Photo Credit: pinoy formosa

With the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry as target, Gotianun-led Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) is expanding its office property assets within the 201-hectare Mimosa+ Leisure City in Clark, Pampanga.

FLI has broken ground for a new office building 7Workplus and also just topped out 4Workplus, which together would create 5,040 additional BPO seats. The former is expected to be completed in 2020.

Workplus is a green-oriented office campus that spans 4.6-ha. It will feature eight mid-rise buildings with a total expected gross leasable area of around 126,000 square meters.

“Workplus is an important component of this township, together with the 130-ha golf course and the luxurious Quest Plus Conference Center as they complement each other to provide a balanced mix of developments. This project also brings us closer to our vision of making Filinvest Mimosa+ a top-of-mind, year-round business and leisure destination,” Janette Cordero, Filinvest Cyberzone Mimosa Inc. first vice president said in a press statement.

Workplus would be fully equipped to accommodate 24/7 BPO, information technology and knowledge-based companies, among others.

There are now two fully completed and substantially leased green office buildings in the area, 1Workplus and 2Workplus. Both buildings have retail area on the ground floor and are equipped with advanced fiber optic facilities.

“Workplus will attract locators not only because of its state-of-the-art features but also because of its refreshing, green campus environment. People working here will be inspired to be productive because of the work-life balance that it offers,” Cordero added.

The office cluster is seen to benefit from its proximity to residential offerings, leisure components and a future high-end gaming complex. All these are designed to take advantage of the growing interest of investors and tourists in the progressing Clark Freeport Zone.

The opening of more office buildings is expected to provide vast employment opportunities for Pampanga’s skilled workforce and spur economic growth in the region.

With the remaining Workplus buildings rising in the next three years, Filinvest Mimosa+ Leisure City is targeted to evolve into a key tourism and commerce destination.

Source: business.inquirer.net

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MANILA, Philippines — Several fishermen in Palawan and Zambales yesterday claimed they were deceived by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in filing the Supreme Court (SC) petition seeking to compel the government to protect disputed shoals in the West Philippine Sea from Chinese poachers.

In their affidavits obtained by The STAR, the supposed petitioners said they were unaware of IBP’s filing of the writ of kalikasan petition and that some of them were made to sign a blank document.

Three fishermen – Wilfredo Labandelo, Rolando Labandelo and Nilo Labrador – recalled seeking the help of the IBP chapter in Zambales regarding the closure of a school and demolition of their houses in Sitio Kinabukasan.

But they said they did not ask the assistance of the IBP for protection of the environment in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Ayungin Shoal and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef as indicated in the SC petition.

“They explained to us that they would help us, so they asked for our IDs and we signed a document with only our names in it,” read their joint affidavit in Filipino, which was submitted to the SC in oral argument last Tuesday.

The members of Samahang Mangingisda ng Kinabukasan ng Cawag, Subic said the document was blank and that the representative of IBP Zambales told them they would take care of the contents of the document.

“We sought help from IBP without any intention to file a complaint or petition against agencies of the government like BFAR, DENR, DA, Philippines Coast Guard and others. We weren’t also informed at any instance that we will file any case against the said agencies,” the fishermen stressed.

Ten members of the Kalayaan Palawan Farmers and Fisherfolk Association told the SC in a separate joint affidavit that they also did not give consent to the IBP for using them as petitioners in the writ of kalikasan petition.

“We have nothing to do with the petition and we did not sign any petition against the government agencies. We cannot sue these agencies of government because they are the ones helping us fishermen,” read their affidavit.

The groups’ leaders, Monico Abogado and Roberto Asiado, corroborated the claim of their fellow fishermen.

“This is a big deception and manipulation of our association. We attest that we have no knowledge about this petition against agencies of the government,” Abogado said in his affidavit.

“We don’t know anything about this and we don’t support the petition filed,” Asiado added.

Solicitor General Jose Calida moved for the dismissal of the petition because the counsels for petitioners no longer have legal standing to pursue the case without the petitioners.

Unethical

Meanwhile, one of the lawyers of the fishermen accused the government of being behind the withdrawal of the petition.

De La Salle University law dean Chel Diokno, who was grilled by justices about the issue during the hearing, said the development was suspicious.

“The fishermen of Zambales and Palawan filed a petition for writ of kalikasan so they will be protected by the government. They did this with full knowledge and consent,” Diokno said.

Diokno, along with lawyer Andre Palacios, both representing the IBP, filed the case on behalf of the fishermen.

Diokno noted the fishermen’s withdrawal of the case happened following a meeting with a lawyer of the Navy.

“The government secretly talking with our clients is not just dubious, it also violates legal ethics. It seems that this is another case of Recto 22,” said Diokno, referring to the 22 fishermen whose fishing boat was sunk by a Chinese vessel near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea.

“As a lawyer for this case, I am more concerned for the safety of our fishermen. This incident showed how powerful is this administration. I hope the government will use (its power) to protect fellow Filipinos,” he said.

Source: philstar.com

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Facilities that will serve as venue for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2019 will undergo upgrading and improvement in time for Subic’s co-hosting of the sporting event on Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said massive repair work will be undertaken at sports facilities like Remy Field and Subic Gym here despite the onset of the rainy season.

Artist’s perspective of the proposed upgrading of the Remy Field track oval and viewing stand

“We’re right on schedule,” Eisma said, describing the preparations here for the 30th edition of the biennial competition. “The Subic venues will be completed in time for the SEA Games.”

The Subic Bay Freeport will be the venue for 16 out of the 56 sports scheduled for the 2019 SEA Games, which will involve participants from the 11 countries comprising Southeast Asia.

