Photo Credit: nidec-shimpo.com

Nidec-Shimpo Corporation (Japan) yesterday launched a new line at its Subic Freeport factory for the mass production of robot components.

Nidec-Shimpo is a leading innovator of precision-gearing solutions for robotics and industrial automation.

Nidec-Shimpo First Senior Vice President Hitoshi Inoue said the wholly-owned company of Japan’s Nidec Corp. and sister-company of Nidec Subic Philippine Corp. will initially build speed reducers for high-precision motion control applications at the rate of 10,000 to 25,000 units per month.

He pointed out that the Subic factory’s monthly product capacity is greater than the combined capacity of Nidec’s plants in Kyoto, which was at 30,000 units in 2018, and in Ueda, which is expected to reach 50,000 units in 2019.

But the plant’s target production is expected to increase to 100,000 units per month at the end of this year, and to 120,000 units per month by March 2020, he added.

The Subic-made products will be exported to Spain, the United States and Germany, he added.

Inoue stressed that the gearless component parts to be produced in Subic are an entirely new product line that has not been manufactured elsewhere in the world. He described them as “super silent, and with zero backlash and smooth rotation.”

The launch of Nidec-Shimpo operations was attended by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, Senator Richard Gordon, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, and Assistant Secretary Rafaelita Aldaba of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Haneda said Nidec’s expansion “demonstrates the continuing Japanese investor confidence in the Philippines’ business potential (and) shows the rigorous effort of Nidec to take advantage of opportunities and take on challenges to break new ground.”

Source: business.mb.com.ph

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The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading the measure seeking to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

The chamber, through a vote of “ayes” and “nays,” approved House Bill 6517, or the proposed “Philippine Medical Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act.”

The bill, principally authored by Isabela Representative Rodolfo Albano, seeks to legalize and regulate the medical use of cannabis, found to have beneficial and therapeutic uses in treating chronic or debilitating medical conditions.

If enacted into law, the measure will establish Medical Cannabis Compassionate Centers (MCCC) which are authorized to sell, supply and dispense cannabis to qualified patients or their caregivers through S3-licensed pharmacists.

The MCCC is licensed by the Department of Health based in department-retained hospitals, specialty hospitals, and private tertiary hospitals.

The bill will also provide for the establishment of the Medical Cannabis Research and Safety Compliance Facilities mandated to conduct scientific and medical research on the medical use of cannabis.

Following the approval of the bill, Kabayan party-list Representative Ron Salo, one of the authors of the measure, said that it does not allow medical marijuana to be sold to the general public over the counter.

Salo said that if the bill passes, the only places where prescribed medical marijuana would be available are DOH hospitals, tertiary hospitals, and private hospitals licensed for medical cannabis purposes.

Meanwhile, the only people who may issue prescriptions for medical marijuana are licensed doctors authorized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

“The authorized licensed doctors would be prescribing medical cannabis for very specific conditions and purposes based on their expert diagnosis,” Salo said.

“There will also be licensed medical cannabis caregivers who will be issued special identification cards by the DOH Secretary. Medical cannabis patients will also be issued special IDs. The medical cannabis caregiver can attend to only one patient at any time,” he added.

The issue regained national attention in December, when Philippines candidate Catriona Gray said during the Miss Universe pageant that she supported the use of marijuana in medical situations. She went on to win the title.

Source: gmanetwork.com

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JOBS JOBS JOBS CARAVAN in SUBIC
Schedule of Pre-Registration of Applicants for the JOBS JOBS JOBS CARAVAN in SUBIC on February 9, 2019:

January 28, 2019 – 8:30 am – 2:00 p.m.
January 30, 2019 – 8:30 am – 2:00 p.m.
January 31, 2019 – 8:30 am – 2:00 p.m.
February 4, 2019 – 8:30 am – 2:00 p.m.
February 6, 2019 – 8:30 am – 2:00 p.m.
February 7, 2019 – 8:30 am – 2:00 p.m.

Subic Gym, Aguinaldo St., Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Procedure:
– We will be giving a Registration Form (National Skills Registration Program form); Fill-out the form and register at our Registration tables inside the Subic Gym.

