By Mar Supnad

BATAAN CAPITOL– To prevent possible casualties and damage to properties, the provincial government of Bataan will immediately purchase the much-needed rescue boats for emergency use in times of rainy season in this peninsula province.

Governor Abet S Garcia directed Director Josefina Timoteo of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office to buy “Bankarador”, a rescue boats being manufactured in Freeport Area of Bataan by a local inventor.

“We will purchase bankarador as this can be easily utilized during flash floods,” Gov Garcia told Timoteo.

A native of Mariveles town, Marine engineer and Naval architect Realito H. Rubia, has successfully invented “Bankarador,” an eight-seater made of Fiber glass boat, in what he called suitable for rescue in times of flash floods and rainy season.

“The Bankarador is designed for humanitarian rescue, it can be easily paddled in deep and swallow areas as this is light and can accommodate of up to eight persons,” pointed out Engr Rubia.

What caught the attention of the governor is the cheap price, durability and unique design of the bankarador and can be easily deployed along the flooded areas in Bataan.

Engr. Rubia pointed out that the Bankarador is much cheaper than those rescue boats being sold worth millions of pesos.

“More or less its price is P300,000 per unit. This is 8×4 feet and can be made in different colors,” stressed Rubia.

He added that coloring it for every region is also important, saying this can be easily traced when one stole it.

In response to the governor’s directive,
Timoteo and her team immediately proceeded to the fabrication site of bankarador in FAB to negotiate the immediate purchase of the rescue boats.

“Rescue boats are seldom used during rainy season. So why should the government buy millions of pesos worth of boats when it is used only during flash floods,” stressed Rubia, adding “after rainy season, these expensive boats will then be set aside and can no longer be used and will be rotten.”

Engr Rubia pointed out that the bankarador can be also used as cabinet where you can store clothes, documents, etc., adding “you can again utilize it as rescue boat when the rainy season comes,” said Rubia.
Gov Garcia also wanted to purchase other heavy equipment for rescue in times of calamities.

Rubia added, “We were gifted this talent ( in inventing from Upstairs) so we’ll use it for the benefit of the public.”.

Earlier, Rubia was also able to invent the unsinkable speed boat which is also suitable for use by Coastguard, Phil Navy, Maritime forces and others.

source: news.mb.com.ph

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Photo Credit: Radyo Bandera

Bumaba na sa kanyang puwesto si Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino matapos maihain ang suspension order sa kanya kanina bandang alas-singko ng hapon.

Anim na buwan suspended si Paulino at ang iba pang mga opisyales.

Base sa desisyon ng ombudsman, napatunayang sila ay nakagawa ng “simple misconduct” dahil sa bidding procedure ng Olongapo City civic center o kilala ring kbg complex sa isang mall developer.

Ipinahayag ni paulino na maluwag sa kanyang loob ang nasabing pagbaba sa pwesto.

Giit pa ni Paulino, hindi nila pinabayaan ang kanilang trabaho at ni minsan ay di nila inabuso ang kanilang kapangyarihan bilang mga opisyal ng lungsod.

Naniniwala ito na may dahilan kung bakit nangyayari ang mga ito.

source: 107.1 FM Radyo Bandera Olongapo City FB page

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Prominent Barrio Barretto Hotelier Australian Ian Hudson Thomas passed away over the weekend following an earlier accident on his boat Dramacoris. Widely known as ‘Tommo’ and famous in the Subic region for his rough voice and tough exterior that hosted a kind heart and caring nature.

In the late 90’s Tommo left his trucking company in Australia behind and invested in The Blue Rock Resort, Baloy Beach. Mad keen for “Coldest Beer and Best Steaks”, an almost cult following for Tommo began as his move into Hospitality burst into life. Tommo soon sold his shares and went-it-alone and moving on to buy Arizona Beach Resort – applying the same recipes it was no surprise Tommo soon made Arizona popular as it still remains today. In more recent years Tommo took his magic touch to Mango’s and quickly started producing the best quality pizzas around. The Tommo one man franchise ‘What the Man Wants’ always worked, and Mango’s became and remains another successful part of the legacy he leaves with us.

Tommo loved not much more than his boat, and he was enjoying doing what he loved when the accident happened on July 30, 2018. Taking a fall from an upper deck while assisting winching in the tender, he fell struck a side rail and landed in the water. He was rescued and hospitalised with 8 broken ribs all broken in 2 places. They operated try to stop the ribs collapsing on the lung. He survived until Saturday morning September 1.

The writer knowing Tommo – I believe he would think it somewhat amusing that the smokes and beers never beat him, so he got to have as many as he wanted to have. Also, being out boating was the last thing he got to do, Tommo would think that is just great. Rest In Peace Tommo.