Eisma said that for this purpose, the SBMA has signed agreements with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to improve the facilities here, with SBMA as project fund source and DPWH as lead implementing agency.

“We have the funds, but we don’t have the technical expertise,” Eisma explained. “So partnering with the DPWH is the most logical choice.”

Artist’s perspective of the proposed new façade for the Subic Gym

Under the agreements, DPWH will prepare all the plans, designs, technical specifications and cost estimate for the building construction, as well as hire contractors for the projects. It will also provide the SBMA with project status reports from contractors to serve as bases for payment.

Remy Field, which contains a track oval, will get an upgrade with a new nine-lane track from the previous six, as well as a covered viewing stand. It will be rehabilitated at the cost of P127,805,000.

Meanwhile, the Subic Gym will get a new facade and interior upgrade at the price of P5,700,000.

Upgrading of the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center will be handled by DPWH national office.

The SBMA chief said the quality of the sports venues in Subic would significantly define the SEA Games experience for delegates, as well as the general impression of how Philippines hosted the event.

“That is why we want to make sure that our facilities will be at par with SEA Games standards,” Eisma said. “We will be hosting foreign athletes, and giving them a great venue would also mean a great tourism calling card for Subic.”

SEA Games events will be held in eight venues in Subic: Remy Field, which will be used for training and cultural presentations; Subic Bay Sports Complex, venue for sepak takraw, beach volleyball and beach handball; Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center for muay Thai, pencak silat and table tennis; and the SBMA Boardwalk for triathlon, duathlon, and modern pentathlon.

Meanwhile, privately-owned venues will also be used for other SEA Games events: Subic Bay Yacht Club for sailing and windsurfing; Kamana Sanctuary Resort for traditional boat race and canoe and kayak; Subic Bay Travellers Hotel for chess; and Acea Subic Bay resort for rowing.

Eisma said that in most venues here, the SBMA will provide lounges, practice areas, medical stations, dressing rooms, media interview areas, and even prayer rooms for use of the various sports delegations.

The Philippines last hosted the biennial SEA Games 14 years ago, with Subic as venue for archery, canoeing, sailing and triathlon out of the 40 sports competitions held.

For the 2019 edition of the Games, Subic, along with New Clark City, Metro Manila, and the Batangas, La Union and Tagaytay cluster, will be the venue for some 523 events in 56 sports fields.

Source: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

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Ahead of the entry of a white knight into its shipbuilding hub in Subic, South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co Ltd (HHIC) hatched a strategic alliance with Yuchengco group-led construction firm EEI Corp for upcoming construction projects in the Philippines.

This strategic alliance is seen to make use of HHIC’s special intellectual property in underground infrastructure, railway and airport construction projects. HHIC is thus expected to continue doing business in the Philippines even when the Subic shipyard will be sold in the future.

“EEI’s strategic alliance with Hanjin refers to infrastructure construction projects. It has nothing to do with shipbuilding or shipyard [operation],” a source privy to HHIC’s rehabilitation said.

EEI and HHIC have previously worked together on projects such as the Berth 6 Manila International Container project, EEI disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday.

The local construction firm has successfully participated in numerous infrastructure, electromechanical and building projects, with substantial operations in the Philippines and abroad.

HHIC has completed more than 100 construction projects in the Philippines since 1973.

Following the filing of bankruptcy in Korea, five Philippine banks have acquired a combined 20 per cent equity in HHIC to recover part of their $412 million credit exposure to the cash-strapped Korean firm alongside an upcoming sale of the latter’s vast shipyard in Subic.

Yuchengco-led RCBC has a $145-million credit exposure to Hanjin, the largest among local banks. Other local creditor-banks and their estimated exposure are Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co ($72 million), Bank of the Philippine Islands ($52 million), BDO Unibank ($60 million) and Land Bank of the Philippines ($80 million).

Of the $412 million exposure of local banks in Hanjin, $263 million was tied to the 305ha shipyard in Subic. The creditors are now in evaluating offers for this facility and a deal is expected to be firmed up by September.

The other method of recovery is through the conversion of debt to shares in HHIC Korea. While 20 per cent has been acquired by Philippine banks, HHIC’s Korean creditors, including Korea Development Bank, have taken over a 63 per cent stake in the company. The creditors can opt to sell individually using the open market.

Source: phnompenhpost.com

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BOTOLAN, Zambales – Some 184 households received shelter units from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently.

The beneficiaries were those affected by heavy rainfalls brought by Typhoon Kiko 10 years ago which devastated the municipality of Botolan. The increase of water level caused the earth dike in Bukaw River to breach, flooding the neighbouring barangays. Thousands of individuals were affected and hundreds of houses were damaged.

The DSWD initiated programs and services for the early recovery and rehabilitation of the affected families, and one of these is the Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP).

The CSAP aims to provide resilient and hazard-free houses. This program is a partnership project between two parties: the DSWD covered the material cost, while the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Botolan provided the relocation site, at Kalib-ungan Resettlement.

However, due to the hazardous geographic location, the LGU identified a new site for the relocation, at Kainomayan Village.

The construction in Kainomayan Village began last March 2017. Because of delays in the completion of the project, a partnership between DSWD and AFP was initiated. Through KiSLAP ng CSAP, AFP deployed additional staff from the Engineering Battalion to support in the construction of the core shelter units.

Construction began on February 2, 2019. Two months later, all of the remaining units were already completed.

According to DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista, “Sa mga kababayan natin na matiyaga at naghintay para sa araw na ito, malugod po namin ipinapabatid sa inyo na ngayong araw na ito ay mayroon na kayong ligtas at payapang masisilungan kasama ang inyong pamilya.”

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