Photo Credit: South China Morning Post

DMCI Mining Corp. booked a loss of P110 million in the third quarter of 2018, given the absence of nickel shipments during the period.

In a statement issued Thursday, the mining unit of listed conglomerate DMCI Holdings, Inc. attributed the loss to the absence of revenues to cover operating expenses.

Berong Nickel Corp. (BNC) in Palawan failed to make any shipments due to poor weather conditions, while Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. (ZDMC) has yet to secure approval to continue operations.

“Hindi maganda ang market ng nickel. In the coming year, not changing much,” DMCI Mining President Cesar F. Simbulan, Jr. said in a press briefing last Nov. 12.

Despite the lack of activity in the third quarter, nickel shipments for the January to September period went up by one percent to 482,762 wet metric tons (WMT), versus 476,155 WMT in the same period a year ago.

Of this, about 430,000 WMT came from BNC’s old stockpile, while the remaining balance were sourced from ZDMC’s inventory.

Mr. Simbulan said they are working on one more shipment before yearend.

DMCI Mining’s revenues rose 40% to P978 million in the first nine months of 2018, since most of the shipments were of higher grade-ore, translating to higher nickel prices. The company’s net income accordingly rose 94% to P206 million in the same period.

“We hope to ship more in the coming months using old and new inventory. The mining suspension order for BNC has been lifted, and the timing could not be better for our employees and host community in Palawan,” Mr. Simbulan said in a statement.

BNC was the only firm that passed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) mine review completed earlier this month. Mr. Simbulan said they look to rehire the people they laid off during the mining suspension, noting that they currently have only 200 employees, versus 900 prior to the suspension.

“A lot of them have been in and out of work for nearly two years because of our mining suspension. We plan to rehire our people and subcontractors to normalize our operations,” Mr. Simbulan said.

Meanwhile, ZDMC remains suspended along with 11 other mining companies that appealed their closure or suspension. The DENR has ordered that no transport of ore be allowed unless the companies fully rehabilitate their areas.

“We are still reviewing our options for ZDMC. But we are committed to seeing this through,” Mr. Simbulan said. — Arra B. Francia

Source: bworldonline.com

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PASISINAYAAN ang pinakaunang athletes village na gagamiting tirahan ng lahat ng kasaling mga pambansang atleta na lalahok sa isasagawang iba’t ibang sports sa bansa sa pagho-host nito sa ika-30 Southeast Asian Games simula Nobyembre 30 hanggang Disyembre 13, 2019 sa Clark, Pampanga.

Bibigyang-sigla ng mga premyadong atleta na sina swimmer Eric Buhain at sprinter Lydia De Vega-Mercado ang lugar na paglalagyan sa mahigit 2,000 sasaling atleta mula sa 11 kasaling bansa sa rehiyon ng Timog Silangang Asya sa pagpapasinaya sa lugar na kinatitirikan ng Athletes Village.

Makakasama nina De Vega-Mercado at Buhain sina Vivencio Dizon, President and CEO ng BCDA, si Allan Peter Cayetano na Chairman ng Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, dating Special Assistant to the President, Cheska Altomonte na Athlete’s Commission representative at si Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez.

Source: abante.com.ph

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Photo Credit: FOX Sports Philippines

Ducati Philippines recently announced that Ducati MotoGP rider and World Superbike Champion Carlos Checa will be in the Philippines for the Panigale V4 Experience set on November 21 to 23, 2018 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga. Aside from Checa, he will be joined by European Women’s Supersport champion Rebecca Bianchi, Ducati WSBK Stock 1000 riders Federico Sandi and TJ Alberto. TJ is one of two sons of Toti Alberto, CEO of Ducati Philippines who are active in motorcycle racing. TJ is the only Filipino in the Stock 1000 category, which is part of the World SBK Championship. His other son, Troy became the first Filipino to land a podium finish in Moto3 recently in the Thailand Talent Cup at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram.

The 3-day event will start off with a Ducati Open Trackday which will be held on November 21stand will culminate with the Panigale V4 Experience event. The trackday is open to all owners of motorcycles with displacements of 400cc and above, regardless of brand.

