Top 10 Subic workers honored

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – First, the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991, then the subsequent pullout of the US Naval Base. After that came the Asian economic crisis.

What enabled this free port to triumph over these adversities and rise to economic heights cannot be credited primarily to the $8 billion worth of infrastructure left by the Americans, but rather, to Subic ‘s “greatest investment” – its exceptional workforce.

To highlight the crucial role of workers in the transformation of this former US military base into a premier investment and commercial hub, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation Inc. honored this year’s batch of the “10 Outstanding Freeport Workers” during the 16th anniversary celebration of the free port.

The workers awards, which is now on its 17th year, aims to promote among the entire Subic workforce the culture of excellence displayed by volunteers who are credited for rebuilding Subic from the ashes of Mt. Pinatubo, said SBMA Administrator and chief Executive Officer Armand Arreza.

Arreza, who joined some 8,000 Subic volunteers in 1993, recalled that investors started to do business here primarily because of the volunteers’ exceptional display of nationalism and concern for the community.

“They saw that the facilities left by the Americans were intact, and operations of vital installations like the airport and power supply facilities were not halted because people lent their time and skills for free,” said Arreza. He added that the recipients of the award “are of the same caliber as those of the SBMA pioneers.”

The awards body also acknowledged for the first time companies that made significant impact on the free port’s development through the “Administrator’s Corporate Award.”

The awardees in this category, Federal Express (FedEx) and the Subic Power Corp., received the award for exemplifying good human resource practices by consistently keeping the balance between business interests and employees’ welfare, providing equitable work environments, as well as opportunities for professional growth, Arreza also said.

Of the 51 nominees in the outstanding workers category, 20 finalists were chosen, said Pastor. The finalists then underwent a tougher second screening by the board of judges composed of Aurelio Pineda, executive vice president of the Olongapo Business Club; Captain Areston Limos, of the Philippine National Police School of Values and Leadership; and former Philippine ambassador to Saudi Arabia Jonathan dela Cruz, who served as chairman.

The 10 outstanding workers of the Subic Bay Freeport are: Ma. Adoracion Celeste, a technical assistant at the SBMA Human Resource Department; Levi Dalida, special investigator at the SBMA Intelligence and Investigation Office; Arleen Dulay, housekeeping attendant at the Lighthouse Marina Resort; Diosdado Ednave, security officer at the SBMA Law Enforcement Department; and Severino Jovero, marine mammal training supervisor at the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium’s Ocean Adventure.

Other awardees are Elizier Martin, foreman at the SBMA Maintenance and Transportation Department; Vicente Salvador, welder/pipe fitter at the Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corp.; Bernard Sanchez, production department head at Nicera Philippines Inc.; Paquito Torres, division chief at the SBMA Intelligence and Investigation Office; and Jaime Villafuerte Jr., failure analysis engineering supervisor at Wistron Infocomm. (Phils.). By Bebot Sison - PhilStar