Olongapo Skills Training Featured in ABS-CBN NEWS

The preparations being undertaken by Olongapo City under the leadership of Mayor Bong Gordon was featured by ABS-CBN NEWS BANDILA during its report last night over Channel 2. News Anchor Henry Omaga-Diaz detailed the experience of former US Military Base Worker's hopes to land a job in Guam after having lost their jobs in the former US Naval Base in Subic when it pulled out in 1992.

Mayor Gordon stressed that the preparations were initiated after his visit to Guam during the Industry Forum and where the impending transfer of 8,000 Military personnel and their families will commence on 2014.

Guam Task Force headed by Ed Piano was created to ensure coordination with POEA, DOLE, TESDA, DFA, GovGuam, contractors, manpower agencies and applicants are facilitated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oihenFBe8vc

As discussed by Ed Piano, below is the comparison of present Guam Wages vs that of Hawaii

WAGES: GUAM VS. HAWAII
Wages determined by the Department of Labor for federal projects under the Service Contract Act (all figures are rates per hour) versus Hawaii's:
Jobs In Guam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .In Hawaii . .%Change
Carpenter, maintenance . $13.00 $30.88 +137.5%
Electrician, maintenance . $14.99 $28.25 +88.5%
Heavy equipment mechanic $14.81 $26.98 +82.2%
Heavy equipment operator $13.73 $29.54 +115.1%
Painter, maintenance $13.55 $23.09 +70.4%

Welder - US National - Special Trade Contractors
(NAICS: 238, SIC: 17, eSIC: 17-179 )

Salary Estimate from PAQ's Global Salary Calculator
(See ERI's GSC C3 Matrix below, estimate is all-industry/all-sizes) $52,859.00

Japan Commits $336 Million In Guam Buildup

Japan Commits $336 Million In Guam Buildup Funding For FY09

By Jeff Marchesseault - Guam News Factor

GUAM - As debate rages on over controversial Guam-buildup spending amendments to a 2010 Defense Authorization Act that has already passed the full House and is awaiting action in the Senate, Tokyo is putting its money where it's mouth is regarding the buildup.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement today that Tokyo is moving forward with its end of the agreement to transfer U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam by offering an initial $336 million in payments relative to the move.

Japan Today's Sunday Edition reports that the payments answer the requirements spelled out in a transfer accord that took effect on May 19.

According to Japan Today:

The accord gives a legal basis to the 2006 Japan-U.S. agreement on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, commonly referred to as the ‘‘road map,’’ which Tokyo and Washington say is meant to reduce the burden on communities near U.S. bases. It legally requires Tokyo to spend up to $2.8 billion on infrastructure projects on the U.S. territory in the Pacific. The $336 million, or about 34.6 billion yen, will be used for infrastructure projects in the Finegayan area and Apra Harbor on Guam, the ministry [Foreign Ministry] said.

Here is the official media release from the U.S. Department of State:

U.S. and Japan Moving Forward on U.S. Force Realignment

Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

July 11, 2009

On July 11, 2009 in Tokyo, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the United States of America James P. Zumwalt and Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone exchanged Notes pertaining to the transfer of funds provided by the Government of Japan to the United States Government in accordance with the Agreement on the Relocation of United States Marine Corps Personnel from Okinawa to Guam, signed by Secretary of State Clinton and Foreign Minster Nakasone on February 17, 2009.

Based on the exchanged Notes, the Government of Japan will provide $336 million to the United States Government during FY2009 to be used for projects to develop facilities and infrastructure on Guam for the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to Guam. This is a significant step forward towards implementation of the realignment package.

The United States Government remains committed to the full implementation of the realignment package as agreed in the May 1, 2006 Realignment Roadmap.

Projects to be funded by the Government of Japan during FY2009 for the relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam:

On-base infrastructure project in Finegayan area (initial phase) $124.8 million

On-base infrastructure project in the north area of Andersen Air Force Base $27 million

On-base infrastructure project in Apra area $169.1 million

Design project (fire station and bachelor enlisted quarters in Finegayan area, and port operation unit headquarters building and medical clinic in Apra area) $15.1 million

TOTAL $336 million

Guam Buildup plans on track

Pacific Daily News - Guam - An "unprecedented" amount of money will be spent on projects here in the first year of the buildup, industry representatives learned yesterday.

Mayor Gordon's meeting with Guam Governor Felix Camacho and NavFac and French Navy officers onboard a French Frigate held May 1, 2009 at US Naval Facilities, Guam

Capt. Louis Cariello, operations officer for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, gave a presentation on NAVFAC's execution plan as it prepares for the historic relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam within the next five years.

More than 1,300 industry representatives and community members are attending the forum.