For a minimal fee of P1,500, participants will be entitled to the use of the racetrack, an event shirt, refreshments including breakfast and lunch plus a meet and greet with the Ducati World class racers. Ducati Philippines will also officially unveil the 2019 Panigale V4 Motorcycles in the Philippines and the event will give Ducati enthusiasts an opportunity to share a riding experience with Ducati Champions around the Clark International Speedway.

Source: motioncars.inquirer.net

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SUBIC, Zambales — Chinese President Xi Jinping had come and gone, but fishermen in Zambales province said they had not heard if the government fought for their right to fish unhampered at Panatag Shoal and other parts of the West Philippine Sea.

Laureano Artagame, head of the municipal fishing vessel registry office here, said the fishermen had been waiting for concrete plans for their access to Panatag, internationally known as Scarborough Shoal and located 230 kilometers off the coast of Zambales.

No clear details

“There were no clear details about those agreements [made between President Duterte and Xi]. Do they benefit us fishermen? We are still not assured of anything,” Artagame told the Inquirer on Wednesday.

Located within the country’s 370-km exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Panatag has been guarded by Chinese Coast Guard vessels since 2012, after China grabbed the shoal from the Philippines.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, but the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, ruling in 2016 on a challenge brought by the Philippines, invalidated China’s sweeping claim and upheld the Philippines’ right to fish and explore for resources in the West Philippine Sea.

West Philippine Sea is the local name of waters within the country’s EEZ.

China ignored the arbitral ruling and the Duterte administration set it aside in exchange for aid, loans and investment from China. —Reports from Allan Macatuno and Joanna Aglibot

Source: globalnation.inquirer.net

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Commander Jonathan V. Zata, director of the Naval Public Affairs Office (PN / MANILA BULLETIN)

The Philippine Navy said that Wednesday’s capability test firing activity held off the waters of Lamao Point, Bataan, was not intended to coincide with the two-day visit to the country of Chinese President Xi Jingping.

This was clarified by Commander Jonathan V. Zata, director of the Naval Public Affairs Office on Wednesday.

“It’s not intentional. It’s not something that was planned, purposely for anyone, or any organization. It so happened that the planning cycle afforded this window and this is the only available window that was agreed upon,” Zata said.

“Hindi ito (This is not) purposely against one person or against an organization or even a particular entity. It so happened lang na yung (that the) planning cycle, even consideration… medyo nauna na to (This came first) even before…,” he added.

Zata, at the same time, said that President Rodrigo Duterte was supposed to attend the scenario-based capability demonstration and live firing of the newly-installed Spike Extended Range (ER) Missile System and Mini Typhoon Machine Gun System (MGS) on board the Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) MKIII but sent instead Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Zata said the Capability Demonstration is PN’s way of showing its readiness and preparedness as it acquires new capabilities as part of the ongoing military modernization program.

“The newly acquired Spike ER missile system, automated machine gun system and rocket equipped helicopter of your navy are intended to better serve the country and people,” Zata said.

The Philippine Navy successfully tested last August its first Spike-ER surface-to-surface missile on board the Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) MKIII during the Sea Acceptance Test (SAT) off Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan.

Zata said Navy officials together with teams from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. (RAFAEL) and the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) of the Department of National Defense (DND), oversaw the test firing activity that included the SAT for the Mini Typhoon Machine Gun System (MGS) and SAT for the Spike-Extended Range (ER) Missile Launching System (MLS).

He said it is necessary to test, inspect and accept the weapons and its systems in accordance with the contract for the final acceptance of the system.

Zata said Vice Admiral Empedrad, together with other senior Navy officers and DND Defense Acquisition Office representatives were on board an MPAC as they witnessed the historic missile live fire testing.

He said a Spike-ER missile was fired and accurately hit the designated target, approximately 6 kilometers away from the firing platform.

“The target was hit dead center even if the sea state condition was moderately rough with wave of at least 1 meter high but within the normal firing conditions of the missile,” Zata said.

The Philippine Navy MPAC Acquisition Project earlier entered into a contract with RAFAEL, through SIBAT of Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), for the supply and integration of the Weapons Systems to MPAC MKIII platforms.

Source: news.mb.com.ph

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