IBA, Zambales: Making good to his promise and barely
a month into office, Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. has issued
is first order to freeze all small scale mining operation and
quarrying operation in the province.
Ebdane cancelled all 110 mining and quarry permits issued by the previous administration.
(Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. during his mining inspection in the town of San Marcelino, Zambales)
He explained that he decided to cancel all the permits to enable
strict enforcement of environmental safeguards among mining and
quarrying firms, as well as the proper collection of fees for the local
coffers.
“Effective immediately, I am cancelling all mining and quarrying
permits issued in the province of Zambales,” Ebdane said. “Our review
shows that there are deficiencies, misrepresentation of facts, and
obvious violations of the mining law, and we must take the hard step to
make things right.”
During his inauguration in Iba last June 30, Ebdane told reporters
that he will be asking for a review of all the mining permits and will
come out with a decision to suspend or let it go.
The governor also formed a review committee to review the permitting
process and gave them one month to come out with their recommendations.
A total of 98 small-scale mining and 12 quarrying operations had
previously given the go-signal from the former administration of former
governor Amor Deloso.
Chromites, magnetite or black sand, copper, talc, nickel and gold are
on a few minirals being extracted in the province while armored rock
and sand are among the most quarried in Zambales.
Large scale mining companies however were spared from the order since
they get permits from the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR).
Ebdane meanwhile said that they will also review the operation of the
large scale mining. “While they get their permits from the national
office of the DENR, we can still insist that their operations should
strictly conform to environmental requirements,” he added.
“We have set our sights on boosting tourism, agriculture, mining, as
well as providing better opportunities in education, health and other
basic services,” Ebdane said. “What I am on the lookout for are the
funds and resources for the programs that we need to get going to
jump-start our growth agenda.”
He added that aside from the province’s internal-revenue allotment,
the mining industry would be a good source of revenue for the province.
IBA, Zambales — Former public works Secretary Hermogenes
Ebdane Jr. took his oath of office here Wednesday as governor of Zambales
before a huge crowd of political supporters and community officials who packed
the grounds at the Iba capitol.
(Honor guards stand in front of the Capitol of Iba during the inaugural ceremony of Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. Wednesday. Photo by Anthony Bayarong) He was sworn into office by RTC Judge Josefina D. Farrales, who also swore in other elected officials of the province. A political neophyte, Ebdane ran in the recent election against veteran politician Amor Deloso, who first served as OIC governor in 1986 and later won four terms, sitting as elected governor in 1988 to 1998, and again in 2007 to 2010. Ebdane, who won by a landslide in the May 10.In his inaugural address, Ebdane challenged Zambales officials, as well as residents, to rally to the call for change and progress, reminding them that the development of the province is everyone’s concern.
Running under the Lapiang Manggagawa (Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka) party, Ebdane gained broad support among the electorate with his political cry of purposive change and development for all.
Philippine Independence Day 2010 Anniversary Regatta Subic Bay
The Philippine Independence Day Anniversary Regatta in Subic Bay
started as a very local sailing affair 
organised by and for members of
the Saturday Afternoon Gentlemen Sailors (SAGS) – a motley band of
sailing enthusiasts who wanted to sail in Subic Bay despite the
challenges posed by fickle yacht club rules and the weather. They just
went out and did it.
Significantly supported by Jun Avecilla’s Lighthouse Marina Resort
Hotel, the Philippine Independence Day Regatta is now the best
off-season competitive sailing event in the Philippines, and possibly
the best in Asia in June.
We refer to an “off-season” but the sailing never really stops in the
Philippines - it’s just a question of which way the wind is blowing and
the potential for rain? And, if you are going to have a potentially-wet
Independence Day Regatta, then there are few better places to hold it
than in Subic Bay. Subic Bay opens to the sea to the southwest and,
during June (through to early September), the southwest monsoon (locally
= Habagat) is building its power over Equator Asia and pushing
northeast, with moisture laden clouds. If the southwest monsoon has not
yet set in (quite possible in mid-June) then the alternative is sunshine
over the rice fields of Pampanga almost guarantees local on-shore
sailing breezes throughout much of the day.
LIVELIHOOD PRIORITY OF MAYOR BONG
The
promotion of livelihood for Olongapeños is one of the projects that
Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr.
focuses on as part of his “HELPS
Program,” the letter "L" standing for Livelihood and labor.With
the full support of First Lady and Zambales Vice Gov. Anne Marie
Gordon, Mayor Bong Gordon wants to strengthen ‘self-employment’ and
address both unemployment and underemployment, thus the creation of the
Livelihood Cooperative Development Office (LCDO).The projects
of the LCDO includes the ‘Gawang Gapo Product Exhibit’. ‘Gawang Gapo’
provides budding entrepreneurs the opportunity to display and sell
their products at the lobby of the City Hall. In 2009, over sixty (60)
exhibitors availed of the chance to showcase their products.Also,
over one thousand (1,000) residents benefitted from the Livelihood
Skills Training given by the LCDO like fish processing, fruit preserves
making, herbal soap-making, balloon decorating, scented candle making,
fashion accessories making and many others.
