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EcoWaste Coalition: True Radiance Comes from Within, Not from Skin Lightening Products with Mercury
23 March 2024, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition, which has been tracking mercury in skin-lightening cosmetics in the Philippines since 2011, reiterated its support for the global effort to put an end to the persistent production, trade, and consumption of racist beauty products with mercury content that claim to whiten the skin and deal with other.....»»
2GO ready for holiday load
2GO, the Philippines’ largest transportation and logistics solutions provider and part of SM Investments Corporation, has strategically prepared major hubs outside Metro Manila to meet the rising holiday season demand for cargo and delivery movements. This strategic endeavor aligns with 2GO’s dedication to advancing local business and catalyzing industries while optimizing operational efficiency and service excellence for its clients. “As the country’s largest logistics service provider, we embrace the philosophy of readiness regardless of season. Anticipating the increase in logistics movement during this joyous time of year, we consistently invest in supply chain preparedness by establishing a foothold in our hubs and maintaining a capable workforce. We prioritize customer satisfaction and continue to deliver on our commitments to our customers and partners, ensuring success regardless of the season,” said Frederic C. DyBuncio, president and CEO of 2GO. 2GO is dedicated to fortifying its network of strategic hubs across key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The company’s logistical product portfolio was made to serve a purpose to a diverse client base. In addition to the service portfolio is the LCL shipside services, a tailored service representing an expedited Less than Container-Load offering. This pioneering solution is operational in its Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro hubs. LCL services continue to be offered in 2GO’s network of 17 vital ports of call, which serve as pivotal gateways for both dry goods and temperature-controlled cargo. Its clientele includes top domestic and international FMCGs, manufacturers, distributors, industrials and agricultural businesses, covering a wide range of industries across the nation. With LCL, 2GO extends logistics support to MSMEs and entrepreneurs, ensuring that businesses of all sizes benefit from our comprehensive solutions. 2GO visited Clark and Subic in Central Luzon, Cebu City in Central Visayas and Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao, to strengthen main trade hubs across the country that serve as central points for consolidating and distributing goods. Building its presence in these strategic locations allows 2GO to move deliveries faster for industries, businesses and for personal deliveries. Faye Alonzo, business unit head for Express and Forwarding, shares that “2GO has embarked on a proactive initiative to collaborate with key stakeholders in important logistical regions across the Philippines. Reinforcing our presence in major gateways not only provides us with efficient forwarding and cargo services but helps our partners and clients increase market reach, find more opportunities, and bridge logistical requirements.” 2GO’s comprehensive logistics services include transport via cargo forwarding via air, land and sea to key strategic hubs nationwide to ensure efficient service coverage. Actively serving over 33,000 barangays, 2GO offers logistics solutions to a wide range of businesses and communities throughout the country. The post 2GO ready for holiday load appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rethink tax
How does the Philippines attract more foreign investment? Last week, big business groups, including the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and investors inside Clark and Subic freeports, appeal the review and amendment of pertinent rules issued by the tax bureau to preserve the original intent of the Create Act. According to the group, the IRR and the BIR issuances “effectively stopped” the enjoyment of the tax incentive and other fiscal perks, as some investor firms are now levied with VAT and other taxes. The group cited data from the World Bank, which showed that the Philippines only account for 5 percent of the total average foreign direct investment in the Asean (2011-2021) while neighbors like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam account for 53 percent, 11 percent, 11 percent, 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively. They warned that, if the issue is not resolved, the Philippines’ ranking in global competitiveness might further slide down. In fact, Taiwanese businesses inside Clark and Subic freeports have been appealing to the authorities about these benefits issue for some time. As it is widely known, while Filipinos have high English proficiency, high electricity rates, poor infrastructure, transportation systems inadequacy, supply-chain shortages and lack of tax incentives are among the issues businesses are facing in the Philippines. Vietnam and Singapore have been top investment destinations for Taiwanese companies in the Asean. It is estimated that the overall volume of investment from Taiwan to the Philippines is only 1/16 of overall Taiwanese investment in Vietnam. To create a more amiable environment for FDI, it takes the government to be more determined to invest in infrastructure projects and address these pressing issues with all-out effort. In recent months, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., referred to as “the sacred mountain” that protects Taiwan, has declared several investment plans in the US, Japan and Germany. These projects have raised global attention and it is worth noting that the German government reportedly will contribute up to €5 billion (P306 billion) to the European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company plant in Dresden, Germany, which will be 70-percent owned by TSMC, with German multinational engineering and technology company Bosch, German semiconductor manufacturer Infineon and Dutch semiconductor designer and manufacturer NXP each holding 10 percent equity stake. German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle reports that the reason TSMC chose Dresden to build the factory is most likely because of the cluster effect. Dresden is the capital city of the German state of Saxony where it has been the epicenter of chip production in Europe. It is reported that every third semiconductor made in Europe comes from Saxony. The region also benefits from the presence of prominent research institutes and universities to provide talents, such as Fraunhofer and Technical University Dresden, one of the foremost technical institutions in Germany. Simply put, while investment incentives are not something required for companies when they make decisions to invest in a certain country, it does play a significant role and the authorities have to consider how much they want to attract foreign investment and use these critical tools wisely. The post Rethink tax appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EEI touts rail deals done within 5 yrs
