouraged not only exchanges among government officials, but also among traders during the Subic conference.

The Kochi government had 30 delegates to the conference, 20 of them coming from the private business sector, Yamanaka said.

The Japanese delegation, he said, checked developments inside the Subic Bay Freeport “in pursuit of possible economic exchanges or trade.”

Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon

lancetrn

November 4th, 2008, 01:52 AM

Trump eyes tourism investment in SubicA GROUP that includes American real estate mogul Donald Trump is investing as much as $1 billion to develop a high-end leisure facility in Subic, Olongapo City.

The consortium, made up of the Trump Organization, American Westgate Resorts Asia Ltd. and Korean Heung-A Property Group, is spending a fourth of the investment in the first quarter of next year, it said in a statement yesterday.

The group is eyeing a 457-hectare beachfront property in the village of Cawag, where it plans to build hotels, residential villas, retail shops, casinos, educational and medical facilities and a convention center over 10 years.

The Manhattan-based Trump Organization is the main company of Donald Trump, a prominent American real estate developer.

The company oversees nearly all of the business development interests of Mr. Trump, such as real estate, hotels and golf clubs.

The Subic investment is part of a deal signed by the three companies to form a venture that will identify potential investments and development opportunities, including communities, resorts and other real estate projects in Asia.

The first phase of the Philippine project will be led by Heung-A’s wholly owned subsidiary, Subic Neocove Corp., and involves the development of the basic infrastructure and a 54-hole golf course worth $250 million. It is expected to be finished by 2011.

Subic Neocove Chairman Seung Guk Yang told a briefing the project would be different from other leisure projects in the area since it would be targeting long-staying tenants instead of vacationers.

"We are putting [up] medical and wellness facilities and international schools so [clients] can treat this as their second home, which is why we are not calling it a resort but a master plan community," he said through an interpreter.

Robert N. Aventajado, Neo-cove’s Philippine representative, said the company would co-own the property with local firm Neocove Philippines, instead of leasing it.

Mr. Seung said the firm is aiming for the high-end market from Asia, Europe and the US, which has not been affected too much by the US-led global economic slow-down. He added that once finished, Neocove would be the largest high-end master-planned community in Asia.

A master-planned community is generally distinguished by the number of amenities it offers, and the big land area the community encompasses. Master-planned communities incorporate recreational amenities such as lakes, golf courses and parks with bike paths and jogging trails.

"Our initial foray into the Subic Bay Freeport Zone signals the extreme confidence of various highly funded multinationals with respect to both the near- and long-term economic and investment prospects in the Philippines," Mr. Seung said in a statement.

Heung-A Director Mitchell Park said the Subic investment would be the first large-scale property project of the company, whose main business is shipbuilding.

He said they had partnered with the Trump Organization and Westgate so it would be easier to tap international capital markets amidst a financial crisis in the US and Europe.

He said the project would be financed by borrowings and equity, but declined to say how much each firm would be contributing.

He said the Trump Organization would serve as the lead developer, with Westgate as co-developer.

Westgate, owned by property developer David A. Siegel, is the largest privately owned time share company in the world and operates 28 resorts in 11 US states. — Don Gil K. Carreon

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW110408/content.php?id=042

lancetrn

November 6th, 2008, 01:59 AM

Cebu Pacific to build aircraft maintenance complex in Clark

BUDGET CARRIER Cebu Pacific will break new ground today for a $100-million aircraft maintenance facility that the company is building with a Singaporean firm at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

"We are positive that a world-class maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Clark will further enhance the aerospace industry in the Philippines," Cebu Pacific Chief Executive Officer Lance Y. Gokongwei said in a statement yesterday. The airline has partnered with SIA Engineering Corp., part of the Singapore Airlines group, to build the facility. Cebu Pacific will own 35% of the company, while 65% will be held by the Singaporean firm.

Representatives from the Clark International Airport Corp., Cebu Pacific and its foreign partner are expected to attend the ground-breaking and capsule-laying ceremonies today.

"With SIA Engineering Company’s [aircraft maintenance] proficiency, we will certainly develop the local talent pool of aerospace management and engineering personnel," Mr. Gokongwei said.

He added that a heavy maintenance facility in the Philippines would enhance Cebu Pacific’s reliability and engineering quality.

The project involves the construction of three large hangars that will service long-haul commercial aircraft at a 10-hectare property within the airport. The first hangar will service narrow-bodied aircraft like the Airbus 320, while the second and third will service wide-bodied aircraft such like the Boeing 747 and 777.

The facility is expected to generate at least 1,000 jobs during the construction phase. Officials expect it to be completed by the second quarter of next year. — Paolo Luis G. Montecillo
http://www.bworldonline.com/BW110608/content.php?id=045

lancetrn

November 6th, 2008, 02:04 AM

Petron opens fuel blending plant

PETRON CORP. expects to expand its market in the Asia-Pacific region and cut down import costs with the opening of its fuel additive plant, the country’s first. Petron will inaugurate the fuel additive blending plant at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone today. The plant can blend 12,000 metric tons of fuel additives per year. When used in gasoline, diesel or fuel oil, fuel additives improve efficiency, boost engine performance and benefit the environment by reducing harmful emissions. In a statement, Petron said the facility was in line with its strategy to develop nontraditional revenue streams and expand its market overseas. "The commissioning of the Petron fuel additives blending plant underscores our efforts to diversify from our core business to ensure that we continue to produce more value for our shareholders and maintain our growth momentum," Petron President Eric O. Recto said. The facility was built in partnership with Innospec, Inc. a global fuel additive supplier. Petron will operate the plant to serve Innospec’s customers and its own clients in the region.

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW110608/content.php?id=047

icarusrising

November 6th, 2008, 10:57 AM

SIA Engineering, Cebu Pacific to put up $100-M repair facility in RP (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008110521)
By Mary Ann. Ll. Reyes
Thursday, November 6, 2008
SIA Engineering Philippines Corp. (SIAEPC), in partnership with Cebu Pacific Air, will break ground today for the establishment of a $100-million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex.

Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and CEO Victor Jose Luciano, SIA Engineering Co. (SIAEC) president and CEO William Tan and Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei will lead the groundbreaking rites as well as the time capsule-laying for the multi-million dollar MRO project.

The MRO facility will service long-haul commercial aircraft and is expected to further improve services at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) which is being pump-primed as the next premier gateway of the Philippines.

“The MRO fulfills the vision of President Arroyo to make Clark a leading world-class service hub in the Asia Pacific Region,” Luciano said.

For his part, Gokongwei said they are positive that a world-class MRO facility at Clark will further enhance the aerospace industry in the Philippines. “With SIA Engineering Co.’s MRO proficiency, we will certainly develop the local talent pool of aerospace management and engineering personnel. In addition, a heavy maintenance facility in the Philippines will significantly enhance Cebu Pacific Air’s desptach reliability and engineering quality,” he added.

SIAEPC is 65-percent owned by SIAEC with Cebu Pacific owning the remaining 35-percent stake in the joint venture.

The project involves the construction of three large hangars that will service long-haul commercial aircraft at its 10-hectare property at the airport. The first hangar will service narrow–bodied aircraft such as the Airbus 320 while the second and third will service wide-bodied aircraft such as the Boeing 747s and 777s.

The facility will generate at least 1,000 jobs in its construction phase and is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2009. The MRO will complement the development of the DMIA as a logistics and services hub as well as the Clark International Airport as envisioned by President Arroyo.

Luciano said the MRO is an important integral part of the operations of the DMIA because it can now handle the maintenance, repair and overhaul of legacy carriers in the Asian region.

As part of the Singapore Airlines Group, SIAEC provides maintenance services for the more than 60 international carriers operating at Singapore’s Changi International Airport, including airframe and component overhaul on some of the most advanced, widely used commercial aircraft in the world.

icarusrising

November 6th, 2008, 10:59 AM

Petron opens first fuel additive blending plant in Asia Pacific (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2008110523)
By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Petron Corp., the country’s largest oil refiner, will inaugurate today the first fuel additives blending plant in the Asia-Pacific region at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The new blending plant will enable Petron to develop non-traditional revenue streams and expand its overseas market.

The plant has the capacity to blend 12,000 metric tons of fuel additives per year. When used in gasoline, diesel or fuel oil, fuel additives improve efficiency, boost engine performance and benefit the environment by reducing harmful emissions.

The facility was built in partnership with Innospec, a leading global fuel additives supplier.

In line with an agreement signed in 2006, Petron constructed and will operate the plant to serve the requirements of Innospec’s customers in the region, including those of Petron. Traditionally, Innospec products marketed in Asia are sourced from Europe.

Roughly 80 percent of the facility’s production will be exported to the Asia-Pacific region while the rest will be exclusively used by Petron for its world-class fuels — Blaze, XCS, Xtra Unleaded, E10 Premium and DieselMax.

“This project combines Petron’s first-rate technical services, marketing capability, and strategic location with Innospec’s fuel additive technologies and strong presence in Asia,” Petron chairman and CEO Nicasio I. Alcantara said.

“The demand for fuel additives in other Asian countries is projected to remain high, and we expect to generate additional revenues from this,” he added.

Based on the arrangement, Petron will render technical support services to Innospec in the region and participate in the marketing of fuel additives in selected markets.

The company also plans to tap the customer base of Innospec for Petron-branded lubricants.

Innospec already serves power plants, refiners and manufacturers throughout the region, many of whom are also users of lubricants. Petron-branded lubricants such as Ultron and Rev-X are already being sold in Cambodia and Indonesia.

Petron and Innospec have been fuel technology partners since 1995. This partnership has produced premium fuel products. Beyond this partnership, Innospec chose Petron for its strong technical capability in blending and quality control, customer service and proven integrity when it comes to safeguarding Innospec’s proprietary formulations.

In April this year, Petron also commissioned the country’s first petrochemical feedstock units – the Petro Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (PetroFCC) unit and a Propylene Recovery Unit (PRU) – at its 180,000 barrel-per-day Bataan refinery.

The PetroFCC, the first “cracking” unit of its kind in the world, converts black products (fuel oil) into higher value LPG, gasoline, and diesel. More importantly, it yields a higher level of the petrochemical feedstock propylene than typical FCC units.

icarusrising

November 7th, 2008, 11:41 AM

GMA leads groundbreaking for $100-M maintenance, repair facility at DMIA (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1635:gma-leads-groundbreaking-for-100-m-maintenance-repair-facility-at-dmia&catid=33:economy)
Economy
Written by Jacob Cunanan / Correspondent
Friday, 07 November 2008 00:28

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/images/stories/Daily_Images/1107082008/eco-pic01.jpg
PRESIDENT Arroyo leads the time-capsule laying ceremonies for the $100-million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility of the SIA Engineering Co. (SIAEC) at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex. Assisting the President are SIAEC president and chief executive officer William Tan (to the President’s left) and Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and CEO Victor Jose Luciano (in barong to the President’s right). Witnessing the time-capsule laying are (from left) Angeles City Mayor Francis Nepomuceno; Singaporean Ambassador A. Selverajah (partly hidden); CIAC vice president for administration and finance Romeo Dyoco Jr.; SIAEC general manager for the Philippines Liu Kim Yoong; Bases Conversion and Development Authority director Councilor Jorge Banal; SIAEC senior vice president for services Chan Seng Yong; SIAEC SVP for aircraft and component services Ivan Neo Seok Kok; CIAC chairman Nestor Mangio; Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo Lazatin; Pampanga 4th District Rep. Anna York Bondoc; and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. The project will employ some 1,000 jobs and involves the construction of five hangars that will provide MRO services for a wide variety of aircraft. JACOB CUNANAN

CLARK FREE PORT, Pampanga—President Arroyo led the groundbreaking and time capsule-laying ceremonies for a $100-million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the 2,500-hectare Clark Civil Aviation Complex here on Thursday.

Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and chie executive officer Victor Jose Luciano said, “President Arroyo was grateful to see the first-ever world-class MRO to be set up at the airport complex.”

“The President told me she was very happy and grateful for the project. She said she really wants this project to be set up in Clark as this is her dream—to make the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport [DMIA] the leading service and logistics hub in the world,” Luciano said following the groundbreaking rites.

Mrs. Arroyo arrived at about 1:30 p.m. and led CIAC officials headed by Luciano, SIA Engineering Co. (SIAEC) officials led by its president and CEO William Tan, and Cebu Pacific Air president and CEO Lance Gokongwei in the groundbreaking and capsule-laying for the multimillion-dollar project.

“This facility is one of the main components of the development of Clark as a leading aviation service hub for the Asia-Pacific region. The project fulfills the vision of President Arroyo to make Clark a leading world-class service hub in the Asia-Pacific region,” Luciano said.

He said the project is the second base of SIAEC, the main hub being in Singapore.

“They [SIAEC] decided to put up another hub and situate it in Clark. At least five hangars will be developed to provide the variety of services that the company provides for long-haul commercial aircraft,” Luciano said.

“This means a lot of economic activity, a lot of employment as 1,000 jobs will be generated by the project. It will also generate 10,000 indirect jobs. The project is expected to be completed mid-2009,” Luciano said.

The MRO facility will service long-haul commercial aircraft and is expected to further improve services at the DMIA, which is being primed as the next premier gateway of the Philippines.

Gokongwei, meanwhile, expressed optimism that a world-class MRO facility in Clark will further enhance the aerospace industry in the Philippines.

“With SIA Engineering Co.’s MRO proficiency, we will certainly develop the local talent pool of aerospace management and engineering personnel. In addition, a heavy maintenance facility in the Philippines will significantly enhance Cebu Pacific Air’s reliability and engineering quality,” Gokongwei said.

SIA Engineering (Philippines) Corp. is 65 percent owned by SIAEC, with Cebu Pacific Air owning a 35-percent stake in the joint venture.

Guests at the ceremonies included SIAEC senior vice president for services Chan Seng Yong, senior vice president for aircraft and component services Ivan Neo Seok Kok, SIA Engineering general manager for the Philippines Liu Kim Yoong, CIAC executive vice president Alexander Cauguiran, vice president for operations and general manager Bienvenido Manga, vice president for administration and finance Romeo Dyoco Jr., CIAC board chairman Nestor Mangio, Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council chairman Edgardo Pamintuan, Mayor Francis Nepomuceno of Angeles City, Mayor Marino Morales of Mabalacat and Rep. Carmelo Lazatin.

The project involves the construction of five large hangars, three of which will be initially built, that will service long-haul commercial aircraft at its 10-hectare property at the airport. The first hangar will service narrow-bodied aircraft such as the Airbus 320, while the second and third will service wide-bodied aircraft such as the Boeing 747s and 777s.

Luciano said the MRO is an integral part of the operations of the DMIA because it can now handle the maintenance, repair and overhaul of legacy carriers in the Asian region.

A part of the Singapore Airlines Group, SIAEC provides maintenance services for the more than 60 international carriers operating at Singapore’s Changi International Airport, including airframe and component overhaul on some of the most advanced, widely used commercial aircraft in the world.

SIAEC’s line maintenance support extends to more than 40 airports such as Australia, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

SIAEC services at least 80 international carriers and aerospace equipment manufacturers. It has 20 certifications from airworthiness authorities around the world, with six hangars and 22 in-house workshops in Singapore which provide complete MRO services in airframe, component, engine, aircraft conversions and modifications for major airlines from four continents.

icarusrising

November 8th, 2008, 03:58 AM

Clark expects P14B in new investments (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=200811076)
By Ding Cervantes
Saturday, November 8, 2008

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — State-run Clark Development Corp. (CDC) expressed confidence at least P14 billion worth of fresh investments will pour into the freeport in the next five years.

The projected investments were the commitments made by 55 businesses which signed agreements with the CDC in the past 10 months. Their entry into the freeport would bring to 781 the total number of investments in Clark, said a report of the CDC’s marketing department.

The report submitted to CDC president and chief executive officer Benigno Ricafort noted that the biggest committed projects involve 10 tourism ventures worth a combined P9.2 billion.

It said 33 new information technology projects are to infuse some P2.18 billion new investments in the next five years. The fresh investments are expected to create some 13,000 new jobs.

