Newsletter_Nov-Dec 2012 Save PDF - Philippines Bases ...

In the NewsPHL creates buzz in LondonFreeport Zone ConFabThe Philippines created a buzz among participants of the recently concluded 2012 WorldFreeport Zone Convention with the successful conversion and transformation of former USmilitary facilities into thriving freeports and special economic zones according to BasesConversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova.Casanova presented before the internationaldelegation BCDA’s mandate and the history on howBCDA was created—spawned from the economicdownturn caused by the series of coup d’etat duringthe Cory Administration, the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, theBaguio earthquake, and the exodus of the US. Militaryfrom the Clark, Subic and other US facilities.“The response was overwhelming, there werea number of interested investors who expressed theirinterest on how they could replicate our successfulconversion of the former U.S. military bases into enginesof growth for national development,” Casanova said.Casanova also said he had a lengthy discussionwith Egypt’s Minister for Investment Osama Saleh on thetransition of Egypt into a democratic form of governmentand how Egypt can learn from the Philippine experience.Casanova added that Minister Saleh also expressedhis keen interest in the successful conversion of the USMilitary Bases in the Philippines that played a major rolein jump starting the Philippine economy following theexit of the Americans and the damage brought about theseries coup d’ etat and the major natural disasters thataffected the country.Aside from Casanova, other keynote speakersof the international conference include: Dr. SupachaiPanitchpakdi, Secretary-General, UNCTAD, Geneva,Switzerland; Rt. Hon. Michael Fallon, Minister forBusiness and Enterprise, UK; H.E. Sheikh Lubna,Minister of the Economy, Government of the U.A.E.;Dr. L.B. Singhal, Additional Director of Foreign Trade,Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Delhi, India; Hon.Osama Saleh, Minister for Investment, Egypt; Hon.Costis Hatzidakis, Minister of Development, Governmentof Greece; Professor Keller Easterling, Yale Schoolof Architecture, USA; Mr. Rodrigo Rival Melhado,Permanent Mission to El Salvador to WTO, Geneva,Switzerland; and Alejandro Jara, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization.T h e t w o - d a y L o n d o n - b a s e d i n t e r n a t i o n a lconference and exhibition was held at The Grange CityHotel from December 12-13, 2012. Among those whoattended were representatives and users of zonesparticularly transnational corporations (TNCs); zoneauthorities and government ministries; investmentpromotion agencies (national and regional); internationalorganizations with an interest in zone development;investors considering overseas location strategies;banks and international trading houses; zone developersand promoters; real estate and infrastructure companies;consultants, economists and strategists; suppliers ofservices to zones; and industrial parks and sciencehubs.BCDA President and CEO Atty. Arnel Paciano D. Casanova as he presents BCDA’s mandate during the 2012 World Free ZoneConvention in London.3

In the NewsConsensus forged between BCDA/JHMC and John Hay villagers onbarangay segregation issueAconsensus was forged between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority(BCDA) and its implementing arm, the John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC) and residentsof 14 barangays within the former military facility towards the pursuit of their shareddreams for a better quality of life for the people of Baguio in particular, and the entire Cordilleraregion and other areas in the North.BCDA president and chief executive officerArnel Paciano D. Casanova, along with JHMC chairSilvestre C. Afable Jr. and JHMC president and CEOJamie Eloise Agbayani expressed deep gratitudefor the John Hay villagers who have pledgedcooperation with the government in fast-tracking thesegregation of their respective barangays from JohnHay Reservation.Afable gave assurances that barangaysegregation is being implemented in accordance withPresident Aquino’s thrust of adhering to the ideals oftransparency and good governance or “tuwid na daan”(straight path) and “kayo ang aming boss” (the peopleare to be served).“We are for segregation because it is the rightfulthing to do, (but) we need to have a sense of community,security, unity and home,” Afable stressed.During a consultative meeting held at BarangayScout Barrio, several barangay officials and theirconstituents said they were happy to see a light to theirseemingly endless wait to have a titled property they maytruly call their own.Such feeling of optimism and relief among thevillagers arose from assurances by the BCDA and JHMCtop executives that they are committed to segregate the14 barangays, and would like the process to be completedwithin the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino IIIwhich ends in 2016.During the meeting, both Casanova andAgbayani announced that the relocation, structural andutility surveys in the concerned barangays commencedon October 5, 2012, and has completed the latter twosurveys in five (5) barangays within the two-week period.The survey is expected to be completed in Decemberof this year.Casanova, himself a lawyer, explained that theaward of the individual titles to the legitimate residentswould be done in “transparent, fair, and legal process.”