Local fishermen have disputed claims by leaders of some activist groups in Central Luzon that the ship-to-ship transfer (STS) operations of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on Subic Bay endanger fisher folk in the area and that locals were not consulted about the project before its approval by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Resty del Rosario and Laureano Artagame, both officials of local Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils (FARMC), dismissed the claims and pointed out that the negative reports came from personalities who do not represent the legitimate concerns of fishermen from Subic Bay.

The news item came out in the alternative news website Kodao and quoted Pamalakaya Central Luzon coordinator Alberto Roldan as saying that STS operations for LNG in Subic “endanger fisher folk as well as civilian establishments and communities in Olongapo City.” Pamalakaya stands for the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya, which is the national federation of fishermen’s organizations.

The report also quoted Marcelito Clemente, coordinator of the Central Luzon Alliance for a Sovereign Philippines (CLASP), as saying that the project was “simply another case of profit above public safety for SBMA.” CLASP, a left-leaning group, had called for the withdrawal of U.S. military bases in the country and had opposed the holding of Balikatan military exercises with American armed forces.

The local fisher folk leaders, however, said the reports do not mirror the sentiments of local fishermen.

“We support the SBMA on this project 100 percent,” said Del Rosario, who chairs the Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council, which whose members include fisher folk in Olongapo City, Subic and San Antonio, Zambales and Morong, Bataan.

“Is the LNG operation safe? We believe so, because the SBMA wouldn’t place that project there without examining and addressing the risks involved,” Del Rosario added.

He noted that the critics of the STS project are far too removed from the area, and hence are unaware of the local situation.

“How would they know what happens down here? How can they be the voice of the locals? They are just being alarmists,” an exasperated Del Rosario said.

“As local leaders representing the mostly poor and marginalized fishermen in the locality, we will not be a party to anything that will harm our people. We will not agree to it,” Del Rosario added.

Artagame, meanwhile, emphasized that the SBMA has not been remiss in consulting local fishermen about the LNG project during its inception in 2016. He recalled that the Jovo Group, China’s leading clean energy service provider which operates the project, conducted a consultation in October last year before making the first ship-to-ship transfer in April this year.

“We were invited during the consultation and it was amply shown to us that the LNG is clean and safe,” Artagame said. “Of course, we gave our suggestions regarding the operation, and the SBMA officials assured us that they will stop the operation if ever there will be any harmful effect. By the grace of God, no such effect had ever come our way since then,” he added.

Aside from the perceived safety of STS operations here, Del Rosario also pointed out that the area where the transfer is being handled is no longer a part of the community fishing grounds ever since the US Navy had used Subic Bay as a military base.

“We are fishing elsewhere, a little farther from the location of the LNG and even father out of the bay, and the SBMA is even helping us restore coral reefs that have been damaged over the years by illegal fishing,” Artagame said.

Ever since the LNG project was approved, only two transfers have been made: the first was made on April 27 and the second on November 19. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS: 

[1 ]Laureano Artagame, Provincial Chairman of FARMC Zambales and Vice-Chairman of FARMC of the Municipality of Subic. 

[2] 3The first LNG ship-to-ship transfer operations on Subic Bay made last April.

Source: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

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By: Patrick Roxas, TMT

SANTA CRUZ, Zambales: Governor Amor Deloso has warned mining firms operating in this province to only haul down existing old stockpile and not engage in new mining activities.

Deloso issued the warning during a surprise visit to this town and consulted with the residents.

The governor said while big mining companies operating in Santa Cruz have been given permission by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to haul nickel stockpile, they should not engage in digging or mining again as he threatened to cause them inconvenience if they do so.

“They need to follow the directive that only old stockpiles are to be hauled down as this [stockpile]is posing danger to the homes of the residents especially when nickel stockpile goes down during heavy rains” Deloso said.

“The permit only allows stockpiling and their Ore Transport Permit (OTP) doesn’t say to dig again,” Deloso added.

Deloso said disaster at the mining area happened two years ago where six people died and he doesn’t want it to happen again.

Source: manilatimes.net

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A portion of wetlands inside the Subic Bay Freeport has been turned into a dump. Residents living near the area are protesting as a section of the marshland has been damaged. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has shut down a disposal area near a forest here, heeding complaints that construction debris dumped there may have destroyed the habitat of plants and animals there.

Residents said the agency’s maintenance department had allegedly left concrete, gypsum boards, wood scraps, paper trash and plastic bags at El Kabayo, the disposal area.

Amethya dela Llana, manager of the SBMA Ecology Center, slapped the operators of the disposal area with a closure order and directed the agency’s maintenance and transportation department to clean it up.

Illegal landfill

Dela Llana said the inspection team she sent to the area found illegal landfilling activities involving solid wastes.

The team also confirmed the presence of construction debris and piles of trash that were scraped and pushed into the forested area, she said.

She said the team reported that the area had drawn flies due to noxious odor.

Dela Llana ordered Angel Bagaloyos, manager of the
SBMA maintenance and transportation department, to explain in writing why he allowed the disposal of residual wastes in the area.

Mountain of debris

One of the complaining residents said a bulldozer owned by the SBMA was seen flattening what she described as a “mountain of construction debris” on Friday.

“Aside from this area being part of the forest where animals and birds cross freely, we fear this would become an open invitation to unscrupulous characters to also dump their garbage,” the resident said. “We also discovered there was a second dumping site a few meters into the forested area.”

Other residents said they also saw garbage bags hidden under dried leaves, indicating that there was a deliberate attempt to conceal the trash. —Allan Macatuno

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

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by Susan Reidy

LUZON, PHILIPPINES – Alapala was chosen by Interflour for a flour mill project for Mabuhay Interflour Mills, Inc., at the Subic Bay Free Port Zone, Luzon, Philippines.

The $35 million project is located on a 5.8 hectare greenfield site. The initial grinding capacity is 500 tonnes per day for institutional buyers, medium-sized distributors and retail consumers across Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Assembling of the Alapala machines started this March and the mill started to produce wheat flour for the local market in October.

Interflour runs 10 mills, nine in South East Asia and one in Turkey with the capacity to produce over 7,000 tonnes of wheat flour daily.

For additional information about Alapala visit www.alapala.com.

Source: world-grain.com

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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is planning a support package for the country’s shipbuilding industry to enhance further its capability while addressing connectivity not only around the islands but in Asean as well.

In her presentation at a recent summit, Rafaelita Aldaba, DTI assistant secretary, said the support package applies to roll on, roll off (Ro-Ro) operators and for those establishing maritime industrial parks.

Ramon Lopez, DTI secretary, said the agency is looking at developing further the industry where there are current players like Cebu and Subic.

A number of Korean and Japanese companies are active participants in the sector.

“It would be good if there are more players,” Lopez said.

Shipbuilding is currently one of the activities entitled to incentives under the Investment Priorities Plan.

Lopez said shipbuilding is one of the 12 subsectors being promoted in the new industrial policy of the DTI under its Inclusive Innovation Strategy.

In that strategy, the DTI hopes to attract more shipbuilders and ship repair facilities for RORO as well as small – and medium – sized vessels

Lopez said this is also in support of the Ro-Ro Davao-General Santos-Bitung (Sulawesi) route launched in April by the Philippines and Indonesia aimed at boosting trade in the regions.

The Philippines has been the fourth largest producer of ships since 2010.

As of 2010, the Philippines had 15 manufacturers of shis, three manufactured metal sections of ships (all Filipino), with the remaining building ships (six Filipino, two Japanese, one Korean and one Singaporean.

Source: malaya.com.ph

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