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President Message Archive

A message from the SBFCC President is included in all issues of the SBFCC monthly newsletter. Below is a list of archived President's messages (latest to oldest).

Jun 2010 – The Subic Freeport, the Aquino Administration: What’s in Store?
May 2010 – The Hubs Subic and Clark: An Optimist’s View
Apr 2010 – Musings: Technology’s Unintended Negative Consequences
Mar 2010 – Elections: Extract ‘Em Planks Out
Feb 2010 – Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge Closure
Jan 2010 – Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Dec 2009 – Merry Christmas?
Nov 2009 – It's Halloween - Trick or Treat?
Oct 2009 – Busy Time for the Chamber
Sep 2009 – 2009-2010 SBFCC Election
Aug 2009 – Itching to be heard? Sound-off in our Forum!
Jul 2009 – Death by PowerPoint
Jun 2009 – Save SCTEX from Billboards
May 2009 – Complicated? Keep It Simple!
Apr 2009 – Facts and Timelines Regarding the Issues Surrounding the Supposed Cutting of Trees in an Alleged Urban Forest within the Subic Bay Freeport
Mar 2009 – Freeportopia
Feb 2009 – A bright and prosperous 2009 to everybody!

The Subic Freeport, the Aquino Administration: What’s in Store?

by Prof Danny Piano; June 2010 Issue

The developments of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) and the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) are two prime achievements of the Philippine national government. Since their conversion from military bases to investment destinations, the two freeports were able to attract foreign and domestic investments and generated massive employment. The SBFZ, with its seaport infrastructure, and the CSEZ, with its airport infrastructure, are a perfect logistical and transshipment hub combination.

For all intents and purposes, the Philippine 2010 elections is over. As of this writing, with more than five million votes ahead of Erap Estrada, Senator Noynoy Aquino can now be presumed the next President of the Philippines. So what should we, residents, locators, employees, and other stakeholders of the Subic Freeport, expect from the incoming Aquino administration?

Hard to tell, unfortunately. But we can make assumptions.

We can try using his platform of government but I do not think that will help much. The platforms of all the candidates are basically the same anyway, just as the platforms of all other candidates, in all government positions, since time immemorial. Nothing enormously wrong with that—they are trying to win the election after all; and it is not as if they are lying intentionally, I don’t think. He has not held any executive position in the past so there is nothing there that we can unearth for our purpose either.

Sen. Aquino did serve nine years as congressman of Tarlac and three years as senator. Perhaps there is something there that we can use. Perhaps we can look at the senate bills he authored since those are national in scope.

Sen. Aquino was elected to the Senate in 2007. He authored nine bills and co-authored some 13 others. None of the bills he authored has passed yet but that’s beside the point; we are trying, after all, to determine what interests him and the issues close to his heart. So what are those bills? Two are about the labor workforce: SB2036 is an act increasing the penalties for non-compliance in the wage rates of workers, while SB1370 is an act granting an annual productivity incentive to all workers in the private sector.

Both are obviously pro labor—which is not a bad thing. The first one simply tries to increase penalty for non-compliance so there is nothing profound on that bill. The second one, however, will have a considerable impact on business. Businesses already have ways to provide incentives to its employees; there is no point in making that mandatory. What if business turns sour, can employers reduce the salaries of employees? Not so, says the Labor Code.

Two other bills are about appointments. Noynoy is not into re-appointments. Here are the bills: SB1710 bans the re-appointment of a regular member of the Judicial and Bar Council; SB1719, on the other hand, limits the re-appointment of presidential nominees. Does this mean that there is little chance current SBMA officials will be re-appointed?

A couple more tries to restrict the powers of the police and military to prevent human rights abuses: SB2978 is an act to further clarify the relationship between LGUs and their respective local police chiefs, while SB2159 is an act adopting the doctrine of superior responsibility to all actions involving military personnel and police.

The last three bills are about trying to prevent graft and corruption: SB2160 is an act to further restrict exemptions to the requirement of public bidding, SB2035 requires the regular maintenance of all public infrastructures, while SB3121 is the Budget Impoundment Control Act, an act that seeks to strengthen legislative oversight over executive spending.

The first one was obviously filed in light of the NBN-ZTE scandal where the Department of Justice declared the validity of the deal citing its international and executive agreement nature as reason for its exemption from the procurement process. The second one seeks to penalize defective infrastructures that are usually the result of cost undercutting by contractors (since a percentage of the budgeted cost goes “under the table”). The third one is not really Noynoy’s but was a bill originally authored by then Sen. Juan Flavier in 2004. This bill is not unique to the Philippines since the US already passed just about the same bill (and same title) in 1974.

Budget impoundment, to clarify, is the power of the President to refuse the release of funds appropriated by Congress. However, this power has been allegedly abused by presidents and in the process emasculating Congress’ authority to check the President’s authority to spend public funds.

Sen. Aquino filed the bill on March 4, 2009, at a time when he was not even entertaining thoughts of running for president. This might work against him now that he is the presumptive president-elect. This bill would constrain a president from influencing the crucial Senate and House leadership races, and ultimately his ability to advance his legislative agenda. Good if he is not concerned about it.