“This will take some time as there are laws to beobserved notably the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, theUrban Development and Housing Act (UDHA), and RepublicAct 7227 also known the Bases Conversion Act.Casanova hinted that the entire process would bedone in stages, adding that after the survey and vetting ofthe data gathered, the government expects to identify thelegitimate settlers entitled to the respective lots they occupy,and stated that the “professional informal settlers would beprosecuted for unduly enriching themselves at the expenseof the government and the deserving occupants.”The grant of the individual titles was deemed muchfaster and more logical than the wholesale turnover ofthe so-called ancestral lands as proposed by the NationalCommission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and certainpolitical quarters.The NCIP will request their engineer to assist thecontracted surveyor for the six (6) barangays with ancestralland and domain titles, and will carry out the survey withtransparency and proper coordination and consultation withthe legitimate indigenous peoples.Casanova also said after the validation ofclaims have been completed, he would recommend theissuance of an executive order by the President, pavingthe way for the eventual release of the land titles to theresidents.Inspired by the success of the consultations, theBCDA and JHMC officials vowed that there would be moreof such forums where the concerns of the residents andlegitimate occupants of the 13 barangays within the JohnHay Reservation may be discussed and appropriatelyaddressed.7

In the NewsBCDA cleared of libelcharges; Made “fair and truereport” says ProsecutorDirectors of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the editors ofthe Philippine Daily Inquirer have been cleared of the libel charges filed by Camp JohnHay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo) in connection with a BCDA-published Noticeon CJHDevCo’s questionable business practices at the BCDA–administered John Hay SpecialEconomic Zone.Also included in the BCDA-published Notice wasthe estafa case BCDA filed against CJHDevCo.BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer ArnelPaciano D. Casanova welcomed the dismissal of the libelcharges and said the BCDA board of directors will alwayswork for the interest and protection of the government andthe public.“We stand by the rule of law and, with the samedetermination and vigor, we will continue to rid the ‘cultureof impunity’ in the government-owned property John HaySpecial Economic Zone,” Casanova said.In his 17-page resolution, Acting City Prosecutorfor Baguio City Elmer Surot ruled that the published noticehardly qualified as defamatory, “much more malicious”. Hestated that the notice was made in furtherance of the publictrust reposed upon BCDA Directors and was supported bypublic records.The BCDA executives cleared of the charges wereBCDA Board of Directors Felicito C. Payumo, Arnel PacianoCasanova, Zorayda C. Alonzo, Teresita A. Desierto, Ma.Aurora Geotina-Garcia, Ferdinand S. Golez, Elmar M.Gomez, Maximo L. Sangil. Also cleared were PhilippineDaily Inquirer (PDI) VP for Advertising Felipe Olarte, PDIBusiness Editor Raul Marcelo, and PDI Assistant BusinessEditor Corrie Narisma.The City Prosecutor found nothing defamatoryabout the published material as these were fair and truereports of facts, that indeed BCDA filed an estafa complaintagainst CJHDevCo for having previously sold a propertyeventually used as payment to government.Further, the resolution stated that it was a fact thatthe Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB)issued a notice of violation against CJHDevco last 14 March2012, that CJHDevCo paid its shareholders dividends in theyears it claimed losses and asked to defer rental paymentsto government; and that there are recorded complaints ofbusiness malpractices of CJHDevCo within Camp JohnHay. “A close reading of the articles clearly showed thatrespondents were just stating a fair and true report of (thefacts),” stated the resolution.The resolution further stated that the statementsmade by the BCDA directors were made to protect thecorporation and the investing public. The Prosecutoragreed that as a government agency, BCDA is justified tomake such statements. Such call is an exception to thepresumption that every defamatory imputation is deemedmalicious since it is “a fair and true report made in good faithwithout any comments or remarks … of [an] act performedby public officers in the exercise of their functions.”Since the notice contained statements basedon public records and communications, this can hardlyconsidered to have