CDC assistant vice president for investment and promotions Bernardo Angeles Jr. said in this year alone, about P10 billion are expected to be invested in the freeport, as he noted that this would be much more than the P5 billion to P6 billion worth investments generated in 2007 and P3 billion in 2006.

Angeles attributed the continued growth of investments to Clark’s “biggest competitive edge” which he identified as the “capacity for fast turnaround time, as this would cut down on costs when shipping.”

“We also brought down the cost of power giving us the cheapest rates in Luzon,” he added. Total investments in the freeport have reached over P30.51 billion as of last year, he noted.

CDC also said existing locators have expanded their businesses, infusing some P5 billion more. “The locators are looking forward to the construction of a 1,000-room hotel, an 18-hole golf course and several luxury villas,” Angeles said.

Among last year’s top investors was Texas Instruments whose facility under construction would cost around $1 billion. Another locator infused P1 billion for a 250-room hotel, P1 billion for a convention center, a high-end villa worth P500 million and a high-end spa worth P100 million.

Angeles said CDC is upgrading various infrastructure to entice fresh investments, even as it continues to coordinate with universities in Central Luzon for job-matching initiatives to fill in the manpower needs of the investors and thus create more jobs for local folk.

ruralvillage

February 2nd, 2009, 11:38 PM

Business sees Subic’s potential as commercially viable seaport (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/feb/03/yehey/prov/20090203pro4.html)
Manila Times (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/feb/03/yehey/prov/20090203pro4.html)

SUBIC BAY Freeport: The National Competitiveness Council and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) called for the development of Subic as the country’s transshipment and logistic hub over the weekend.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials lauded the proposal saying that it reinforces its commitment to modernize the Subic seaport that has posted a 26.6 growth last year despite the current situation.

“More and more people realize Subic’s potential in catalyzing further growth in the country’s maritime logistics industry, and that’s great news for the SBMA,” SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said.

“The picture of a modern, globally competitive and commercially viable Subic seaport gets clearer,” he added.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has already allocated $215 million to modernize Subic Bay en route to becoming the country’s logistics and marine services hub, Arreza said.

This modernization program of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone includes construction of two container terminals which would have a total capacity of 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs); and rehabilitation of some US Navy-built piers, which would be used as specialized ports for passenger and cruise ships, and also for loading and unloading grains, fertilizers, oil and petroleum products, and other bulk cargoes.

Meneleo Carlos of the National Competitiveness Council said the council is studying the possibility of moving more cargo through the Subic Bay Freeport using 50-TEU to 80-TEU barges for the transfer of cargoes from Bataan, Batangas, Cavite and Manila.

Since Subic Bay is in close proximity to most of the major sea lanes, it would be more convenient for mother ships which are used in transshipments to drop by Subic and pick up cargoes there for direct delivery to their respective destinations, he said, adding that this would fast track the movement of shipments, entail lower costs, and generate additional profit and employment.

In a statement by SBMA, PCCI officials said that proposed logistics center is needed to decongest cargo traffic in Manila, reduce the cost of doing business and improve the competitiveness of the Philippines as business estination.
--Anthony Bayarong and Ben Arnold O. de Vera

ruralvillage

February 5th, 2009, 04:15 AM

SBMA seaport posts 26.6% revenue growth in 2008 (http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Business_19/SBMA_seaport_posts_26_6_revenue_growth_in_2008.shtml)
Positive News Media (http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Business_19/SBMA_seaport_posts_26_6_revenue_growth_in_2008.shtml)

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Feb. 5 (PNA) — Limping from the ban on the importation of used cars and the slowing global economy last year, the Subic seaport nevertheless finished 2008 with stellar performance as it surpassed target revenue collections by 21 percent and posted a 26.6-percent revenue growth over its 2007 record.

Retired Captain Perfecto Pascual, who heads the Seaport department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said actual collections by the Subic seaport amounted to P276.24 million versus the P228.21 target for 2008.

This was a record increase of 26.6 percent in seaport revenue compared to actual collections of P218.2 million in 2007, he added.

Pascual said 2008 could have been a disastrous year for the SBMA seaport had officials not initiated fiscal reforms to override the effects of Executive Order (EO) No. 256 that banned the importation of used cars.

He added the Seaport department got off with a slow start, posting a 20-percent drop in revenues for the first quarter of 2008 compared to 2007.

"Historically, (the importations) brought in a significant income for Subic, but the ban consequently brought down ship calls and cargo. Then the global financial crisis hit us in the second half of the year, and this did not spare the shipping industry," Pascual related.

What saved the day for Subic, Pascual said, was the decision of the SBMA to modify its policy on vessel and cargo charges, including those levied on the Philippine Coastal Corp., whose exemption from paying said fees was canceled by the SBMA in the fourth quarter of 2007.

This resulted in P3 million worth of additional revenue each month, he said.

Pascual added the 2008 revenue upsurge was driven mainly by the updating of shipping fees being collected in the Port of Subic, and the April 2008 start-up operation of the 300,000- TEU New Container Terminal (NCT-1), which rakes in some P4.3 million into the SBMA Seaport's coffers monthly.

He said the SBMA board also approved in April last year an increase in SBMA's share and cargo-handling fees from 10 percent of the cargo handlers' gross income to 15 percent.

This rate is still comparatively lower than those charged by other Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)-administered ports, Pascual said, pointing out that the Port of Manila collects 20 percent, while the Port of Cebu collects 15 percent and 22 percent for local and foreign cargoes, respectively.

However, he said the economic slowdown that began last year left a 20-percent shortage on bulk/break-bulk cargoes as against 2007 records.

Still, Hanjin Heavy Industries Inc.-Phil's continuous shipbuilding operations raised revenues for the importation of heavy equipment and steel products by 172 percent, he added.

According to the SBMA Seaport yearend report, total export and import transactions in Subic fell by 19.4 percent last year to a total of 29,730 from 36,451 in 2007.

Ship calls posted a modest 6.3 percent growth — 1,893 compared to 1,781 in 2007. Projection for 2009 is placed at 2,052 with total tonnage of 15 million.

Pascual said because of the economic slowdown, Subic forecasts a smaller volume of containerized cargo this year from a total of 29,370 TEUs last year to 28,551 TEUs.

In terms of non-containerized cargo, this year's forecast is 2.19 million metric tons compared to the 2008 record of 1.87 million metric tons.

Despite the global economic downturn, the SBMA Seaport expects revenue of P316.3 million this year, compared to actual revenue collections of P276.24 million in 2008.

"We could turn this crisis into an opportunity for the Port of Subic," said Pascual, who noted that collections this January already amounted to P30 million, which is bigger than the record P29 million monthly collections made in July and August last year.

"The slowdown in the shipping industry, ironically, turns out good for the Port of Subic since shipping lines began to use Subic Bay as a place to lay by their vessels," he explained.

As of last count, 22 vessels are laid up in Subic Bay to wait out the recession.
The SBMA Seaport earns about P6 million monthly from these idle ships, he said. (PNA)

venntro

February 19th, 2009, 09:15 AM

Corruption, lack of experts blamed for poor roads (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/02/19/09/corruption-lack-experts-blamed-poor-roads)
By DHOBIE DE GUZMAN, ABS-CBN News Baguio | 02/19/2009 3:38 PM

BAGUIO CITY - The chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority said rampant corruption and insufficiency of experts lead to the poor quality of roads in the country.

In a press conference, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said institutions that are supposed to guard against irregular government projects are not organized and are not functioning well.

"Yes, [corruption] happens. We have a lack of technical competence to deal with infrastructure projects. The system structure (government projects) is OK but institutions tasked to prevent anomalies in government projects are not working well," he told reporters.

"The checks and balance should work. The end result of corruption plus lack of technical competence is poor roads."

The Senate is currently investigating the World Bank's blacklisting of several Filipino and Chinese companies due to alleged corruption and collusion in biddings of WB-funded road projects.

The World Bank said there was collusion in the awarding of contract for Phase 1 of the National Roads Improvement and Management Program, known as NRIMP 1 that it had financed with $138 million. It blacklisted three Philippine and four Chinese construction firms that allegedly colluded in the bidding on the NRMIP 1 contract. The three Philippine firms are E.C. Luna Construction Corp., Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp. and CM Pancho Construction Inc.

tisoycuba

February 20th, 2009, 02:01 AM

lochinvar

February 20th, 2009, 06:39 PM

Kaya siguro naligaw dahil nga sa poor road. :lol:

venntro

February 25th, 2009, 07:39 AM

Luzon beltway projects 22% complete (http://http://www.inquirer.net/propertyguide/buildingblocks/view.php?db=1&article=20090224-190818)
February 24, 2009 20:02:00
Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—Thirteen government projects have been completed in the Luzon Urban Beltway worth P39.3 billion, or 22 percent of the total P180 billion allotted to develop the "super region" in the north, a Malacañang official said.

Secretary Eduardo Pamintuan, who heads the development in the region, on Tuesday said that of the 38 projects in the beltway, the 13 completed projects are:

• Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX)
• Panday Pira Aacess Road
• Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA)
• DMIA passenger terminal expansion
• Subic port development
• Southern Tagalog Arterial Road
• Phase two of the Batangas Port Development Project
• Three projects for the roll-on, roll-off ferry link between Lucena town, Quezon province, and Boac town, Marinduque province
• Rehabilitation of EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue)
• Upgrading of hospitals
• Opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

"Let us develop the Luzon Urban Beltway a seamless priority infrastructure project," President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said in a speech during a Cabinet meeting here.

venntro

March 9th, 2009, 03:01 AM

Ships idle in Philippine port as global trade slows (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/08/09/ships-idle-philippine-port-global-trade-slows)

Reuters | 03/09/2009 7:36 AM

SUBIC BAY, Philippines - It's 11 a.m. on a weekday but huge, bulky cargo ships scattered in this Philippine port are quiet and nearly deserted, save for a handful of workers repainting chipped handrails on some vessels.

About 22 ships -- mostly empty cargo vessels -- have anchored in this former U.S. naval base northwest of Manila, some as long as three months running. It's cheaper than most other ports in the region to park a ship and most crews are dominated by Filipinos so it's a popular choice.

Before August, when the global economic crisis started to stymie trade, cargo ships rarely stayed in Subic for more than a week. At any one time there were no more than 10 ships at the port.

"We don't usually get ships docked for a prolonged period," said Armand Arreza, administrator at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. "We would usually get a few ships which would be on lay up, but never to the extent that we have about 22 ships and for a prolonged period of time."

Lay ups refer to the temporary shutdown of cargo ships during periods of surplus and depressed freight rates.

Since September, Subic Bay management has been swamped with e-mails and calls from owners seeking to dock their cargo ships at the port to cut costs following the collapse in shipping charges as global trade fell to multi-year lows.

About 12 other ships have left Subic Bay since the end of 2008 to pick up cargo around Asia, waiting two weeks to three months to get a client. But for the remaining 22 ships, the wait continues.

"There is no cargo," said the captain of a European-owned container vessel docked at the bay since December who asked not to be named as he was not authorized to talk to the media.

"This ship is a feeder vessel. And it depends mostly on mother vessels. Since there are no mother ships bringing cargo from US and Europe, smaller container vessels like this are affected," said the 54-year old Filipino captain.

Shipping rates fall

Average shipping rates slumped beginning August 2008 and hit a six-year low of $15,000 per day in November. That represented a 67 percent to 70 percent drop from highs of $45,000-$50,000 per day in June 2008, based on an internal publication of a European container ship firm in January.

Freight rates for dry bulk ships have plummeted from the highs hit during the commodities bull run last year.

Rates for capesize vessels -- the largest that can ferry iron ore, coal and grains -- on the key route between Brazil and China have fallen to $21 a tonne, down from above $100 a tonne in June last year, according to Reuters data.

The International Monetary Fund, predicting the world economy will stagnate this year overall with the deepening global financial crisis, forecasts world export volumes will contract 2.8 percent.

In Asia, most export-driven countries like Japan, Korea and Taiwan have suffered steep double-digit declines in shipments, paralyzing their economies and resulting in region-wide ship lay ups.

Some shipping experts say they don't expect any big improvement in demand in the next six months to a year.

"Nowadays, ships sail just half full or with very little cargo, just so they could recoup their overhead and also protect their customer base," said the European ship captain who has sailed international waters for nearly three decades.

He added the severe downturn in the shipping industry is made worse because banks, which used to extend credit lines and bank guarantees to shippers, have stopped lending, resulting in prolonged lay ups.

His European ship, which can hold 1,440 20-foot containers, has had few voyages since its delivery in mid-2008 by its German shipbuilder when cargo shipping rates fell, forcing its owners to anchor the vessel in Subic and send most of its crew home because revenues cannot even cover overhead expenses.

"The shipping industry is one of the sectors most affected by the present economic situation," retired navy captain Perfecto Pascual, seaport manager at Subic Bay, told Reuters.

"Shipowners are finding ways to save costs from their operations," Pascual said, adding Subic is a favored destination in the region for lay ups because of congestion in more developed seaports in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Long-staying ships

Costs and security are also factors, with Subic Bay management charging discounted all-in fees -- including bay patrols -- of about $10,000 a month for long-staying ships.

To stay competitive, other ports in the region have also introduced discounted fees. The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority has deferred an annual increase in port dues for bunker tankers 16 years and older and gave port dues concessions to various cargo vessels.

The European shipping firm now has four container vessel docked in Subic, with the crew in one ship down to 8 from 18 previously.

Its three other ships sit side by side near the southern end of the bay, hidden in a cove near pristine beaches, with a total of 8 crew from about 48 before their lay up began in December.

More of its ships were likely to come to Subic from around Asia with shipping contracts ending and no new orders coming.

But Subic authorities want to prevent overcrowding in the bay and will only take up to 30 ships at a time, half of its original capacity when it was used at one point as the biggest US naval base outside U.S. territory. The Americans operated a naval base in Subic for about nine decades.

As of March 2, six more ships were expected to arrive in Subic for lay ups, the Subic bay management said.

The authorities also sent some of the vessels, mostly the Japanese car carriers, more than two kilometers away from the shore to appease the 33 hotel operators in Subic Bay who have complained that the ships were becoming eyesores to guests.

In the meantime, the ships' crew, comprised mostly of Filipinos, catch up with relatives in the Philippines by phone from their ship, or spend weekends with their family in and out of Subic.

Others spend their lay up swimming in the beaches of Subic and hitting the bars and restaurants come nightfall.

"I'm loving it. We're in paradise," said Geoffrey Wells, chief engineer of U.K.-based Global Marine, a submarine cable firm, whose Wave Venture ship has been docked in Subic for repairs since early January while waiting for a cable contract.

"We have wonderful weather. Everything is cheap compared to the U.K. So yeah, we're having a good time," he said.

venntro

March 11th, 2009, 02:10 AM

Clark mulls Pacific Avia Group proposal for new terminal (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=447353&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Ding Cervantes Updated March 11, 2009 12:00 AM

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – After a failed bidding for the construction of a modern passenger terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here, the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) has announced it is now evaluating Pacific Avia Group, Inc. (PAGI) as possible joint venture (JV) partner in the project that could cost anywhere from P3 billion to P7 billion.

In a statement, CIAC vice president for administration and finance Romeo Dyoco, who chairs the joint venture-selection Committee (JV-SC), said whoever will be CIAC’s partner will “design, finance, construct and operate” the proposed terminal 2 which will increase the passenger capacity of the old but upgraded terminal 1 that was constructed by the Americans when Clark was still a US air force base.

He said PAGI has been accepted by JV-SC “for detailed evaluation and eligibility check” which is expected to be finished by March 13. After passing this requirement, PAGI “will be subjected to a competitive challenge of stage 3” process, it said.

CIAC cited the need to construct a bigger passenger terminal “due to the significant increases in the volume of flights and international passengers during the past three years” and its “mandate” to transform the DMIA into a premiere international gateway of the country.

In May last year, CIAC announced the bidding for the terminal project, soliciting three companies which submitted bid documents. Admiral Energy of the US passed the bidding but later failed to submit proof of its track record in the operation of an international passenger terminal.

CIAC said it consulted with and got the go signal from the Office of Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) to pursue the project through the so-called competitive challenge process under its old JV guidelines.