The construction arm of the Yuchengco Group, EEI Corporation has announced that new and current infrastructure and property development projects are awaiting completion, with the company’s aim to dominate the industry. In a statement, the company said that among the big-ticket projects it has lined up include the most recently awarded South Commuter Railway Project Package 7 which involves the construction of a 24-hectare depot in Banlic, Laguna that will support the operation of the 18-station rail project. The project is seen to improve and provide affordable, reliable, and safe public transport that will connect to all existing Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit lines in Metro Manila, including a connecting tunnel to allow the operation of direct trains from Calamba to stations on the future Metro Manila Subway system. The depot was awarded to the joint venture of Lotte (Korea), Gulermak (Turkey) and EEI and is set to be completed within five years. The Malolos-Clark Railway Project or MCRP Package 4 is another major EEI project that involves the construction of a 6.5 kilometers double-track railway with elevated, grade and underground sections. “Being one of the premier construction companies in the Philippines, EEI will continue to contribute to the economic growth and nation-building, shaping Philippine landscapes and communities through infrastructure, industrial, power, and property projects. We will aggressively pursue and deliver projects that will provide quality and safe living and workspaces and facilities for the people,” EEI president and chief executive officer Henry Antonio declares. The key components of the project are one underground station (Clark International Airport Station), one road underpass, a 1.2 km Depot Trackway line and a 3.8 km Service Road. The project was awarded to EEI’s joint venture with Acciona (Spain) and is expected to be completed within three years. EEI is also involved in MCRP Package 5 as a subcontractor of POSCO doing the majority of the earthworks, integral bridges, drainages, utilities, and perimeter walls. In congruence with the MCRP is the construction of the San Fernando Station, a part of Contract Package 2, in San Fernando, Pampanga. EEI serves as the subcontractor of Acciona and Daelim Joint Venture for this work package. EEI’s scope includes concreting works and supply, fabrication and installation of structural steel and is set to be completed in less than a year and a half. Flagship Metro Manila subway Another key infrastructure project is the Metro Manila Subway Project, in which the work package was awarded to the joint venture Shimizu Corp., Fujita Corp., Takenaka Civil Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd., and EEI Corporation involving the first 7.3-km section of the subway project comprising three stations namely Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora and North Avenue as well as the Depot and the Philippine Railway Institute Building in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela. For the project, EEI is supplying supervisory personnel and skilled workers on the Tunnel Boring Machine operations. This gives the opportunity to EEI and its employees to showcase its expertise and competitiveness in the international market. This joint venture is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2027. Also ongoing is the MMSP Phase I contract package for the construction of the Cut and Cover sections of the project located in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City. EEI scope shall be excavations and construction of reinforced concrete structures intended for the U-box and Cut and Cover sections of the subway track. The project will be completed in two years. Property remains core EEI is also working on high-rise buildings and properties such as The Grand Midori Ortigas Tower 2 and The Seasons Residences Tower D. The Grand Midori Ortigas Tower 2 is a 34-floor residential building development in Ortigas Center. The firm’s scope includes structural, architectural and plumbing works for Tower 2 and is set to be completed within three years. The other property development in the works is The Seasons Residences Tower D, a 55-floor residential building development in Taguig City with EEI’s scope covering civil, structural, architectural and MEPF (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection) works. The project is expected to be done within three years. EEI also bagged the Ecozone Properties Inc. project which involves the installation of process piping, utility piping and equipment as well as the completion of a storage tank farm facility and utility tanks at the Special Economic Zone in Bauan, Batangas. The piping and tank works are set to be completed in six months. EEI is also installing the additional piping works of the Natura and Premium Plant located in First Industrial Township Batangas. The post EEI touts rail deals done within 5 yrs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service
If life were a train, then Michael Ted Macapagal’s has been quite a ride. Raised by a labor leader and human rights lawyer father who served the people of Olongapo, including the workers of the US American Base in Subic, Michael Ted Macapagal had always wanted to become a public servant. It took Ted, though, a long journey to reach his goal, first achieving success in the insurance field in the United States where he lived for 20 years starting in 1991. Today, he is the chairman of the Philippine National Railways, a position “that allows me to make a difference in the lives of my countrymen,” he shared during his recent visit to the Daily Tribune office in Makati. Ted, good-looking and affable, proudly spoke of a father, his namesake, Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal who, early on, exposed his son to a firsthand view of a gentleman who looked beyond himself and his personal interests, and instead dedicated his career to protecting the common man and bettering their lot. The elder Ted served as a city councilor for 10 years. In 1984, he ran for the Batasang Pambansa, and in the late 1980s, for city mayor. “In all these electoral processes, I was involved and saw for myself how my father related to the people. He was a sincere man who helped them in the best way he could. He provided free legal services to those in need,” Ted recounted. Ted grew up in Olongapo, his place of birth. It was in the neighboring province of Pampanga, though, at the Don Bosco Institute in Bacolor town, where he first studied, but he eventually returned home to Olongapo, where he