been made under reckless disregard ofwhether they are false or not, said Prosecutor Surot.Last 10 April 2012, BCDA published a “Notice toall owners, lessees and buyers in Camp John Hay”. TheNotice was made to inform the public of the pending estafacase which BCDA filed against CJHDevCo and of thequestionable business practices within Camp John Hay.The published material disclosed that CJHDevCo paid itsshareholders P928 Million in the same years it refused topay lease rentals to government allegedly because it issuffering business losses.Also contained in the publication was a report that theHLURB issued a notice of violation to CJHDevco for selling lotswithin Camp John Hay without the necessary HLURB permits.To date, the CJHDevCo has continuously refusedto pay the government its lease rentals for occupying andoperating Camp John Hay. Its rental delinquencies nowtotal more than P3 billion.8

In the NewsTowards further development:JHMC to shore up shuttle servicealongside airport operationJohn Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)Jamie Eloise M. Agbayani stated that once the San Fernando Airport is operational the PoroPoint Management Corporation (PPMC) and the JHMC will bolster the first-class shuttleservice from Poro Point in La Union to Baguio City. This was expressed after the Stakeholders’Meeting on the San Fernando Airport redevelopment project headed by the Bases Conversionand Development Authority (BCDA) and PPMC last November 15 in San Fernando City, La Union.At the moment, there is shuttle service which isbeing provided by the Thunderbird Resorts. Agbayaniassured that PPMC and JHMC will provide additionalshuttle services based on the demands as the airport steerscommercial flights anew.“Our major challenge in the City of Baguio isits accessibility,” the JHMC President and CEO cited.According to Agbayani, this is the problem that the airport inPoro Point, as well as the shuttle service from Poro Point toBaguio City, will help resolve. “The airport, once operational,will not only benefit Baguio City and La Union, it will alsoboost trade, commerce, and tourism in Region 1 and theCordillera Administrative Region (CAR),” she added.Agbayani also expressed optimism towards theBCDA projects. She shared, “We are working closely withBCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Arnel PacianoD. Casanova and the members of The BCDA Group, whichfor the first time under Casanova’s leadership, synergized theseven (7) subsidiaries as catalysts for national developmentthrough good corporate governance.”Apart from working with the City of Baguio, JHMChas tied-up with the PPMC for its events, such as the SillagFestival of La Union (Festival of Lights) and Baguio City’sPanagbenga Festival (Flower Festival).JHMC is likewise collaborating with the PhilippineEconomic Zone Authority (PEZA) of Baguio whichgenerates about 2.8 billion US dollars in exports per yearfrom the 28 multinational and local companies such as theBusiness Processing Outsourcing companies (BPOs) whichinclude the three (3) Sitel Facilities and Agro-IndustrialManufacturing Facilities like Texas Instruments with about3,500 employees and MOOG Controls, among others.InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) which is the reservationfacility for seven (7) hotel brands like Holiday Inn andInterCon Hotel, and 4,500 hotel chains in 100 countries. IHGprovides about 30% of the employment inside the JHSEZ.Agbayani emphasized that majority of the employeesof the said companies are local residents of the BLISTTarea (Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba andTublay) as required by the JHMC and in compliance to itscommitment to the City for job generation.Investors continue to put up their businesses withinthe economic zone because of the 5% tax incentives asagainst the 30% tax applied outside the special economiczone. From 78 locators in 2011, there are now 99 businessestablishments in the John Hay Special Economic Zone(JHSEZ).However, Agbayani believes that more investorswill come when an airport is in close proximity to JHSEZ.Hence, a shuttle service that will comfortably bring peopleto the city is needed. “The expats do not want to travel sixhours or more to go to Baguio City,” she said.PPMC and JHMC together with the other five (5)subsidiaries of the BCDA comprising The BCDA Group fullysupport the redevelopment of the San Fernando Airport as itis deemed that this will enhance tourism, and the economicgrowth of Northern Luzon. The BCDA Group is composedof JHMC, PPMC, BCDA Management and Holdings, Inc.(BMHI), Clark Development Corporation (CDC), ClarkInternational Airport Corporation (CIAC), Bataan TechnologyPark, Inc., and North Luzon Railways, Inc.The John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) hascontinued to maintain its investor friendly climate with thedevelopment of the Ayala Techno Hub having Convergy’sand 37 fully operational retail shops. The renewal of thelease agreement between the BCDA-JHMC and the10Panagbenga Festival inBaguio City.Sillag Festival of Lights inPoro Point, La Union.