It noted that last November, it received four unsolicited proposals under such process, inclusing those from PAGI, Philco Aero Consortium, R–II Holdings,Inc. and SNC – Lavalin International, Inc.

PAGI, the only local group among the four, is composed of A.M. Oreta Construction Co., DHL Philippines, DRI Holdings, EGIS AVIA S.A., Pentagon Development Corp., the Bank of Commerce and Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose.

CIAC initially approved the proposal of R – II Holdings, but it was later found to have failed to cope with “minimum non negotiable issues required for the project”.

Last Jan. 8, PAGI submitted a complete proposal for the terminal project and this was received favorably by CIAC, even as a new party, the Eugenio Group, also submitted its proposal.

Last Feb. 27, the JV-SC received another proposal from Al Mal Proposal from the Al Karafi Group.

“For very critical reasons on the substance of their proposals and the contextual conditions and requirements of their proposals both the Eugenio Consortium and the Al Mal were rejected,” CIAC said.

“The CIAC joint venture selection committee (JVSC) evaluated both proposals head to head and item to item, and arrived at the conclusion that the PAGI, proposal met its minimum requirements and is vastly superior to the Eugenio CIAC noted that while the present terminal was upgraded last year, its capacity is limited to only 1.5 million passengers per year.

CIAC said, however, that other facilities have been installed to modernize DMIA. These include radars, runway lights and signages, a second runway, modern aviation security and emergency systems, and terminal carousel and x-ray machines.

Airport officials also said they are eyeing a new terminal that could increase DMIA’s passenger capacity from three to seven million passengers annually.

venntro

April 7th, 2009, 04:52 AM

GMA advances deadline for P40-billion infrastructure projects (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=455841&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
Updated April 07, 2009 12:00 AM

LUBAO, Pampanga, Philippines – Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Hermogenes Esperon said recently that the deadline for the various projects set by President Arroyo in her past State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs) has been moved forward to December 2009 from the original 2010 target.

These are mostly infrastructure projects nationwide amounting to P40 billion.

In an interview during the celebration of Mrs. Arroyo’s 62nd birthday here Sunday, Esperon said “we have moved the deadline for the projects from 2010 to this December.”

“As PMS head, I am now focusing on SONA commitments including major thoroughfares such as the South Luzon Expressway, the roads connecting to Batangas, and also the road that will connect Tarlac, Pangasinan and La Union,” Esperon said.

He said that as early as January, the President had instructed that no less than 60 percent of these projects be bidded out to private contractors within the first quarter of this year.

“So by February, most of the projects were already bidded out,” he said, referring to P20 billion worth of irrigation projects and P6 billion worth of farm-to-market roads.

Esperon, however, also admitted that some projects could still not be completed this year, including the long-delayed Caloocan-to-Clark railway and the modern passenger terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at the Clark Freeport.

“We have added more funds for the railway,” he said, referring to the $317 million additional cost for the $1 billion railway which has been delayed for five years.

But North Luzon Railways Corp. (Northrail) chairman Edgardo Pamintuan said that Mrs. Arroyo has insisted on the completion of the project before her term expires next year.

Sources from the Clark International Airport Corp., meantime, admitted that the new terminal, whose private contractor has yet to be picked, could be finished only in the latter part of next year, past the Arroyo administration. – Ding Cervantes

venntro

May 5th, 2009, 02:49 AM

Reposting here:

Middle East billionaire eyes $1.2-billion aviation city in Clark

The Philippine Star | 05/04/2009 8:31 AM

A top Kuwaiti investor and the Philippine government are in talks for a possible $1.2-billion project to put up an aviation city in Clark, Pampanga, Malacañang said yesterday.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo met briefly with Kuwaiti billionaire Sheikh Nasser Al-Kharafi in Marsa Alam, Egypt where the construction magnate expressed interest in putting up an aviation facility in Clark.

Mrs. Arroyo made the stop-over to Marsa Alam on her way to Cairo, Egypt where she was to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last night. The Egyptian holiday area is the site of the Marsa Alam International Airport constructed by Al-Kharafi Group.

From Cairo, she and the rest of the Philippine delegation will proceed to Damascus, Syria for a state visit. She will meet with Syrian Bashar Al-Assad and address the Syrian People’s Assembly.

“We are here in investments mission. (Mrs. Arroyo) was able to speak with Sheik Al-Kharafi, one of the biggest financiers in the Middle East,” Remonde, who accompanied the President, told the government-owned dzRB.

“He is interested to invest and develop an aviation city in the Clark area,” he said.

He said the Al-Kharafi Group will start negotiations with the Clark International Airport Corp. for a possible $1.2-billion joint venture for an airport and an “aviation city.” The group has an estimated net worth of $14 billion.

Mrs. Arroyo met with members of the Filipino community after attending a Mass in Cairo.

Meanwhile, the government will establish a welfare center in Cairo to look after the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said.

Roque said the welfare center will address the problems of Filipinos, especially domestic workers who encounter problems such as immigration concerns and abusive employers.

Roque said Egyptian laws prohibit the hiring of domestic helpers except those hired by diplomats and expats.

He said most of the Filipino househelps here were brought by their employers to Egypt from other Gulf states but when their working permits expire, problems arise due to restrictions imposed by Egyptian laws on the entry of foreign domestic workers.

‘’We will work out (something) so consideration maybe given to legitimize their stay,’’ Roque said, referring to the Filipino domestic workers now in Egypt.

He said the welfare center will look after Filipino workers here as there is no labor agreement between the Philippines and Egypt.
as of 05/04/2009 8:31 AM

spearhead

May 5th, 2009, 11:59 PM

Reposting here:

Wala bang specific details about that $1.2B aviation project sa Clark nayan? Tnx! :)

icarusrising

May 12th, 2009, 06:41 PM

SBMA pushes for expansion outside Subic (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/regions/10109-sbma-pushes-for-expansion-outside-subic.html)

Written by Henry Empeño / Correspondent
Monday, 11 May 2009 20:03

SUBIC BAY FREE PORT—Because of limited space for the expansion of businesses in this free port, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is now pushing for the development of the Subic-Clark growth corridor—an area comprised of parts of the provinces of Zambales, Bataan and Pampanga.

Officials of the SBMA, the state-owned corporation that manages Subic Free Port, said in a meeting with investors here that a push toward nearby areas within the corridor is crucial for Subic and Clark to maximize their effects as growth catalysts.

“Our chances of getting more and more investments depend on the development of the areas between Subic and Clark,” SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza pointed out.

“Our concern about the limited area for industrial use in Subic can be resolved if we start developing additional industrial estates along the Subic-Clark corridor,” he added.

According to SBMA data, the agency now counts on close to 1,150 investor firms that have committed more than $5.8 billion in investment projects within the Subic special economic and free-port zone.

The zone has 55,102 hectares in land area, but is hemmed in by mountains and the sea that there is little room for expansion.

Because of limited space, Arreza said the SBMA had to turn down some investment proposals that required huge open spaces and opted for projects that involve vertical development.

Arreza also pointed out that there is so much available land along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) that are largely idle.

“Whether you like or not, manufacturing facilities should be along expressways where the working population is, and where cheap lands are available,” Arreza said.

Arreza said these areas would be ideal for large manufacturing operations, which would also create the volume of goods needed for Subic and Clark to become globally competitive logistics centers.

Apart from the land along the SCTEx, he said SBMA’s expansion plan also considers the development of areas in the nearby communities of Olongapo City, Subic town in Zambales, and those of Morong, Hermosa and Dinalupihan in Bataan.

The SBMA expansion calls for the development of more parks and leisure resorts in the coastal barangay of Minanga in Morong, the Cawag area in Subic town, and barangay Barretto in Olongapo City, as tourist resort destinations.

Arreza asserted that if these target areas were fully developed, the SBMA could push through with its expansion program and create 150,000 additional jobs.

He stressed the need to put more exits along the expressway before any development could start, pointing out that the nearest exit from Subic Free Port is the Hermosa Exit that actually leads to the Layac junction in Dinalupihan, Bataan.

He cited Hermosa Industrial Park, which boasts of more than 400 hectares of cheap lands, could not realize much investment because of the need for a separate exit.

Arreza also clarified that new investors who would locate beyond the fenced-in area of Subic within the Subic Special Economic and Free Port Zone would nevertheless enjoy tax- and duty-free privileges as provided for under Executive Order 675, signed by President Arroyo on November 5, 2007.

He said the SBMA expansion plan also takes into consideration the need to further improve water and power utilities, develop housing facilities, reforestation and conservation activities, and promote indigenous peoples’ rights and welfare.

Kintoy

May 18th, 2009, 09:46 AM

Written by Henry Empeño (http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/10350-hanjin-subics-top-exporter.html) / Correspondent
Friday, 15 May 2009 01:02

SUBIC BAY FREE PORT—Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries Co.-Philippines (HHIC-Phil) emerged as the biggest exporter in this free port in the first quarter after it posted $179.36 million in freight-on-board (FOB) value.

This was the first time for Hanjin to top Subic’s exporters’ list after establishing operations at the Redondo Peninsula here in 2006.

The shipbuilder, which had so far built four container ships at its Subic facility, dislodged long-time export champion Wistron Infocomm (Phils), the Taiwanese computer maker, which fell to third place with total exports of $36.13 million.

Hanjin boosted its run up to the first place by delivering two container vessels, the CMA CGM Topaz and the CMA CGM Opal, at the same time.

Overall, export production by companies in the Subic Bay Free Port Zone surged to $359.45 million in the period January to March, a 55-percent increase over the $232.21 in the first quarter last year. Armand Arreza, CEO of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said the increase in export production shows that Subic “remains economically healthy despite the ongoing global economic downturn.”

“Recent indicators only show that Subic stays on top of the situation and the companies here remain resilient and productive,” added Arreza, pointing out that Subic’s first-quarter revenues also rose 9.3 percent.

After Hanjin, those that posted the biggest exports are Hong Kong cell phone trader Lets Do Mobile Philippines, with $57.43 million; Taiwanese computer maker Wistron Infocomm, $36.13 million; Japanese ATM-maker Hitachi Terminals, $16.46 million; Japanese micro-motor manufacturer Sanyo Denki, $16.23 million; Japanese wood products manufacturer Juken Sangyo, $8.73 million; Danish eyewear manufacturer Lindberg Subic Inc., $6.38 million; Taiwanese lock maker Tong Lung (Phils) Metal Industry, $4.34 million; Taiwanese aircon maker Hitachi, $3.38 million, and Japanese electronics sensor maker Nicera, $2.79 million.

Subic’s rising export production resulted in an increase in revenue collections in the first quarter with the combined collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs reaching P1.29 billion, a slight increase over the P1.18 billion in the 2008 quarter.

SBMA records show the BIR collected P252.08 million in the first quarter, while Customs took in P1.04 billion to surpass its first-quarter target of P669.5 million by almost 60 percent.

AKI

June 17th, 2009, 10:27 AM

hala puro news clippings na lang d2..hehehehe forum pa ba to?

la_ciudadista

June 18th, 2009, 05:31 AM

hala puro news clippings na lang d2..hehehehe forum pa ba to?

true, if i want news on a specific topic Google News can do that for me now.

glenbsantos

June 26th, 2009, 10:55 AM

i have a question..where is clark / subic located in the philippines? sorry..

Clark special economic zone is located in Angeles City Pampanga. Meanwhile, the Subic bay is located in Olongapo City ( a chartered city in the province of Zambales)

RonnieR

July 14th, 2009, 11:50 AM

found these in Biz News Asia July 6 issue

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd350/RonnieR_2008/Photo309.jpg

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd350/RonnieR_2008/Photo311.jpg

Pagualon

August 30th, 2009, 12:23 AM

check out this ongoing project, take also a look at the gallery

http://www.gglc.ph/

pi_malejana

August 30th, 2009, 04:11 AM

^^ wow cool..!!!:okay:
ung SIA (SQ) hangar na andun sa gallery un ba ung 1 billion php??:dunno:

Bosnyboy

September 7th, 2009, 11:14 AM

Sorry for this but I just have to post this news clipping. If this come true, it will have a BIG impact on our nations economy and future jsut by the sheer amount only.
Taken from philstar.com sept 7, 09

US firm to invest $50 billion in RP project
By Ding Cervantes (The Philippine Star) Updated September 07, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - US-based Swiss Global Connect USA will invest $50 billion to develop priority projects in tourism, real estate development, infrastructure, agricultural research, indigenous power supply and mineral enhancements in Zambales.

Zambales Governor Amor Deloso has signed in behalf of the provincial government a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Swiss Global Connect USA in partnership with AIPAC Philippines Management Corp.

“An initial $50 billion will be earmarked over a 10-year period to fund the province’s development projects in tourism that include the San Salvador Island, Masinloc Resort Complex, Mt. Tapulao Palauig Tourism Complex and the Zambales Fantasy Island in Subic,” Deloso said.

Deloso noted that the projects will also cover the contruction of a toll bypass expressway linking Tarlac and Zambales and providing access to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). It will also include the upgrading and rehabilitation of the Iba Airstrip for domestic flights.

“A 620-hectare real estate development in the town of Subic will transformed into a financial district, educational and learning center, with executive housing, parks, hotels, convention center and state of the art hospital,” Deloso said.

This, amid plans to also establish a state-of-the-art agricultural research center in a tie-up with the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial State University (RMMSU) for research and development, Deloso said.

Deloso also said that the MOA allocates a “64-hectare shoreline area for the construction of a facility converting magnesium energy into alternative power supply.”

“Mineral exploration consistent with full compliance of environmental policies and the dredging of Macolcol, Maloma and Bucao rivers to prevent flash flooding in nearby communities will also be done,” he added.

Deloso said that the various projects will be under either the build, operate and transfer (BOT) or the build, operate and own (BOO) programs of the national and provincial government.

The Swiss Global Connect USA and AIPAC Philippines Management Corporation are headed by their president and chief executive officer Rubina Zahid. Their mother company in the US is a partnership of Russian, Japanese and American businessmen and is listed as a corporation in California.

In her speech after the MOA signing, Zahid cited Zambales’ natural beauty and topography as the top reasons why her company chose the province for its huge investments.

lochinvar

September 7th, 2009, 05:51 PM

Pretty soon it's going to be a race between Central Luzon and Calabarzon. Or combination of both with Metromanila as nexus will be a giant economic powerbase.

ormocanon

September 25th, 2009, 02:45 AM

^^Indeed, these are exciting times for the Philippines. But instead of racing and competing against each other, Calabarzon and Subic-Clark should complement each other along with other growth centers like Bataan and Tarlac with Metro Manila as the nexus. Let's get rid of the crab metality that's pulling our country down. :)

DMIA: the next premiere gateway
Written by Noel G. Tulabut Special to the BusinessMirror
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 19:23

FROM an almost birdless commercial airport in the country, it is now one of the fastest-growing gateways in the Philippines and probably in the whole Southeast Asian region.:banana: Once a desolate aviation complex with ash and other volcanic debris spewed out by an angry volcano about 10 kilometers away, the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) inside the Clark Free Port is the most promising and much-improved airport in the country today. It is also one of the highly patronized airports which caters to budget airlines in the region, fulfilling the vision for it to become the site of the next premier gateway to the Philippines.

DMIA, established in 2003 when it was renamed from Clark International Airport, registered only 44 flights back then. Now there are more than 2,000 passenger and cargo flights that come in and out of DMIA weekly.

“This airport has so much not only promise but actual viability, as we have proven since its utilization as a civilian commercial aviation complex in only a few recent years,” said Victor Jose Luciano, president and chief executive officer of Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC).

CIAC is the implementing arm of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, which oversees airport-development program for DMIA.

Passenger arrivals

With the creation of flights came a surge in the number of domestic and international passengers in Clark.

Luciano said on record is a noticeable steep increase in the number of passengers serviced at DMIA. As a former airline executive, he is widely credited in Pampanga with persuading officials of various local and regional airlines to mount flights in and out of Clark.

From a measly 7,880 passengers in 2003, when the former Clark International Airport was renamed DMIA, the figure rose to 490,748 after five years, or a dramatic 6,227-percent increase.