finished high school at the St. Columban. Aiming to become a lawyer, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where he majored in History, which he intended as his pre-law course. Not unexpectedly, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi, his father’s fraternity. He also joined rallies where he stood with those who wanted the retention of US bases in the Philippines, in keeping with the sentiments of his townsmen. “It was the one concern where the whole of Olongapo was united,” he recalled, “because the people’s livelihood was connected to the base and the American presence in the community.” As a lawyer who specialized in labor, his father himself handled cases for the base employees. In 1988, his father lost his mayoralty bid in Olongapo. He fought against his fraternity brother, Richard Gordon. Actually, the two had been fighting it out for decades. “Olongapo became too small for them,” shared Ted. “A vivid memory to me to this day was the night I cried after my father lost. I was heartbroken because, for the most part of my life, I saw him give his all to the people. Throughout all those years, I just loved assisting my father. I followed him whenever he visited his constituents. I was a witness to everything that happened to him, his conflict with his political adversary and the loyalty of the people who believed in him and saw in him the man who would change the face of politics in our city.” The elder Macapagal became OIC-Mayor in 1986, but only two months after he received his appointment from the new president because the incumbent mayor did not easily give up his post which he was required to vacate under the new revolutionary government. “The next local election was the most expensive political exercise that our family ever waged,” Ted recounted. “It was then that my father decided that I pursue a new life in the United States, away from politics back home. “All the while, my heart never left the Philippines. Even before I left, I promised myself I would return to continue what my father started.” First non-white president Ted stayed in San Francisco for 20 long years. He had a tough time at the beginning of his new life. “I started off doing odd jobs. I worked as a security guard, janitor and waiter in a pizza parlor. “I also guarded the heavy equipment in a construction site in San Francisco. Thievery was a problem in that kind of situation. We would sleep in a trailer. “I transferred to a construction firm because I found out it offered a bigger salary. But I didn’t know the technical aspects of construction. Once, I made a portable ladder, but it fell apart, for which I was scolded by the owner of the company. I was fired on my third day on the job. Too bad because it paid high.” Ted then decided to pursue another degree, one that would be more useful in the United States. He took up Human Resource Management, a four-year course at the University of California in Berkeley. When he finally entered the corporate world, his first job was as a clerk. It wasn’t long before he became Division President of Stewart Title Company, one of the largest underwriters in the world, with offices across the United States, and in some 80 countries around the globe. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I may have been the first non-white president,” he said. “And I was a division president for the whole of North America. I was the first Filipino to reach that level.” Of his trailblazing accomplishments, he shared, “I was able to bring cultural diversity to the company, which enhanced its value. I got the top post because I asked for a meeting with the president. I told him we were not diverse enough to appeal to the non-white clients, and there were many of them who were first-time home buyers. Then, I told him to make the rounds. He would see that none of the home buyers was white. They were of different ethnic groups. I told him that if he appointed me as vice president, I would give him multi-cultural buyers because I would appeal to them and they would be our first-time buyers. So, he appointed me, and one month later, he made me president.” As an adjunct, he lectured on the topic of title insurance and escrow procedures in several community colleges in and around the San Franciso Bay Area. Through it all, he chose to keep his Filipino citizenship. The ‘Railway President’ For all the successes he was enjoying, the Philippines beckoned. He felt he still had a mission to accomplish. “My father was surprised. He asked me why I would still want to go home when I was doing well in the States. I insisted, so I came back and I plunged into political life. I worked on difficult campaigns, like the one for Rodrigo Duterte.” Back to his first love and passion, the political arena, he was in his element and served as president of PDP LABAN in Olongapo City from 2016 to 2021. In 2022, he joined LAKAS-CMD as its local chairman. This engagement led to his original target, as his father had achieved in his lifetime — serving the people. This time, he would be appointed to key posts in the government. He became director of the Clark Board and Gulf Oil Philippines. He took his oath of office as chairman of the Philippine National Railways on 28 April 2023. It is a job in a government agency where he is confident “I could make a difference because I can see that President Bongbong Marcos is really intent on improving the railway system of the country. “On my part, I want to make a difference. I want to be able to contribute whatever I can to help the president to achieve that objective. I call him now the ‘Railway President’ because I consider him the father of the railway system in our country.” Of course, he noted that many plans have been formulated during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte. Moreover, he recognized that President Gloria Arroyo “navigated our country through the global crisis. I was in the United States when the global economic crisis happened, and the Philippines was one of the countries spared, and I give credit to her. The economic fundamentals were very strong during her time. Being an economist, she was there at the right time when the country needed her the most.” With President BBM at the helm, he is confident “we will be able to push through with our development plan and finish the projects we have started, like the North-South Commuter Railway, which is a 147-kilometer stretch from Clark to Laguna. We hope to have the dry run in 2026 and it will be fully operational in 2027.” He also looks forward to the completion of the Bicol South Long Haul project. He is equally hopeful for the North Long Haul, the Subic-Clark and the Mindanao railways. He clarified that “we are now talking with the proponents, while some negotiations are being undertaken.” Working boots and a hard hat It would seem that this successful insurance executive was out of place in the railway sector. He pointed