So there you are, looks like we have gathered and should expect that the Aquino administration is pro-labor, do not like re-appointing government officials, strict about human rights abuses by the police and military, and hates graft and corruption. You might want to add a few more items he frequently mentions during his sorties: he will lower taxes and would crack down on smuggling and tax evasion.

Will any of these translate to changes in the Subic Freeport? For the better?

We can hardly say that Noynoy is a man of action, there is nothing in his background and experience to demonstrate that. All we have are his words, but, acta non verba, is what we need. Right now, he is more of a symbol of the Filipino people—a symbol of change, much like his parents are symbols of freedom and democracy.

He is even initially reluctant to run for President. But history is not bereft of reluctant leaders: Moses, Gerald Ford, Colin Powell, among others. Perhaps Noynoy’s low profile and humble persona is what appealed to many of us.

We are a nation of hope and faith; we laugh when we are in despair; we aspire even in misery. Perhaps he is who we need after all. Shortly, we will see.

The Hubs Subic and Clark: An Optimist’s View

by Prof Danny Piano; May 2010 Issue

When the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) started operating in 2008, the improved interconnection of Subic and Clark became the impetus that drove more investments, this despite the global financial crisis that gripped the world. With the SCTEx, it became obvious that aside from Subic and Clark’s logistical promise, the two hubs can also become drivers of tourism; Subic, with its virgin forests and beautiful bay, more so.

In fact, before the SCTEx, tourist arrivals in Subic is at 974,249; in 2008, after the SCTEx was built, it jumped to 2,902,666, about three times what it was a year ago. In 2009, this further jumped to 4,100,308. The first quarter of 2010 alone saw higher tourist numbers than all of 2007. Subic is fast becoming a major tourist destination!

When two of the biggest developers, Ayala Land and the SM Group are coming to this area at about the same time, when tourism-related companies are rushing their expansions, when you see long lines at gasoline stations where there used to be none, you know that business is definitely booming here!

But are we there yet? Not yet but we are on our way and the future’s looking good.

The past decade saw continuous growth in our economy in terms of GDP, and the hubs Subic and Clark are big contributors. Sure, there are problems and scandals that faced the government but not enough to put the country under. Say what you may, but foreign investors would not come to a place where the economy stinks.

The next 5-10 years we should see explosions of gargantuan proportions. The port development projects in Subic, while right now is in its infancy, are expected to grow rapidly. The airport expansion in Clark not only will continue to increase the logistical and transshipment capacity of the area but is expected to bring in more tourists, foreign and domestic both. And then there are two more road infrastructures that will further add to all the momentum.

The Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) is already in the works. While it will take a few more years to complete, it is something worth looking forward to. The TPLEx will interconnect with the SCTEx. Imagine driving from Subic to La Union without going out of the expressway? Baguio City will only be a mere 15 minutes from its tail end. Imagine more efficient delivery and distribution of goods between north and central Luzon? This infrastructure will substantially boost the Subic and Clark logistical hubs. Imagine the potential for domestic tourism? People from up north can now conveniently drive to Subic. We will be a major beneficiary of this infrastructure!

But that’s not all.

Have you heard of the Luzon Urban Beltway? Do you want to go south of the Philippines down to Batangas without the hassles of traffic gridlock? It is closer than you might think. Here’s the configuration: from the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEx), otherwise known as the Tipo Road, to SCTEx; from SCTEx to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx); then to the Circumferential Road 5 or C5 Extension (under construction) and then to C5 itself; from C5 to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) which now stretches up to Laguna; and then onto the SLEx Extension which takes you to the doors of Batangas; and finally, the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road Luzon Expressway (STARLEx) which can take you all the way to the Port of Batangas. Wow, is all I can say!

And again, imagine the potential for tourism. People from down south and everybody else in between can now conveniently come to Subic to enjoy our sites and experience the Subic adventures. At the same time, stay comfortably in our numerous hotels, or enjoy duty-free shopping.

Oh yes, the hubs Subic and Clark will be the primary catalyst for Philippine progress in the next few years. Combined, it has the potential to become multi-modal mega logistics and tourism hubs enabling efficient delivery of goods, services, people, and information to and from production, manufacturing, and trading centers not only in the Philippines but they can be the country’s gateway to the world as well.

The next few years would be very interesting for hubs Subic and Clark. Subic especially. Great things are in store for us and I would not want to miss what the next few years would bring forth. As a native of this area, my eyes are wide open and filled with great expectations!

Too optimistic? The next few years will tell.

Musings: Technology’s Unintended Negative Consequences

by Prof Danny Piano; April 2010 Issue

Having been myself tethered largely to computer technology for almost three decades, it is both amazing and disturbing how technology affects our lives, both good and bad, in both work and personal, at present.

Connected yet separated – today’s technology can connect us to people from just about anywhere; heck, even from outer space. We now have the convenience of meeting somebody without moving our bodies. And this seems to be a major culprit in obesity. Who would have thought when the Internet was invented that it will make people fat? An unintended consequence for sure.

Anonymity – in the Internet, anyone can be anonymous and can as easily don a mask. Would you want to be talking online with somebody who is not, in reality, the person s/he really is? Alternatively, would the cover of anonymity bring the real person out of us? If so, would you want to talk physically to a person who, in reality, is not the person s/he really is? Looks like the societal effects of civility taught to us since we were young is now being turned on its head.

