DEATH OF DEMOCRACY? Supporters of Olongapo Mayor Rolen Paulino brought in front of city hall 3 signifying the death of democracy in Olongapo. Photos by Randy Datu/Rappler

OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines – Olongapo City Mayor Rolen C. Paulino, Vice Mayor Aquilino Cortez, Jr., 8 city councilors, a former councilor and 5 department heads subject to six months suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman signified their intent to refuse the service of suspension of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) until the Court of Appeals decides on their application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).

Speaking before government workers and officials during the flag ceremony on Monday, August 6, Paulino said the Ombudsman’s decision to suspend them for 6 months over misconduct was unfair.

“While we respect the rule of law, we will not step down until our appeal has been decided by the CA,” said the two-term mayor.

Paulino and Cortez are joined by the following:

Councilor Noel Atienza
Councilor Linus Bacay
Councilor Benjamin Cajudo II
Councilor Edna Elane
Councilor Eduardo Guerrero
Councilor Alreuela Bundang-Ortiz
former councilor Ellen Dabu,
ABC president Randy Sionzon
IP representative Egmedio Gonzales Jr.
City administrator Mamerto Malabute
City planning chief TK Balde
City accountant Cristiflor Buduhan,
City legal head Ana Florentino Sison
City budget chief Joy Fernandez Cahilig
They were earlier ordered suspended for 6 months by the Office of the Ombudsman for Simple Misconduct in relation to the city government’s lease of land to SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SMPHI). There were alleged irregularities in the 25-year lease of government property to SMPHI.

Paulino claimed the heavy punishment over a minor procedural lapse was unjust.

“Such offense normally merits a penalty of a mere reprimand to one month suspension at the most, the mayor said. “Why impose 6 months suspension on us?” he asked.

Paulino clarified all the original charges filed against them have been dismissed by the Ombudsman.

He appealed to the authorities to respect their decision as they want to wait for the CA’s decision on their appeal.

“We believe the decision to suspend us for 6 months was unfair but if the CA says otherwise, then we will follow, but not until the court rules on the TRO,” Paulino said.

Supporters of Mayor Paulino have started arriving and have massed infront of the city hall since morning after rumors floated around saying the DILG will serve the notice of suspension on Monday.

Some supporters even placed 3 coffins infront of the city hall, which Paulino followers say is a symbol that democracy in Olongapo is dead.

Cortez appealed to the crowd who for support as he reminded them of the year 1998 when he was with Sen. Dick Gordon, then Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair, who was being ousted by an Administrative Order No. 1 of President Estrada.

The vice mayor, however, said the difference with that period is that now he is on the opposite side as he and other city officials attempt to fight what they consider an unfair order by the Ombudsman.

Both Cortez and Paulino were formerly two of Gordon’s assistants at the SBMA.

source: www.rappler.com

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President Duterte also signs Philippine Identification Act. pic.twitter.com/LfggdgTEtm

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) August 6, 2018

MANILA (UPDATE) – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday signed a national ID system for citizens and resident aliens of the Philippines, as he sought to allay fears that privacy would be violated.

The Philippine System Identification Act (PhilSys Act) mandates the government to create a single official identification card for all citizens and foreign residents that would serve as a de facto national identification number.

Duterte said the PhilSys Act will pave the way for efficient services delivery, will enhance administrative governance, reduce corruption, curtail bureaucratic red tape, promote ease of doing business, and strengthen financial inclusion.

The President also assured the public that government will protect the data in the PhilSys database, amid concerns of possible data breach and privacy violations.

He noted that the information contained in the PhilSys can also be found in the databases of government organizations such as the Philippine Statistics Office, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Commission on Elections.

“That fear is based on anything that borders to illegal. If at all, the Philippine ID will even aid in our drive against the social menaces of poverty, corruption, and criminal issues as well as terrorism and violent extremism,” Duterte said in his speech during the ceremonial signing of the law.

The national ID shall contain a person’s Philippine Identification System number, full name, gender, blood type, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, address, and a front facing photo.

Prior to the signing of the PhilSys Act, the Philippines had been one of the few countries in the world which had no national ID system.

Previous administrations attempted to establish a national ID system but these efforts were met with strong opposition.

The PSA will be the implementing agency of the measure.

National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Lisa Grace Bersales said in the months after the signing of the law, the PSA will be conducting a pilot implementation of the system in selected regions.

The pilot test aims to lay down the registration process prior to the full 5-year implementation starting 2019, Bersales said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

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Wyndham announces its expansion in Clark, Philippines with the announcement of a new office building to house over 600 employees.

CLARK, PHILIPPINES (17 July 2018) – Wyndham Services Asia Pacific (Philippines) Inc., managed by Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific, broke ground on Friday to start the construction of its new office building located at Philexcel Business Park in Clark, Philippines.
Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific is a division of Wyndham Destinations (NYSE: WYND), the hospitality giant with an impressive portfolio of more than 4,000 resorts in 100 countries and over 25,000 employees, who serve millions of families each year. Wyndham Destinations is made up of three lines of business: Wyndham Vacation Clubs, RCI Exchanges and Wyndham Vacation Rentals.

