Subic bay news vol 12 no 48 20.00Php Tapas Bar and Restaurant 2nd Floor Subic Gas Bldg 724, Dewey Avenue, Subic Bay Freeport Zone PCC - Fulbright Philippines Partnership to Boost Business Competitiveness and Innovation Manila — On December 20, Philip- pine-American Educational Foundation Honorary Board Chairperson and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim and Philippine Competition Com- mission (PCC) Chairperson Arsenio M. Balisacan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a new staff development program on competition law and policy. This new partnership between PCC and the Phil- ippine-American Educational Founda- tion (PAEF, also known as the Fulbright Commission in the Philippines) will build the skills, knowledge, and capabil- ities of Filipinos working at PCC, Office of the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, and National Economic and De- velopment Authority. At the signing, Ambassador Kim expressed his strong support for the new partnership, “One of the most important endeavors for the Embassy … is investing in the development of the Philippines’ human capital. This new partnership Philippine-American Educational Foundation Honorary Board Chairperson and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. between PCC and Fulbright does exactly Kim and Philippine Competition Commission Chairperson Arsenio M. Balisacan signed a Memorandum of Understanding that: builds Filipino capacity in compe- (MOU) to establish a new staff development program on competition law and policy. see PCC Partners,page 02 Record High Number of Workers in Bataan Freeport in 2019 MARIVELES, Bataan --The Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) here has recorded a new high in terms of the number of direct worAkers projected to reach 46,000 by the end of this year. FAB chairman Emmanuel Pineda said Friday as oAf October 2019, the num- ber of workers grew to 45,020 compared to 12,777 when FAB took over from the Bataan EconoAmic Zone in 2010. from the management and staff of Subic Bay News FAB was formerly the Bataan Export Processing Zone, the first export zone estab- lished in the country in the 1970s. “We are proud of the rate of reg- 100 fiberglass boats from DA-BFAR ularization in employment going on in FAB enterprises. From about 5,000 regular work- ers in 2010, there are now 26,760 regulars to Zambales fisherfolks or 57 percent of the present total number of workers,” Pineda said. SUBIC, Zambales -- The Department of Agriculture’s “Each and every one of these work- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA- ers is a crucial part of FAB’s success. I have BFAR) in Central Luzon has distributed some 100 fi- no doubt in my heart the success the free- berglass reinforced plastic boats worth PHP4.5 mil- port has attained and will continue to attain lion to fisherfolks in Zambales. is due largely to our hard-working manpow- er,” he added. BFAR regional director Wilfredo Cruz, togeth- The record showed that 73.7 per- er with Representative Jeffrey Khonghun of the first cent of the workers reside in Mariveles while district of Zambales, led the distribution of fiberglass the rest from either the other towns of Bata- boats to the 200 recipients at the Subic Fish Port in an at 14.07 percent or 12.2 percent outside Barangay Baraca-Camachile here on Thursday. the province. The recipients of the 20-footer fiberglass-re- The number of workers consider- ably increased with the number of enter- inforced boats with complete set underwater fitting/ prises operating in FAB now registering at accessories were the marginalized fisherfolks from 141 from only 39 multi-national firms left in the towns of Subic and San Marcelino and Olongapo the zone almost 10 years ago, Pineda said. City. Of the present registered enterpris- The boat distribution is part of an existing es, 57 are Filipino-owned, 11 Korean, eight livelihood assistance program of the DA-BFAR's FB British while the rest are Chinese, Japanese, American, German, Taiwanese, Bahrainese, Pagbabago tagged as "Bangka Mo, Gawa Mo”, with French, Polish, Sri Lankan and Pakistani. fishermen provided with livelihood assistance and They are into manufacturing, infor- ASSISTANCE TO FISHERFOLK. Fishermen from the towns of Subic, San training on fabrication, maintenance, and repair of mation and communication, wholesale and Marcelino, and Olongapo City show their certificate of ownership of the boats as well. retail trade, accommodation and food ser- the fiberglass reinforced plastic boats distributed by the Department “It is also our vision to build cooperativism vice, estate development and management, of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) among our fisherfolk in order to encourage commu- power generation and utilities. in Central Luzon on Thursday (Dec. 19, 2019). BFAR regional director nity development,” Cruz said. Others are in administrative and Wilfredo Cruz (center, standing), leads the