Information overload – how many emails, voicemails, and text messages do you get each day? The amount is out of hand and bordering on crazy — and I know it’s not just me. But is it? Not contented we watch TV, we listen to the radio, and we surf the web. Is it the natural tendency of humans to make their brains ever more bigger? We look at everything but seldom focus on something.

Counter-productiveness – How many times have we been promised greater productivity at the hands of new technology? And how many times do we find ourselves spending more time learning the technology instead of productively using it? Unfortunately, new technology requires a learning curve. It is a tool that you can use to your advantage if you know how, much like using not the claw but the hammer head to drive down a nail.

News for and from everybody – before the advent of the Internet, news, before it hits the streets are factually checked and verified by people learned and studied in reporting. Now, just about anybody can report or blog away news but usually with less care and on a less thoughtful approach. While people usually acknowledge as truth what are aligned with our preconceived notions, do we simply take what we’re fed or should we read news with a grain of salt?

Plundering the environment – we have abused mother earth, and we all agree. But is the earth’s degradation due more to population or progress in technology? Sure, we are also using technology to improve the environment. But are we doing enough and are humans consuming the earth’s resources to live and survive, or to live comfortably? Is Agent Smith correct? Is humanity a virus that would replicate uncontrollably, eventually destroy their environment, and move on to other hosts? I hope not. For a technology to be successful, it must take the environment into consideration, for Nature cannot be fooled.

Culture eliminated – will the Internet enhance our individual cultures or will all cultures converge into one in the near future? Just as the European culture influenced the American culture, just as the Spaniards and later the Americans influenced the culture of the Filipinos, the social shifts introduced and assimilated through the Internet can alter social dynamics and can promote new cultural models. Is this not a possibility? Are our cultures, in the eyes of our elders, going extinct?

Technology drives progress. It drives our personal lives. It drives business. It is already changing our lives behaviorally, socially, and physically; politically, culturally, and environmentally. Although it has negative unintentional consequences, the progress derived from it more than makes for the drawbacks. For now. It is a tool and must only be our servant. If we must embrace it, we must not lose control. We must, therefore, make certain that we use it with more perspective and forethought; with wisdom and prudence. Otherwise, our servant may prove to be our executioner.

Elections: Extract ‘Em Planks Out

by Prof Danny Piano; March 2010 Issue

With the Philippine elections just around the corner, we are bombarded with motherhood statements from candidates on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there were candidates in the past who have no idea what it meant to legislate or how to lead but were able to fake their way to public office anyway… and there are candidates now who will do the same thing.

Jobs for everybody, end to corruption, free education for all, affordable health care, we are destined for greatness, yada yada yada. Senseless “feel good” statements, iterated since time immemorial, uttered by many candidates, but unsupported by specific planks and almost always never realized.

Debates and forums should have been good occasions to compare candidates and find out what they stand for and what they are made of. Instead, they are just given yet another opportunity to blabber about their “visions.”

It is time to have a more sensible and better gauge in picking our leaders assuming that we do not know much about them in the first place.

We can start with the basics. We should determine what their planks are; you know, the core topics of their platforms or manifestos. Things are seldom black and white but we will have to opt for a binary answer to create a baseline. Here are a few questions I would ask to extract out their platform planks:

On pork barrel: Are you for the removal of pork barrel in Congress given that the primary job of a Congressman is to legislate in the first place?
On population control: With the poverty and population explosion problems in the Philippines, would you vote for a Reproductive Health Bill that encourages both modern and natural methods of family planning?
On education: To produce better graduates, would you want to extend elementary and high school to 12 years just like other developed countries?
On foreign direct investments: One reason why foreign companies would not do business in the Philippines is their inability to own land. To increase investments, would you be for 100% ownership of land by foreigners?
On service to countrymen: Given a scenario where death is imminent and you have only one choice, would you save 100 countrymen you do not know instead of a loved one?

There would also be questions about bureaucracy, corruption, economy, environment, infrastructure, foreign policy, security, freedom of speech, human development, health care, women and children’s issues, abortion, charter change, and many more.

Obviously, a yes/no answer on the above cannot be sufficient. We must also know how they intend to support such planks, but which are easily verified by their records of accomplishment, if any. With a baseline in place, it would be more difficult for candidates to boogie around issues.

Last, I would generalize the issues into ten or so categories, give each candidate, say presidentiables, a virtual 1,500 billion pesos budget (the 2010 Phil. Budget), and ask them to apply a nice round billion amount to each category. Because you see, they can have the grandest and noblest plans and yet not have the money to accomplish those anyway; then they fall right smack into earth and reality dawns.

At this point, we should already have a fairly good idea what each candidate stand for. Are they consistent, though, or would switch and take a side that is more popular in the blink of an eye? Are they smart enough to decide by themselves or are usually just taking cues from advisers? Are they firm in their convictions or do they just want us to dance with them?

At this point, we already have plank-supported platforms, not merely motherhood statements, laid out clearly before us. We add in diligence, integrity, and a few other sometimes subjective matters that are personally important to each one of us and, my friends, we are done.

At this point, we have what we need to know and, thus, can choose, with a semblance of intelligence, the leader who will try to march us to progress and have a reasonable chance of succeeding.

Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge Closure

by Prof Danny Piano; February 2010 Issue

A little more than two weeks from now, the Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic. Are we ready to cope with the expected traffic congestion?

As early as May 2009, the Subic Chamber had started informing its members about the potential problems that the closure and construction of a new bridge will bring about. Albeit at that time, there were no specific dates yet, and the demolition and construction of the Main Gate Bridge was still in the equation.

Last December 8, 2009, SBMA provided information to the Chamber related to the “Milestones for the Implementation for the Construction of New Kalaklan Bridge and Security Plaza Project.” By end of the same day, the Chamber mass-emailed to its members the information.

With the fast approaching Christmas season, priorities are understandably into other things and the issue of traffic congestion due to the bridge closure has not surfaced over the entire span of the holidays.

It is not hard to comprehend the debilitating effects of traffic gridlock to business and individuals both. Something must be done, and soon. Right after the New Year, the Chamber sent invitation letters to various stakeholders for a multi-sector meeting. On January 12, during the meeting, things came to light, and collaborative planning developed.

The existing bridge is already more than 60 years old, is already a safety hazard because of weakened structural components, and needs to be replaced. The new bridge will be constructed offset from the old; the latter will be closed to vehicular traffic on 15 February and to pedestrians on March 1 [Note: recently updated to June 15]; and that the new bridge is expected to be completed by the first week of January in 2011. The new bridge will have two lanes and the span of the middle columns will be 22 meters and will have a height of 5-7 meters, depending on the tide — wide and high enough for a dredging boat and for basnigs (big bancas with outriggers) expected to ply the river when the Olongapo fish port in Banicain becomes operational.

To mitigate traffic congestion, SBMA will be posting additional traffic personnel near the two remaining “vehicle-capable” bridges — the Rizal and the 14th Street Bridge. Olongapo City will be distributing traffic volume through rerouting. They have also requested additional personnel from SBMA to help them manage the traffic situation. Directional signs will be posted in the appropriate places.

Businesses are requested to become familiar with the truck ban schedules (see Chamber Online Forum for details) so that the trucks they own, and the delivery trucks of their suppliers can schedule deliveries at times that will not cause additional traffic congestion.

Back to the original question: Are we ready to cope with the expected traffic congestion? Yes we are! Well, maybe not completely… but, the willingness of various sectors to work together is as good an indication that we can confront problems in the face and get the better of it.

In the March 2009 issue of the Chamber newsletter, I wrote an article entitled Freeportopia primarily discussing about working together and building relationships that are mutually beneficial. A little less than a year later, SBMA/SBFCC working groups were formed, there is now closer ties with the City of Olongapo, and we now have MOUs with other business groups around the area, particularly MOCCI and GSBTB. The collaboration between these organizations and agencies in the current issue that we are all facing — the Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge closure — is proof-positive that a potential for joint action can be achieved by bringing people together.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

by Prof Danny Piano; January 2010 Issue

We are now again standing on a time divide where we can look back on what has happened in a full year and look ahead on what will and can possibly happen in the coming year. Funny thing is, vision is much clearer at the backside; hindsight, after all is 20/20. Where we are right now will be where the point of separation will be invariably cited — you know, 2009 as “last year” even if it’s separated only by a day or so from 2010.

Looking back, the past year had been an economic challenge, to say the least. Businesses around the world continued to struggle due to drastic upheavals of the global economy, seriously impacting both production and consumption. There were pockets of exclusion or at least of lesser effects, however. Fortunately, the Subic Bay Freeport is one. For although 2009’s foreign direct investments are much lesser than 2008, local investments are aplenty. In fact, SBMA posted a record income for 2009 triggered mostly by increased tourism and seaport-related activities. Unemployment is almost unheard of here. The workforce consists of 87,000 people, more than double the employment when the Freeport was still the largest US naval base outside of the continental US.

Looking ahead, although the faltering world economy is not expected to hit bottom until the second half of 2010 at the earliest, the Subic Bay Freeport will still be a bright spot for investments and business in general. We expect booming construction from various projects with Ayala Land, Ocean Nine, Neocove, and Hanafil at the forefront.

Looking back, social, political, and environmental issues also took the stage in 2009. The high cost of energy, food problems (the Philippines is now the biggest importer of rice), lack of confidence in the government, climate change, and environmental disasters are but a few that grabbed headlines.

Looking ahead, things will probably get worse in 2010. Population will continue its staggering increase; more commerce and industry that will mostly still rely on non-replenishable petroleum will inevitably add to pollution and, therefore, will have effects on the earth’s climate. Possibly more disasters due to climate change and not much we can do about it in the short term as evidenced by the failed Copenhagen climate summit.

The political climate up to the middle of this new year, on the other hand, should be, predictably, a circus of sorts. Note that the change in top national government positions will, most likely, effect a considerable change in the SBMA administration also — for better or worse, no one knows.

Looking back, the Chamber faced numerous challenges as well. An all-new staff, several changes in the composition of the Board of Directors, and numerous issues that we had to face kept us on our toes. In 12 months, we have organized various events including the locator’s congress, State of the Freeport Address, midyear and annual general membership meetings, golf tournament, blood drive, Christmas party, and several mixers and networking nights. We have attended and participated in more than two dozen various other events and forums. Together with SBMA, we have formed working groups dealing with marketing and promotions, the environment, workforce development, land use, regulatory, and change management.

