SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – A significant number of visitors from various parts of the country flocked to this Freeport to mark the Holy Week and spend some leisure time.

By: Manila Bulletin Jonas Reyes

HOLY LAND IN SUBIC – Subic Freeport’s Holy Land park provides Catholics a serene, ideal sanctuary for prayer and contemplation during the Holy Week break, and even on ordinary days. Image source: meettheneverland.blogspot.com

With an estimated 20,000 tourists arriving every day during the Holy Week, Subic Freeport is expected to break last year’s record in terms of local and foreign tourist arrivals.

SBMA chairman Wilma T. Eisma said that aside from the usual tourism events and sites, the premier Freeport has also organized spiritual events and attractions such as processions and the Holy Land theme park for the faithful to take part in and visit during the Holy Week.

She also said that the Law Enforcement Department (LED), the SBMA Fire Department, the Tourism Department and the Public Health and Safety Department (PHSD) of the SBMA are on alert and ready to extend due assistance to visitors and residents.

Water theme parks such as Moonbay Marina Waterpark and Ocean Adventure’s Adventure Beach Waterpark are now open to the public.

Meanwhile, areas such as Malawaan Park and the Boardwalk area can be visited either during the day or night.

First Published: www.pressreader.com/

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MANILA, Philippines — Double pay awaits those who will work during the Holy Week break.

Department of Labor and Employment earlier issued the rules to guide employers in providing holiday pay to workers.

n an advisory, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reminded employers nationwide to observe proper pay rules and grant holiday pay for workers who will render services today and tomorrow.

DOLE earlier issued the rules to guide employers in providing holiday pay to workers.

Malacañang had previously declared Thursday and Friday as regular holidays.
Under the rules, those who work on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday will get double their regular salary for the first eight hours of service and another 30 percent for work in excess of eight hours.

An employee who would rather enjoy the holiday and choose not to work is still entitled to receive 100 percent of his or her daily pay.

Employees who are required to work during a regular holiday that also falls on their rest day shall be paid an additional 30 percent on top of their 200 percent rate.

If the employee works in excess of eight hours during a regular holiday that also falls on his or her rest day, he or she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate.

source: philstar.com

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is eyeing more than 21,000 hectares in the free port’s nearby communities for its expansion, according to SBMA Chair and Administrator Wilma Eisma.

In her recent State of the Freeport Address (Sofa), Eisma said the initial expansion proposals are areas in several towns of Zambales and Bataan provinces that will host resorts as well as leisure, tourism and warehousing facilities.

“Part of our priority agenda is working with our local governments for our free port expansion,” she said.

Mining, quarry

In San Marcelino town in Zambales, about 40 kilometers from this free port, 10,000 ha of land are being reserved by the local government for mining, quarry and agriculture.

In 2013, a 9,000-ha area in San Antonio town, also in Zambales, is now referred to as the San Antonio Economic Development Area. It was turned over to SBMA through a municipal council resolution and would accommodate investors in the resort and leisure trade.

Other areas for expansion are a 500-ha property in Castillejos town and a 600-ha lot in Subic town, both in Zambales, a 900-ha land in Hermosa town in Bataan and 900 ha of land in Olongapo City.

“That expansion is a long time coming and we need to make it happen,” Eisma said. “This is something that has never happened for a very long time and I’d like to take this opportunity to move that forward.”

Revenue shares

SBMA remits annual revenue shares to eight local governments which are adjacent to this free port to help finance development projects in health, education, peace and order, and livelihood “so that the contiguous communities can keep pace with developments in the Subic Bay Freeport and Special Economic Zone,” she said.

Last month, the SBMA released P147 million representing revenue shares to these local governments for the second half of 2017. The amount was 6.96 percent lower than the P150.46 million distributed for the same period last year.

Based on SBMA records, Olongapo City received P34.35 million, followed by Subic town, which got P22.46 million, and Dinalupihan town in Bataan, with P18.32 million.

Other Zambales towns that received shares were Castillejos, with P13.69 million; San Marcelino, P17.66 million; and San Antonio, P12.65 million.

Estates

The towns of Morong and Hermosa in Bataan received P12.79 million and P15.31 million, respectively.

She urged the surrounding communities to help SBMA develop estates in their areas and to start planning for the extension of the free port’s fenced-in areas because “SBMA is already running out of space to meet the space requirement of new and bigger investors.”