In DMIA, there are daily flights to and from Seoul by Asiana Airlines, Singapore by Tiger Airways, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu by Air Asia. On the other hand, Cebu Pacific—a Philippine flag carrier—has six flights per week to Hong Kong, four flights each to Macau and Singapore, and two flights to Bangkok, Thailand.

While there was a noted decrease in visitor arrivals in January and February this year, DMIA still posted a 22-percent increase in the international passenger volume from January to June 2009 compared with the same period of last year.

“DMIA is the only Philippine airport that posted positive growth rate this year in terms of international passenger movement,” Luciano said.

“This was made even in view of the global economic crisis and the A(H1N1) virus,” he added.

On the domestic side, DMIA services airlines that have flights to the South. Cebu Pacific has four Cebu-Clark-Cebu flights per week, while SEAIR and Zest Air cater to Boracay-bound passengers with their 12 flights per week and two flights per week to Caticlan, respectively.

In 2007 DMIA welcomed its 1 millionth passenger from Seoul who flew in via Asiana Airlines, the second flag carrier of South Korea. Asiana has 11 flights per week between Incheon International Airport and DMIA and vice versa. This particular flight services thousands of Filipinos in the US, as it has onward connections to New York on the East Coast, Los Angeles and San Francisco on the West.

Luciano said that at the rate flights and passengers arrive in Clark, DMIA will soon have its 3 millionth passenger as the airport continues to receive international passengers.

Vision

DMIA plays a key role in making Clark and Subic a world-class logistics hub.

No less than President Arroyo has underscored the role of the two former US military bases in spurring the national economy. In her 2005 State-of-the-Nation Address (Sona), Mrs. Arroyo said the Subic-Clark Corridor will be developed as a premier international service and logistics center in Southeast Asia.:banana:

In her subsequent Sonas, the President reiterated this objective in her BEAT-THE-ODDS development program, with the “DS” in the acronym’s latter part representing the development of Subic and Clark on the 10-point agenda of the Arroyo administration.

This endeavor was expected of the President, as DMIA was named after her father and late President Diosdado P. Macapagal. Observers say Mrs. Arroyo has to pursue the total development of the Clark airport, as doing so would not only form part of her legacy but would also bring true honor to her father.

During the time of Fidel V. Ramos as president, the national leadership has plotted the blueprint for DMIA as Executive Order 174 was issued in 1994 that designates Clark as the “future site of the country’s premier international gateway.”

In fulfilling this goal, Luciano said CIAC has reformulated its vision statement for DMIA: “To be the Most Competitive International Service and Logistics Center in the Asia-Pacific region and the premier International Gateway Airport of the Philippines.”

Already, this has brought dividends for DMIA and its operators.

In 2008 DMIA was conferred “Airport of the Year” award by Frost and Sullivan—a leading research company in the world with over 26 global offices which covers the aerospace and defense markets. It has given the same award to Singapore’s Changi Airport in the 15-million passenger capacity.

The award came only a year after receiving “Low-Cost Airport of the Year” award from Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation.

Plans

CIAC officials have been pushing for a comprehensive airport-development program that would include connectivity with the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila, with Subic’s seaport through the recently completed Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. The plan also included the establishment of a new passenger terminal that will be capable of processing 7 million passengers per year.

This plan, originally intended to be completed before Mrs. Arroyo steps down from office in June 2010, was stalled due to failed biddings. Public biddings for government projects, such as airports, are required under the law.

Luciano said CIAC is currently negotiating with a Kuwaiti company for a possible joint-venture undertaking. The provisions of a possible joint-venture agreement will be published for a “competitive challenge” where other interested proponents would have the right to “match or better the offer and terms” within 45 to 60 days. He said this mode is aimed at generating the best benefits for the government and in keeping the best interest of the general public.

Economic ventures

Operating the DMIA means more than having domestic and international flights for passengers and cargo.

CIAC is also mandated to create business opportunities inside the 2,500-hectare aviation complex. This means generating investment projects that translate to jobs and livelihood sources.

It’s part of the whole gamut in fulfilling the vision to establish a competitive logistics hub.

One of the biggest projects at the aviation complex is the development of the $1.025-billion Global Gateway Logistics City (GGLC), a single investment that is expected to create 70,000 jobs when fully operational.

The 167-hectare GGLC, which broke ground in August last year, is a project of the Kuwait Gulf and Links (KGL) and Peregrine Development International. GGLC will host aviation-related businesses, including but not limited to, warehousing, distribution, multinodal logistics and light industries.

It would have four zones: The Logistics Park, The Business Park, The Campus and The Town Center. The Logistics Park will cater to warehousing, distribution and light-manufacturing operations, while The Business Park will be a modern site for offices and regional headquarters.

The Campus will be a research and development complex that will be a host to IT education and other higher learning and technical competencies. The Town Center will cap the business-cum-pleasure and complete sound environment of GGLC as it will offer commercial retail, shopping malls and other recreational facilities.

Luciano said GGLC is expected to usher in the very first Aerotropolis in the Philippines, :banana: where top businesses in logistics operations can converge and thrive.

Besides GGLC, DMIA is host to scores of renowned aviation firms, including SIA Engineering (SIAE), a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines Engineering Co. SIAE is set to operate its $19-million Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul hangar in partnership with Cebu Pacific.

It will provide heavy and maintenance checks for narrow- and wide-bodied aircraft, such as the Airbus A320, Boeing 747 and B777s. This project will employ about 1,100 highly skilled Filipino specialists.

Other projects in the pipeline include more flights that will be mounted by Spirit of Manila Airlines for flights to Taipei, Taiwan and the Middle East; Zest Air for flights to Hong Kong; and Korean Airlines for flights to Incheon, South Korea.

Looking back

DMIA was the site of the former MAC (Military Airlift Command) Terminal of the US Air Force. During the stay of American troops, it served incoming and outbound civilian and military personnel of the United States, including Vietnamese who were evacuated from their war-torn country in the late 1960s.

It was also the airport that received former American prisoners of war (POWs) from the infamous Vietnam conflict. Among the hundreds of POWs that were taken and processed to Clark en route to their return to the US mainland was former US senator and presidential candidate John McCain, who was held captive for five years in North Vietnam.

Prior to officially becoming Clark Air Base (CAB) by virtue of the 1947 Military Bases Agreement between the Philippines and the United States, this aviation complex was also known as Clark Air Field and a part of the Fort Stotsenburg of the US Cavalry in the early 1900s.

CAB figured prominently in the Edsa People Power I as it served as the stopover for the Marcoses on their way to Hawaii after being plucked out from Malacañang Palace in February 1986.

CAB used to host and service US military aircraft, ranging from C-5 Galaxies (the largest US military cargo plane until the 1990s), reconnaissance aircraft and fighter jets, such as F-4 Phantoms, F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-14 Tomcats and F-15 Eagles.

The aviation complex has two parallel runways which are 2.5 kilometers in length, with provisions for a third runway. The second runway, built by the Americans shortly before they left, was designed to be an alternate landing strip for US space shuttles. With the vastness of runways, taxiways and ramp area, an Airbus A380—the largest passenger aircraft in the world today—made a stopover at DMIA last year in its trial world run.

When the American troops left Clark by virtue of the Philippine Senate’s rejection of a proposed treaty that would have extended their stay in military bases in the country, only aircraft of the Philippine Air Force—most of them Huey helicopters—flew over the skies of Clark.

Except for occasional landings by visiting or transient foreign aircraft, the aviation complex of the former CAB remained practically birdless and silent. This reality existed even up to the time when Philippine authorities assumed management and operation of the former military aviation complex in 1993.

The Philippine government first named it Clark International Airport, only to be renamed as DMIA in 2003 on the initiative of then president of Clark Development Corp. Emmanuel Angeles, concurrent head of CIAC during those days.

Today DMIA has a passenger terminal that was recently rehabilitated that doubled its capacity to 2 million passengers per year.

Currently, CIAC is embarking on an ambitious plan to build and complete DMIA Terminal II in the next 12 months. When completed, this new and bigger building would service 3 million to 7 million passengers annually.

(Mr. Tulabut worked in several newspapers for several years as an Angeles City-based correspondent before joining the Clark Development Corp.)

jpdm

October 9th, 2009, 09:47 AM

Subic introduces road train to cut freight cost

by Cecile Garcia
Manila Standard
Oct. 9, 2009

A trucking system known as “road train” will soon be plying the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to transport cargo, according to administrator Armand Arreza of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

Commonly used in the United States, Argentina, Australia, Mexico and Canada, the road train is expected to hit the expressway late this year, Arreza said.

The cost-saving cargo transport will be introduced by the International Heavy Trucks Center, a newly-registered enterprise in the Subic Free Port.

Arreza said the use of trailer truck dollies via the expressway “will mean big savings and provide more efficient means of transporting goods between Clark and Subic.’’

The road train consists of a conventional tractor pulling two or three container vans, which means more cargo is transported, thus reducing freight cost.

IHTC said the use of the road train or trailer dolly at the expressway was arranged through continuous coordination with Philippine National Construction Corp.

“We’re sure that the trailer dollies will attract more investors and port users in Subic and Clark Freeport zones, as well as importers and exporters from Central and Northern Luzon,” Arreza said.

He explained that the introduction of the trailer dolly would also lower freight cost because two or three more trailers can now be connected behind the main trailer.

Arthur delos Reyes, SBMA consultant for special projects and economic development, said the IHTC will initially be using two trailer dollies that are about 90 feet long each.

jpdm

October 9th, 2009, 09:49 AM

Tollway driving up Luzon’s growth

Manila Standard
Oct. 9, 2009

The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway ranks among the most vital infrastructures designed to stimulate the growth of Central Luzon.

This was the assessment made by the National Economic and Development Authority adding that the roadway will play a key role in the progress of the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Aurora, and the cities of Angeles and Olongapo.

Neda assistant director in Central Luzon Lynette Bautista disclosed that the early and notable sign of SCTEx “driving” the uptrend in the growth corridor, is the 24.2-percent increase in visitor arrivals last year. From 427,364 local and foreign tourists in 2007, the figures rose to 530,802 in 2008.

“SCTEx enhanced the complementary roles of Subic and Clark. Tourism drastically increased in the region due to significantly reduced travel time,” Bautista said.

Appreciation of land values along the SCTEx and other positive impact of the state-run expressway are closely monitored within the next three years as post evaluation of the flagship project.

Bautista said the expressway is expected to boost the region’s 8.3-percent share in the Philippines’ gross domestic product, the basic measure of the country’s economic progress. Central Luzon ranked as the third highest in the 2008 regional gross domestic product, next to the National Capital Region and the Calabarzon.

The region’s contribution to the national economy in terms of sectoral classification is services at 40 percent, followed by the industrial sector at 35.5 percent and the agricultural sector at 24.5 percent.

Neda has identified growth sources which will readily utilize the 94-km SCTEx as the backbone of the Central Luzon logistics hub, despite the downtrend brought about by the recent global financial crisis,

Business process outsourcing, health and wellness, logistics and port development, food, agribusiness, aquaculture, tourist destination and facilities development and ancillary services and products to locators in industrial estates and economic zones are among the growth areas eyed by Neda.

julzandrew

October 9th, 2009, 01:46 PM

good

TheAvenger

October 24th, 2009, 06:50 PM

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/100_0433x.jpg

I posted some photos and videos of Clark International Speedway in the Angeles City and Pampanga Thread.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=627193&page=41

TheAvenger

October 24th, 2009, 06:56 PM

hala puro news clippings na lang d2..hehehehe forum pa ba to?

I reckoned and suggest that in postings articles / news, they should put only the Title, about one paragraph of the article, then the Weblink address or the URL.

TheAvenger

October 25th, 2009, 03:33 AM

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TheAvenger

October 25th, 2009, 03:35 AM

.

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http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/03nayongPilipinosaClark3.jpg

Web link :

http://www.nayonsaclark.com/

You can see more photos of Nayong Pilipino sa Clark Expo, in Jibrael Angel Blog :

http://jibrael.blogspot.com

Youtube Videos of Nayong Pilipino sa Clark

stqiIZoao_A

WKcfrbpbeIo

fir2l8kRCY8

jA91X7FsBmc

Page 2 of 2

julzandrew

October 25th, 2009, 10:51 AM

great place

TheAvenger

November 6th, 2009, 09:22 AM

You can view the latest photos of SCTEX, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, and Olongapo City on the below web links :

Olongapo City and Zambales Province

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=45771939#post45771939

Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Thread 2

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=622604&page=30

Jibrael Angel Blog

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/

x12y12

November 26th, 2009, 07:07 AM

we need to push this, to make us more competitive than the rest of our neighbours. Its a doggy dog world out there. We need to gain more edge for investments to come in. Increase allotment for infrastructures(7-10% of GDP).

P2-B fund for new ecozones near Subic, Clark proposed

Manila, Nov. 26 (PNA) -- Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has proposed the creation of a P2-billion fund to develop new economic zones in areas near the Subic Bay Freeport and the Clark Freeport.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza raised this during a hearing at the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, and representatives of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Initially, Gordon raised the idea of allowing Subic and Clark to set aside parts of their income solely for infrastructure development within the area to make the Subic-Clark growth corridor constantly competitive.

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

”Subic should be allowed to waive payment,” said Gordon, who also served as the first SBMA chairman.

“Can you imagine if we put the money generated from taxes and spread this in those areas to make industrial parks? We’ll have accelerated development,” he added.

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

Gordon said these areas are ideal for the development of industrial parks for factories, as well as heavy and light to medium industries.

He also wants “open skies” or a liberalized air transport system in these areas in order to attract more commercial planes and maximize the potentials of the existing air facilities.

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

sandwindstars

November 29th, 2009, 02:22 AM

.

Web link :

http://www.nayonsaclark.com/

You can see more photos of Nayong Pilipino sa Clark Expo, in Jibrael Angel Blog :

http://jibrael.blogspot.com

Youtube Videos of Nayong Pilipino sa Clark
Page 2 of 2

A very fitting match - mothballed Expo Pilipino and homeless Nayong Pilipino. Nice.

kalbongdad

December 1st, 2009, 12:42 PM

pics can be deceiving....although it looks good in pics.....the real thing is not well maintained....and it is a far cry from the orig nayong pilipino.....the usual tourists i see there are koreans.....most of the time... i was there early last month...wala pa ring pagbabago...

jpdm

December 16th, 2009, 12:12 AM

jpdm

December 16th, 2009, 12:15 AM

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It would be great to properly maintain nayon Filipino. I know billions of pesos were used to build this place

sandwindstars

December 16th, 2009, 11:10 PM

Yes. When there last summer, agree parng hindi well maintain...

Where is Dick Gordon and his volunteer brigade?

flip2_0

December 17th, 2009, 01:52 AM

Where is Dick Gordon and his volunteer brigade?

They're in Olongapo and Subic, not in Clark.

sandwindstars

December 17th, 2009, 07:24 AM

They're in Olongapo and Subic, not in Clark.

I was being facetious. Dick Gordon has too much pride to let something like that go down the tube. The Expo was meant to be a memorial of the 1998 Philippine centennial. Let's vote for the man.

flip2_0

December 17th, 2009, 12:19 PM

I was being facetious. Dick Gordon has too much pride to let something like that go down the tube. The Expo was meant to be a memorial of the 1998 Philippine centennial. Let's vote for the man.

I knew that and answered anyway. :)

TheAvenger

December 24th, 2009, 03:04 PM

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TheAvenger

December 24th, 2009, 03:08 PM

GeWmdpyRDow

zandro888

December 30th, 2009, 11:29 PM

How much is the Entrance Fee for Nayong Filipino? Any idea Guys?

lancetrn

January 4th, 2010, 02:56 AM

Ayala to draw up master plan for new Subic business district

SUBIC FREE PORT-- Ayala Land, Inc. the country’s top property developer, has agreed to draw up a master plan spanning the boundary between this free port and Olongapo City.

In a statement, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said this will establish a new economic corridor that will further spur growth and development in Central Luzon.