We collaborated and had memorandums of understanding with various organizations including the Belaurus Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Subic Bay Tourism Bureau, the Metro Olongapo Chamber of Commerce, the Philippine Retirement Authority, and have become a member of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce. We have freshened up our newsletter and have set up an Online Forum to improve information dissemination and communication exchange between Chamber members. We have also penned no less than a dozen position papers regarding various issues facing us all including those for BIR, ERC, DENR, BOC, BCDA, BOI, and many for SBMA.

We were also at the forefront of donation gathering and distribution during the calamities that hit the country. We have distributed truckloads of relief goods to Manila, Pangasinan, Olongapo, and Botolan several times.

The year 2009 was indeed a busy year for the Chamber.

Looking ahead, the Chamber hopes to get more active participation from its members. We constantly have issues to face and have more projects than we have the manpower to accomplish. Some more volunteers joining our committees and working groups would be of tremendous help.

However, we need responsible men and women. People who are not only looking for an additional title attached to their names; people who would act rather than just comment; people who would act and not sit still.

Let us remind ourselves that looking back does not mean moving backwards; that moving forward is more effective done together; and that a collective is stronger and our voice louder.

Merry Christmas?

by Prof Danny Piano; December 2009 Issue

As we near the holidays, it is not uncommon to hear statements like "The spirit of Christmas is gone, it is now so commercialized!" or "How can we possibly celebrate Christmas when many of our countrymen are suffering?" or "Our company is in survival mode due to the global economic downturn; we cannot afford to celebrate Christmas."

These are all legitimate statements and very easily understandable.

You see it in stores and malls as we approach Christmas - all stocked up to the brink with products in colorful galore - and consumers on shopping binges that extend their financial resources to the edge or over the limits.

Some would cancel Christmas celebrations and parties and would instead donate the money to victims of the recent typhoon disasters. A noble act indeed. Commendable?

Still others, companies affected by the global financial crisis mostly, are decreasing if not entirely eliminating their employees' Christmas bonuses, even cancelling the company Christmas parties because times are hard and they cannot afford it. Reasonable?

Commercialized Christmas is, indeed! The above statements are all based from the premise that a Christmas celebration can happen only in the presence of material goods.

Deep inside, we know better.

After all, the very first Christmas celebration was very simple and in a most humble venue - the stable. It is true, there are times when hopelessness seems to pervade the air; hardships surround us made more terrible by tragedies that have befallen many; frustrations in some of our institutions permeate in us for failure to provide a much-needed sense of hope and security.

But those are parts of life and always will be.

Perhaps on different levels but it is what it was 2009 years ago; it is what it is 2009 years after. Even with our heritage of faith and progress in science, trials will always be part of the essence of our existence - nothing is itself without everything else.

For those who have the resources, share, for there is only so much money a person would need, everything else is for vanity. For those who don't, make it simple.

Christmas is a time for friends and family; a time for communities to come together; a time to build respect and compassion for each other. Only then will our celebration be merry.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It's Halloween - Trick or Treat?

by Prof Danny Piano; November 2009 Issue

Halloween is just around the corner. In some countries, and so are in some parts of the "westernized" Philippines, including the Subic Freeport, children will soon be dressing up and chanting "trick or treat," their demand for candy backed by a light threat of a prank.

Have you ever found yourself, though, sometimes reflecting whether life itself is a Halloween? A mixed bag of tricks or treats perhaps? Probably so, for that is what life seems to be.

Let us go over some of the recent and not so recent tricks and treats we were recently dealt with:

The global economic meltdown - a big nasty trick; the Philippines doing relatively well in spite of it - a treat.
Pacquiao winning yet another title - a treat for the Filipino people; his entering politics - a trick, and not a funny one either.
The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) - a travel treat, more so for tourists and tourist-related establishments; potholes this early - a trick.
More flights at Clark - a treat; still no regular flights at Subic - a trick. Groups of people voluntarily doing something, anything, to revive the Subic Airport - a treat; other people yapping, not even suggesting, and basically doing nothing anyway - a trick.
Development of a commercial area by Ayala near the Freeport gates - a treat for many, a trick to businesses in Olongapo City that will be badly affected by it.
The proposed Certificate of Ownership of Leasehold Rights (COLR) - a trick for some and a treat to some; the associated fees and applicants shouldering survey costs - a trick to all; possible SBMA turn-around acquiescing to SBFCC's suggested solution - candy to all.
Flooding disasters in Botolan, Metro Manila, Pangasinan, and other areas - nature's big trick; SBFCC members giving donations - a heartwarming treat.
Withdrawal from Baguio the holding of the 21st Ad Congress - regretable trick on Baguio; transfer to the Subic Freeport, "feel sorry" treat for Subic.
SBFCC Board of Directors elections - the high number of candidates is a treat; Philippine presidential elections - neither trick nor treat but more of a circus.
Thoughts of failure - a trick; promise of success - a treat.

Yes, it is easy to understand that life might be akin to a Halloween after all... but sometimes more so in our thoughts than reality. As the Roman poet and philosopher Titus Lucretius Carus wrote in De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things), "For as our children tremble and fear everything in the blinding darkness, us adults in the light of day sometimes fear what is no more to be feared than the things children in the dark hold in terror and imagine will come true."

