Newsletter_Sept-Oct 2011 Save PDF - Philippines Bases ...
Newsletter_Sept-Oct 2011 Save PDF - Philippines Bases ... Newsletter_Sept-Oct 2011 Save PDF - Philippines Bases ...
Freeport / Ecozone News SBMA to supply seedlings for government greening program in Region 3 SBMA Public Relations Department SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will supply most of Region 3’s need for seedlings under a national greening program that seeks to plant some 1.5 billion trees throughout the country in a period of five years. SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia announced this recently, as he tasked the SBMA Ecology Center to intensify its collection of seedlings of various indigenous tree species in this freeport for use in tree-planting projects in Central Luzon. Garcia said the SBMA has taken on a significant role in the government’s National Greening Program (NGP) after it signed a joint memorandum of agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the establishment of an indigenous tree specie nursery here. “We are in the best position to supply planting materials for the greening program, because the Subic Bay Freeport has all sort of indigenous tree species in its wellprotected forests,” Garcia said. “Aside from this, Subic Freeport has all types of vegetation — from those that grow in forests to those that thrive in grasslands and mangroves, so it can really supply seedlings even for various types of location,” he added. SBMA forester Patrick Escusa, meanwhile, said that Ecology Center personnel are currently gathering seeds and seedlings from a mini-park right at Subic’s central business district. “So far, we have Narra and Bani seedlings from our mini-park here, and after this, we’ll also collect socalled ‘wildings’ — or seedlings that have sprouted from fallen seeds — at residential areas in the zone,” he said. The collected seedlings are carefully transplanted into seedling bags, and then cared for at the SBMA nursery until they’re ready for distribution. The NGP aims to reforest 100,000 hectares with 100 million seedlings this year; 200,000 hectares with 200 million seedlings in 2012; and 300,000 hectares with 300 million seedlings annually for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Half of the total number of seedlings to be planted would be forest tree species for timber production and forest protection purposes. The other half will consist of tree species used in agro-forestry sites conducive to growing cash crops and fruits. Environment Secretary Ramon Jesus Paje said that a key feature of the NGP is to correct certain gaps in past reforestation undertakings that “usually were concentrated in areas that were most convenient to (planters) without regard to whether the tree seedlings planted will thrive in those areas.” “What we really want are healthy and mature 1.5 billion trees. We want trees we can take care of, not just numbers,” Paje added. Garcia said the SBMA would be willing to supply a huge chunk of the seedling requirements for NGP projects in Central Luzon. He added that the SBMA had previously provided seedlings for reforestation projects in neighboring communities upon request from local government units, schools and people’s organizations. 12
In the News Bataan Techno Park to upgrade communication services soon The Bataan Technology Park (BTP) will soon undergo a massive makeover in terms of communication and power services to be able to cope with the increasing demands of its growing family of corporate locators. Talks are underway between the BCDA and leading communication service providers SMART and Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) on one hand, and with Subic EnerZone (SEZ) on the other hand, with a view to improving the communication and energy facilities of BTP. Bataan Technology Park, Inc., a subsidiary of BCDA, manages the 365-hectare BTP located within the Morong Special Economic Zone. BTP was once the site of the Philippine Refugee Processing Center, which offered friendship, hope, and new beginnings to around 400,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Now, it is a developing business hub in Morong, Bataan. Top executives of BCDA led by chairman Felicito Payumo met last week with PLDT Alpha Enterprise’s Corporate Relationship Business Group chief for North Luzon Dennis Magbatoc, along with representatives of the various BTP locators, to pave the way for the BTP systems upgrading project. The meeting was held to discuss the timeline and method for improving the telecommunication system within BTP. These upgrades are being done to bolster services provided by the current SMART cell site in Morong, Bataan. “With nine locators already doing business (at BTP), and more coming in, it is essential that reliable networking and internet options can