Ayala Land will also be the developer of the project that will be called the “Central Business District (CBD) Triangle” designed to integrate the free port with Olongapo City. The firm agreed to draw the master plan under a memorandum of understanding with the SBMA and Olongapo City.

The CBD Triangle will cover a 7,000-square-meter area along and inside the triangle formed by Magsaysay Drive, Rizal Avenue Extension, and Perimeter Road in Olongapo City, as well as the former SubCom area inside the free port. Based on a land use plan submitted by Ayala Land, the former SubCom area will be converted into a mixed-use area with emphasis on retailing businesses.

Magsaysay Drive, the “honky-tonk district” during the US Navy days, meanwhile, will be transformed into a commercial-office block. Rizal Avenue Extension will become a residential area, while an institutional area will rise within the block composed of Fendler, Third, Hansen and First Streets, inside the triangle.

The banks of the Kalalake River inside the CBD Triangle will be turned into a “waterfront garden.”

The project was conceptualized after President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo signed in 2007 Executive Order 675, which granted tax and duty-free privileges to investors locating beyond the “secured area” but within the Subic Special Economic and Free Port Zone. -- Rey Garcia
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=3916

the glimpser

January 27th, 2010, 02:09 PM

Clark airport expansion to force Subic airport closure

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:39:00 01/26/2010

PAMPANGA, Philippines--The ongoing expansion of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark may prompt the conversion of the Subic Bay International Airport into a logistics and commercial area, according to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the agency was currently studying the possibility of permanently closing the airport and using it for other purposes.

However, no final decision had been made on this.

“We’re looking at the conversion of the airport (into a logistics and commercial area). With the developments at Clark, maintaining an airport at the Subic Freeport will not be feasible,” Arreza told reporters.

He explained that for an airport the size of SBIA to at least break even, it needed to have 12-15 flights a day.

“With the expansion of the Clark airport, it’s hard to imagine the Subic airport breaking even. It takes around P250 million a year to maintain the airport—P150 million for debt service and P80 million to P100 million for operational expenses,” he said.

“When FedEx was still there, we were breaking even. Without FedEx, we are now losing money.”

US delivery giant Federal Express used Subic as its Asian hub for 14 years. However, it closed the Subic operations and transferred to Guangzhou, China in February last year.

About 800 direct and indirect workers lost their jobs due to the closure of FedEx in Subic.

The SBMA also lost some P150 million in annual revenue from leased airport facilities and daily aircraft landing fees.

Arreza said that even if there was no final decision yet on what to do with the airport, a number of investors had already expressed interest in how the area could be developed.

“The goal really is to eventually make Clark the country’s main airport. Subic could still be a subsidiary airport, but we’re still thinking about what to do with the airport,” he said.

The total area of Clark’s DMIA, at some 2,300 hectares, is around three times the size of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila.

Only a third of the total area is being utilized. Its two working runways, left by the United States Air Force, are long and big enough to accommodate wide-body aircraft.

The first phase of its expansion involved the construction of a P150-million passenger terminal that boosted annual capacity from 500,000 to two million passengers.

Kuwaiti firm Almal Investment Co. had proposed to develop the DMIA for $1.2 billion. Abigail L. Ho

okidok

February 2nd, 2010, 03:42 AM

quick question lang po sa mga taga-Clark: will there be re-routing of traffic during the Philippine Hot Air Baloon Festival this Feb? thanks! :)

kalbongdad

February 2nd, 2010, 06:40 AM

How much is the Entrance Fee for Nayong Filipino? Any idea Guys?

its free....although don't keep your expectations up.....layo nya sa orig na nayong pilipino....

the glimpser

February 12th, 2010, 03:23 PM

PGMA thanks Hanjin for investing $1.9B in RP

SUBIC BAY, Zambales (PND) —President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today thanked the Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Corp. (HHICC) for investing $1.9 billion over the last three years in the Subic Freeport.

The President toured the Hanjin dry dock and shipbuilding facility where one of the largest container tankers of American President Lines (APL) is being completed in time for delivery on Feb. 25 this year.

As the President was being briefed by Hanjin president Jeong Sup Shim, Filipino workers waved and shouted words of welcome at her and her delegation. The President was accompanied by Chairman Feliciano Salonga of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. and Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr.

Hanjin Vice President Myung Goo Kwon, who the President credited with starting the inflow of Korean investments in Subic, said the company built and sold 11 units of varying ships to foreign and local buyers.

This year, the company expects to complete and sell a total of 17 units, including one for APL.

Hanjin currently employs 16,500 Filipinos, 550 Koreans, and 39 other nationals.

“We have not laid off a single Filipino even during the economic recession last year,” Kwon said.

Hanjin officials also said the company bagged a contract with Hsin Chien Marine Co. Ltd., a Taiwanese shipping company, for the construction of two 180,000 ton Cape-size bulk carrier vessels due for staggered delivery beginning Sept. 2011.

Arreza said HHICC Phils. won the Taiwanese contract because of its well-trained workforce, state of the art technology, highly efficient shipbuilding processes, and high quality of workmanship. These factors enabled the company to put up a cost efficient shipbuilding industry in Subic, he said.

As of end 2009, shipbuilding and marine related industries employed 25,186 workers in the Subic Bay Freeport, 68 percent of them in HHICC.

kalbongdad

February 15th, 2010, 02:42 AM

proof of the korean invasion of the pinas....:lol: kahit san ka bumaling...sa baguio, sa qc....sa mga malls....pag meron maingay....surebol...mga koreano...:lol: bigot ba dating?....kidding aside....at least they are contributing much to the economy....mutual ang pakinabang....

ICHUO_MX

February 25th, 2010, 02:00 PM

^^ maraming mga koreano dito sa bulacan at nag aaral sila sa bulacan state university.

noli-kun

February 28th, 2010, 02:30 PM

Off-Topic lang: Sa Dasmarinas City at bandang BF Homes, Paranaque, marami ding mga Korean. All-out Korean invasion na itooo. :wallbash:

Arvor

February 28th, 2010, 03:38 PM

Eh fare lang naman iniinvade ng Phillipines the whole world lol , 5 million in america , how many million in Europe , middle east , lahat ng cargo & cruise ships , Asia ... space na lang walang Filipino :lol:.

superpilyoako

February 28th, 2010, 09:43 PM

OT lang
Long Thanh International Airport- Vietnam

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/9319/scan0002jp7.jpg

will be constructed by the same company that did the Madrid Barajas Airport

agresibo ang Vietnam sa infrastructure projects nila diba mga Sir?

whatuwan

March 1st, 2010, 04:42 PM

^^mukhang layout ng changi airport ang airport na iyan. Baka years pa bago magawa iyan... empty pa ang old airport sa saigon eh :lol:

superpilyoako

March 15th, 2010, 07:55 PM

GMA scraps $100-million Clark airport deal with Kuwait firm

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga , Philippines – President Arroyo has directed the scrapping of the Kuwaiti Al Mal Consortium in the list of possible contractors for a $100 million passenger terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal Internatiional Airport here amid controversies.

Reliable sources from Malacañang and the Clark International Airport Corp. said the President relayed her directive to former Malacañang public affairs secretary Edgardo Pamintuan during her visit to her hometown in Lubao on Saturday.

“Cut it (any negotiation with Al Mal),” an angry President was quoted to have said. Mrs. Arroyo was reported to have been angered by reports linking her to Al Mal’s interest in the terminal project. Al Mal is a subsidiary of the Kuwaiti firm M.A. Kharafi and Sons.

Pamintuan said in a text message to The Star that the President was supposed to meet about this with CIAC president Victor Jose Luciano, CIAC executive vice president Nestor Mangio, and CIAC executive vice president Alex Cauguiran at the Haribon aviation complex of the Philippine Air Force before flying to the Visayas yesterday morning.

“Let’s make it (President’s directive) after she has met with them,” he said.

Reached by phone, Mangio, who has been pushing for Al Mal as contractor for the project apparently retained hopes that the Kuwaiti firm, with its local partner Al Mal-Pride, would still get the project amid a seven-day deadline imposed on Friday, for it to agree to CIAC’s terms of agreement on the project.

“The President went to the Middle East last year to look into the capability of Al Mal to undertake the airport project. We were impressed by the airport project it built in Egpyt,” he said.

But The Star obtained from a CIAC source early yesterday a statement that was supposed to be released after a meeting of its board late in the afternoon to officially announce the termination of negotiations with Al Mal-Pride as the President had directed.

Terminate negotiations

“We are terminating the negotiations with the Al Mal-Pride consortium due to the non-acceptability of their proposed terms and conditions for a possible joint venture agreement with CIAC for the development of various components of DMIA complex,” the statement said.

The statement said that “out of respect for the other party and until they have officially received our written communication, we will have to refrain from discussing those grounds for the rejection of their proposal.”

But it also said “we categorically deny any attempt to railroad the award of the project to Al Mal-Pride consortium. Records will bear out that Al Mal’s unsolicited proposal to develop the DMIA was first submitted all the way back to April 2008.”

“CIAC had been very careful and judicious in negotiating the terms of our agreement. But while we needed to develop DMIA through the entry of much needed foreign investments, we also needed to protect public interest and make sure we will not violate the law. It was a difficult balancing act,” the statement further said.

CIAC executive vice president Cauguiran said that Al Mal had been pushing for onerous provisions in its version of TOR, including the prohibition of any operation of a premiere airport within a 150-kilometer radius of the DMIA. - By Ding Cervantes (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

link: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20100316/tph-gma-scraps-100-million-clark-airport-5994a93.html

kalbongdad

March 17th, 2010, 04:04 AM

sayang.....well gusto pa tayong isahan....magulang na nga tayo gusto pa tayong gulangan....isa pa yang kuwait...dapat invade na natin yan....dapat majority na ang population ng pinoy dyan kesa mga kuwaitis...:lol:

le Reine

March 17th, 2010, 08:23 PM

^^I don't see it as that. It's business you see. Lahat naman ng bagay interests muna nila ang paiiralin nila kahit na makasama sa kabilang partido. Kaya nga may tinatawag na negotiations. Ang mali eh yung magpaloko sa kanila or hindi marunong makipagnegosasyon. Anyway, isa lang naman ang ibig sabihin niyan eh. Kung sinong talo, siyang bobo. :lol:

rvjm0928

March 19th, 2010, 08:14 PM

Anyone from ANGELES CITY? Read this BLOG about the DIZONs family...LEA DIZON, LUDIVINA DIZON, JEFFREY DIZON, CELESTINO DIZON, ERWIN DIZON

http://ifiwasthepresidentofthephilip...-politics.html

TheNicoVillanueva

March 20th, 2010, 03:34 AM

Anyone from ANGELES CITY? Read this BLOG about the DIZONs family...LEA DIZON, LUDIVINA DIZON, JEFFREY DIZON, CELESTINO DIZON, ERWIN DIZON

http://ifiwasthepresidentofthephilip...-politics.html

the link doesn't work :) amazingly there are tons of dizons in angeles :)) i remember in class there would be four dizons in one room...

TheAvenger

March 25th, 2010, 12:37 AM

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03558-clarkeducationcity.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/?action=view&current=DSC03558-clarkeducationcity.jpg)

UNLESS they’re perpetually worrying about where the next meal is coming from and how to pay for the loan taken to pay for the past week’s basic necessities, a great many of us Filipinos are otherwise consumed by politics.

Who is most likely to be the next president? Which group of politicians will command the opportunities to make themselves, their families and businesses richer by using their government positions?

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03560-aseancultural.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/?action=view&current=DSC03560-aseancultural.jpg)

It’s not frontpage and primetime TV news that this year and next (2010 to 2011) our country is the Cultural Capital of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Also not well known to us Filipinos is that this month we are the hosts of the 4th Meeting of the Asean Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA), the 6th Senior Officials Meeting for Culture and Arts (SOMCA), and the 4th Asean Festival of Arts (AFA) in Clark, Angeles City, Pampanga.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03589-aseanfestivalofarts1.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/?action=view&current=DSC03589-aseanfestivalofarts1.jpg)

The AMCA and SOMCA meetings have drawn Asean cabinet ministers and senior officials to our country. They are here to review and report how much they have done to promote not just each of their countries’ culture and to boost the campaign for greater cultural achievement. They are also assessing how much they have progressed in cultural collaboration within Asean, how much they have increased among their respective populations the appreciation of each other’s culture.

These meetings have a “Confucian dimension.” For China, Japan and Korea are participating in both the AMCA and SOMCA meetings. The three countries, which are of the Sinic cultural stream, are Asean “dialogue partners.” The Philippines and the nine other Asean countries in the AMCA+3 and SOMCA+3 meetings are therefore benefiting from the inputs of these three East Asian states. The three happen to be among the world’s most successful economies. They are also among the world’s most prolific contributors to mankind’s cultural progress and development.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03594-clarkeducationcity1.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/?action=view&current=DSC03594-clarkeducationcity1.jpg)

The 4th Asean Festival of Arts is a celebration of the people of our region’s cultural achievements and potential.

Viewing the institutions, the work and expense of hosting the AMCA and SOMCA meetings and organizing the Asean Festival of Arts are a joint effort of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Education, the Local Government of Pampanga, the Clark Education City and the Australian International Training and Management Group.

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But if one specifies the government agency and the persons physically and intellectually responsible for hosting and organizing the Asean Festival of Arts, the one that must be given the highest encomiums is NCCA under the leadership of Chairman Vilma Labrador and Executive Director Cecile Guidote Alvarez. We atThe Times are proud to mention that we are partners of the NCCA in promoting love for Philippine culture, encouraging excellence and creativity among our cultural workers, and raising public appreciation of the creativity and achievements of Filipino cultural and artistic workers.

4th Asean arts festival

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03596.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/?action=view&current=DSC03596.jpg)

The Asean Festival of the Arts is being held at the Clark Education Ampitheater and the Convento Theater at Nayong Pilipino sa Clark.

It began yesterday and will last till Saturday. It’s a pity not many people from Metro Manila will be exposed to the wonderful feast for the mind and the senses being laid out at the festival. But a lot of the truly devoted art and theater aficionados have gone to Clark.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03620-aseanfestival.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/?action=view&current=DSC03620-aseanfestival.jpg)

The AFAs, since the first festival, have been showcasing the creative works of the best artists in Asean. Each Asean country presents one production in any of the different fields of art.

The Philippines is offering the AFA’s international audience a taste of the creative power of some of our most distinguished performance artists.

http://manilatimes.net/index.php/opinion/13967-celebrating-asean-cultural-achievements

Related web link : Clark Education City

http://www.aitmg.com.au/study/about-clark-education-city-campus

TheAvenger

March 27th, 2010, 06:57 AM

March 24th

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/asean1.jpg

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http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03664.jpg

March 25th

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http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/jaime_makabayan/DSC03764.jpg

You can see more photos of the Festival at the below blog :

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/03/4th-asean-festival-of-arts-march-22-26.html

spearhead

March 29th, 2010, 04:45 AM

That's a very nice venue for some big time concert.

the glimpser

May 15th, 2010, 09:14 AM

Investors, businessmen vow to push Clark dev’t

By Charlene Cayabyab
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:39:00 05/14/2010

FREEPORT—INVESTORS here promised President Macapagal-Arroyo to further develop business infrastructure that had been put up under her administration to make the Clark and Subic freeports a world class logistics hub.

The President was pleased to hear the commitment of the business community during a recent forum on the prospects of the Subic-Clark corridor where more than 200 local government officials and representatives of business groups attended.

“I’m very happy because this is really one of our most important achievements, the development of Subic-Clark as a competitive service corridor,” Ms Arroyo told reporters.

Forum participants presented to Ms Arroyo a “declaration of cooperation” to support the development of the Clark Freeport and the Subic Bay Freeport into a premier hub.

Dennis Wright, Peregrine Development International president and chief executive officer, described the President as an “unsung hero” who has lifted the Philippine economy through the establishment of economic freeports.

Wright, who represented the private sector at the forum, said developing and maintaining major infrastructure would make the economic zones globally competitive.

“In terms of infrastructure, we will expand the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, we will complete the Northrail, we will put up modern bus terminals here and in Subic, and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) will be expanded,” Wright said.