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PhotO credit: Daily Tribune

Investors are considering leaving Subic Bay Freeport because of the “business-threatening impact” of the proposed second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

The TRAIN 2 package intends to lower corporate income taxes (CIT) from 30 percent to 25 percent but seeks to remove fiscal incentives to companies.

The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) has warned that the Philippines risks losing foreign investments, especially those located in special export zones, under TRAIN 2.

Danny Piano, president of the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC), said “capital flight” was a likely scenario based on reactions of the business community in the free port to the next round of TRAIN that would remove the tax incentives being enjoyed by locators.

“We have investors saying they would relocate [if the proposed measure is passed]. They are seriously considering that,” Piano told reporters at the free port on Thursday.

He said the proposals were good but lowering the income tax would be offset by the removal of certain fiscal incentives mostly in special economic zones and free ports.

Loss of incentives

The tax incentives granted to free port locators, such as the 5-percent tax on gross income earned (GIE), as prescribed by Republic Act No. 7227 (the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992), will be repealed by TRAIN 2, he said.

Piano said locators would be paying the rationalized corporate income taxes after the sunset provision, just like everybody else.

“With this package, service-oriented businesses will have to charge their customers more than before to offset the higher taxes,” he said.

“But how about the exporters? They could not increase their selling prices. Otherwise, they will be uncompetitive in the world market,” he added.

Local governments hosting free ports will also suffer the “unintended consequence” of the TRAIN 2 package.

These local communities are entitled to 2 percent of the 5-percent tax on GIE, which would be repealed by TRAIN 2, he said.

Charito Plaza, director general of Philippine Export Zone Authority (Peza) who was at the free port on Thursday to attend an SBFCC event, said she would continue to fight for the retention of investors’ incentives in economic zones.

“Our incentives in Peza are working very well. So why should we fix things that are not broken?” she told locators at the free port.

AmCham, the group of US multinational companies, countered the arguments of the Department of Finance (DOF) in doing away with fiscal incentives in exchange for lowering corporate income tax.

In its position paper, AmCham said TRAIN 2’s proposed reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent was not enough to give the Philippines a “significant advantage” over its Southeast Asian neighbors in luring investors.

The average rate among the biggest Asean economies is 22.7 percent.

AmCham said the corporate income tax should be further lowered to 20 percent to match those offered by neighboring countries.

Retain incentives

AmCham urged the government to retain the incentives enjoyed by export companies in special economic zones, saying the Peza and other investment promotions agencies had been “successful in attracting a large number of foreign investors and creating millions of jobs.”

“Without Peza and other special (economic) zones being different and preserving their unique reputation as efficient locations for doing business, more industries will no longer make the Philippines their first choice,” the US business group said.

AmCham further claimed the “radical changes” in the fiscal incentives policy planned by the DOF and reflected in House Bill Nos. 7214 and 7458 would “lead to an end to expansions by many foreign investors and a reversal of the success in recent decades in attracting thousands of foreign firms to invest in the country.”

Job losses

The chamber said the bill, if implemented, would most likely lead to reduced revenues and job losses on a large scale as a result of damaged investor confidence.

AmCham also rebutted the DOF’s conclusion that exports were low anyway despite the fiscal incentives.

“With higher costs of doing business in the Philippines, fiscal incentives play an important role in making an investment in the country more attractive to efficiency-seeking foreign investors,” it said.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – A Chinese firm will develop a techno-industrial facility here which is expected to generate thousands of employment opportunities.

Hermosa, Bataan Mayor Jopet Inton on Friday joined Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma, CHMC Chairman and President Xiao Ping and Vice President Zhang Fei in a simple Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony at the SBMA Administration Building Board Room.

Photo credit: SINOMACH.com.cn

SBMA PDO Manager Vicente Evidente Jr. witnessed the MOA signing.

Inton said the techno-industrial zone park will be built by CHMC at the Expanded Area of Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

“This will generate thousands of employment opportunities for our local communities and will provide greater economic activities,” Inton pointed out.

To accommodate more investors, then-President now Speaker, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order 675 in November 2007, thus authorizing the SBMA to declare areas outside the former US Naval Base as “additional secured areas” that may be operated as special economic and Freeport zone under its supervision.

Established in 1980 as a subordinate to China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH), CHMC contracts engineering projects and provides trade service, capital operation and technical solutions, including metallurgy, mines, transportation, building materials, power, hydraulics, environmental protection, chemistry, agricultural products storage and processing services, among others.

Certified by China’s Ministry of Commerce as an international project contractor and A-level equipment supervisor, CHMC sets up normative safety management systems on project quality, environmental protection and vocational health, all with authentication by ISO19001, ISO14001 and OHSSAS18001.

CHMC has offices in Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Tajikistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya and Guinea.

source: news.mb.com.ph

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