As part of its corporate social responsibility, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation Foundation, through its Shore It Up program, recently received a donation of 40 eco-reef modules which will be installed in Balayan Bay, one of the country’s top scuba diving destinations.

From left: Eco-Mer and Divers Institute of Technology consultant William McGilton, MPIC Foundation president Melody Del Rosario, and marine ecology expert Professor Avigdor (AV) Abelson from Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Since 2016, MPIC Foundation has been nurturing a Coral Restoration Field Laboratory in Brgy. Solo in Mabini, Batangas to help restore the marine ecosystem of the area. In the past two years, it has laid 12 modules which have provided valuable data to help in the flourishing of aquatic life in the barangay.

Eco-Mer artificial reef units are made of marine concrete which has a better larval attachment, higher survival rates of coral recruits, and wider niche range for higher species diversity, beyond any other commercial artificial reefs. The laboratory serves as an underwater work station for volunteer divers to study fluid dynamics, coral growth potential at Eco-MER units per depth, and other scientific diving related to monitoring and coral restoration for Mabini.

The artificial coral reefs undergo monitoring and scientific activities to help enrich the Bay’s ecosystem by setting up marine sanctuaries.

According to MPIC vice president for public relations and corporate communications Melody Del Rosario, Shore It Up started in 2009 as a coastal cleanup movement in the Anilao dive spot, and has expanded into a comprehensive marine biodiversity conservation program which covers underwater cleanups, mangrove propagation, giant clam rearrangement, artificial reef restoration, and community livelihood projects.

Shore It Up has been held in key coastal areas such as Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Subic Bay Freeport Zone; Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City, Pangasinan; Del Carmen in Siargao Island; Panglao and Pamilacan Islands in Bohol; Surigao City; Medina, Misamis Oriental; and Cordova, Cebu.

To sustain these environmental undertakings, the foundation helped establish Mangrove Propagation and Information Centers in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Source: manilastandard.net

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President Rodrigo Duterte said he agreed with former President Ferdinand Marcos wanting to rename the country.

Speaking at an event in Maguindanao Monday, Duterte told the crowd, “Tama si Marcos. Panahon ni Marcos, tama talaga si Marcos. Gusto niya palitan — Maharlika. The Republic of Maharlika, because maharlika is a Malay word and it means more of a concept of serenity and peace,” he said.

[Translation: Marcos was right. During Marcos’ time, he was right. He wanted to change it to Maharlika. The Republic of Maharlika, because maharlika is a Malay word and it means more of a concept of serenity and peace.]

In 1978, then-Batasang Pambansa member Eddie Ilarde filed Parliamentary Bill 195 which sought to change the name of the country from “Philippines” to “Maharlika.”

The proposal was criticized, as the name was associated with Marcos, said the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

In his speech, Duterte said there was little that could be done right now about the country’s name, but that could change in the future.

“Philippines because it was discovered by Magellan using the money of King Philip (II). Kaya pagdating ng u***, ginawang Philippines. Pero okay na ‘yan. Balang araw palitan natin,” he said.

[Translation: Philippines because it was discovered by Magellan using the money of King Philip (II). So when the b*****d arrived, it was named Philippines. But that’s okay. We’ll change it one of these days.]

In 2017, Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano filed House Bill 5867 or “An Act Constituting a Geographic Renaming Commission to Rename Our Country.”

Alejano said, “If we want to be truly independent, then we should throw away the bonds of colonialism by establishing our own national identity.”

The bill called for the creation of a commission to look into renaming the Philippines.

Source: cnnphilippines.com

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dakong alas 11:45.

Matinding usok ang makikita na animo’y smokey mountain sa tabi ng daan.

Ilang residente ang naalarma sa pag-atake ng kumakalat na grass fire sa mismong balisbis ng mataas na lugar sa may Lower Kalaklan habang ang mga kabahayan ay nasa ibaba nito.

Agad naman rumesponde at na-aksyunan nang mga awtoridad para maagapan ang paggapang ng apoy dahil na rin sa kumakalat na usok nito.

Sa inisyal na report ni Rodelio Basalla,Admin Officer ng naturang baranggay,aniya”hindi matukoy kung ano ang pinagmulan ng pagkalat nito dahil walang basehan kung saan nagmula ang apoy nito”.

Wala namang naiulat na nasaktan o nasawi sa insidente.

Source: Subic Broadcasting Corporation FB page

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SEN. Richard Gordon on Monday moved to update the 27-year-old law that transformed the former Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base into economic zones following the expiration of US bases treaty in 1991.

Looking to revitalize the special economic zones in Subic and Clark, Gordon filed Senate Bill 2207 expanding the territories of the Subic Special Economic Zone and the Clark Special Economic Zone, increasing their powers and revising the allocation of income on taxes earned.