“Huwag lamang tayong
umasa na maging empleyado sa mahabang panahon. Kailangan na tayo ang
mag may-ari ng negosyo. “Kahit magsimula muna sa maliit na puhunan
lamang,’’ Mayor Gordon said to the employees of the local government.
Meanwhile,
First Lady Anne Marie Gordon herself directs and monitors the
implementation of the livelihood and self-employment initiatives of
Mayor Gordon to ensure success.
“Karaniwan sa mga dumadalo sa
aming mga trainings ay ang mga maybahay, asawa ng mga OFWs at mga
walang trabaho,” LCDO head Aileen Sanchez said. “Hindi lang basta
skills ang itinuturo namin kundi pati mga tagubilin sa aspetong
administrasyon, operational at pinansyal ng pagne-negosyo,” she said.
Apart
from the skills seminars, the local government also assists Olongapeños
coordinate with banks and other financial institutions for the capital
they need to start up a business.
Mayor Gordon’s livelihood initiatives is expected to continue on through 2010 and thereafter.
MANILA, Philippines—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard have signed an agreement that will bolster maritime safety within the Freeport, in a bid to encourage more investors to locate there.SBMA chair Feliciano Salonga called the agreement timely, considering that
more and more companies have been bringing their ships to Subic, instead of other ports in the country for repair and other services.The Subic Bay area is home to Korean shipbuilder Hanjin, as well as to the shi
p repair facilities of Subic Dock. The Philippine Shipping and Engineering Co. is also undergoing expansion in the area."We will deploy some of our vessels in Subic Bay to assist the SBMA in implementing maritime safety and humanitarian operations within and in contiguous areas of Subic Freeport,'' Coast Guard Commandant Wilfredo Tamayo said.
Source: Inquirer.net
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is clearly on the move to capture a larger share of the growing outbound tourist 
market worldwide with its aggressive tourism promotion program and the continuous development of tourism facilities in this free port.
SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said Subic's tourism thrust will be boosted further when the free port hosts the 8th Philippine Incentive Marketing Conference (PIMC) this April.
"This is an event institutionalized in 1994 by the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC), and the Movement of Incentive Travel Executives (MITE) to continually upgrade the standards and quality of services of existing tourism facilities and services in the country," explained Arreza.Figures from the SBMA Tourism Department indicate that the number of foreign and local tourists increased considerably over the last two years. Source: SubiwNewsLink
‘Water Bonsai’, ProudlyY “Gawang Gapo”
Source: SubicBayNews
Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. recently acknowledged before the city government officials and employees Edwin Dela Torre who introduced to the city the ‘Water Bonsai Plant’ technology during the flag raising ceremony held at the Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Covered Court.
Dela Torre hails from General Santos in Mindanao and settled in Olongapo in 1989. Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. recently acknowledged before the city government officials and employees Edwin Dela Torre who introduced to the city the ‘Water Bonsai Plant’ technology during the flag raising ceremony held at the Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Covered Court.
Dela Torre hails from General Santos in Mindanao and settled in Olongapo in 1989.
“Dati nag-aalaga lang ako, isa, dalawa, natutuwa lang ako na tingnan, nadiscover ko ito noong 2006 . Itong November ay nafeature nga itong Water Bonsai sa ‘Gawang Gapo’ ni Mayor Gordon,” Dela Torre said.
Dela Torre’s ‘Water Bonsai Plant’ was featured at the Gawang Gapo Booth of the city on November 17-21, 2008.
ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda featured Dela Torre’s product on December 4, 2008 where Dela Torre introduced the water bonsai plant to the viewers of the show with program hosts Donita Rose and Edu Manzano.
“Ang ‘Water Bonsai’ ay di lamang simpleng tanim, pwede rin itong gawing decorasyon sa bahay at panregalo sa mga kaibigan,” Dela Torre added.
“Ang kilalang ‘Bonsai Plant’ ay kalimitang tumutubo sa paso, ngunit itong ‘water bonsai’ ay nabubuhay sa pamamagitan ng ‘formulated mineral water’ , kahit hindi maarawan ay tutubo ito sa tubig lamang,” Dela Torre explained.
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