In the NewsGMA-7, BCDA PLANT 1,500TREES ALONG SCTEXAround 100 volunteers, represented by officialsand employees of the GMA-7 Network particularly theGMA G.I.V.E.S. (Guide. Interact. Volunteer. Educate.and Serve) and the Bases Conversion and DevelopmentAuthority (BCDA) took part in a tree planting activityalong the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) last24 November 2012.Some 1,500 indigenous saplings consisting ofBanaba, Kamagong, Kupang, and Bulung Aita wereplanted by the volunteers along the country’s mostmodern and longest expressway.BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D.Casanova welcomed the partnership forged with GMA-7to improve the quality of air along the SCTEX.He said the trees will absorb the pollutiongenerated by thousands of vehicles plying the SCTEXand will make the air we breathe cleaner and healthieraside from the fact that trees add tremendous beauty tothe SCTEX scenery.“The saplings that will be planted will form thecarbon sink which in turn will help reduce the carbonfootprint emitted by the vehicles plying the SCTEX,”Casanova said, adding that it takes 10 trees to absorbthe carbon emissions of one vehicle.Leading the GMA-7 volunteers was AssistantVice President Corporate Affairs Ma. Teresa Pacis. TheSCTEX interim service provider, Tollways ManagementCorporation (TMC), assisted in the tree planting activity.In 2008, the BCDA launched a five-year treeplanting program called the SCTEX Greening Programthat aimed to plant 50,000 trees in five years. The treeplanting program forges partnerships with corporationsand various organizations to adopt a kilometer of the 94-km stretch of the SCTEX for planting trees.To date, the BCDA together with its partnershave planted some 65,000 seedlings along the SCTEXand has already surpassed its target by 30 percent.Among the objectives of the greening programare: to promote the preservation of indigenous treespecies; to foster a healthier ecology along theexpressway and; to enhance the toll road’s aestheticvalue.13

In the NewsBCDA Board Members, finalistat the Asia’s CEO AwardsThe Bases Conversion and Development Authority is the lone government representative in agroup of finalists made up of the private sector during the recently held Asia’s CEO Awards at thePerforming Arts Theater in Newport Mall, in Pasay City.Photo below shows (from left) BCDA CorporateSecretary Atty. Peter Paul Andrew T. Flores, BCDAPublic Relations Officer III Maricar Savella-Villamil, BCDAVice Chairman and President & CEO Arnel Paciano D.Casanova, BCDA Board Director Aurora Geotina-Garcia,BCDA Chairman Payumo and wife Daisy, BCDA BoardDirectors Atty. Teresita A. Desierto, Elmar M. Gomez,Zorayda Amelia C. Alonzo and Vice Admiral Ferdinand S.Golez (Ret). Not in photo is Director Maximo L. Sangil. TheBCDA Board has the daunting mandate, under RepublicAct 7227, of accelerating the conversion into productiveeconomic uses of the former US military bases in Clarkand Subic, and their extensions in Camp John Hay andPoro Point. These conversions are funded through thesale and dispositions of Metro Manila camps, such as FortBonifacio and the Villamor Air Base, while also contributinga large portion of the proceeds to the Armed Forces ofthe Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program. The worldclassSubic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) is alsoa BCDA project that connects the Subic Seaport andClark International Airport thereby creating a Globalgateway for the efficient movement of people, goodsand services within Central Luzon and neighboringregions, an advantage valued by the locators in thisage of just-in-time production and delivery. Amongthe upcoming projects of the BCDA are the elevatedMonorail to address the traffic problems in the CBDsof Makati, Bonifacio Global City and Newport City up toNAIA III, and the Clark Green City—practically a newcity half the size of Metro Manila to rise in Clark.14