Wright said a harmonized processing system will be developed for the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Immigration at the Clark and Subic freeports.

He said businesses would be encouraged to reduce paper work and redundancy through more online transactions.

“We will even institute programs in the local community, like the regulation of traffic flow and traffic safety and policies on litter and trash clean up,” he added.

According to Trade Secretary Jesli Lapus, investments in Clark are “looking good,” with the approval of new projects, including a P3-billion feed mill backed by Thai investors.

“These investments will create a lot of livelihood, so infrastructure development is very important ... this is how we attract investors,” he said. “After focusing developments in Calabarzon, Central Luzon will be next.”

TheAvenger

May 20th, 2010, 04:26 PM

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CDC Offices located on the west portion of the vast Stotsenburg Park.

TheAvenger

May 20th, 2010, 07:09 PM

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ICHUO_MX

May 22nd, 2010, 02:18 PM

le Reine

May 22nd, 2010, 02:41 PM

^^FYI, they could actually use that or "Mrs. Arroyo", which is actually used more frequently. So it's not actually wrong. BTW, ang OT na.

flip2_0

June 9th, 2010, 06:00 PM

By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:57:00 06/09/2010

Filed Under: Infrastructure, Air Transport, agreements

TWO of the country’s biggest corporate titans – rivals in almost every field they do business in – have agreed to join forces to build the Philippines’ next international aviation hub some 70 kilometers north of Metro Manila.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer has learned that Metro Pacific Investments Corp. chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan and San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang have approved a plan that calls for both conglomerates to “jointly develop” a multibillion-peso passenger terminal for the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga.

The deal will fast-track the development of DMIA, which has come in fits and starts, ever since it was designated by the government as the replacement for the aging and overused Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

More importantly, however, it could also signal a dramatic shift in the local corporate scene, which has seen cutthroat competition in recent years between Ang and Pangilinan that sometimes resulted in overpriced acquisitions in their winner-take-all battle.

An Inquirer source familiar with the deal said that Ang and Pangilinan have “discussed” the broad details of the issue and “have come to an agreement” on how to proceed with their joint proposal to the government.

“It will be a 50-50 joint venture,” the source said. “It’s a win-win situation for both.”

At least four ranking officials of the Metro Pacific and San Miguel groups have confirmed the “meeting of the minds” between their principals.

Government and private sector estimates for the cost of a modern international airport terminal in DMIA made in recent years have ranged from a low of $65 million to a high of $200 million.

“Supposing the terminal will cost $150 million [or about P7 billion at prevailing exchange rates], both parties would split that, then fund their respective portions with a combination of equity and debt,” another official said. “It will be very affordable for both sides this way.”

Working together, both groups would have to present a bid to Clark International Airport Corp. that is superior to those of other interested parties, although a combined effort from both businessmen is seen as a shoo-in for the deal, given that most rival proposals come from foreign groups. The investment is particularly seen as a sentimental one for Pangilinan whose hometown, Apalit, is just a few kilometers south of Clark.

Initial proposals for the passenger terminal call for it to be able to accommodate up to 10 million passengers a year – a level of capacity that would not require a major upgrade for at least 15 years. The current terminal at DMIA can accommodate only up to 2 million passengers annually, at most.

NOVO ECIJANO

June 9th, 2010, 11:15 PM

pi_malejana

June 27th, 2010, 07:40 AM

Subic-Clark now poised to be a premier Asian logistical base (http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/component/content/article/86-special-reports/20308-subic-clark-now-poised-to-be-a-premier-asian-logistical-base)

Sunday, 27 June 2010 00:00
BY BEN ARNOLD O. DE VERA REPORTER

Under President Gloria Arroyo’s watch, the former US Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Base have developed to become an important part of a premier Asan integrated logistics base. After President Arroyo’s nine years in office, the vast Subic-Clark Corridor has become one of the more important investment havens in the country.

When reelected president in 2004, Mrs. Arroyo, in her inaugural speech, announced that it was one of her 10-point legacy program to achieve the development of Clark and Subic “as a highly competitive international services and logistics center in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The Subic-Clark Corridor stretches over about a hundred thousand hectares of investment-ready prime land, boasting a sea hub (the port of Subic), an air hub (the Clark aviation complex, wherein the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport or DMIA is located), and a land hub (the Central Techno Park in Tarlac).

As early as her assumption of the presidency in 2001, President Arroyo had created a body—the Subic-Clark Development Task Force—to oversee the development of the Corridor into an Asian and global logistics hub.

In 2006, the Task Force evolved into the Subic-Clark Area Development Council, and later on, the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC).

In a report to the President in April, SCADC said inroads have been made to making the Corridor the most competitive international services and logistics center in this part of the world.

“SCADC has focused on the following three key elements in establishing a logistics and services center: a multimodal transport system, a favorable environment for investors, and room for future expansion,” Edgardo Pamintuan, former chairman of SCADC, said.

“SCADC, together with partner development agencies, has laid down the three primary components of the Corridor’s multimodal transport system that integrates air, sea, and land connectivity to ensure fast, convenient and reliable flow of goods, services, capital and manpower,” he said.

The transport system includes DMIA, which serves as the air gateway of the Subic-Clark Logistics Hub.

“The installation of the $9.987-million Terminal Radar Approach Control [TRACON] facility in 2007 enhanced the safety of all aircraft operations at DMIA in accordance with international aviation standards.
The completion of the P55.9-million DMIA Passenger Terminal Expansion Project in 2008 doubled the terminal capacity from one million to two million passengers annually,” Pamintuan said.

“DMIA has recorded an increase in passenger traffic, which translates to growth in the business and tourism sectors in Clark and spillovers in the rest of the Corridor. Passenger flights hiked by 91 percent from 2001 to 2009, and passenger traffic jumped by 14,240 percent from said periods. At present, DMIA has an average monthly traffic of 265 international and domestic flights serving more than 49,000 passengers per month. Accordingly, cargo flights also increased by 136 percent,” he added.

“Through the expansion of the terminal building and modernization of aviation facilities, DMIA can now assume its new role as the premier gateway of the country,” he noted.

Complementing DMIA is the Corridor’s sea hub—the Port of Subic Bay.

This port recently underwent a P8.04-billion rehabilitation and expansion, which according to Pamintuan, resulted to an increase in both containerized and noncontainerized cargo throughput by 35 percent and 58 percent, respectively.

“The construction of the new Terminals 1 and 2, was completed in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The port now has a capacity of 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year, boosting its competitive advantage against other international ports in the Asia-Pacific Region,” Pamintuan said.

For land travel, the Corridor now boasts of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), a 93.77-kilometers long expressway—the country’s longest—which traverses the provinces of Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales, and interconnects three major economic zones in the Corridor: Central Techno Park, Clark Freeport Zone and Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

SCTEx is also interconnected with the Roman Highway in Bataan and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) in Pampanga. Via SCTEx, the travel time to and from key areas along the Corridor was reduced by about half the time prior the existence of this expressway.

“We have seen a great increase in [SCTEx] traffic volume in 2009.

Roughly, increased traffic count can be translated to tourism growth in the Corridor. With a boost in tourism, there will also be a boost in investment. Potential investors come in the country as tourists, and if they find it business-friendly, their next trip might as well be the opening of their new businesses,” Pamintuan said.

But more than the advances in infrastructure, the SCADC noted that the jump in investments in the region could be mostly attributed to the “implementation of policies and regulations that have made it easier to do business in the freeports, and harmonized immigration, customs and quarantine procedures.”

“The new Business Registration System [being implemented in the Corridor] allows for the issuance of a business permit to Subic-Clark investors within 14 days from date of application, or eight days for 30-day temporary business permit. Before, an average of 10 steps and an average of 12 signatures are required before a business permit can be issued. Now, with the streamlined procedures, steps were cut by half, and signatures were limited to four. Very soon, we shall implement the automation of the system which will streamline the process further,” Pamintuan said.

“SCADC also introduced the New Alien Employment, Work Permit, and Visa Program to enable locators and investors inside Clark and Subic to start immediately with their business operations by providing them with an easier and more convenient procedure in bringing in their technically qualified workforce. Before, work permit and visa processing time took an average of seven days, with an average cost of $150. But with the new Subic-Clark Work Permit and Visa System, all visas and permits are expected to be released in not more than 16 working hours from time of application, with an average cost of $75,” he added.

“SCADC also initiated the e-TAPS or the Electronic Transit and Admission Permit System, which simplified the Customs Admission procedures by reducing the time, the process and the cost of obtaining an import permit. With just a click of the button and without leaving the comfort of their offices, our locators can now obtain their import permits. From four days to just two minutes, six signatures to zero, six step-process to only one, and from P175 processing fee to just P55 translates to more benefits for the locators.”

“Thus, we can proudly say that the Subic-Clark Corridor has moved from the shadows of despondent underdevelopment to an era of vibrant economic activity that has emphasized once more the strategic importance of the Philippines in the community of nations . . . . So much has been accomplished in the
Subic-Clark Corridor towards the goal of creating a logistics and service gateway, that even the staunchest critics of the President have conceded this point, even if grudgingly,” Pamintuan said.

panay1

July 9th, 2010, 07:42 AM

BUSINESS

Korean resort project boosts H1 Subic FDIs to US$ 1.11-B

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, July 9 (PNA) -- A resort project proposed by Korean property developer M Castle Philippines Ltd. Co. has brought the total amount of foreign direct investments (FDI) here to US$ 1.11 billion in the first half of this year.

According to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Business and Investment Group (SBMA-BIG), the South Korean company has committed a total of US$ 350,000 upon signing in as Subic-registered business last January, and then pledged an entire US$ 1 billion on May 7 for the resort project.

M Castle’s entry into the Subic Freeport “greatly boosted Subic’s FDI generation this year,” SBMA administrator and CEO Armand Arreza said.

SBMA records indicated that before M Castle’s project was approved, new FDIs in the free port stood at US$ 114.58 million, out of the US$ 185.87 million total commitments generated in the first six months.

Overall employment projection for the new investment projects, meanwhile, was placed by the SBMA at 6,833.

Arreza said M Castle would develop a 615-hectare property at the nearby community of Morong in Bataan.

The project, to be called Resom Resort City-Subic, would include the development of an integrated world-class recreational leisure resort featuring beach condo units and villas, a five-star casino-hotel, a marina club, as well as 36-hole golf course.

The Korean developer also intends to establish within the complex a water park, a convention facility, a medical center, a shopping mall, and an English-language learning center.

“This is another billion-dollar project from a Korean firm, and just like shipbuilder Hanjin, we expect M Castle to usher in more investments in related industries and businesses,” Arreza said.

Calling the project a “major employment booster”, Arreza said that it will also spearhead the SBMA's push toward the development of nearby communities into expansion areas for both tourism and commercial ventures.

With its US$ 1-billion commitment, M Castle topped the list of the biggest FDI projects in the Subic Bay Freeport in the first half of this year.

Other projects in the top 10 list are: Chinese alternative energy company Sunnew-Subic Investments Ltd., with investment pledges of US$ 75 million; German-UK firm Alubat Aviation Composites Philippines, US$ 15 million; Jordanian Vapco International Corp., US$ 5.33 million; Taiwanese manufacturer Advance Subic Screw Inc., US$ 1.5 million; Taiwanese firm Chinmei Metal Mfg. Inc., US$ 1.45 million; US-Canadian firm Aviation Concepts Holdings, with US$ 1.1 million; Chinese-Canadian-Filipino joint venture Misung Subic, Inc., US$ 1 million; Korean firm Nova Freeport Resources Inc., US$ .87 million; Taiwanese MCom Subic Corporation, US$ .86 million; and Korean MH Fair Bridge Inc., with US$ .73 million. (PNA)
DCT/zst/JM/ps

TheAvenger

August 18th, 2010, 03:47 PM

MANILA, Philippines—A number of state corporations are in the red, but this is not reflected in the compensation of their executives.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) are among the government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) “losing” money, yet their officials are among the highest paid in government, according to an official of the finance department.

Finance Undersecretary Jeremias Paul Jr. said both corporations were also among the 26 GOCCs exempted from the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).

The exemption is one reason for the huge salaries and allowances of GOCC executives, which are being investigated by the Senate finance committee.

“The SBMA and BCDA are losing corporations? Yet their executives are the highest paid in the entire bureaucracy?” Sen. Franklin Drilon, committee chair, asked in disbelief at Tuesday’s hearing.

Please read more :

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100818-287414/Subic-Clark-losing-but-top-execs-raking-it-in

tisoycuba

August 18th, 2010, 07:46 PM

kaya marami gusto makuha ang mga puwesto na yan

TheAvenger

August 27th, 2010, 10:43 AM

.
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The site of The Global Gateway Logistics City undergoing groundworks :

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http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06504.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06506.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06507.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06508.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06509.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06511.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06512.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06513.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/Alex_Sison/DSC06514.jpg

Global Gateway web sites

http://www.gglc.ph/why_phil.html

http://www.gglc.ph/majorzone.html#3

The Philippines' Very First Aerotropolis at Clarkfield Pampanga
http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/08/philippines-very-first-aerotropolis-at.html

Videos

yFTc9NJQAEU?fs=1&amp

pDMv0mAweQ0?fs=1&amp

Other related story / websites :

4th ASEAN Festival of Arts - March 22 - 26, 2010 - Clark Education City
http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/03/4th-asean-festival-of-arts-march-22-26.html

15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2010/02/15th-philippine-international-hot-air.html

North Philippines Tourism and Travel Expo 2009
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/11/north-philippines-tourism-and-travel.html

Clark to Subic via SCTEX
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/11/road-trip-from-clark-to-subic-via-sctex.html

Nayong Pilipino sa Clark Expo
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/10/nayong-pilpino-sa-clark-expo.html

Clark International Speedway
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/10/clark-international-speedway.html

Photo Journal of Sacobia and Paradise Ranch in Clarkfield
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/07/photo-journal-of-sacobia-and-paradise.html

Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/

Diosdado Macapagal International Airport at Clark Special Economic Zone
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/08/diosdado-macapagal-international.html

.

pau_p1

August 27th, 2010, 12:23 PM

wow.. this looks like a good development there..

patlite_boy

August 27th, 2010, 02:47 PM

thanks for sharing these pictures ^^ :banana:

tisoycuba

August 27th, 2010, 04:06 PM

:)thanks @avenger:)

epik ll ian

August 28th, 2010, 03:21 AM

Great post, thank you!!! :)

TheAvenger

August 28th, 2010, 03:57 AM

Great post, thank you!!! :)

welcome to all of you. thanks also

diz

August 28th, 2010, 03:59 AM

wow awesome post.

hope the airport thing gets started.

702flyguy

August 29th, 2010, 07:25 AM

This is really a nice project, I hope this come in fruition. I must say a very good concept ....

NOVO ECIJANO

August 29th, 2010, 05:41 PM

Clark is the next big thing,its centrally located it could be the next important city after Manila.

flip2_0

August 30th, 2010, 07:03 AM

Clark is the next big thing,its centrally located it could be the next important city after Manila.

Or possibly the most important city, Metro Manila may only come in second or third with Olongapo City (SBFZ) having its own international port and being only 20-30 minutes away.

tisoycuba

August 30th, 2010, 06:27 PM

Or possibly the most important city, Metro Manila may only come in second or third with Olongapo City (SBFZ) having its own international port and being only 20-30 minutes away.

mas malaki ang nasasakopan nang BATAAN kasya sa Olongapo sa SBMA..:)kaya hindi pwde third sa Olongapo..:)

flip2_0

August 31st, 2010, 07:54 PM

mas malaki ang nasasakopan nang BATAAN kasya sa Olongapo sa SBMA..:)kaya hindi pwde third sa Olongapo..:)

Okay fine, SBFZ na lang under SBMA. :nuts:

TheAvenger

September 1st, 2010, 11:07 PM

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06818.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06819.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06820.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06823.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06824.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06825.jpg

TheAvenger

September 1st, 2010, 11:14 PM

Yesterday I drive around the Expo Filipino area and shots some photos of the Korean construction project. I looked for any announcement or the name of the project but cannot find any..