The senator added the remedial legislation will also “entail creation of a new tax regime” for the two economic zones, to be finalized in the upcoming plenary deliberations on the bill.

In sponsoring the enabling measure, Gordon projects that early enactment into law of the remedial legislation amending the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) will “revitalize and spread the blessings of the Subic experience to neighboring communities who are willing to share the same culture of hard work, the same vision of prosperity and development, and the same willingness to work hard to make it happen.”

Moreover, he added that the proposed amendment, likewise, aims to “further strengthen Subic’s equally successful neighbor, Clark Special Economic Zone, by expanding its scope and fine-tuning policies that will further its growth.”

Endorsed for early enactment under Committee Report 653, Senate Bill 2207, once passed into law, shall be known as “An Act Revitalizing The Bases Conversion Development, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 7227, Otherwise Known As The ‘Bases Conversion And Development Act of 1992,’ As Amended.”

Soon after its enactment, the proposed law provides that Subic Special Economic Zone will be developed into a “self-sustaining industrial, commercial, financial and investment center to generate employment opportunities in and around the zone, and to attract and promote not only productive foreign investments but domestic investments, as well.”

In addition, Gordon’s bill will also expand the Subic Special Economic Zone by extending its territory to include the whole or part of the territory of the municipality of San Antonio in Zambales and the municipalities of Morong, Hermosa and Dinalupihan, upon resolution of their respective Sanggunian, for a period of not less than 50 years.

Meanwhile, Clark Special Economic Zone’s free-port zone will be increased from 4,400 hectares to 35,400 hectares. It also mandates that the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority board of directors shall provide a master plan for the phased expansion of the free-port zone every two years in the municipality of Olongapo, Zambales, and in the municipalities of Dinalupihan, Hermosa and Morong, Bataan.

Source: businessmirror.com.ph

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Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma congratulated on Friday the finalists and winner of the agency’s 2018 Employee of the Year (EOY award, saying it was her pride to lead a “corps of heroes” in the Subic agency.

“There’s no better way to celebrate heroism than by getting together and cheering them on, and making sure they are appreciated,” Eisma said during the awarding rites.

SBMA 2018 Employee of the Year Nida Linda C. Rojo accepts the torch passed onto her by the previous EOY

“They are here right now being feted because it is also a celebration of each and every one of us. We are the corps of heroes. You are the corps of heroes of the SBMA,” she added.

The SBMA chief also praised the agency’s employees for giving more than what they can give without expecting anything in return.

“That’s what makes me so proud to lead this organization. Because we have employees who exemplify what malasakit is, who exemplify integrity, character, passion, and love in every day that they come in for work,” Eisma also said.

The awarding, which took place at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) on Jan. 25, named Nida Linda C. Rojo as the agency’s 2018 EOY.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma (4th from left) congratulates SBMA 2018 Employee of the Year Nida Linda C. Rojo, along with (L-R) SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator (SDA) for Support Services Ramon Agregado, CSC-Zambales Dir. Jose Gea, SBMA tourism manager Jamelle Camba, SBMA Dir. Ma. Cecilia Bitare, SDA for Regulatory Amethya dela Llana, and SDA for Business and Investment Renato Lee.

Rojo was nominated for excellence in supervising the tourism linkages and VIP services unit of the SBMA Tourism Department, and for delivering results above expectations.

Tourism manager Mary Jamelle Camba added that Rojo adapts well in both office and field activities, a trait that was key to representing Subic Bay in travel fairs and expositions locally and internationally.

Aside from Rojo, who was also awarded EOY of the Chairman and Administrator’s Group, five other finalists were named EOYs of their respective strategic business units (SBUs).

They are: Karren Balajadia of the Land Asset Development Department (LADD), who was named EOY of the Business and Investment Group; Christine Joy Robrico of Trade Facilitation and Compliance Department, EOY of the Operations Group; Alexander Canlas of Law Enforcement Department, EOY of the Public Services Group; Helen Castillones of the Ecology Center, EOY of the Regulatory Group; Ronald Rondez of Labor Department, EOY of the Support Services Group.

The winners were cited for their excellent performance beyond the call of duty and for various innovations in the workplace.

The SBMA Employee of the Year Awards is a project of the SBMA Human Resources Management Department to recognize and reward exemplary services rendered by employees in line with the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

The finalists were selected according to the following criteria: industriousness and productivity, 50 percent; quality customer service, 30 percent; and malasakit and honesty, 20 percent.

Chairman Eisma said that some of the winners of the SBMA EOY awards had gone on to win Pagasa awards, the Civil Service Commission’s honor awards program for outstanding government workers.

Source: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

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