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

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LAS CRUCES — Dawn had yet to break, but thousands of people had already gathered at White Sands Missile Range Sunday for the 29th annual Bataan Memorial Death March.

This year’s march saw the largest number of participants — nearly 8,500 — an 18 percent increase over last year. Some wore military uniforms carrying 35-pound rucksacks while others chose colorful red, white and blue tutus. For retired Col. Beverly “Ben” Skardon, he selected an orange shirt — in honor of his alma mater Clemson University — and a white fedora.

At 100 years old, this would be the 11th memorial march in 12 years for Skardon, a Bataan Death March survivor. His participation makes him not only the oldest marcher but the only survivor to ever walk in the event.

“(Participating in the march) means a lot to me personally because that march and the men hang heavy on me. I’ve never forgotten it,” Skardon said. “While I walk, it seems to me, my memory flashes back, and I get emotional.”

The march requires participants to make their way through 14.2 or 26.2 miles of the high desert terrain of White Sands Missile Range.

It’s nothing compared to the Bataan Death March, the infamous 1942 World War II march, in which 68,000-plus civilians and Filipino and American prisoners of war were cruelly forced to walk at the hands of their Japanese captors through Philippines jungle with little food or water. Some captives were executed; others died from disease and illness — either during the march or while kept as prisoners afterward.

About 1,800 of those forced to walk were New Mexicans who served with the 200th Coastal Artillery and 515th Coast Artillery at Bataan. They were members of the New Mexico National Guard.

Skardon was not a New Mexican, but has become familiar with the Land of Enchantment in recent years through his participation in the memorial march.

He joined the military after graduating from Clemson College in 1938 where he entered as a second lieutenant. During World War II and prior to the death march, Skardon had already received two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his commitment in commanding a battalion of Filipino Army recruits.

But on April 9, 1942, Skardon became one of the many POWs forced to march about 70 miles over five days before being shoved in to train carts and shipped to prison camps. They were starved and beaten and many died.

Skardon, too, was close to death. He was severely ill with malaria and beriberi and said he survived thanks only to his fellow Clemson grads Henry Leitner and Otis Morgan, who spoon fed him, carried him to get bathed and cleaned his eyes from infection.

“I do (the march) as a tribute and honor to my Clemson friends. Two and a half years in the prison camp and we became like brothers,” Skardon said. “They are at the foremost of my mind.”

Skardon was released in 1945. He was 27 years old and weighed 90 pounds.

“It’s a whole era out of my life,” Skardon said of his time as a POW. “When I start talking about it I get graphic (images) in front of me.”

Following his return and his recovery, Skardon continued to serve in the military until 1962, when he retired as a colonel.

MARCHING ON
Skardon joined 8,470 other marchers as he walked — a drove a small portion — through eight miles of the course, but it was not all without preparation.

Skardon said he started training in November outside of his home in Clemson, S.C., where he would walk with his four-wheeled walker up and down the sidewalk. As of Wednesday, he said he was walking about 3 miles a day.

Before bed, Skardon said he would also do about 50 to 60 leg lifts on each leg, as well as some calisthenics, which he said might include him going from a sitting position to a standing one.

“The main thing is to get on that trail and go as far as I can,” Skardon said.

As for how he got started marching in the first place, Ken Scar, communication strategist at Clemson University, said it was just “something he spontaneously decided to do the first time he attended and has done it ever since.”

But never alone.

Rallying behind Skardon on Sunday were 70 members of Ben’s Brigade — a group of friends, family and admirers of Skardon who walk with him.

Hooper Skardon, Skardon’s nephew, has been walking in the brigade for 10 years.

“He’s just a great guy. He’s special,” Hooper said of Skardon. “He’s feisty and he’s a true Southern gentleman.”

Hooper — who is a retired Army sergeant during the Vietnam War — was one of four family members that came to march on Sunday, including Skardon’s granddaughter and two grandsons.

When asked what it means to him to have so many people support his uncle, Hooper simply said, “it means everything.”

Other members of the brigade joined because they were inspired by Skardon’s story.

Joseph T. Cormie said he heard about Skardon when he saw a “60 Minutes” special. From that day on, Cormie said he has dedicated himself to the group, even designing the bright orange Ben’s Brigade T-shirts the group donned.