distribution of the 100 units support activities, arts entertainment, and of fiberglass boats to marginalized fisherfolk. (Photo courtesy of DA- Each fiberglass boat will be shared by two recreation tourism and health and social BFAR 3) recipients to make sure the unit will be well-main- work activities. (PNA) tained. (PNA) Subic Bay News www.subicbaynews.com 02 DA-Central Luzon steps up measures vs. fall armyworm CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, itoring of the presence of Pampanga -- The Depart- pests and diseases,” he said. ment of Agriculture Region- Meanwhile, Nelson al Field Office 3 (DA RFO 3) Bautista, DA RFO3 region- is recommending strength- al technical director, said a ening of pest surveillance team has been directed to and management activities utilize the available materials to deal with the threat of in conducting intensive sur- fall armyworm (FAW). veillance and provide control Based on the report measures in containing the of DA-Regional Crop Pro- pest-occurrence in farm-corn tection Center (RCPC), 12 areas. sightings were verified with Evergilio Aquino, fall armyworm infestation in FAW task force coordinator, Central Luzon, particularly said the RCPC and the task in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and force team are continuously Pampanga. FAW is an inva- conducting information cam- sive species causing damage paigns in rural areas among to crops, mostly corn. farmers to promote aware- Edgardo Supan, of- ness on the threat of the ficer-in-charge of the RCPC, pest. said based on their valida- “Fall armyworm is an tion most of the affected invasive moth and prefers to areas in the region were va- eat maize specifically the hy- rietal techno-demo farm by brid and open-pollinated va- FALL ARMYWORM. Fall armyworm, an invasive species which causes damage to crops, mostly corn, has seed companies and private rieties (OPV) corn but possi- been sighted in some areas in Central Luzon, particularly in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Pam- institutions. bly feeds on onion and other panga. The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office steps up measures to deal with the threat of “Crop damage could crops,” Aquino added. (PNA) fall armyworm in the region. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 3) be avoided through mon- Bataan bishop urges San Jose del Monte City sets world people to be record in Nativity scene Christ-like to all Jose del Monte. The city’s lone district Rep. Florida Robes expressed elation over the setting of the new world record, saying it is a testament to the unity and commitment of the people of San Jose del Monte to achieve a feat. “It took us around six months to prepare for this event. The process was so te- dious because the Guinness Book of World Records had strict requirements. But with the perseverance of our peo- ple, we made it and we are very happy,” Robes said. Robes and her hus- band, incumbent Mayor Arthur Robes, also participated in the Nativity scene as shepherds Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Balanga in Bataan. GUINNESS RECORD. Swapnil Dangarikar, official adjudicator of the Guinness Book who came to honor the birth of (File photo by Ernie Esconde) of World Records (6th from right), formally announces the new Guinness world Jesus Christ. record set by the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan for having the most number Robes added that the BALANGA CITY, Bataan -- The bishop of the Diocese of living figures in a Nativity scene on Friday (Dec. 20, 2019). It was the second Nativity scene was chosen be- of Balanga has shared his Yuletide reflection with the Guinness world record for the city -- the first was the largest lantern parade held cause of the innate religiosity Catholic faithful and urged everyone to be Christ-like on Sept. 19, 2017, with 14,173 lantern-bearing participants. (Photo courtesy of of the people of San Jose del to all and not simply wish others a "Merry Christmas". the CSJDM PIO) Monte. Bishop Ruperto Santos said Christmas means to celebrate and commemorate the birth of Jesus who, he CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan -- A new Guin- It was also in accordance with the recent Apos- tolic Letter of the Pope encouraging Catholics to display said was born "to us and for us". ness world record was established in this city on Fri- “Jesus was given to us as God’s gift so that His day for having the most number of living figures join- the Nativity scene in their homes and in other public places. divine plan of saving us would be fulfilled," he said. ing a Nativity scene. “So let our life be the birthplace of Jesus. Let It was the second Guinness world record for our heart be his manger, our house to be his home. the City of San Jose del Monte, the first being the larg- “We felt that we were being blessed because a few days ago, Pope Francis said in his apostolic letter With that, Jesus is with us.