SUBIC BAY FREEPORT: The organized union of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) has filed a protest and called for another election after the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) declared the certification election conducted recently for the three labor unions as a failure .

by: PATRICK ROXAS

Photo by: unitedfilipinoseafarers.com.ph

The Alyansa ng Manggagawang Pilipino Organisado–Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (AMAPO-TUCP) however, insisted that Hanjin management prevented most workers from leaving their jobs to cast their votes.

Only 1,433 workers of the 4,046 labor union members in three subcontractor companies at Hanjin went to the polling venue in Barangay San Pablo, Castillejos town during the September 27 to 29 certification elections.

Of the 1,580 Sushicor eligible workers, only 546 were able to cast their votes on September 27; 869 of 2,092 members from Zambanas on September 28 and only 18 workers from Hacor Philippines were able to vote out of 374.

The union leaders claim that Hanjin management barred the voting workers inside the Hanjin facility from leaving the premises after imposing “overtime” and “overday” working hours and other schemes during the scheduled certification elections.

“The Hanjin management is guilty of unfair labor practice that is why there was a failure of elections. They should immediately schedule another certification of election based on Department Order Number 40-03,” said Alfred Gunisto, president of Zambanas-ELA-AMAPO-TUCP.

Fifteen of the 18 Hanjin subcontractor companies have already received an order from DoLE for the holding of a certification election, a requirement and process that must be won by a labor union with 50 percent of the eligible voters casting votes plus one in favor of the labor union.

Source: manilatimes.net

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the criminal complaints filed against an incumbent and former officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in connection with the takeover of the management of a hotel in this freeport.

Photo by: facebook.com

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved the recommendation of graft investigation and prosecution officer Zarnette Sanceda to dismiss the complaint filed by Freeport Elite Resort Inc. (FERI) against deputy administrator for administration Ruel John Kabigting as well as former chairman Roberto Garcia, deputy administrator for legal affairs Randy Escolango, legal department manager Von Rodriguez and law enforcement department chief Orlando Maddela.

The case stemmed from a dispute between two groups of Korean investors seeking control of the former Ocean Hotel in 2015.

Kang Il-chan, a majority stockholder of FERI, filed a petition before the Olongapo Regional Trial Court Branch 72 for the annulment of the subscription payments of a certain Cho Chan-choon for using company funds.

In a decision on March 16, 2015, the court ruled in favor of Kang, whose group later took control of the hotel.

FERI director Jo Kwang-rae filed the complaint before the ombudsman, saying the SBMA officials conspired with Kang to take over the hotel.

However, the ombudsman said the recognition by SBMA officials of Kang’s group as the majority shareholder did not constitute usurpation of authority or grave abuse of authority.

The respondents ”never employed fraud, pretense or misrepresentation in their actions nor acted with cruelty, severity or excessive use of authority,” the ombudsman said.

Source: philstar.com

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A new tourism estate worth P2.6 billion will soon rise in a 2.3-hectare area inside this Freeport Zone.

Dubbed as The Sharp Clark Hills, the tourism-related project is Clark’s first premium residential town. It will have five high-rise condominium buildings, 21-storey each, with a total of 508 units. It is a new type of residential complex combining apartments and resorts.

The Sharp Clark Hills is set for completion by year 2020. The project is a joint venture of South Korea’s POSCO Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., (POSCO E&C) and JB Cresta that will put up the Sharp Clark Hills Corporation (SCHC).

The company will be in charge of the development and construction of the state-of-the-art condominium buildings, including support amenities such as a clubhouse, swimming pool, gym, spa and other related facilities.

POSCO Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., one of the largest construction firms in the world, also designs highways, bridges, roads and airports.

The JB Cresta Corporation, on the other hand, is a Clark Freeport locator since 2007 as tourism and leisure estate developer.

Noel F. Manankil, president and CEO of Clark Development Corporation (CDC), congratulated JB Cresta and its partner POSCO E&C for expanding business in the Philippines, particularly in Clark.

“POSCO E&C’s entry here will not only enhance the beautiful landscape of Clark but will also define the Freeport’s attractiveness as a premier investment hub, said Manankil in a message read by Evangeline Tejada, CDC vice president for business development and business enhancement group.

“The upcoming presence of The Sharp Clark Hills will be an addition to the growing number of international brands that are choosing Clark as their new home.

The CDC is committed to maintain Clark as a livable, vibrant and dynamic work and play destination,” Manankil added.

The project is expected to employ 500 workers during the construction period and 50-70 regular workers once fully operational. (PNA)

Tags: (POSCO E&C), 2020, Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Evangeline Tejada, Freeport Zone, JB Cresta Corporation, Noel F. Manankil, P2.6-billion, POSCO Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., Sharp Clark Hills Corporation (SCHC), South Korea, The Sharp Clark Hills

Source: bilyonaryo.com.ph

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Two Australian navy vessels arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday for a goodwill visit as Australia seeks an increased security presence and greater influence in the region.

