U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. visits Subic Bay

U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr.

22nd Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Trade Mission Delegates 
Business Conference and Workshop 
February 17, 2012

U.S. military seeks more access in Philippines

The United States is seeking more access to Philippines ports and airfields to re-fuel and service its warships and planes, diplomatic and military sources said on Thursday, expanding its presence at a time of tension with China in the East Sea.

But it is not trying to reopen military bases there.

Washington's growing cooperation in the Philippines, a U.S. ally which voted to remove huge American naval and air bases 20 years ago, follows the U.S. announcement last year of plans to set up a Marine base in northern Australia and possibly station warships in Singapore.

It also coincides with diplomatic and military friction in the East Sea and its oil-rich Spratly Islands.

Last month, senior Philippine defense and foreign affairs officials met their U.S. counterparts in Washington to discuss ways to increase the number and frequency of joint exercises, training, ship and aircraft visits and other activities.

"It's access, not bases," a foreign affairs department official familiar with the strategic dialogue told Reuters.

"Our talks focus on strengthening cooperation on military and non-military activities, such as disaster response and humanitarian assistance, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation. There were no discussions about new U.S. bases," he said.

These activities would allow the U.S. military more access in the Philippines, stretching its presence beyond local military facilities and training grounds into central Cebu province or to Batanes island near the northern borders with Taiwan.

U.S. ships and aircraft are seeking access for re-supply, re-fueling and repairs, not just for goodwill visits, exercises and training activities, the diplomat said.

The Philippines was ruled by the United States for nearly five decades between the departure of the Spanish and the Japanese occupation during the Second World War, and is now one of its foremost allies in Asia, despite expelling the U.S. from its former military bases at Clark and Subic Bay in 1992.

Since 1987, the Philippine constitution has explicitly banned a permanent foreign military presence. But Washington maintains close military ties under a 1951 defense treaty, and its special forces have been helping the Philippine military combat Islamic militants in the south of the country since 2002.

A Filipino diplomat said Washington's expanding presence is allowed under the under a 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement and a 2002 Mutual Logistics Support Agreement.

The issue is likely to be raised during a visit to Manila from Friday by U.S. Assistant Secretary Andrew Shapiro, senior advisor on political-military affairs to Secretary Hillary Clinton.

U.S. military "hardware"

Apart from training and exercises, the two countries discussed U.S. military assistance, including equipment and data to enhance "domain awareness" in the East Sea.

A second Hamilton-class cutter will be transferred to the Philippine Navy this year and a possible third second-hand cutter was also discussed, the diplomat added.

"On our side, we're also trying to explore ways on how to access newer U.S. military hardware through innovative financial schemes other than the usual channels," the foreign affairs official said.

Military sources said Manila was studying leasing newer offshore patrol vessels, larger sealift and support vessels and lead-in fighter trainer aircraft.

Last month, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters Manila is also considering a proposal from the United States Pacific Command to deploy P3C-Orion spy planes in the country to help monitor movements and activities in the East Sea.

The disputed ownership of oil-rich reefs and islands in the East Sea, through which $5 trillion in trade sails annually, is one of the biggest security threats in Asia. Beijing says it has historical sovereignty over the East Sea, superseding claims of other countries.

Tension over the region and the U.S. plans to expand its military operations in the Asia-Pacific, long an issue with China, could well come up in talks when China's leader-in-waiting Xi Jingping visits Washington next week.

China has expressed misgivings about the Obama administration's shift to raise its security role in the region at a time when Beijing is expanding its own military reach.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Command's proposal to deploy spy planes came two months after State and Pentagon officials offered to share surveillance data on the East Sea during talks with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario in June 2011.

Last year, Del Rosario repeatedly protested against China's activities and intrusions into Philippine maritime territories, including an attempt to ram a survey ship exploring oil and gas in the East Sea. Manila had accused China's ships of crossing into its maritime borders nearly a dozen times in 2011.

The Philippines has welcomed plans by the United States to shift more attention in the Asia and Pacific region and senior officials said an expanded U.S. military presence could enhance peace and stability.

"For us, it would boost our deterrent capability to stop intrusions into our territories," said the diplomat. tuoitrenews.vn - reuters

Subic workshops set to help promote Phl’s competitiveness

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, (PIA) -- Globally-acknowledged competitiveness gurus will share their expertise on quality, productivity, workplace cooperation and benchmarking in the forthcoming national symposium-workshops to be held here from March 27 to 30.