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06828.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06829.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06830.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06833.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06834.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06835.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06836-a.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06836-b.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06837.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06841.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/DSC06842.jpg

NOVO ECIJANO

September 2nd, 2010, 10:10 AM

Maybe the construction is for the Samsung Electronics,it was reported that they would put up a factory in Clark.

whippersnapper

September 5th, 2010, 03:37 PM

kakatakot naman. parang babagsak ang malakas na ulan. hehe

kalbongdad

September 7th, 2010, 02:02 PM

ganda ng concept......nde na pala concept.....ganda ng project.......congrats pampanga.....at salamat pgma.....visionary leader.....way to go madame

Linguine

September 9th, 2010, 06:25 PM

Free ports to adopt e-cargo transfer system

Written by Henry Empeño / Correspondent
Thursday, 09 September 2010 12:10

SUBIC BAY FREE PORT—The three adjoining free ports of Subic, Clark and Bataan will start utilizing high technology this month to ensure the fast, safe and secure transfer of cargo to their registered business locators as well as to thwart smuggling and diversion of imported goods.

According to the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD), officials from the three free ports of Central Luzon recently met with SCAD and Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials “to tie loose ends” before the Sept. 16 implementation of the Enhanced Automated Cargo Transfer System (e-Acts), which is touted to improve the country’s import shipments system.

The free ports summit was attended by officials of the SCAD and the BOC, and representatives of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (Afab).

“All concerned agencies vowed to exert greater efforts in responding to the call of President Benigno S. Aquino for a better business environment and a more favorable investment climate in the Philippines that will lead to a better way of life for Filipinos,” the SCAD said in a statement.

The e-Acts was designed to provide for a more efficient movement of imports from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Port of Manila and the Manila International Container Port Terminal to the various export producers located in Subic, Clark and Bataan free ports.

The new system reportedly stands out compared to previous systems because it utilizes modern technology to provide a faster, more economical and simpler process of documenting and processing of clearances, as well as the transfer and admission of foreign merchandise from ports of discharge.

And because e-Acts substitutes electronic or Internet protocols for face-to-face transactions, it is expected to help stamp out corruption in import transactions and to cut overhead costs among free-port locators by allowing the immediate delivery and use of transit goods.

With its built-in antismuggling or antidiversion feature, e-Acts will serve as a showcase of the BOC’s “intention and commitment to put a stop to the abuse of the importation privilege of some unscrupulous free-port zone export producers,” said Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez.

Speaking for the free ports, Afab chairman and administrator Deogracias Custodio said the implementation of the e-Acts “will be a reflection of the constant efforts of the Philippine free ports to improve the level of services that they offer to their locators in order to become the free ports of choice in the world.”

SCAD chairman Nestor Mangio expressed optimism that the new system would create a better business environment in Clark and Subic that would, in turn, result in more investments and more jobs for local residents.

“Needed revenues to fuel the local economy will increase. Entrepreneurship potentials for local suppliers will be developed. Even local tourism will be favorably affected,” Mangio added.

The implementation of the e-Acts will be the latest in a series of cooperation programs between the BOC and the free ports in Central Luzon to curb smuggling and plug revenue leaks from goods imported into the free ports and later sold outside the special economic zones.

On July 15 the SBMA and the BOC began using the electronic Gatepass Management System (GMS) for shipments brought into the Subic Bay Free Port to ensure that only “legal goods” would exit the gates here.

Like the e-Acts system, the GMS was designed to make it even harder for smugglers to use the port of Subic, as well as to reduce the time and cost of doing business in this free port.

source (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/regions/1097-free-ports-to-adopt-e-cargo-transfer-system)

Linguine

September 23rd, 2010, 11:28 AM

TheAvenger

September 25th, 2010, 12:08 PM

Maybe the construction is for the Samsung Electronics,it was reported that they would put up a factory in Clark.

This afternoon I drive around Clark's Sacobia River and Expo Filipino and take photos of the Korean construction infront of Expo Filipino.

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/1.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept101.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept070.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept071.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept090.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept091.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept094.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept095.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept098.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept099.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept100.jpg

TheAvenger

September 25th, 2010, 01:03 PM

25th Sept. 2010

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/sacobia.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept074.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept075.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept081.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept077.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept079.jpg

About a kilometer from Paradise Ranch, there were a platoon of US Marines construction team constructing a kind of building. I did not take any photos of the American troops for some reasons.

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept080.jpg

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab359/samuelbelibeth/24thSept086.jpg

Please see also my blog :

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/07/photo-journal-of-sacobia-and-paradise.html

.

kikodj

September 25th, 2010, 06:14 PM

thanks for the photo sir avenger.. ("j)

TheAvenger

September 25th, 2010, 10:08 PM

thanks for the photo sir avenger.. ("j)

you are welcome. thanks also.

dcperdio

October 2nd, 2010, 01:26 PM

Master plan for Bataan free port readied

By Abigail L. Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:08:00 07/21/2010

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance, Investments

THE NEWLY established Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (Afab), which operates the former Bataan economic zone, is preparing a “master plan” that will make the area more attractive to both investors and tourists.

In a briefing Wednesday, Afab chair Deogracias Custodio said the master plan involved the construction of a seaport and a ferry terminal, both to be undertaken through a build-operate-transfer model.

Tourism-related facilities such as hotels, a duty-free shop complex, an ecopark, leisure resort, golf course and casinos would likewise be built on the 1,750-hectare free port, he said. An airport will likewise eventually be built.

He said the master plan would span a period of development of 10-20 years.

“Our priority now is to come up with a master plan. We don’t want to go out into the market just yet. We want to complete our master plan so that investors will know what we have to offer,” he said on the sidelines of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines general membership meeting.

He said the Afab was still in transition as the law that created it took effect only last June 29.

During the transition period, he said the Afab would not only be working on the master plan, but would also start building its image among potential investors as the “free port of choice by 2020.”

He said the Afab held the distinction of being the only economic zone that could sell land to investors. It also provided numerous fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, including four-year income tax holiday; exemption from duties and taxes on imported capital equipment, spare parts and other raw materials, and exemption from wharfage dues, export taxes, imposts and fees.

Other perks that investors could avail themselves of included permanent resident status for expatriate executives and their immediate family members as well as tax-free importation of personal equipment for use within the free port.

As with many economic zones, he said the free port targeted investors in the logistics, tourism, manufacturing and information technology sectors, with particular focus on logistics service providers.

“We’re not out to compete with Subic or Clark. We’re looking at what they already have so that we can complement the businesses that are already there,” he said.

kalbongdad

October 2nd, 2010, 02:10 PM

ano ang C Project.....nakita ko na rin yan....nung nag ikot kami dyan sa may puregold duty free

hakz2007

October 25th, 2010, 09:08 AM

Subic Bay International Airport
October 21, 2010

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/2253/dsc03598m.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8444/dsc03597c.jpg

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7981/dsc03600m.jpg

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/7115/dsc03599qf.jpg

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/2241/dsc03601f.jpg

tisoycuba

December 5th, 2010, 04:47 PM

120-BED HOSPITAL TO RISE ON CLARK
CLARK FREEPORT - The construction of the 120-bed “world class” tertiary hospital will soon start after a groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow at the Global Gateway Logistics City (GGLC) here.

President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino lll will be the guest of honor and speaker, officials of The Medical City (TMC) announced.

The hospital, which is expected to be fully operational by 2013, addresses TMC’s strategy to expand its presence by developing a national network. TMC’s network is currently composed of 2 hospitals and 18 outpatient clinics located across Metro Manila and in selected provinces.

“TMC Clark will serve as our flagship center for Central and Northern Luzon. In addition, being situated next to an international airport, the Clark location provides an excellent platform for building our international customer base,” said Margaret Bengzon, Head of TMC’s Strategic Services Group.

Under the terms of agreement, GGLC will construct the hospital according to TMC’s specifications. TMC will then lease, equip and operate the facility.

The project is located inside GGLC, a state-of-the-art, master planned mixed use logistics and business center situated in this freeport.

TMC is a tertiary health care organization with over 40 years experience in hospital operation and administration serving some 40,000 in-patients and 400,000 out-patients annually.

Bengzon said TMC has a medical staff of 1,100 physicians who are established experts in their various fields of specialization. This core of professionals is complemented by a 2,200-strong human resource complement, engaged in allied medical, administrative and support services.

TMC is accredited by the Joint Commission International, the world’s most prestigious accrediting body for international health care organizations.

Expected to grace the event include US Ambassador Harry Thomas; Sheikh Ahmad Daoud Salman Al Sabah of Kuwait; Abdulla Shimali, chief financial officer of the Kuwait Port Authority; Abdulaziz Al Osaimi, Board Member of the Kuwait Port Authority; Saeed Dashti, Chairman of the KGL Group and Dennis Wright of the Peregrine Development Corp.

SOURCE: Jess Malabanan - Central Luzon Daily

posted by JC on 2010-12-03

hakhaimo

December 22nd, 2010, 02:20 AM

Any Idea where at Clark Pampanga will this fit?

Presenting:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/Logocopy.jpg

The newest All-Purpose Stadium in the Philippines...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/FrontView-1.jpg
Front View of the Stadium

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/SideView.jpg
Side View of the Stadium

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/TopView.jpg
Top View of the Stadium

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/Render2.jpg
Initial Perspective Render of the Stadium

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/Render1.jpg
Another Initial Perspective Render of the Stadium

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/Render3.jpg
A render of how it will look like from the inside

Suggestions and Criticism are welcomed! :)

diz

December 22nd, 2010, 10:39 AM

hmm can you add landscaping for better judgement?

imo, it can fit near expo filipino.

hakhaimo

December 23rd, 2010, 03:58 PM

hmm can you add landscaping for better judgement?

imo, it can fit near expo filipino.

I'll post with landscaping in future renders... oh ok I'll consider near expo filipino

whippersnapper

December 23rd, 2010, 07:48 PM

wow kayganda. totoo bang itatayo yan?

sandune023

December 25th, 2010, 06:11 AM

sana matuloy nga yan para naman may magandang venue para sa AFF-Suzuki sa 2010....kc malayo sa Panaad...at maganda din venue para sa asian games....

spearhead

December 27th, 2010, 02:32 PM

Any Idea where at Clark Pampanga will this fit?

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/MKH%20Construction%20-%20Mabuhay%20Stadium/Render3.jpg
A render of how it will look like from the inside

Suggestions and Criticism are welcomed! :)

What's the capacity of that stadium?

hakhaimo

December 28th, 2010, 03:36 PM

sana matuloy nga yan para naman may magandang venue para sa AFF-Suzuki sa 2010....kc malayo sa Panaad...at maganda din venue para sa asian games....

wow kayganda. totoo bang itatayo yan?

@sandune023 & @whippersnapper, hindi yan totoo, gawa gawa ko lang :lol:

What's the capacity of that stadium?

The main structure(where the bleachers are) is patterned after the Jahawarlal Nehru Stadium of Delhi, India, so Mabuhay Stadium's capacity would be 60,000-65,000, more or less.

kalbongdad

December 29th, 2010, 03:49 PM

bakit nde mo na gawin...world's biggest stadium.....baka sakali....wala naman bayad mangarap....itodo mo na higitan mo ang bird's nest...

whippersnapper

December 31st, 2010, 09:22 AM

@sandune023 & @whippersnapper, hindi yan totoo, gawa gawa ko lang :lol:

The main structure(where the bleachers are) is patterned after the Jahawarlal Nehru Stadium of Delhi, India, so Mabuhay Stadium's capacity would be 60,000-65,000, more or less.

malay nating maging totoo

william :D

February 14th, 2011, 03:03 PM

NEDA-Cabcom approves multibillion-peso projects

The National Economic and Development Authority Cabinet Committee (NEDA-Cabcom) has approved a multibillion-peso public financial management program and a road project.

In a statement, the NEDA-Cabcom approved the Public Financial Management Program (PFMP), which aims to improve the efficiency, accountability and transparency of public fund use in the Philippines to enable public service delivery.

The PFMP also aims to assist the government agencies such as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Bureau of Treasury (BTr), and Commission on Audit (COA), among others, in implementing a comprehensive reform agenda as outlined in the Philippine Public Financial Management Reform Road Map.

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) will allocate AUD30 million grant for an initial five years from 2011 to 2015 for the implementation of the PFMP.

The NEDA-CabCom also approved the change in scope and increase in cost of the Arterial Road Bypass Project, Phase 1 (ARBP 1).

The ARBP 1 aims to, among others, mitigate traffic congestions of urban sections and support economic development in areas it covers.

ARBP 1 is Phase I of the Upgrading Inter-Urban Highway System along the Pan-Philippine Highway (Plaridel-San Jose Section) Project.

The ARBP 1 will have a change of cost from P3.07 billion to P3.73 billion, as it increases its scope along the Plaridel (Bulacan) Bypass with the building of an interchange, ramps as well as bridges. These developments will pass through the municipalities of Plaridel, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Bustos, and Angat.

The change in scope of the project will also involve a conduct of a feasibility study of linking the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway with the Pan-Philippine Highway.

http://www.usnewslasvegas.com/business/neda-cabcom-approves-multibillion-peso-projects/

leofriends

April 11th, 2011, 03:29 PM

^^ hopefully it will happen... :bash:

ptustephen

April 27th, 2011, 02:43 PM

vary good!

niknok

May 10th, 2011, 06:54 AM

BCDA sees higher SCTEX toll collection

MORE vehicles are expected to ply the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) this year and thus generate more toll revenues for the government, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said in a statement on Thursday.

So far, SCTEX toll revenues collected from January to August this year are up 30% to P412.16 million from the same period in 2009. This, as the number of vehicles using the toll road similarly rose by 31% to 5.877 million.

The increase comes on top of a tripling in both traffic volume and toll revenues in 2009 to 7.090 million vehicles and P497.17 million over 2008 levels, the BCDA said. -- Jessica Anne D. Hermosa

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18259

Higher collection should mean investment for this project would be paid in shorter time.

Kaya dapat i-post nila ang collections. daily, weekly, monthly, annually, as opposed to the investment for the project. Di ba nangako sila ng transparency, nasaan na yun. LRT, MRT, Skyway, MCTEP, Cavitex, etc.
Hindi yung parang walang katapusan na pagbabayad. Kung bawi na nila, maintenance na lang ang babayaran.

whippersnapper

May 25th, 2011, 02:42 PM

P200-M worth tourism park to rise in Clark

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE -- Donggwang Clark Corporation (DCC) is set to put up a $200-million project inside this Freeport.

DCC chair Lee Shin Kun said the project consists of a 36-hole golf course, clubhouse, condominium with 330 rooms, water park, spa and gymnasium, eco park, business center, store and function, international school, golf academy and driving range, clinic and drug store, hotel, casino, 500 units of villas and a shopping arcade.

The leisure community project aims to increase tourism and economic activities in the region and to provide employment and job creation during construction and operation phases of the project, he said.

The groundbreaking for the project rite was witnessed by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president Felipe Remollo and other executives of DCC and CDC, including Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales and City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.

In the phase one of the project, the proponent is expected to complete within 30 months the construction of the golf course, the clubhouse, an international school that will be operated by the Brent School and 100 units of villas.

Phase two will be the construction of a condominium with 330 rooms, a water park and additional 300 units of villas.

In the third phase, the DCC is expected to construct a hotel with 300 rooms, eco park, casino, shopping arcade, additional 100 units of villas and other amenities to entice the arrival of more local and foreign tourists in Clark.

Lee said the tourism estate project of DCC is expected to be completed by 2016 and would employ more than 2,000 workers, not to mention the arrival of more foreign and local tourists in Clark.