out, though, that “coming from the outside, I have the technical advantage of being able to look outside the box. So, I’m looking at it from outside the box, looking in. I am able to see the problems that need to be fixed. Stoppage is one of the problems so we have a bus augmentation program. We will also deploy UV Express units. We are closely coordinating with the LTFRB to provide emergency alternative transportation.” On the other hand, his exposure to people of all backgrounds from his youth, being his father’s son, has given him the advantage of “knowing how it is to be one of the boys. Something that I also experienced in the United States. “When people ask me what my management style is, I tell them straight I like to go down to the ground. I like hands-on supervision. I want my hands to be dirty. If you open the trunk of my car, you will find my working boots and my hard hat. I enjoy going to the construction sites and seeing for myself the progress, the problems, whatever it is that needs to be attended to. “Finally I want those working in the field doing the most difficult tasks to be satisfied and never to be hungry. Gusto ko, busog sila lagi. I am not happy when I get invited by the constructors and I am honored with a feast-like lunch or dinner, and not knowing what the workers are eating. I am on a diet anyway, so I make sure that my hosts bring the food to where the workers are eating. I can only eat so much and I would rather that the workers and the staff are full and happy. I am vocal about my displeasure when the construction workers are not eating the same food that is served to me. I may not be able to invite them to where I am eating but I can have the food brought to them.” Smiling from heaven Without a doubt, the old man Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal is smiling happily from his heavenly perch. He had served his fellowmen well, but he had done right as well by raising a son who took after his heart, to whom service to the people and compassion for the less fortunate matter more than any personal gain. His father, according to Ted, “died a broken man at the young age of 63. But whatever he lacked in longevity and riches, he made up for it with his compassion for others, for the free legal services that he gave to the people of Olongapo. “If you didn’t have money, you went to him because he was generous with his time and expertise. He would even give you some cash to use for your transportation fare to go home. That was my father. “The people whom he helped in turn would come to our home and bring him gifts like eggs, fruits, fish, vegetables and native chickens that they raised in their backyards. My father accepted them all. When I came home and saw all this, I teased him and said that he should probably open a sari-sari store so he could resell them. “Of course, we had a good laugh. But beyond the laughter, we both knew in our hearts that doing good to one’s fellowmen is its own reward and nothing in this world can take the place of personal fulfillment for having put a smile on people’s faces because you somehow made their lives better. “I am grateful that I have been raised by such a great father.” The post Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PNR: Massive train projects drive growth
State-owned railway company Philippine National Railway or PNR said the massive pipeline of train projects will not just offer convenience to commuters, but it will also help the economy trim the revenue losses due to traffic congestion, especially in Metro Manila. “Our commuters deserve to experience the luxury of riding on a train safely and comfortably. Aside from that, improving our train systems will also ease daily traffic,” PNR chairman Michael Ted R. Macapagal said in an interview at Straight Talk on Tuesday, an online show of the Daily Tribune. “The economy loses billions of pesos in traffic in Metro Manila daily. But the President, with the help of the Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, will push to revolutionize the entire transportation system in the country. The Philippines will be different in five to six years,” Macapagal explained. According to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, about P3.5 billion is lost daily due to the congested Metro Manila roads. Citing projections by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the economic losses could balloon to P5.4 billion daily by 2035 if the gridlock issues will be unresolved. In his second State of the National Address on Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. bared that the DoTr will take on railway projects with a total length of more than 1,000 kilometers. The pipeline includes the following: PNR North Long Haul, 853 kilometers; Panay Railway, 100 kilometers; North Mindanao Railway, 54 kilometers; and San Mateo Railway, 17 kilometers. According to Bautista, all of these projects have secured funding to initiate feasibility studies. He said procurement is now ongoing for consultancy firms to create the feasibility studies for the rail projects lined up by the administration. “We initiated several railway projects, with a total length of more than 1,000 kilometers,” the President said. “Roads, bridges, and mass transport systems will be interconnected. This network will provide access and passage to vital and bustling economic markets, such as agriculture hubs, tourism sites, and key business districts,” Bautista said. PNR North Long Haul will be composed of four phases: Clark-La Union, La Union-Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Sur-Ilocos Norte and Cagayan Valley. It is envisioned to link strategic infrastructure, logistic system, and economic zones such as the Clark Freeport Zone, Poro Point Freeport Zone, Laoag International Airport, Port Irene, and Cagayan North International Airport (Lal-lo Airport). The Panay Railway project seeks to establish a modern and efficient railway system across the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo. The railway will serve as a vital link between major cities, towns, and economic hubs, facilitating the movement of goods, services, and people. Northern Mindanao Project, meanwhile, involves the financing, design, construction and operations, and maintenance of a 54.8-kilometer high-capacity, initially inter-city passenger railway system that will span across the highly urbanized city of Cagayan de Oro, connecting the Municipalities of Laguindingan and Villanueva, Misamis Oriental. San Mateo Railway is aimed to be built as a 17-km feeder railway line that connects LRT Line 2 to the municipalities of San Mateo and Rodriguez in the Rizal province. The post PNR: Massive train projects drive growth appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Aussie firm building $10-M battery plant