A Philippine Navy band plays to welcome the Royal Australian Navy HMAS Adelaide, an amphibious assault ship and landing helicopter dock, as it docks in the South Harbor for a five-day port call, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, in Manila, Philippines. The visit of the HMAS Adelaide, along with another Australian Navy ship, the HMAS Darwin, a guided missile frigate, is aimed at strengthening relations between the two navies as well as provide maritime security and stability in the region. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

HMAS Adelaide, a landing helicopter dock, and HMAS Darwin, a guided missile frigate, docked at Manila’s harbor. Philippine navy officials and Australia’s ambassador to the Philippines, Amanda Gorley, welcomed the crew of the ships, which are part of the Australian defense force joint task group Indo-Pacific Endeavor 2017.

President Rodrigo Duterte later toured the Adelaide, thanking Gorely and its officers and crew for visiting Manila. He said it was crucial for Australia, the Philippines and other countries, including the United States and China, to jointly confront regional threats such as that posed by North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong Un.

“I hope it would not deteriorate into something violent, but you can never know what’s in the criminal mind,” Duterte said. Governments should support each other “to show to this one guy that he has to stop threatening the world because he runs the risk of being destroyed first.”

“China appears to be the only monkey wrench in the violent plans of Kim,” Duterte said.

The Australian contingent head, Capt. Jonathan Earley, said before Duterte’s visit that the aim of the ships’ tour around the region “is to demonstrate Australian commitment to supporting regional security and regional stability.” Earley said exercises planned with the Philippine military in Manila and in western Subic Bay will focus on humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

Gorley said the ship visit “is a symbol of the strong defense ties between Australia and the Philippines, which just get deeper and deeper.” She said through the joint activities during the visit, the two countries can pursue their shared objective of ensuring maritime security and regional stability.

But Earley said freedom of navigation in the contested South China Sea — an issue that Australia does not takes sides in — is not a focus of the ships’ deployment.

“Certainly what I can say is that we do have a strong interest in regional security and respect for international law, and that certainly includes the freedom of trade, and the ability to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight where required,” he said.

Source: abcnews.go.com

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairperson and Administrator Wilma “Amy” T. Eisma was adjudged a winner in this year’s search for the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World” (Global FWN100), which recognizes women of Philippine ancestry who are influencing the face of leadership in the global workplace.

SBMA Chairperson and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma

She will receive the award during the 14th Filipina Leadership Global Summit scheduled on October 25-29 in Toronto, Canada.

The Global FWN100 award, which is handed out by the San Francisco, California-based non-profit association Filipina Women’s Network (FWN), cites women who have reached outstanding status in their respective professions, industries and communities.

Marilyn Mondejar, founder and CEO of Global FWN100, said that in winning the award, Eisma will be joining “an esteemed group of accomplished Filipina women worldwide who are advocating with FWN to increase the socioeconomic, professional, political and educational power of Filipina women as leaders and policymakers.”

Eisma, a lawyer by profession, was nominated in the “Builders” category, one of the eight categories of the award. This recognizes women who have demonstrated exceptional organizational impact at a large workplace environment, deep passion for a cause, and high potential and skill with measurable results in the public or private sector.

She won under the Tertiary Economic Sector for service industry, which covers nominations for government, finance, education, legal, and travel/tourism professions, among others.

According to the Global FWN100 Selection Committee, winners of the award are chosen through a rigorous vetting process which includes determination of the nominee’s global Filipina imprint, personal interview, review of the nomination and answers to criteria questions, social media and internet vetting, and a chat with the nominee’s references and/or nominator.

The scoring is based on the nominee’s activities and projects of the last three years, and around three factors: leadership, challenge, and ownership, or the degree to which the nominee took charge of the challenges she faced for the initiative, project or activity.

Among the winners of the Global FWN100 search last year was Vice President Leni Robredo, who was nominated for the “Nicole” award.

For this year, the awards body accepted a total of 85 nominees from 14 countries across the globe. Fourteen of these were for the Builders category where Eisma won.

Eisma’s selection as one of the most influential Filipinas in the world today was announced after she was appointed on Sept. 25 as the first woman Chairman-Administrator of the SBMA, which manages the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, a key industrial and commercial area in the Philippines today.

Before taking over as CEO of the Subic agency starting January 2017, Eisma served for 15 years as corporate, government and regulatory affairs manager of PMFTC, Inc., the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris Intl. where she worked closely with local tobacco farmers and farming communities all over the country, thus earning for the firm international acclaim for farmer programs, best practices systems and leading innovations in agriculture labor relations, communication programs, and government relation strategies in supply-chain setting.

Eisma also provided direction, supervision and management of the company’s public affairs and contribution programs that received international awards in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Her knowledge in government processes, culture and engagement also helped bring about the enactment of the Philippine Tobacco Regulatory Act of 2003 and the amendment to the Excise Law in 2005 and 2012.

Before her stint with PMFTC, she served as chief of staff of the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry from 2000 to 2001, and as Head Executive Assistant and Legal Counsel to the House of Representative’s Majority Floor Leader from 1998 to 2000.

Eisma is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Ateneo de Manila University’s College of Law.

See at Subic – Olongapo Achievers

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