In the NewsENVIRONMENTALSYMPOSIUM IN HONOR OFSLAIN BOTANISTAn environmental symposium on biodiversity and cultures of the Bataan National Park wasconducted on December 10, 2012 in honor of slain Botanist Leonardo Co held at the SinagtalaSocial Hall, Barangay Tala, Orani, Bataan.The symposium is among the activities organizedby the Bases Conversion and Development Authority(BCDA) and the Bataan-based environmental activistgroup Mga Bayani ng Kalikasan to preserve the forests ofthe Bataan National Park that is being threatened of forestdenudation by kaingeros and illegal loggers.Kananga, Leyte in November 15, 2010 while searching forindigenous tree species for a corporate forest restorationproject. A Flora Adventue Hunt inside the Bataan NationalPark, named also in memory of Leonard Co, was heldin March this year. About 300 participants attended theevent.BCDA Chairman Felicito C. Payumo presentedthe plans for eco-restoration and biodiversity conservationof Bataan National Park while Ms. Imelda Sarmientodiscussed the importance of using indigenous species intree planting.Chairman Payumo said, “This activity is part ofBCDA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programin communities traversed by our flagship project, theSubic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). In building thiscritical infrastructure, it is also BCDA’s responsibility toensure that we protect and preserve the environment inthe areas where we operate.”Students from Bataan Polytechnic State College eagerly listened asBCDA Chairman Felicito Payumo gives his welcome remarks.Scientists and academicians from the Universityof the Philippines will give lectures to participantscoming from the Department of Environment and NaturalResources (DENR), Local Government Units (LGUs),Bantay Kalikasan groups, students, priests, and concernedcitizens of Bataan and Central Luzon.Among the lecturers of the symposium includeDr. Fernando Siringan, Professor, Marine ScienceInstitute, UP Diliman; Dr. Nelson M. Pampolina, Chair,Forest Biological Sciences, College of Forestry & NaturalResources, UP Los Baños; Mr. Joseph Salonga, Elder& Konsehal ng Magbukun Ayta sa Kanawan, Binaritan,Morong Bataan; Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz, National Scientist &President, National Research Council of the Philippines;and Dr. Antonio Carandang, Director of ForestDevelopment Center, UP Los Baños.Botanist Leonardo Co spent one month inside theBataan National Park with Ayta guides where he collectedand eventually compiled into a catalogue the flora of theBataan National Park. He was killed in an alleged crossfirebetween the Philippine Army and an armed group inBataan Polytechnic State College students pose for a souvenirphoto with BCDA Chairman Felicito Payumo after the symposium.BCDA Chairman Felicito Payumo (seated in center) together withthe speakers and partners for the bio-diversity symposium.15

REFUGEE BOAT AT BATAAN BUSINESS AND LEISURE PARKFormerly called the Bataan Technology Park, this 365-hectare property is once the site of the Philippine RefugeeProcessing Center, which offered friendship, hope and new beginnings to some 400,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laosand Cambodia. The Bataan Business and Leisure Park houses 11 symbolic monuments and shrines constructed by theformer Indo-Chinese refugees and a library museum where this rustic boat can be found. This wooden boat was usedby refugees to escape political, social and economic persecution in their home countries, these refugees dared to crossdangerous seas aboard these feeble vessels.In March 1997, the entire municipality of Morong was proclaimed as the Morong Special Economic Zone (MSEZ), withthe Bataan Business and Leisure Park as its Main Zone.source: http://www.bcda.gov.ph