Sa ikatlong pagkakataon ay isinagawa ang taunang Arbor Day sa Subic Bay na dinaluhan ng mga volunteers na kinabibilangan ng mga SBMA employees, civil society groups at lokal na pamahalaan ng Olongapo nitong Biyernes ng Umaga, June 23.

Ulat ni Lolito Go

Ikatlong taon ng Arbor Day sa Subic Bay, dinagsa ng daan-daang volunteers

Ang taunang tree-planting activity ay nag-originate sa Nebraska USA at isinabatas sa Pilipinas sa bisa ng Republic Act 10176 o ang Arbor Day Act of 2012.
Nagsimula ang palatuntunan sa isang maikling programa sa harap ng Bldg 229 sa Waterfront Road na agad namang sinundan ng isang motorcade patungong reforestation site sa Mount Sta Rita, Subic Bay Freeport Zone kung saan mahigit sa 5,000 saplings at seedlings ng iba’t ibang uri ng puno ang tulong-tulong na itinanim.
Nakiisa rin sa selebrasyong ito ang mga stakeholder sa SBMA, mga estudyante at mga miyembro ng Philippine Coast Guard.
Ayon naman sa Social Development Division ng SBMA Ecology Center, umabot sa 920 katao ang naitalang dumalo sa nasabing aktibidad.
Lubos naman ang pasasalamat ni SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma sa lahat ng dumalo at inaasahan nyang taun-taon ay mas dadami pa ang bilang ng mga volunteer na may malasakit sa kalikasan.

First Published: Subic Broadcasting Corporation @ Facebook

Continue Reading

A BATAAN COURT has dealt a major blow to the efforts of disgruntled stockholder Scott N. Sharpe to access the millions of pesos in the depository banks of Subic Bay Marine & Exploratorium, Inc. (SBMEI), operator of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resort here in Subic Bay.

“The Urgent Omnibus Motion for: (1) Issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order; and (2) Writ of Preliminary Attachment are hereby DENIED,” said Judge Antonio Ray A. Ortiguera, presiding Judge of Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Bataan Branch 2, in rejecting the petition of the group of Sharpe.

“This is a victory not only for the real President & CEO Mr. Arthur D. Tai,” said Grace Espinosa, displaced manager of the SBMEI Human Resources Department (HRD), “it is also a victory for the some 300 employees who were displaced when the occupiers led by Sharpe forcibly took over SBMEI even without a court order or legal basis in February 2017.”

A scene during the April 3, 2017 confrontation of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resorts employees belonging to the groups of embattled President & CEO Arthur D. Tai and disgruntled stockholder Scott N. Sharpe who initiated a “hostile” takeover of the facilities in February. The presence of PNP Special Action Forces (SAF) drew flak for “meddling” in an intra-corporate dispute, far from its mission and function of counter terrorism operations against local and international terrorist groups. (SubicBayNews file photo)

Presenting themselves as SBMEI, Sharpe alleged that he is chairman, president & chief executive officer (CEO), Gail Laule as treasurer and a certain Alfredo Alex S. Cruz as secretary, and asked the court in Civil Case no. 10643 to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and Writ of Preliminary Attachment against the group of Tai.

Tai has not been able to function since Sharpe led a group of armed men in the forcible takeover of the theme park and resort, while he (Tai) was out of the country. Some 300 or so employees, around half of the workforce of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resort who remain loyal to Tai, have been displaced, served with notices of either suspension or termination.

Sharpe alleges that they have constituted a new SBMEI board of directors and officers but Tai, Dr. Robert Braun, Loida Candaliza and Danilo Teria continue to represent themselves as officers of SBMEI.

The Board, led by Dr. Braun, has issued a declaration on April 7, 2017 giving full support to, and recognition of, Tai as the lawful and real President & CEO of SBMEI, and at the same time slamming Sharpe for his “illegal” occupation of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resort.

According to Court records, a General Information Sheet (GIS) has been filed on February 20, 2017 with the Security & Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that the members of the Board of Directors of SBMEI are Braun, as Chairman, with Tai, Darlene Goff and Susan Walker as Board members. Candaliza is Corporate Secretary, while Teria is Treasurer.