– After registering, we will give you a NUMBER. Please keep the number as you will use this during the February 9 Job Fair, just present it to the assigned Security Officers, so you will not line up anymore for the onsite registration during the Job Fair itself.

– Please bring own pen (for filling-out the form)
===

– Kami po ay mamimigay ng Registration Form (National Skills Registration Program form); Kumpletuhin ang mga impormasyon sa form at magparehistro sa Registration tables sa loob ng Subic Gym.

– Kami po ay mamimigay ng mga NUMERO pagkatapos po ninyong makapagparehistro. Paki-ingatan at itabi po ang numero na ibibigay sa inyo sapagkat ito po ang gagamitin ninyo para agaran po kayo makapasok sa Job Fair area, ipakita lamang po sa mga Security Officers sa Subic Gym at hindi na po kayo pipila sa araw ng Job Fair mismo upang magparehistro muli.

– Maaari lamang pong magdala ng sariling ballpen para sa pagfi-fill-out ng form.

Maraming salamat po.

Source: SBMA Labor Department-Manpower Service Division

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Photo Credit: PAGEONE.ph

The Court of Appeals (CA) stood firm in its decision denying the petition of some residents of Sta. Cruz, Zambales for the issuance of a writ of kalikasan with permanent environmental protection order (Pepo) against all mining operations in the province.

In a five-page resolution made public Monday, the appeals court Special 14th Division, through Associate Justice Renato Franciso, affirmed its May 22, 2017 decision that also lifted the provisional writ of kalikasan issued by the Supreme Court in June 2016 in favor of petitioner Concerned Citizens of Sta. Cruz, Zambales (CCOS).

The petitioners said it was the court’s duty to ensure that there would be strict compliance to the suspension and closure orders issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) against mining operations in the province.

It insisted that a permanent environmental protection order (Pepo) should have been issued against respondent mining firms instead of a temporary environmental protection order (Tepo).

But the CA said the closure ordered issued by then DENR Secretary Gina Lopez against the operations of five mining companies in the province had rendered the petition moot and academic.

“A perusal of the motion for reconsideration reveals no new and meritorious arguments and yields mere rehashed arguments, which had already been exhaustively discussed and squarely passed upon by this Court in the Resolution sought to be considered,” the CA said.

“Accordingly, petitioners motion for reconsideration is hereby denied for lack of merit,” it added.

Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Jose Reyes Jr. and Apolinario Bruselas Jr.

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

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Photo Credit: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Wednesday supported bills lodged with the Senate and House of Representatives seeking to update the powers and responsibilities of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) so that it could reach its full potential as economic trigger for Central Luzon and in the country as well.

One of the measures mandates the special economic and freeport zone to undertake reclamation works and to ‘’acquire, develop improve administer, deal, subdivide and lease reclaimed lands inside the zone and operate or administer such services as may be necessary for the efficient, economical and beneficial utilization of the reclaimed lands in the zone.’’

Another bill seeks the collection of five percent on gross income earned (GIE) shall be paid by all business enterprises within the Subic Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) in place of all other national and local taxes.

The BCDA, through Vivencio B. Dizon, President and Chief Executive Officer, supported the bills authored by Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, and Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and 14 other House members.

These bills seek to amend Republic Act 7227, known as ‘’Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992.’’

The bill stated that the five percent tax on gross income collected would be utilized to improve SBMA’s management of the zones.

The collected GIE shall be remitted as follows: Two percent to the national government; one percent to the SBMA and two percent for distribution to the local government units affected by the declaration of and contiguous to the zone, namely: the City of Olongapo and the municipalities of Subic, San Antonio, San Marcelino and Castillejos in Zambales province; and the municipalities of Morong, Hermosa and Dinalupihan in Bataan province on the basis of population (50 percent), land area (25 percent, and equal sharing (25 percent).

Dizon said that aside from amending the current RA 7227, particularly on the distribution of the 5 percent GIE, his office supports congressional passage of the bills because a strengthened SBMA would have its own law enforcement department and firefighting force, inspection and registration of leisure ships and pleasure yachts, operation and maintenance of utilities facilities such as telecommunications, shipping and maritime business, and airport operations, among others.

The bills also intend to give SBMA authority to issue Environmental Compliance Certificate for all non-environmentally critical activities in Subic Special Economic Zone.

Source: news.mb.com.ph

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