be used as soon as possible,” Payumo stressed. “Until a proper connection is put in place next year, we will beef up the bandwidth capability of this cell site to compensate for the lack of connectivity in BTP,” said Magbatoc. Meanwhile, the PLDT would collaborate with SEZ in putting up to telephone lines whithin the area. The BCDA tapped SEZ, an Aboitiz-owned electric distribution utility servicing the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, to provide the power requirements of BTP. Aside from establishing the network connection by early next year, Magbatoc said that they would also construct a node to reinforce the BTP’s communications capability through the PLDT-SMART facilities. “We are confident that our current and future locators will be pleased with the services and options available to them, once the communications network in BTP is fully upgraded,” said BCDA president and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova. Magbatoc said the PLDT-SMART network would operate at full capacity, comparable to that in Subic and Clark, within one to two years. Standard rates would be applied for all networking services, minus VAT, since BTP is located within the Morong Special Economic Zone, which is a VAT-exempt growth area. 13
- Page 1 and 2: News &Views at the Base Official Pu
- Page 3 and 4: In the News BCDA seeks JICA nod to
- Page 5 and 6: p lines up lopment projects ntified
- Page 7 and 8: In the News Raised by Heroes By Mar
- Page 9 and 10: In the News BCDA wrote Secretary Ro
- Page 11: Freeport / Ecozone News Garment fir
- Page 15 and 16: In the News BCDA AND DND DISCUSS AF
In the News<br />
Bataan Techno Park to<br />
upgrade communication<br />
services soon<br />
The Bataan Technology Park (BTP) will soon undergo a massive makeover in terms of<br />
communication and power services to be able to cope with the increasing demands of<br />
its growing family of corporate locators.<br />
Talks are underway between the BCDA and leading<br />
communication service providers SMART and Philippine<br />
Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) on one hand, and with<br />
Subic EnerZone (SEZ) on the other hand, with a view to<br />
improving the communication and energy facilities of BTP.<br />
Bataan Technology Park, Inc., a subsidiary of<br />
BCDA, manages the 365-hectare BTP located within the<br />
Morong Special Economic Zone. BTP was once the site of<br />
the Philippine Refugee Processing Center, which offered<br />
friendship, hope, and new beginnings to around 400,000<br />
refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Now, it is a<br />
developing business hub in Morong, Bataan.<br />
Top executives of BCDA led by chairman Felicito<br />
Payumo met last week with PLDT Alpha Enterprise’s<br />
Corporate Relationship Business Group chief for North<br />
Luzon Dennis Magbatoc, along with representatives of the<br />
various BTP locators, to pave the way for the BTP systems<br />
upgrading project.<br />
The meeting was held to discuss the timeline and<br />
method for improving the telecommunication system<br />
within BTP. These upgrades are being done to bolster<br />
services provided by the current SMART cell site in Morong,<br />
Bataan.<br />
“With nine locators already doing business (at BTP),<br />
and more coming in, it is essential that reliable networking<br />
and internet options can be used as soon as possible,”<br />
Payumo stressed.<br />
“Until a proper connection is put in place next<br />
year, we will beef up the bandwidth capability of this cell<br />
site to compensate for the lack of connectivity in BTP,” said<br />
Magbatoc.<br />
Meanwhile, the PLDT would collaborate with SEZ<br />
in putting up to telephone lines whithin the area.<br />
The BCDA tapped SEZ, an Aboitiz-owned electric<br />
distribution utility servicing the Subic Bay Freeport Zone,<br />
to provide the power requirements of BTP.<br />
Aside from establishing the network connection<br />
by early next year, Magbatoc said that they would also<br />
construct a node to reinforce the BTP’s communications<br />
capability through the PLDT-SMART facilities.<br />
“We are confident that our current and future<br />
locators will be pleased with the services and options<br />
available to them, once the communications network in<br />
BTP is fully upgraded,” said BCDA president and CEO Arnel<br />
Paciano D. Casanova.<br />
Magbatoc said the PLDT-SMART network would<br />
operate at full capacity, comparable to that in Subic and<br />
Clark, within one to two years. Standard rates would be<br />
applied for all networking services, minus VAT, since BTP is<br />
located within the Morong Special Economic Zone, which is<br />
a VAT-exempt growth area.<br />
13
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