Candaliza, based on the SEC GIS, allegedly claims that “only she and the other defendants can transact on behalf of SBMEI” with the company’s depository banks, prompting the banks to freeze the accounts, thus, the prayer for a TRO against Tai & company “to enjoin them from interfering and intruding into the business affairs” of Sharpe’s group.

Cruz of Sharpe’s group, “testified that the depository banks have refused any withdrawals…” depriving the group of “its right to manage its business through its validly chosen representatives, forced to apply for Corporate Rehabilitation and its transactions with government agencies will be hampered.’

Court records show that Candaliza “testified in her defense that she was appointed as Corporate Secretary” on November 9, 2016 but has been “designated by the Board of Directors of SBMEI as Acting Corporate Secretary since June 3, 2016.”

She also said “she caused the preparation and signed the GIS on November 28, 2016 and had the same filed with the SEC on December 1, 2016. An amended GIS was filed on February 22, 2017. She also testified that the Voting Trust Agreements (VTA) in favor of defendant Tai is the subject of a pending case before the Regional Trial Court of Olongapo City.

The Court reiterated “its finding that the nature of the controversy is intra-corporate.”

Acting on Sharpe & company’s application for a temporary restraining order, the Court limited itself to determine whether or not “great or irreparable injury would result to the applicant” before the matter of the preliminary injunction can be heard.

The Court found the arguments for the issuance of a TRO insufficient.

On the issuance of a writ of preliminary attachment of the shares of stocks of Tai and Braun to cover the payment of Attorney’s fees, Judge Ortiguera said in his Order “that plaintiff has not presented any valid ground for the issuance of the writ.”

“Despite the long and tedious process, we still believe the justice system will eventually favor us,” Espinosa said, “being on the right side, we have no qualms that Mr. Tai and his hundreds of employees, will obtain justice. Eventually we will be back,” she added, “we have needs and we have families, too.”

The employees have also filed ongoing cases against Sharpe in the Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE) National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

Meanwhile, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is being criticised for its “inability to protect its locators from illegal moves by third parties.”

“It is an intra-corporate dispute but while ongoing, SBMA should continue to recognise the party which is legally on paper – the group of Mr. Tai,” said SBMEI Investor Relations Officer Wayne W. DeCamp III.

SBMA Administrator Wilma T. Eisma has said she intends to mediate between the contending parties and threatened to file an “interpleader” before the proper court to determine who has the right to remain and operate the SBMEI, its theme park and resort.

First Published: subicbaynews.net

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy will commission its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship, the future USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), during a ceremony on Saturday, June 10, at 12 p.m. CDT on the waterfront in Galveston, Texas.

MOBILE, Ala. An aerial view of the future littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) during its launch sequence at the Austal USA shipyard. The launch of the Gabrielle Giffords marks an important production milestone for the littoral combat ship program. (U.S. Navy photo)

The future USS Gabrielle Giffords, designated LCS 10, is named after former United States Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona’s 8th district.

Adm. William Moran, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. Dr. Jill Biden, wife of former Vice President Joseph Biden, is serving as the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will give the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

“The commissioning of USS Gabrielle Giffords adds the advanced capability of a versatile warship to our nation’s growing fleet,” said the Honorable Sean Stackley, acting Secretary of the Navy. “Today’s ceremony is also a testament to the skill and dedication of our nation’s remarkable shipbuilders, who will be remembered for decades to come as LCS 10 deploys around the world to protect our freedoms.”

The future USS Gabrielle Giffords is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft.

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls, e.g. LCS 1). The Independence variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).

Each LCS seaframe will be outfitted with a single mission package made up of mission modules containing warfighting systems and support equipment. A dedicated ship crew will combine with aviation assets to deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare or surface warfare missions. (From Department of Defense)

First Published: subicbaynews.net

Continue Reading

SUBIC BAY—Congressional Briefing isinagawa upang tuldukan ang bangayan sa liderato ng SBMA. Nagsagawa ng isang Congressional Briefing sa Subic Bay nitong Martes nang umaga ang ilang mga kongresista sa pamumuno ni House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez at majority leader Rep. Rudy Farinas upang tuldukan ang sigalot sa liderato sa SBMA.