To help support the country’s renewable energy transition drive, an Australia-based investment firm is pouring in an initial $10 million to locally build a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant that can generate as much as 1.2 gigawatt-hours, or GWh capacity by the end of the decade. St Baker Energy Innovation Fund or StBEIF announced on Monday that the project — dubbed StB Giga-Factory — will be located in a free-trade zone at the Filinvest Innovation Park, New Clark City. The company signed a five-year renewable lease with FCGC Corporation, a subsidiary of full-range property developer Filinvest Land Inc., for two ready-built factory units — each measuring 2,500 square meters in gross leasable area. In an interview on Monday, StBEIF founder and director Trevor St. Baker said the facility will produce lithium-ion phosphate battery packs, which can store energy backup for solar PV in millions of homes and larger premises. St. Baker also noted that the batteries can support the public electric vehicle fast charging stations as well as batteries for small vehicles. Lithium-ion plays pivotal role “StB Giga-Factory is positioned to capture the once-in-a-century transition towards a renewable energy electricity system, in which lithium-ion batteries are expected to play a pivotal role,” St. Baker said. St. Baker noted that the company targets to start commercial production by the last quarter of 2024 with an initial output of 150MWh per annum. By 2030, when it reaches its full first-stage production, the facility can boast a 1.2 GWh capacity, which will be marketed into a global battery energy storage system, or BESS. Based on the demand forecast by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the international BESS market is expected to expand to 1,432 GWh by 2030, from the current 69GWh installed capacity. During the construction of the facility, approximately 150 Filipino engineering, technical, finance, and administrative job opportunities will open. The post Aussie firm building $10-M battery plant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gatchalian slams accredited POGO for employing foreign fugitives
Senator Win Gatchalian on Monday slammed an accredited Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator service provider, Xinchuang Network Technology, operating in Las Piñas City for employing foreign fugitives. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation had earlier issued a cancellation of POGO business permit against the Xinchuang Network Technology following a raid on 26 June due to its illegal operations. "This is yet another evidence that the POGO industry is deeply entrenched in criminal activities. It is clear that even legitimate POGO can be involved in crime," Gatchalian said, citing that it’s the second time in a month that a POGO company has been implicated in criminal activities. Gatchalian also noted that the entrapment operation was carried out on 27 June in Pasay City against foreign nationals involved in kidnap-for-ransom and torture, some of whom were former POGO employees. “This also marks the second occurrence in just two months where an accredited POGO service provider has been implicated in criminality,” he said. In May, CGC Technologies Inc. — also a POGO-accredited service provider — operating in the raided Sunvalley Clark Hub Corporation in Pampanga was found to have employed fugitives engaged in human trafficking and other forms of online scams. Gatchalian said the employment of fugitives by licensed POGOs and accredited service providers “only shows that the industry” has no regard for the rule of law. "This proves that POGO industry players are merely using their licenses as a front while perpetrating various crimes in the country," he added. “When foreign fugitives, it means that they have arrest warrants in another country. They should be in jail, but they are here in the country and working. My point is, let's not accept businesses that will damage us because based on data and police reports, POGOs always bring crime. And as long as POGOs are there, crime is still rampant in the country,” the senator pressed on. The post Gatchalian slams accredited POGO for employing foreign fugitives appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Manila Water pushes expansion program
Manila Water Company Inc., led by tycoon Enrique K. Razon Jr., will expand the local and international footprint of its business and services through partnerships and acquisitions. In an interview with reporters on Thursday, Manila Water chief administrative officer and head for international business Roberto Jose Locsin reiterated that the company “is on the right track” on its planned expansions. “There is a deliberate approach for expansion both domestically and abroad. In the Philippines, we would like to focus on highly-dense populations or the secondary and tertiary cities,” Locsin said. “We have conversations with LGUs (local government units) all across the country. I can’t mention anything specific because a lot of this is still under discussion,” he said. Locsin noted that Manila Water is particularly interested in pouring money into local water districts large enough to also promise good investment returns. The company pursues expansions through its subsidiary Manila Water Philippine Ventures, which has water services units serving Laguna, Boracay Island, Clark, Cebu, Zamboanga City and Tagum City. As for international expansion, Locsin said Manila Water aims to have a presence in areas where Razon’s International Container Services Inc. ports are located. Overseas foray next goal Overseas, Manila Water will focus on concession-based businesses under build-operate-own, build-operate-transfer, or public-private partnership bulk water supply schemes. “We have a very strong capability in industrial through our estate water business in the Philippines. Replicating that and consolidating that allows us to talk to a lot of people,” Locsin added. Manila Water is the East Zone concessionaire that provides water distribution and sewerage services in the East Zone which spans the cities of Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, most parts of Quezon City, portions of Manila; as well as the towns of Angono, Antipolo, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jala-Jala, Morong, Pililia, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Tanay, Taytay, and Teresa in Rizal province. The post Manila Water pushes expansion program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Central Luzon: Burgeoning industrial hotspot
AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. strengthens its foothold in Central Luzon with Pampanga Technopark. The 270-hectare development is the first master-planned agro-industrial township in this region. The development will be home to manufacturing and logistics locators, a bagsakan or agricultural wholesale market and commercial-retail spaces for the township’s social and recreational activities. With 270 hectares of gross land area, Pampanga Technopark will serve as a mixed-use development. Currently, phases 1 and 2 are registered with the Board of Investments as Domestic Industrial Zones, with phase 3 lined up next. With shopping, dining and recreational spaces soon to rise in Pampanga Technopark, the development is designed to bring lifestyle experiences to the communities working and residing within or around the area. Pampanga Technopark is allotting 2,000 sqm of gross leasable area across over 30 retail spaces featuring homegrown Kapampangan restaurants, plus several retail and service merchants. On top of this, lots are also available for commercial uses such as shops and outlets, medical centers, offices, co-working spaces, business hotels and more. There will also be a variety of quick service restaurants and a gas station for motorists. Moreover, Pampanga Technopark will be a new location of a bagsakan (agricultural wholesale market) which will be complemented by ALLHC’s ALogis and ALogis Artico facilities, all slated for completion within the first half of 2024. The ALogis ready-built facilities will span 8,000 sqm of warehouse space, while ALogis Artico cold storage will feature 5,000 pallet positions with temperature ranging from 10°C to -20°C. The bagsakan will cover 3,000 sqm of space, offering both wholesale and retail of agricultural produce and local products within the marketplace. All components will support the agriculture supply value chain in Luzon. Accessibility and convenience Located in Mabalacat City, one of the biggest transportation hubs in Central Luzon, Pampanga Technopark will be accessible through various major road networks including the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and MacArthur Highway. Additionally, the North-South Commuter Railway project will soon connect the existing Tutuban (Manila) Station to Clark, thereby contributing to the city’s economic progress. Pampanga Technopark is poised to serve as a gateway to the international markets. Strategically located near major infrastructures, it is approximately 30 minutes away from Clark International Airport and an hour away from Subic Bay International Terminal. The upcoming New Manila International Airport will be roughly an hour away from the development. A sustainable development For many years, ALLHC has been a trusted industrial real estate company for creating sustainable environments that support businesses. The soon-to-rise Pampanga Technopark bears with it the promise of connecting commerce and communities. As a dynamic center for business and leisure activity, Pampanga Technopark ensures pedestrian mobility and transit connectivity with allocated sidewalks throughout the township and an easily-accessible public transport terminal serving both in-city and regional transit routes. Helping improve the property’s resilience to environmental stress and geohazards are native trees to be used for landscaping, five detention ponds serving as spaces for rainwater absorption and green and open spaces including a dedicated 1.2-hectare park area. Countryside development ALLHC aims to build its national footprint by being in 10 key areas by 2025, creating a network of industrial and logistics developments by following the key road infrastructure and the nautical highway. “We will introduce a modern food terminal and this will be supported by our cold storage and dry warehouse facilities. Farmers from Northern Luzon and all over Central Luzon can bring their produce here, and we can preserve and store them with the proper facilities. We hope this would help all the farmers and our supply chain,” shared ALLHC president and chief executive officer Jose Emmanuel H. Jalandoni. He added, “What is happening here in Pampanga Technopark is a new township. Industrial park, agro hub, commercial, retail — beneficial to all Pampangueños. Through Pampanga Technopark, we are committed to work together to create employment opportunities for all Filipinos.” BOI executive director for Investment Promotion Services Evariste M. Cagatan stated, “ALLHC has been a steadfast partner of the BOI in providing location options for potential investors, and our partnership has been proven effective in matching investment-ready locations to our local and foreign investors. We are very excited with this project as it shows support in the government’s proactive stance to promote economic activities outside of Metro Manila. There has never been a better place and a better time to make it happen in the Philippines, and this time, we will make it happen right here in Pampanga.” The post Central Luzon: Burgeoning industrial hotspot appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PNR fields buses during train break
The Department of Transportation has directed the Philippine National Railways to provide an alternative means of transportation for commuters who will be affected when the trains stop operation on 2 July to make way for the construction of the P873.62-billion North-South Commuter Railway. PNR chairperson Michael Ted Macapagal said on orders of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, he is coordinating closely with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to ensure timely implementation of the bus augmentation plan. Under that plan, LTFRB will approve the franchise of additional buses plying the roads on the affected train routes. It is estimated that 30,000 people ride the trains that pass through Malabon, Tutuban, Sta. Mesa, Makati, Alabang and Calamba. The number was much bigger — 70,000 — before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. According to Macapagal, the original proposal was to relocate the tracks so that the trains could continue operation even while construction is underway. Expensive tracks relocation The proposal was shelved because that would cost P4 billion and disrupt the progress of the civil works project. The DoTr chief wanted to adhere strictly to the five-year timetable, Macapagal said. Barely a year in office, Bautista has seen 12 contracts bid out and awarded. The contracts have an average cost of P20 billion each. Macapagal noted the speed with which DoTr implements the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is unprecedented. “Observers on the economic front attribute it to the fact that Secretary Bautista is no politician,” Macapagal said. “He used to move in the corporate world. It is his nature to hurry things up, once convinced he is on the right path. It helps that he has the support of the business community.” NSCR will run for 147 kilometers, from Clark in Pampanga to Metro Manila and, finally, to Calamba City in Laguna. Once the project is completed, PNR will be able to ferry 800,000 passengers everyday safely and in comfort. Travel time on the entire length of the railway system will be cut in half, from four hours to two hours. ‘Observers on the economic front attribute it to the fact that Secretary Bautista is no politician,’ Macapagal said. “He used to move in the corporate world. A total of 51 local train sets and seven express train sets will be deployed. The local trains load and unload passengers in each of the 35 stations, while the express trains are faster since they make fewer stops. Two Japanese firms, Sumitomo Corporation and Japan Transport Engineering Company, will supply the trains. The Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency are financing the project. The post PNR fields buses during train break appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl’s 100th Power Mac