Cormie, of upstate New York, said he went so far as to paint his beard orange to be part of the experience, adding that it “makes his heart happy” to be honoring veterans by participating in the memorial march.

“I’m inspired by the 100-year-old Ben Skardon. He’s here walking however much he walks and I’m just amazed,” Cormie said. “I’m very, very inspired. Especially by (Skardon’s) story; his story and all the World War II survivors.”

CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL
On Saturday, Skardon received the Filipino World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal — the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions that Congress can give — during a presentation at the Post Theater at White Sands Missile Range.

While Skardon said he had mixed feelings about the honor, he said he is “delighted the Filipino soldiers (he) commanded are receiving recognition for their service during that time.”

THE MARCH
The opening ceremonies began at 6:35 a.m., at the Bataan Ceremony Field at White Sands Missile Range, on the east side of the Organ Mountains.

“Remember this is more than a marathon. So why are you here? Who are you marching for?” asked Col. Dave Brown, WSMR garrison commander, as he welcomed the crowd. “You being here is important because it helps us remember the past and you are helping us to tell the Army story each and every year.”

The ceremony also recognized the seven Bataan survivors in attendance — Skardon, Harold Bergbower, James Bollich, Valdemar DeHerrera, Paul Ketchum, Oscar Leonard and William Overmeyer.

“Everybody has their own motivation for why their here on this journey here today, but I think its important to remember what this is truly all about and that’s about those survivors and those that aren’t here with us any longer,” said WSMR Brigadier Gen. Eric L. Sanchez, during the opening ceremony.

The ceremony also recognized the 28 Bataan survivors who have died since the last march, including Julio Barela, a Dona Ana farmer who died on Feb. 12 at the age of 101.

The participants were corralled in sections before the race started about 7 a.m. Led by military wounded veterans, thousands poured on to the blocked off roads of WSMR before heading into the desert terrain. Marathoners also had the opportunity, at the start of the race, to shake the hands of the Bataan survivors who attended.

“So when things are getting tough out there on the course, you want to give cause you’ve got blisters or whatever is going on. Think about what these gentlemen sitting here today went through,” Sanchez said, as a nod to the survivors as well as those who lost their lives. “When you’re done you’ll have some blisters you’ll have to deal with but not anything near what they had to deal with.

“Hopefully that gives you the motivation to continue today,” Sanchez said.

This article is written by Ali Linan from Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M. and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network.

Source: www.military.com

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE: The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regional office in San Fernando City, Pampanga filed six criminal complaints the Olongapo City prosecutor against two accountants and four companies for violations of the National Internal Revenue Code

Deogracias Villar Jr., Subic Freeport Zone Regional District Office, head identified the tax practitioners as Perlie Macopia Pantaleon and Edgar Navarro Picache and the four firms as Subic Bay Freeport locators – Ellick BPO Solutions, Inc., DCB Trading Inc., Crown Peak Estate Developers Inc., and Matrix Mobile Inc. with their responsible officers.

Pearlie Macopia Pantaleon, a practitioner engaged in accounting and bookkeeping, was sued for making false entries on tax records and use of falsified accountable Forms, as well as falsification of documents allegedly by forging Union Bank’s BTR-BIR deposit slips, BIR monthly remittance of Creditable Income Taxes Withheld, and Income Taxes Withheld on Compensation.

Investigation revealed that Pantaleon made it appear that her client, Ta Zon Philippines Color Paper Corp., files its monthly remittance returns and paid P13,125 for 2015 of income taxes withheld.

Similarly, Edgar Navarro Picache, a certified public accountant, is accused of failure to file his income tax return for 2011 and 53 monthly percentage tax returns from September 2008 to May 2017.

The four Subic Bay Freeport locators, on the other hand, are also being sued for violation of Section 255 of the NIRC of 1997, as amended for failure to file several returns.

Ellick BPO Solutions failed to file 93 monthly remittance returns from November 2011 to November 2016; DCB Trading Inc.did not file 26 tax returns for December 2011 to 2013; Crown Peak failed to file 58 tax returns for June 2008 to December 2015; while Matrix Mobile Solution Inc. failed to file 32 returns for March 2012 to June 2016.

Source: www.manilatimes.com

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