Ulat ni Lolito Ramada Go

Naroroon din sa pulong sina SBMA Chairman Martin Dino at SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma sampu ng mga SBMA Directors at iba pang kawani ng naturang ahensya upang magbigay-linaw sa ilang usaping may kinalaman sa Freeport partikular sa liderato nito na nasasadlak pa rin sa kalituhan.

Kabilang sa mga mainit na tinalakay ay ang E0 340 na nalagdaan noong administrasyong Arroyo at ang RA 7227, o ang BCDA law na bumalangkas sa mga batas at panuntunan sa Subic Freeport. Magugunitang nagkaroon ng panibagong girian sa pagitan ni Dino at Eisma makaraang ilabas ni Dino ang kanyang Administrative Order no. 1 nito lang Mayo na layuning bumuo ng isang Task Force on Business and Financial Safety and Security. Bagay na tinutulan naman ni Eisma dahil aniya’y lagpas na ito sa kapangyarihan ng SBMA Chairman.

Sa panig naman ng mga kongresista, aminado si Rep. Farinas na mayroong pagkakamali sa EO 340 at hindi nito basta basta mababali ang RA 7227 na nagsasaad na ang SBMA Administrator ang itinatalaga ng pangulo at magiging ex officio Chairman ng Board of Directors.

Sa panayam ng SBC News kay SBMA Chairman Martin Dino sinabi nitong hindi sya nangangamba na matanggal sa pwesto at hangad nya ang pananaig ng batas sa naturang isyu. Hindi rin umano sya kapit-tuko sa pwesto at igagalang nya ang magiging desisyon ng pangulo.

Sa panig naman ni SBMA Administrator Eisma, sinabi nitong hangad nya na maresolba na rin ang naturang isyu iginiit nito ang kanyang kwalipikasyon bilang isang professional manager at sa huli ay itinaas ang kongreso ang isang Status Quo order sa SBMA. Ibig sabihin nito, wala munang maaring pirmahang mga kontrata o anumang transaksyon sina Eisma at Dino hangga’t hindi nabibigyan ng legal na remedyo ang kanilang tunggalian.

Nakatakda namang i-resume ang pulong sa kongreso sa darating Huwebes kaugnay pa rin ng naturang isyu.

First Published: Subic Broadcasting Corporation @ Facebook

Continue Reading

Subic Bay Freeport – Sam Betten came through with a hot performance on a cold, rainy Sunday to complete a golden treble in the Regent 5150 Triathlon here.

Pouncing on the relatively cooler conditions on a turf he’s familiar with, Betten left his challengers playing catch-up throughout the 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run and reached home unmolested for his milestone three-peat.

Sam Betten winning his third Regent 5i50 title. Regent 5i50 / Facebook

Betten covered the wet course in 1:55:58, checking in nearly five minutes ahead of compatriot Mitch Robins (2:00:27), who settled for No 2 again. American Iain Alexandrinis (2:01:46) took third.

“I’ve never won a race three times in a row and to come here and do that, it’s pretty amazing,” said Betten, getting a loving hug from girlfriend Rebecca Ohlwein after crossing the finish line.

The 6-foot-4 Betten emerged from the waters of Acea Beach after 19 minutes, 57 seconds with Robins (21:30) and Alexandrinis (21:34) on his wake. Notwithstanding the rains that made the roads slippery, the Aussie out-pedaled his rivals and even added two minutes to his lead as they headed into the culminating run towards Remy Field.

“I felt really good out there. The heat wasn’t too bad so I didn’t have to push quite hard (than usual), which was really advantageous to me. If it were really, really hot, it would have been a different story,” said Betten, who’s developed a fondness for Subic, where he’s raced five times overall.

“Subic Bay is one of my favorite places in the world to come race in. I was lucky this year I was able to bring my girlfriend along to watch the race and enjoy Subic. For me, this is such a great triathlon location and it’s a dream come true to be able to dominate for three years in a row,” he said.

First Published: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

Continue Reading