And as yet again we prepare for our day and wait for it to unfold, we wonder, we fear, we doubt, we dream: will there be dark or light, horror or delight, trick or treat?

Busy Time for the Chamber

by Prof Danny Piano; October 2009 Issue

The coming weeks will be very busy for the Chamber. By next newsletter after this, three major things would already have happened: the 5th Annual Golf Tournament, the nominations and official candidates selection for the Election of SBFCC Officers, and the Annual Blood Drive.

Golf Tournament

This year's SBFCC Golf Tournament will be held on October 16 at the Mimosa Golf & Country Club in Clark Field, Pampanga. Tickets and sponsorship packages are now available from the Chamber office.

The Subic Bay International Terminal Corp (SBITC), a company who was very supportive during last month's Botolan disaster relief operations, represented by Reimond Silvestre, is a Golden Eagle Sponsor in this tournament. Overgaard Subic Inc, headed by Ross Bendix, is a Major Sponsor. Other companies that showed intention to sponsor are Bank of Commerce, Grain Pro, SBDMC, Subic Bay Garden Villas, Subic Gas, and Asian Tigers Lane Moving and Storage. We are waiting confirmation from a few more and would like to take this opportunity for others to support this annual event.

In the tradition of our past fund-raising activities, the proceeds of the tournament will be used for the Chamber's various programs aimed towards enhancing the quality of the business development in Subic Bay, as well as to fund socio-economic programs and initiatives.

Nominations and Candidates Selection for the SBFCC Officers Election

The nomination process for the elections has already started and will end by October 9. The official candidates selection would start on October 12 and will end on October 23. There is currently a good number of nominations and as of this writing, those who accepted the nominations include Reimond Silvestre of SBITC, Eloy Bermudes of Subic Drydock, Johnson Yang of Grand Pillar, and current officers who are re-running: Rose Baldeo of Global Terminals, Sung Il Cho of Subic Bay Christian Worship, Lawrence Lusung of the Bank of Commerce, and yours truly.

If you are interested in getting value for your investment in the Chamber, please participate either as a candidate and/or as a voter. Although the Chamber officers are basically unpaid volunteers, you should choose only those who will do something for you and the Freeport.

Annual Blood Drive

Blood cannot be manufactured by even the most advance and richest countries - it is a gift that can only come from a fellow human being, whatever his or her stature in life may be.

The Chamber has been doing blood drives for several years now. The previous years saw many volunteers from all walks of life donate precious blood that eventually went to the Red Cross. This year's Blood Drive will be held by the first week of November. Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resort will be providing free tickets to every blood donor.

Not everyone can save a life, but with your blood donation, you have the opportunity to.

Apart from the above-mentioned major events, a lot more are in our plate including the pursuit of positive outcome on the Chamber's position regarding the Certificate of Ownership of Leasehold Rights, follow-up on our position regarding the SBMA's new Housing Policy, the Memorandum of Understanding with the Greater Subic Bay Tourism Bureau where we are a partner in the upcoming Tourism Congress this November, the National Convention of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce where we are a member, the MOU with the Philippine Retirement Authority which we hoped would have been already signed but got side-tracked a bit, continuous updating of the new Chamber Forum website, participation in the upcoming Water Summit which will tackle the problems surrounding our bay, and a bunch of other things that will carry on to the existing and new Chamber officers who are going to be voted in.

Yes, these are busy times for your Chamber, but we can only be successful with your support. The more we are and the more support we get, the more we can do; the busier we are, the more we can achieve.

2009-2010 SBFCC Election

by Prof Danny Piano; September 2009 Issue

All right, let us cut to the chase. Are you willing and interested to serve the Subic Freeport community, without compensation, and is your willingness matched by your commitment to set aside at least 15 hours a month for the Chamber? Yes? Great! Now the nitty-gritty. please read on.

The Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce provides its members opportunities for significant degrees of active participation in the development of the Subic Bay Freeport. Foremost is the opportunity for any corporate member to serve as member of the Board of Directors. It is time of the year again when the election process begins.

If you are interested in getting value for your investment in the Chamber of Commerce, please consider participation in the Election of the Board of Directors, as a nominee or/and as a wise voter. Either way, choose only those who will do something for the Freeport, for you, and for other residents and investors.

Eligibility and Requirements

Nominees to the Board are required to exemplify and attest to being of sound moral character, must demonstrate the highest level of integrity, and are expected to conduct themselves with the utmost regard for business ethics at all times. Moreover, they are expected to demonstrate initiative, dedication, confidentiality, selfless willingness to serve, and above all, concern for the direction the Freeport and the Chamber will take in the future.

Bear in mind that elected Board members are requested to seriously commit to attend Board and General Meetings and mixers every month, to be involved in Committees, and to spearhead membership concerns. All these on a volunteer basis (without pay, allowance, or honorarium).

Only Corporate members in good standing are eligible for nomination. Members having past due membership fees will not be permitted to run. A directory of members in good standing will be sent to you. You may nominate yourself, provided you are the authorized representative.