The symposium-workshops are being organized through a public-private-partnership (PPP) between Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Quality Partners Co., Ltd. (QPCL).

The event is divided into two parts. First, a pre-symposium seminar-workshop on “Scientific Benchmarking for Excellence” which will be held on March 27 and 28. The seminar-workshop dubbed as “Workplace Cooperation for Quality, Productivity and Competitiveness,” will be conducted on March 29 to 30.

Both will be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) in this free port.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said the symposium-workshops are projected to be the initial activities in a long-range quest to develop it into a National Center for Excellence and a Resource Center for Quality and Productivity Information and Training with the Subic Freeport as the hub.

Garcia said the SBMA and QPCL are undertaking the project in the belief that quality, workplace cooperation and excellence will lift the country’s global competitiveness.

The pre-symposium seminar-workshop will be conducted by Dr. Robin Mann, chairman of the Global Benchmarking Network of New Zealand, a membership-based organization with members in more than 20 countries and founder-head of the Center for Organizational Excellence Research (COER), Massey University, which undertakes research projects — both focusing on business excellence and benchmarking.

Mann has helped over 300 organizations undertake self-assessment, written 30 refereed journal papers, 100 non-refereed papers, six short books and has been a frequent keynote presenter in 15 countries in 2011.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jose Gatchalian, chairman of QPCL, will address the participants of the seminar-workshop on workplace cooperation with his keynote piece entitled, “Workplace Cooperation: A Cutting Edge for Quality, Productivity and Competitiveness.”

Joining Dr. Gatchalian will be GlobeTel Philippines president Ernest Cu, who will discuss “Workplace Cooperation: Customer First Circle” and University of the Philippines Vice President Dr. M.S.V. Amante, who will talk about “Workplace Diversity and Cross-Cultural Work Relations.”

Meanwhile, the panel discussion will be conducted by panelists composed of successful and prominent resource speakers who shall share their experience and expertise in their respective field.

The symposium will be open to all top management executives and shop-floor leaders.

For inquiries and slot reservations, interested parties may send e-mail to qpcl.gatch@gmail.com or tqm.sbma.yahoo.com or callFerdie Anatacio, QPCL (0915-974-7772) or Buds Fernando, SBMA (0917-552-4920).(CLJD/AMV-PIA3)

Mabuhay the Original Subic Bay News!

• For the reader's information, here is the original Subic Bay News and why its viscocho who actually is a violator of real intellectual property

  

  Its an established community paper of our beloved locality ever since we learned how to read, how come viscocho is now claiming ownership of it! ang kapal naman ng mukha nya!

  
  

  Now look at the layout of viscocho's newspaper, NOT AN OUNCE OF ORIGINALITY, a second rate trying hard copycat! and his got the nerve to report to facebook that somebody is stealing his intellectual property!!!! Its actually a public property that he stole.

  
  

  

Now here's the update of this issue three months after...

We decided to create another facebook page to quench Olongapo and Subic's thirst for news.

By comparison, 6,882 are now fans of ours while viscocho's online news has measly 957, obviously outclassed and simply means that viscocho were not able to get the needed trust of the readers. Notice that in a single week, we are getting additional 525 fans.

The copycat's page (see below) is doing poorly

we have already forgotten about this issue until the copycat made new noises so we need to inform the public.

PESO OLONGAPO CITY - Top Regional Performer

PESO Olongapo City through its Local Chief Executive Honorable Mayor James Gordon, Jr. and its PESO Manager Atty. Gene Vincent G. Perez received citation from Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office III for being a Top Regional Performer, thus earning the nomination for the 2011 Regional Best PESO Award (Highly Urbanized City).  Given last January 25, 2012 on the occasion of the 2011 PESO Year-End Performance Assessment at the Lewis Grand Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

photo taken during flag-rasing ceremony 2.6.2012

Olongapo City - Gawang Gapo - WATER BONSAI

This week's exhibitor for the Gawang Gapo Product Exhibit Booth is Water Bonsai - maker of ornamental bonsai using formulated water. (owner - Edwin Dela Torre)

COMELEC ASSURED ZAMBALENOS OF NEW CONGRESSMAN TODAY

Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez said that so far, the special elections in Zambales have proceeded peacefully and smoothly, and the winning candidate should be proclaimed today.