Power Mac Center is celebrating its biggest milestone yet — the opening of its 100th location nationwide in the brand-new SM City Bataan. This store is an addition to the wide network of PMC and The Loop retail branches, as well as Mobile Care Service Centers nationwide. PMC’s strategic locations enable the company to provide the best Apple experience to all Filipinos wherever they are across the archipelago. “With every location we reach, we aim to make a home for communities that share our passion for technology and build great experiences for them. As we open our 100th home, we celebrate those communities and look forward to serving more in the future,” said Joey Alvarez, PMC director of product management and marketing. Established in 1994, Power Mac Center is a recognized Apple Premium Reseller, Apple Authorized Education Reseller, Apple Authorized Training Provider, and Apple Authorized Service Provider in the country. It also recently obtained “Apple Premium Partner” status, which is the global tech giant’s newest and highest distinction of reseller retail stores globally, with the opening of the Philippines’ first APP store in Power Plant Mall. PMC SM City Bataan at the Second Level Cyberzone is the second branch in the province and the seventh overall location in Central Luzon, following branches in SM City Pampanga, SM City Telabastagan, SM City Clark (Mobile Care service center), Vista Mall Bataan, SM City Olongapo Central and Harbor Point Mall. The post Phl’s 100th Power Mac appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PNR chief: P873-B Clark rail underway
Construction of the 147.26-kilometer or km North-South Commuter Railway Project from Clark in Pampanga to Metro Manila and then to Calamba City in Laguna has started, Michael Ted R. Macapagal, chairperson of the Philippine National Railways, said yesterday. The Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency are financing the P873.62-billion project. Acciona-DMCI and Leighton-First Balfor were awarded the contracts to undertake the construction of elevated rails for commuters and ground-level rails for freight. Three depots and 35 stations will be built along the way. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista attended the contract signing ceremony in Malacañang Palace on 27 April 2023. Two Japanese firms, Sumitomo Corporation and Japan Transport Engineering Company, will provide, initially, a fleet of 13 electric multiple units (trains) with 13 cars each for the train system. Once the project is completed, PNR will be able to ferry 800,000 passengers every day safely and in comfort. ‘Father of Phl railway’ Travel time on the entire length of the railway system will be cut in half, from four to two hours. That also applies to the movement of goods. Macapagal was appointed to his post on 2 May. After taking his oath of office before the DoTr chief, he remarked that Marcos will go down in history as “the father of the Philippine railway system.” Macapagal said he was grateful for having been given a role in the history-making process. The new PNR chair spent some time in the United States, where he worked for years as division president of Stewart Title Company of San Francisco Bay Area. The company is one of the largest underwriters in the world with offices all over the US and 80 other countries. The post PNR chief: P873-B Clark rail underway appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pampanga’s Best Western Plus redesigns for MICE tourism
The hotel industry shared the biggest burden from the lockdowns brought on by the two-year pandemic. This, however, forced hotel owners to redesign their facilities to cater to customers besides tourists. To appeal to more businesspeople, the four-star Best Western Plus hotel in Pampanga is upgrading into a lifestyle center and food destination. “The opening of the new wing of the Best Western Plus hotel came at the right time. We were building it and deciding almost every day as the pandemic unfolded. We had to decide, follow through and look past the pandemic,” Jack Uy, chairman and chief executive officer of Savers Group Holdings, Inc. told the Daily Tribune. Uy said the hotel is still being renovated to add retail shops after welcoming its first guests in March at the new wing with 186 rooms along MacArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City, Pampanga. [caption id="attachment_131550" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Presidential Suite.[/caption] He said the hotel has expanded through its lifestyle center, which occupies an entire building floor and features modern, luxurious and globally branded appliances and furniture for home, office and industrial. These cater to customer segments consisting of businesspeople and those in the middle to upper socioeconomic classes with more sophisticated tastes and combine business and leisure. “We call this our lifestyle center. People now shop because they build a lifestyle more than fulfilling a need. So, they’re not looking for just one or two items but everything that matches their lifestyles, from the appliance to the furniture,” Uy said. [caption id="attachment_131551" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Conference Room.[/caption] Uy said most of their guests, or 70 percent, are corporate executives and staff from local and multinational firms who gather for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibits tourism. “Unlike other provinces, Pampanga does not have a lot of natural attractions like the beaches in Boracay or Palawan. That’s why over half of our visitors check in because of company meetings, events and team-building activities. It helps that we’re located near the airport and Clark Freeport Zone, an economic zone.” Property consultancy Colliers Philippines said Pampanga housed 36 percent of all offices in the country’s provinces. Information technology and business process outsourcing firms expanded outside Metro Manila in the first quarter of this year. This industry is expected to grow further by eight percent to 10 percent each year, as the Philippines has emerged as the world’s top IT-BPO destination, according to US-based Nexford University. [caption id="attachment_131552" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Lobby.[/caption] Last year, Colliers reported the Philippine Economic Zone Authority identified 42 ecozones in Central Luzon, including Pampanga, as the location for biotech centers, defense industrial complexes, halal and food production hubs, and jewelry parks, among others. The move is part of the government’s Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028. The hotel also features several restaurants serving international cuisines: Mexican at Cactus Jack Smokehouse, Japanese at Namari, and Hong Kong at Legend. “Most people also visit Pampanga as the Culinary Capital of the Philippines. But we want our local and foreign guests to have as diverse experiences as possible,” Uy said. The post Pampanga’s Best Western Plus redesigns for MICE tourism appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Alleged traffickers no links with CDC