The Asia Pacific teams form part of the Wyndham Vacation Clubs line of business. They manage, develop and market vacation ownership interests across two vacation clubs and a network of club resorts in the Asia Pacific region.

The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Liam Crawley, Chief Financial Officer, Wyndham Vacation Clubs Asia Pacific and Jerry Estrada, Director of Operations, Wyndham Philippines.

“As our resort portfolios and memberships in our WorldMark South Pacific Club, and CLUB WYNDHAM® ASIA vacation clubs continue to grow across the Asia Pacific region, we are strategically positioning teams in key business hubs to support this growth,” said Mr Crawley.

Construction is scheduled to start in the coming weeks and is expected to complete in early 2019. The new building will include two levels of basement parking, spacious training areas, meeting rooms and a cafeteria. Once complete, the office will accommodate more than 600 employees. A team from Philexcel Business Park will help complete the construction of the establishment.

“Clark is an ideal location to grow our offshore team thanks to its talent pool of skilled multilingual professionals, uncongested roads, well-connected offices to public transport terminals and a growing business landscape. We intend to double our staff strength by the end of 2018 and further expand our corporate services in 2019,” added Mr Crawley.

The Philippine entity was established in August 2017 and has provided offshore support to the company’s regional headquarters in Singapore, Shanghai and Gold Coast, Australia.

In less than a year, the company has grown in Clark to more than 140 staff members employed across functions such as customer support, technical and IT support, communications and creative services, human resources, finance, customer experience, sales, revenue and marketing.

Wyndham Services Asia Pacific (Philippines) Inc. is located within the Clark Freeport Zone area in the province of Pampanga in the north. The office is a short drive from Clark International Airport and less than two hours from Metro Manila.

source: punto.com.ph

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A proposal to upgrade the existing Subic Bay International Airport Metropolitan Authority to world-class status and as alternative to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is being reviewed as part of the infrastructure projects being eyed for further development in Central Luzon.

Senator Richard Gordon welcomes Mahanakorn Partners Group (MPG) chairman Luca Bernardinetti (left) at the Philippine Red Cross National Headquarters. Gordon also serves as chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, which completed more than 77,000 resilient houses for families affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

The upgrading of Subic International Airport is among the projects being reviewed by Mahanakorn Partners Group (MPG), the parent company of Vimami Co. Ltd., a Swiss-Thai German-speaking law firm.

The MPG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority in February this year to conduct feasibility studies on the viability of infrastructure projects for construction inside this premier Freeport.

The MOU signed between MPG and SBMA covers the proposed upgrading of the existing Subic Bay International Airport to world-class status, making it a viable alternative to the heavily congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as well as a strategic transshipment and logistics hub in the Asian region.

As proponent of the Regional Investment and Commercial Hub (RICH) Road Map, Senator Richard Gordon recently met with the Mahanakorn Partners Group (MPG) chair Luca Bernardinetti to review the proposals to transform Central Luzon into the country’s leading business center.

According to a statement, RICH under Senate Bill 1325 authored by Gordon seeks to open investment in the vast but idle lands along the expressways, like industrial sites, freeports, tourism enterprises, and other establishments that will generate employment for Filipinos.

The bill intends to create an investment super corridor that would spur development in the region.
By coordinating all infrastructure projects near airports, seaports, freeports, and tourist establishments in the region, the bill also seeks to achieve President Rodrigo Duterte’s vision of bringing economic development to the region as well as decongesting the ports of Manila and reducing traffic congestion in the metropolis.

Prior to his initial term as Philippine Senator, Gordon pushed for the creation of the SBMA and became its founding chairman, transforming it into the most successful base conversion recognized by international media, generating over 200,000 jobs on the back of over $3 billion in investments.

source: business.mb.com.ph

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Photo Credit: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma has expressed hope that later this week the Aparri Road where massive landslide occurred and killed one person during the height of weather disturbances would be cleared.

Eisma said the agency’s technical group estimated that it would take about 400 dump-truck loads to finally clear about 4,000 cubic meters of muddy soil that collapsed from a hill on July 23.

“We are already working from both ends of the landslide to clear it faster, but at the rate the crew can go with the continuous rain, clearing operations that started last Monday may be completed only by Friday,” she said.

While there were enough heavy equipment that could be used, Eisma said SBMA lacks manpower.

“We need alternate operators because work continues until night time,” she said.

At least three companies in the Freeport were affected by landslides, while three others reported flooding that damaged some facilities, the SBMA Business and Investment Department said.

Two persons were buried alive during the landslide at the Aparri Road. One was pulled out alive from the rubble after three hours, but the other one died.

Multiple landslides occurred inside the Freeport as heavy rains from Tropical Depression Josie and the southwest monsoon-soaked the place and the surrounding areas.

source: centralluzon.politics.com.ph

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