Election Schedule

Sep 14-Oct 9 Nomination Process Begins. Members will receive Nomination Ballots where you can nominate Corporate members of your choice for next year's Board.
Oct 12-Oct 23 Candidate Selection. Nominees will sign commitments to serve on the Board at a minimum of 15 hours per month. If willing, they will be declared as official candidates in the voting process.
Nov 3-Nov 13 Voting Process Begins. Based on confirmed candidates, ballots are forwarded to all Corporate members who are asked to VOTE for the candidate(s) of their choice.
Nov 13-Nov 20 Tabulation. Votes are tabulated by the Election Committee.
Nov 24 Announcement of Results. Results are announced at the Annual Membership Meeting.
Dec 7 Officer Selection. The following year's officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Corporate Secretary) are selected by the Board of Directors.

Remember, the Freeport Chamber is YOUR voice in the community. Please give careful consideration in nominating the candidate of your choice. Be involved - a single vote can do good by the same manner that a single non-vote might do harm - and choose wisely!

Itching to be heard? Sound-off in our Forum!

by Prof Danny Piano; August 2009 Issue

The SBFCC Forum and Discussion Boards is now open!

And so you ask: What is it? The Chamber Forum is a great online place for you to share ideas, learn, and become up-to-date on matters about the Freeport. It is an excellent medium for interaction, discussion, and making friends with people who share your interests.

How do I get to it? Simply go to the Chamber's website and click on the Forum button. You can also go straight to it through this URL: http://subicchamber.org/DiscussionBoard (case-sensitive).

What's in it? It's designed to contain just about everything regarding the Subic Freeport including SBMA, the locators, residents, and matters and issues affecting all of us. Topics are generally categorized based from Chamber committees but new ones can be added easily as we go.

Do I need to pay? No, reading and posting messages are all free! At present, you don't even have to register to read the topics; you need to be registered to post messages, though. This is open to anybody - even for non-Chamber members, from people outside the Freeport, and even from overseas. Subic Chamber members, however, will have special privileges. Like what? Well, there are Boards that are accessible by members only. Members also get much higher priority when it comes to requests for information or answers to issues raised - the Chamber officers and staff work for you after all.

What benefit would I get from it when there are already a good number of blog sites about Subic? Like many sites about Subic, the Chamber also aggregates news, local and international, about the Freeport and posts these as new topics on a daily basis. New topics about current issues local to the Freeport, or just about anything can also be posted by registered users. What distinguishes this forum is that it is in real-time. You see something you do not agree with, you post a reply and it's there. The other party sees your reply, posts a rebuttal - it's there. By the same manner, if you have a question or wants to inquire about somebody else's products, just post it. You see somebody asking for information or inquiring about your business, you reply - you get a new customer or a thank you - done. No waiting. Your post becomes available for everybody to see a few seconds after you sent it. How cool is that?

Also, the forum is moderated by people who are very familiar with the Subic Freeport and are quite knowledgeable of SBMA and government rules and regulations. Although there are obvious exceptions, we are generally better-capable of getting the answers to your questions.

Another benefit is that you are allowed in your profile signature to create a link to your personal or company's website. This means you will have a back-link to your website every time you make a post; which further means that search engines like Google will boost the page ranking of your website during searches.

I am interested to know what's happening in the Freeport and even interested to know what other people have to say, but do not have time to browse through the forum; anything for me? Absolutely! We have what is called a Really Simple Syndication or RSS Feed. Go to the forum, register, and subscribe to our RSS feed. Every news item posted and new posts from members, at least those you have access rights, will be automatically sent to you everytime you access your RSS. You get in the loop without going out of your loop!

I am interested but fearful of retribution; would I be identified? Fear not fellow member; you do not have to use your real name when registering; the Chamber Forum allows the use of pseudonyms or aliases. The use of pseudonyms usually creates more freedom of expression because of less accountability. However, anonymity often provides a platform for disruptive conversational behavior. The moderators of the Chamber will just have to work extra hard to check and possibly disallow or remove taboo posts.

So what are you waiting for, go ahead and register in OUR forum. Be an active member of the Subic Freeport community; contribute on a regular basis; try giving outstanding pieces of advice to fellow members while at the same time chastise those who are out of the straight and narrow. Let us add value to the place we all work, live, and love! As a result, we will be adding quality to our own lives as well.

Death by PowerPoint

(how to give killer presentations instead)

by Prof Danny Piano; July 2009 Issue

PowerPoint presentations have become a common tool of business - sometimes enlightening and entertaining, many times uninteresting, boring, and fatigue-inducing. Great speakers seldom have a need for it but others will freeze to death without it.

For many of us not born with the right genes, giving effective presentations is a real struggle - and could be a mind-numbing experience for the audience, too. It does not have to be this way.

What follows is a brief compilation of tips that will hopefully help you, and me, give killer presentations.

Know your presentation. You should be familiar with your material backwards and forwards and should be able to carry on an intelligent conversation about it prior to the presentation. Try not to memorize. Preparation will give you the confidence to talk about your topic comfortably (so they say).

Present key points only. Have as few bullets per slide and avoid sub-entries altogether. Do not use the PowerPoint screen as your notebook and do not read from it except glancing for cues. The PowerPoint presentation is for the audience and not for you. Try to speak in your own words (if you're not choking yet). Use hardcopy notes that you can hold or put on a lectern and read from it, not the screen, if you must.