The Defense Department is on track to have buildup-related construction projects starting next fiscal year, which begins in October, Cariello said. He said work will begin immediately once an official record of decision is issued.

"That's our plan and we're on track," he said. "The amount of money for the first year is absolutely unprecedented."

More information on projects will be available when the Defense budget is finalized, which is expected to happen next month, Cariello said.

He listed for the audience some of the projects expected for the first year of the buildup. Among them are:

Utilities and electrical infrastructure projects;
A medical clinic and work on Naval Hospital;
Access and perimeter fence roads; and
Seawall and wharf improvements.

Some projects, such as a central utilities plant and wastewater collection system, both with price tags of at least $25 million, will get under way before this fiscal year is over, Cariello said.

Cariello spent much of his presentation detailing how contractors will be selected for the projects.

"Whether you're a large contractor or a small contractor, there's certainly enough, with a $10 billion program, to carve off enough for each of you," he told the audience.

A least a billion dollars of that is set aside to be awarded to small businesses, Cariello said. He said that was determined as the maximum amount of capacity those businesses can sustain.

Part of that will be strictly for participants in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program, which helps small disadvantaged businesses, and those in the HUBZone Program, which helps disadvantaged small businesses in designated zones. Guam is one of those zones, and 164 local businesses will qualify for HUBZone contracts, Cariello said.

American businesses will get a 20 percent advantage in competing for contracts funded by the United States, he said.

For those projects funded by the Japanese government, under an agreement between Japan and the United States to move the Marines from Okinawa, Japanese firms would be on equal footing with American companies, Cariello said. By Connor Murphy - Pacific Daily News - pls. follow link to comment

Sen. Eddie Calvo and Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon met Monday to discuss furthering trade and other sister-city ties between Guam and Olongapo City, which once hosted major U.S. military installations at Subic Bay. Gordon met with Calvo at the Hyatt Regency Guam ahead of the Guam Industry Forum. Dozens of other representatives from the Philippines are attending the military buildup forum, including 53 worker recruitment agencies, 15 contractors and several Philippine labor officials. More than 1,350 delegates from the U.S., Japan, the Philippines and other countries are attending the forum, which is being held at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort, the Hilton Guam Resort and Spa and the Guam Marriott Resort.

Buildup-related construction projects scheduled for fiscal 2010:

Utilities project
Headquarters building
Medical clinic
Fire station
Bachelor enlisted quarters
Aviation utilities
Aviation parking
Dog kennel
Wharf improvements
Access roads
Training facilities
Exercise support building
Naval hospital
Perimeter fence road
Electrical infrastructure project
Vehicle maintenance facility
Operations facility
National Guard center
Seawall repairs

OVERSEAS JOBS FOR OLONGAPEÑOS

The City Government of Olongapo, through the Public Employment and Services Office (PESO) and in partnership with three (3) recruitment agencies in Manila, is scheduled to conduct several recruitment activities for overseas employment this May.

Rowald International Manpower Services, Inc. will be accepting applicants for Factory Workers to be deployed in Taiwan during the one-day recruitment activity on May 8, 2009, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The said position is open to both male, ages 21-30 and female, ages 21-28.

Skills International Company, Inc., on the other hand, will visit the city and screen qualified applicants on May 12-13, while HRD Employment Consultant and Multi-Services, Inc. is scheduled on May 25-26, 2009. Both recruitment activities will start at 9:00 am until 3:00 pm.

The following are some of the positions available:

ALGERIA
Batching Plant Electrician
Batching Plant Mechanic
Batching Plant Operator
Rebar Foreman
Asst. Steelman
Asst. Carpenter
Asst. Mason
Cook
Administrative Asst.
Laboratory Engineer
Heavy Equipment Operator
CAD Operator
Civil Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Laboratory Technician
Camp Manager
Plant Electrician
IT Engineer
Site Engineer
Supervisor
Mechanical Engineer
Office Engineer (QS)
Electrician
Electro Mechanical Technician
QA/QC Engineer

SAUDI ARABIA
Tech. Mech. Ship Motors
Tech. Ship Engine Maintenance
Com. Tech. Wireless (Communication Tech.)
Nurses
Assistant Nurse
Physical Therapist
Medical Equipment Technician
Medical Technician
Medical Technologist
Medical Records Technicians
Dental Assistant
Pharmacy Technician
X-Ray Technician
Laborer

“This is another opportunity for Olongapeños to try their luck abroad,” said Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. “Muli nating iniimbitahan ang ating mga kababayan na magsadya sa ating PESO sa mga araw na nabanggit upang subukan ang pagkakataon na ito,” Gordon added.

The special recruitment activities will be done at the Public Employment Services Office located at the Olongapo City Hall Complex.

PAO/chay