CLARK FREEPORT — The Clark Development Corporation’s Business Development and Business Enhancement Group on Sunday clarified that the Colorful and Leap Group Company is not a registered business enterprise of the agency. In a statement, the CDC said that the CLGP involved in the alleged human trafficking inside the Clark Freeport Zone is not a registered locater here. It added that the enforcement of the search warrant against CLGP, led by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, was made in the 2.5-hectare sub-leased premises of Sun Valley Clark Hub Corporation. SVCHC is a sub-lessee of Donggwang Clark Corporation II, a CDC registered business enterprise of a 300-hectare mixed-use development. “The sublease agreement between Donggwang and SVCHC was approved by CDC on 16 January 2019,” the statement said. The SVCHC has an approved business activity of “renting out office and business spaces as well as providing residential spaces to residents in the Clark area which includes improving and/or managing the properties and spaces by providing administrative, maintenance and security services to the tenants” as reflected in its CDC Certificate of Registration and Tax Exemption issued last 21 December 2021. “CDC shall wait for the official report of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and the Bureau of Immigration which shall bring to light additional information such as the names of the rescued victims of the alleged human trafficking and the perpetrators,” the agency said. To recall, a total of 1,163 foreign nationals and Filipinos were rescued by the authorities on Thursday night at the CLGP office inside the Clark Freeport Zone. The operation was carried out on 4 May 2023 at the Clark Sun Valley Hub, Jose Abad Santos Ave., Mabalacat City, Pampanga by the elements of the Anti-Cybercrime Group, Special Action Force and Intelligence Group together with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Bureau of Immigration and Interagency Council on Anti-Trafficking. The rescue operation resulted in the rescue of 1,090 individuals consisting of foreign nationals from Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar and Filipinos. According to the Philippine National Police, the rescued victims were forced into working for a fraudulent cyber-enabled industry, victimizing their fellow citizens. “We will continue to work closely with other agencies to ensure that those who engage in such heinous crimes are held accountable. We must all unite in this fight against human trafficking and help put an end to this inhumane practice,” said PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda. The rescued foreign nationals were documented for booking and possible deportation. Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao of the Regional Trial Court Branch 81 in Malolos City, Bulacan issued a warrant against the CLGP for violation of RA 10364. Meanwhile, CDC shall generate from its Electronic Visa Implementation System for Aliens database, the list of foreign nationals issued with special visas in favor of SVCHC to aid the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and the Bureau of Immigration in their respective investigation and eventual prosecution. With Mar Supnad. The post Alleged traffickers no links with CDC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mabalacat, Gwacheon eye exchanges
MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga — The local government here and the local government of Gwacheon City in South Korea has inked an agreement to provide and exchange economic and cultural aspects of the two cities. Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo and Gwacheon City Mayor Mayor Shin Gye Yang led the signing of the memorandum, with various business groups and sector representatives present to witness the event. Garbo said that these representatives have shown interest in investing in the city, including the development of manpower and providing education tourism in Mabalacat. During the visit to Gwacheon, Garbo paid a visit to a renewable energy innovative solution company for a demo and proceeded to meet with the officials of National Federation of Disaster Management and Relief. Mabalacat City College president Dr. Michelle Aguilar-Ong, who is part of the delegation, also signed a memorandum of understanding with NFDR for capability trainings. Garbo said that he wants to extend the partnership not just in the school level but also in the community. Garbo, who is also the MCC chairman, said that Gwacheon City’s community-driven approach to disaster preparedness is a good model for Mabalacat City. Garbo and his three-man delegation composed of the MCC president and international relation officer Sunny Han is set to meet with two more city Mayors, a congressman and potential investors in Clark and in the new 200 hectare techno park currently being built in Mabalacat City. Gwacheon City lies close to Seoul and has been serving as a second center of governmental complex. It is a home to various technological companies and wealthy neighborhood. The post Mabalacat, Gwacheon eye exchanges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The President’s hands
Last week, a Nasdaq-listed company, Envirotech Vehicles Inc., announced its plans to invest an initial $80 million in an electric vehicle manufacturing plant at the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga......»»
Banaag assumes VP post in Freight Co.
Clark Banaag assumed his post as vice president of operations in Arrow Freight Corp., a logistics warehouse and freight company based in Valenzuela City......»»
REAAA members inspect New Clark City facilities
REAAA members inspect New Clark City facilities.....»»
Davao Metro Shuttle declines offer to manage bus system
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — The Davao Metro Shuttle Corporation has declined the offer of the City Government of Davao to operate the Davao City Public Transport Modernization Project (DCPTMP), a public mass transportation project that will replace the jeepneys with buses, an executive of the bus company said. In an interview at […].....»»