The special manual elections was conducted to find a replacement for the late congressman Antonio Diaz who died on August 3, 2011, due to complications from a lingering illness.

His daughter, Rica Victoria Villanueva Diaz-Arambulo of the Nacionalista Party, is one of the five candidates.

The other candidates are: Jun Omar Cabanayan Ebdane of the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka and son of Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane; former Zambales vice governor Cheryl Poynter Deloso-Montalla of the Liberal Party, and daughter of former governor Amor Deloso.

Two are independent candidates: Wilfredo Paul Dantes Pangan and Alfred Sebarrotin.

COMELEC Resolutions pertaining to the said elections are listed below.

Resolution No. 9341 IN THE MATTER OF AUTHORIZING THE PROVINCIAL ELECTION SUPERVISOR OF ZAMBALES TO TAKE CUSTODY AND SAFEKEEPING OF THE CONTINGENCY ENVELOPES FOR THE ELECTION RETURNS IN CONNECTION WITH THE FEBRUARY 04, 2012 SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR MEMBER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT OF ZAMBALES.

Resolution No. 9340 IN THE MATTER OF AUTHORIZING COMMISSIONER CHRISTIAN ROBERT S. LIM, COMMISSIONER-IN-CHARGE TO APPROVE CERTAIN REQUESTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE FEBRUARY 04, 2012 SPECIAL ELECTION FOR MEMBER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND DISTRICT, ZAMBALES

Resolution No. 9331 IN THE MATTER OF REQUESTING HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT BENIGNO SIMEON C. AQUINO, III TO DECLARE FEBRUARY 04, 2012 AS A SPECIAL NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF ZAMBALES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONDUCT OF THE FEBRUARY 04, 2012 SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR MEMBER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, ZAMBALES.

Resolution No. 9330 SUPPLEMENTAL GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTION INSPECTORS (BEI) ON THE CASTING AND COUNTING OF VOTES IN CONNECTION WITH THE FEBRUARY 04, 2012 SPECIAL ELECTION FOR MEMBER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN THE SECOND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT OF THE PROVINCE OF ZAMBALES.

Resolution 9328 RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING ELECTORAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES IN CONNECTION WITH THE FEBRUARY 04, 2012 SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR MEMBER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, ZAMBALES.

Resolution No. 9326 Authority of the Commission on Elections to Appoint, Fill-up Positions and Transfer or Reassign its Personnel in Connection with the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District, Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9322 General Instructions for the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) on the Casting and Counting of Votes in Connection with the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, in the Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9321 General Instructions for the Municipal and Provincial Boards of Canvassers in Connection with the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, in the Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9320 Guidelines on the Establishment and Operation of COMELEC Checkpoints in Connection with the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District, Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9319 Rules on the Liquor Ban on Connection with the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9318 Rules Delegating to COMELEC Field Officials the Authority to Hear and Receive Evidence in Disqualification Cases Filed in Connection with the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9317 Deputation of Certain Departments Under the Executive Branch, Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations and Financial Institutions in Connection With the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9316 Rules and Regulations Governing Public Works Ban and Release, Disbursement and Expenditures of Public Funds in Connection With the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District, Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9315 Enforcement of the Prohibition Against Appointment or Hiring of New Employees; Creation or Filling Up of New Positions; Giving Salary Increases; Transferring/ Detailing of Civil Service Employees; and Suspension of Elective Local Officials in Connection With the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District, Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9314 Deputation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Including the National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police, and Other Law Enforcement Agencies for the Purpose of Enduring Free, Orderly, Honest, Peaceful and Credible Conduct of the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales

Resolution No. 9313 Rules and Regulations on the: (1) Bearing, Carrying or Transporting of Firearms or Other Deadly Weapons; and (2) Employment, Availment or Engagement of the Services of Security Personnel or Bodyguards in Connection with the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, in the Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9312 Request for the Concurrence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines in the Deputation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Connection With the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9311 Deputation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the Purpose of Ensuring Free, Orderly, Honest, Peaceful and Credible Conduct of the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9310 Guidelines on the Filing of Certificates of Candidacy and Nomination of Official Candidates of Registered Political Parties in Connection With the February 04, 2012 Special Elections, for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District, Province of Zambales.

Resolution No. 9309 Rules and Regulations Governing Election Campaign, Propaganda, Contributions and Expenditures in Connection With the February 04, 2012 Special Elections for Member, House of Representatives, Second Legislative District of the Province of Zambales.