Published in the Sun.Star Pampanga newspaper on May 25, 2011.

william :D

May 31st, 2011, 01:22 AM

New Clark projects to generate thousands of jobs

by Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, May 26 (PIA) -- An estimated 7,000 jobs are expected to be generated by the two new projects inside the Clark Freeport Zone.
Department of Labor and Employment regional director Leopoldo De Jesus revealed that up to 5,000 careers will be up for grabs once Japanese owned-Yokohama Tire Philippines Incorporated’s 28.2-hectare expansion plant begins its operations.
A portion of the expansion plant will be first operated in 2013 and shall be fully utilized by 2014.
Upon completion, it is expected to significantly boost production capacity. By 2017, tires manufactured by Yokohama Philippines will increase to approximately 17 million tires a year or 50,000 tires per day compared to the current production of seven million tires a year or 21,000 tires per day.
Meanwhile, De Jesus also disclosed that Korean-led Donggwang Clark Corporation will need approximately 2,000 workers for its $200 million leisure community project.
The 304-hectare project consists of a 36-hole golf course, clubhouse, condominium with 330 rooms, water park, spa, gymnasium, eco-tourism park, business center, an international school, golf academy, hotel with 300 rooms, casino, 500 villa units, and a shopping village.
Under phase one, the proponent is expected to complete within 30 months the construction of the golf course, club house, 100 villa units, and the international school – which will be operated by the Brent School.
Phase two will be the construction of condominium, the water park and the additional 300 villa units.
The third phase will be the construction of the hotel, eco-tourism park, casino, shopping village, additional 100 villa units, and other amenities to entice the arrival of more local and foreign tourists in Clark. The project is expected to be completed by 2016.
De Jesus added, these foreign projects prove that Central Luzon is a conducive investment destination. (WLB/CLJD-PIA 3)
http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r03&id=34714

dissociative

July 1st, 2011, 11:11 AM

Anyone know where the Deca Wakepark Clark is located? :)

whippersnapper

July 1st, 2011, 04:39 PM

sa sacobia valley ata

AkoIto

August 16th, 2011, 06:21 PM

FedEx returning with Asia
hub dream for Clark
BY GENIVI FACTAO
US-based Federal Express (FedEx), the world’s largest air-cargo shipper, is returning to the Philippines more than two years after quitting its regional base in Subic Bay, but this time around it will come to roost in Clark.

The company has been in talks with the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) to make the Philippines the company’s hub in Asia, a ranking CIAC official said.

"Fedex is expanding its presence here and is looking at the Philippines as the hub of Asia to better serve customers around the world and the broader North Asian markets," the executive said.

A source also said negotiations have been going on since last year, as the company has realized that it is better to remain in the Philippines, where its operating costs are lower compared with China, where it moved its operations in early 2009.

"Definitely they (Fedex) will not be coming back to Subic because of the short runway there," the source said.

CIAC has the mandate to operate, manage and develop the 2,367-hectare civil aviation complex, which is four times larger than the Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex.

FedEx’s choice of Clark to establish the logistics hub puts the Philippines firmly on the global investment map for its country’s competitive service.

In February 2009, FedEx decommissioned its facility at Subic Bay but maintained its presence in the country, with Manila and Cebu remaining an integral part of the FedEx AsiaOne network.

Its Asia-Pacific hub in Guangzhou, China, represents a $150 million capital investment centered on the company’s operations in the region for 30 years.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, when asked for a comment, said all he knew is that FedEx will launch one flight a day only.

"We cannot open the airport just for one flight a day. It will be more expensive… It’s not because we have a short runway that they choose Clark," he said.

"Clark is operational 24 hours a day and it’s a good airport, everything is there."

He added that "FedEx would have technical staff here. The plane will transport the cargo from China, sort them here and take them back to China."

FedEx’s present Asia-Pacific hub, located at the Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, is the company’s largest outside the United States. The investment is a significant milestone for FedEx, as it reinforces its long-term commitment to this region.

When FedEx left Subic, SBMA lost the opportunity to earn P160 million in revenues amounting to P160 million a year including rentals and parking fees.

About 600 workers were displaced when FedEx moved its Asia-Pacific hub to Southern China.

The cargo carrier had reached its full capacity that it could no longer expand in Subic, prompting the move to China considering the expansion required by demand from of its customers.

Subic Bay became FedEx’s Asia-Pacific hub in 1995.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/aug17/ship1.html

makatiprime

August 17th, 2011, 03:56 PM

hahahaha,babalik ka rin....at babalik karin, kay tagal mong nawala......babalik ka rin

pinas4real

August 18th, 2011, 09:01 PM

http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/regions/15320-sbma-to-plug-p40-m-losses-of-airport-facility

SBMA to plug P40-M losses of airport facility
Thursday, 18 August 2011 19:18 VG Cabuag / Reporter
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THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is seeking to plug the losses of its airport facility by retiring some of its expensive loans and encouraging other airlines to use the free port for their operations.

SBMA Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Armand Arreza told reporters that airlines are still interested to use the Subic Bay International Airport even if the national government is pushing for Clark Field’s Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) to become the country’s premier airport.

In fact, Arreza said that Tiger Airways will start flying out of Subic in September while Spirit of Manila will also fly out of the free port but it still needs to complete its airworthiness certificates.

Spirit of Manila intends to fly thrice a week to Macau, he said.

“They [Spirit of Manila] are committed to land here and we have tie-up with the Macau Tourism Board. Besides, there are many overseas Filipinos in Macau,” Arreza said.

He did not give details on Tiger Airways, which also has regular flights in DMIA.  

“Tony Fernandes [Air Asia Group’s chief executive officer] is contemplating on offering business jets, following the concept of NetJets maybe next year. This will cater to corporate travels,” he said.

Air Asia, however, will concentrate first on its Clark operations before it can branch out to Subic, Arreza said.

Arreza said that its marketing move is expected to plug the P40-million annual losses of the airport, which was the former hub of Federal Express in the Philippines. The amount was used for salaries of the employees and debt servicing.

After FedEx completely pulled out in February 2009 and transferred to China, it rendered Subic’s airport facility idle except for a handful of corporate jets that use the facility.

FedEx started the pullout of the facility in 2005. Subic has been the hub of FedEx’s Asia-Pacific operations since 1995, making it one of the pioneer locators.

FedEx is reportedly returning to the Philippines, but this time using the facilities of Clark Field. Arreza confirmed the reports, but said that the US-based company’s operation will be limited to a few flights per week and not a full-blown hub operation.

For the meantime, Arreza said that SBMA is seeking to plug the annual losses of the 220-hectare facility.

SBMA was able to secure a $41-million commercial loan from Banco de Oro at a 3.2-percent annual interest rate, payable in seven years and a grace period of two years. The loan will be used to pay off the WB loans of about $24 million that carries a 5.5-percent annual interest and the $13 million from Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund.

“If you’re running an airport, you must have a long-term view. We view this airport as a strategic reserve in case Clark becomes congested or the spillover operations of express companies,” Arreza said, referring to firms such as FedEx, United Parcel Service and DHL.

hakz2007

October 4th, 2011, 06:30 AM

Japanese businessmen keen on proposed Clark Star Center
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Oct. 3 (PNA) --Japanese businessmen have expressed keen interest to invest in the proposed Clark Star Center, which is geared to transform this Freeport into the country’s premier sports training center and amusement hub.

Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president Felipe Antonio B. Remollo, said the Clark Star Center, otherwise known as the Clark Sports Training Amusement and Recreation Center, was presented to Japanese investor during the Sept. 26 state visit of President Benigno Aquino III in Japan. More: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=376722

tyronne

October 4th, 2011, 11:59 PM

The Clark area and its vicinity are nice locations for a big amusement park like Six Flags.

InfinitiFX45

October 6th, 2011, 05:59 PM

Roxas unveils P500B infra plan :banana::cheers:

by Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News Posted at 10/06/2011 7:01 PM | Updated as of 10/06/2011 10:45 PM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/06/11/roxas-unveils-p500b-infra-plan

MANILA, Philippines – Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas unveiled on Thursday close to P500 billion worth of infrastructure projects that will be carried out through a 5-year plan.

Among the major projects are the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 extension plan to Cavite and the LRT 2 extension to Antipolo; the reconfigured North Rail project, international airports in Puerto Princesa, Laguindigan, Misamis Oriental and Bohol; port development in Davao; and the roll-on, roll-off (RORO) projects linking Subic or Batangas ports to China.

According to Roxas, the projects remain the same but the financing mechanism is different.

"The matuwid na daan is the matipid na daan,” he said.

Most projects are being reviewed and renegotiated and lopsided contracts are also being rewritten, like the Northrail Project.

Instead of just a train that will run from Caloocan to Mabalacat in Pampanga, based on the original plan, it has been revised to stretch out from Metro Manila to Clark, so that it is already near the airport.

Roxas said, after President Benigno Aquino III’s trip to China, the Chinese government seemed willing to renegotiate and continue the project.

The government is also suspending contracts on the RORO port project of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The said contract is also being renegotiated and the government is also bent on paying only what is proper.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) also intends to resolve problems concerning the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and LRT. They will provide financing in order to rehabilitate and buy new trains and spare parts, track works, as well as improve maintenance.

The Sandigan ng Samahang Magsasaka, meanwhile, went “planking” in front of the DOTC office this morning, to protest the government's public–private partnership (PPP) program. The group claimed that Roxas and the Aranetas will benefit from DOTC projects such as the MRT7.

They said the Aranetas own the land where the 14th station of MRT7 will be built.

Around 400 peasant families will be evicted due to the project.

The farmers said this is a clear conflict of interest. But Roxas clarified that his family doesn't own the land in Bulacan.

tisoycuba

October 6th, 2011, 08:45 PM

$30-M residential village to rise in Clark

Oct 06, 2011

CLARK FREEPORT – Officials of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and executives of a Korea-based firm broke ground on Monday for the establishment of a posh residential village at the heart of the Clark Freeport.

CDC President Felipe Antonio B. Remollo said Korean firm JM Star Clark, Inc. held its groundbreaking rites on Oct. 3 signaling the start of construction work for its tourism and residential development project dubbed Le J Village in a 17,190-square meter area here.

Remollo said once the project is fully operational, the firm’s initial $7.2-million investment will be increased to $30 million. The $30-million investment will also include the construction of an 18-storey condominium.

Aside from its high-rise condominium, Remollo added that Le J Village boasts of a plaza, maison (villa), apartment, and swimming pool.

Remollo said the firm will be employing at least 75 workers during the construction stage but will increase its human resources requirements once fully operational. –CDC/PRD

tisoycuba

October 6th, 2011, 08:47 PM

Bicycle lanes nationwide proposed amid fuel hike
By Ding Cervantes

Oct 06, 2011

CLARK FREEPORT – Both taking the cue from the erratic cost of fuel in the world market, both Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Felipe Antonio Remollo and this province’s first district Rep. Carmelo Lazatin almost simultaneously bared plans to push for the use of bicycles as a daily means of transport.

Lazatin has filed House Bill No. 5335 entitled “Bicycle Use Act of 2011” which required the designation, if not the construction, of bicycle lanes nationwide, plus bicycle racks at offices and business establishments.

“There is a serious need to find alternative modes of transportation and one is the use of bicycle amid erratic oil prices in the market.

We can’t allow ourselves to be hostaged by fuel,” Lazatin said.

This, even as Remollo, who heads the CDC which runs this freeport, also announced plans to revive bicycle lanes which were overtaken by widening of roads here. A bicycle lane used to run from Clark’s main gate to other parts of the freeport during the era of the Americans in this former US air force base.

In a press statement, the CDC said Remollo “is keen on the rehabilitation of bike lane systems for a more eco-friendly means of transportation inside this Freeport zone.”

“During the time of the Americans at the former US-run Clark Air Base, bike lanes were constructed for the safety of the bicycle-riding employees inside the base,” the CDC said.

Lazatin noted “the government’s lack of serious program to promote bicycle use despite the many benefits it brings, not only to health, but to the economy and environment as well.”

Under the bill, secure and ample parking spaces and facilities would be required to provide bike racks in their areas. “This would include all public and private commercial establishments, including but not limited to public markets, malls, restaurants and stores,” Lazatin said.

Lazatin also said “the bill provides that employers grant legitimate bicycle-riding employees a 30-minute window before they be considered late, taking into consideration the long travel time they will take in reporting to work. “

“In coordination with the local government units, the national government shall lead the establishment of bicycle lanes on all major thoroughfares all over the country,” Lazatin said.

He said that local government units would be required to “monitor all private, public establishments and employers in complying with all the provisions of the bill and implement penalties to those who violate them and at the same time ensure that bicycle lanes are properly utilized for the purpose.”

Remollo, who is known to be a staunch advocate of clean environment and sports tourism, also said that the CDC has adopted the promotion of tourism here as a flagship project.

“Clark’s nature-based environment makes it an ideal venue for environmental and sports tourism events.

Resources targeted to create eco-tourism and sports-based attractions that will transform the Zone into a priority tourist destination,” he said.

Remollo also revealed plans for the establishment of a center to transform this freeport into the country’s premier sports training center and amusement hub.

To be known as the Clark Sports Training Amusement and Recreation Center or simply Clark Star was presented to Japanese investors during Pres. Aquino’s visit to Japan last Sept. 26.

Remollo said he had already met with Japanese businessmen who have expressed interest in investing in the project.

“Clark Star will have various facilities for water sports such as wakeboarding, rowing, water skiing, parasailing, kayaking, dragon boating and jet skiing. It will be built near the Sacobia River to answer the need for a body of water for the water sports,” the CDC said.

It will also have world-class facilities for basketball, baseball, swimming, tennis and soccer, as well as dormitories for athletes, sports academy and training ground, the CDC added.

Travex Travels

March 3rd, 2012, 03:57 AM

All these improvements are good for Clark.

_________________

Visit my travelogue website featuring Clark! Just click this link:

http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w394/TravExteronex/Clark.jpg (http://www.travextravels.com/2012/02/clark-zoo-gravity-go-karts.html)

Hope ya enjoy knowing more of Clark's offerings!

Travex Travels
travel.explore.fun.

Travex Travels

March 7th, 2012, 08:40 AM

For those looking for tips, guides, directions and travelogues about Subic/SBMA/Olongapo and their tourist attractions, just click this link:

http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w394/TravExteronex/Subic.jpg (http://www.travextravels.com/2012/03/zoobic-safari-zoo-leveled-up.html)

Travel directions still coming up.
You might also want considering visiting Clark, just click my other posts.

_____________
Travex Travels
travel.explore.fun.

www.travextravels.com (http://www.travextravels.com/)

feistyradical

March 12th, 2012, 09:12 PM

New Clark master plan eyed

Manila Standard Today

March 13, 2012

by Julito G. Rada

State-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority has invited companies to submit a proposed master plan for the development of some 36,000 hectares of land in Clark Special Economic Zone to position it as a major investment destination in Southeast Asia.

Arnel Paciano Casanova, BCDA president and chief executive, said in a press briefing Monday the masterplan should “make Clark a beautiful, highly-integrated, high-tech, green community where Bonifacio Global City meets Silicon Valley amid lush greenery.”

He said a new master plan for the economic zone must be marketable and viable and in harmony with the current and planned development for the area.

“We are calling on all interested firms to join the bidding process of this mega project that is envisioned to set the pace of socioeconomic development in Central Luzon,” Casanova said.

“We want to bring the maximum value, as well as the equitable and inclusive economic benefits to the region by implementing a comprehensive master development plan, together with all stakeholders and [local government units] in Pampanga and Tarlac,” he said.

Casanova said renewed investor confidence has resulted in favorable market conditions that were not present in previous master plans.

“There is a need to update and integrate all development plans in the context of the recent market trends in the Asian and international setting,” Casanova said.

He also said the master plan should adopt a green building system, incorporate the use of renewable energy in all facilities and provide a clean and affordable public transportation system to promote cleaner burning fuels.

BCDA chairman Felicito Payumo, meanwhile, said the feasibility study for an elevated monorail project in Metro Manila would be completed next year.

He said the consortium of Mitsubishi and Hitachi of Japan had expressed interest in the project.

“I’m sure this project will be very viable. The Japanese has a very good track record when it comes to monorail,” he said.

The monorail project, which is envisioned to connect the Ninoy Aquino International Airport with the rail system in Metro Manila, is expected to solve the heavy traffic between Naia and the cities of Parañaque, Makati, Pasay and Taguig.

Payumo said the monorail project would benefit at least 13 million people who are using Metro Manila’s railway system.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness_mstd.htm?f=//2012/March/13/business7.isx&n=business&d=/2012/March/13