Utilize graphics. A picture, chart or photograph, is really worth a thousand words and can spice up your presentation. Animation is a nice touch also if used sensibly and not to the point of being distracting. However, do not show images just for the sake of it; explain how they relate to the topic being discussed.

Check readability and audio. Make sure your presentation is readable and your voice comprehensible up to the last row. The audience at the back will lose interest on a presentation that they cannot read or hear well enough. and they usually are not afraid to show their boredom by talking to each other or walking out instead (they are out of view after all; and no, you do not have the same option).

Interact with the audience. Relieve the feeling of isolation by interacting with the audience. Do not act bored. What you present has to be interesting and you have to be excited about it yourself.

Pause for effect and emphasis. It is the most dramatic way to make a point. Avoid ahs and ums; they are annoying and distract the audience.

Reiterate your point. The old axiom: "First tell the audience what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them." usually helps in effectively conveying your point across.

So there - seven good tips to die for (pun intended).

What is also important to know is that nerves and anxiety are a universal part of giving presentations, especially for those who do not do this for a living. So what if you fail? Just pick your self up, dust your self off, and try again another day. Failing is part of life and business - this is not any different.

.and maybe, too, it is time for business and organizations to realize that not everyone can do presentations. Everyone should try to learn to communicate better but not everyone will be able to stand in front of, and engage, an audience effectively. It is a skill. Encourage those who can do it and stop torturing those who cannot (no pun intended).

Save SCTEX from Billboards

by Prof Danny Piano; June 2009 Issue

"The thrill first time visitors get when they see the SCTEX - bounded by hills, trees, farms, and vast expanses of fields - is awesome! It makes us proud that, indeed, the Philippines is beautiful."

This was the theme that the Chamber emphasized in its position against construction of advertisement billboards along the SCTEX. The letter was submitted to BCDA President Narciso Abaya during the meeting conducted last May 6 at Clark between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, the Subic Clark Alliance for Development Council, the Clark Development Corporation, and SBMA.

Below is more from the cover letter.

Beautiful landscapes are the foundation of the tourism industry. Most European countries prohibit billboards; among them Great Britain, Germany, France, Ireland, and Austria. It is one of the reasons these countries are so charming to tourists. Many US states have billboard limitations while some that are not are already starting to take their billboards down. Many tourist destinations disallow billboards: Williamsburg VA, Martha's Vineyard MA, Reno NV, Key West FL, Aspen CO, and many more. All of these states are major tourist destinations.
Subic Bay is also now becoming a major tourist destination. The past Lenten week saw more than 150 thousand tourists flocking to Subic who mostly used the SCTEX coming here. Everyone was impressed at how beautiful the sceneries along the SCTEX are. SCTEX, it looks like, has also become a tourist attraction itself.
The Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) Board of Directors, on behalf not only of its members, but also of all the residents around this area, wants it to stay that way. We believe that it is in the best interests of the public to prohibit advertisement billboards from the SCTEX. and there is a brewing movement to make this so.
The City of Olongapo already passed a resolution for the abatement and dismantling of billboards along SCTEX. The Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC), last year, also started the movement for further greening of the SCTEX to enhance the road's aesthetic values - planting of more trees, not "planting" of billboards is the program's thrust.
The majority of motorists hate billboards. Each billboard that is erected blots out a little scenery, weakens the tourism foundation, and makes our country a little less beautiful. The purpose of roadways is transportation, not viewing huge advertisements. The government and ultimately, the people, have paid for the roadways and should not be subjected to unavoidable viewing of undesired advertising.
The public has a right to enjoy the beautiful terrain, expansive fields, and tranquil vistas along the SCTEX. In this spirit, we hope BCDA will take the lead to uphold Administrative Order No. 160 regulating the billboard industry and we trust BCDA will be at the forefront to protect the beautiful sceneries along our roads.

The letter, and copies of it sent to various heads of government agencies, was received with agreement and enthusiasm. The complete 5-page document is available at the Chamber website. Thanks to Susan Dudley for doing the research leg work.

The potential billboard problem at the SCTEX is not a current issue yet but as Sun Tzu in Art of War said, "Most battles are won before they are fought."

Complicated? Keep It Simple!

by Prof Danny Piano; May 2009 Issue

Have you ever wished that things - managing and running an organization, dealing with others, dealing with information overload, decision making, running your life, whatever - are simpler? Of course you have - we all have! Unfortunately, in many cases, we did to ourselves the complications that we face. I can't tell you how to decide but I can give you what others who have come before us have to say about it.

William Ockham, 14th century logician and to whom Occam's Razor is attributed said that "all things being equal, the simplest solution is the best."
Albert Einstein's maxim states that "everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler."
Antoine de Saint Exupéry's "It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
Elliott Sober's "The simplest theory is the more informative one, in the sense that less information is required in order to answer one's questions."
Isaac Newton's "We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances."
Thomas Aquinas argued that "if a thing can be done adequately by means of one, it is superfluous to do it by means of several."
Leonardo Da Vinci's "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

You do not have to choose or make things more difficult than they need to be. Choose simple, but not simplistic, assumptions over complicated ones and you won't be entangled in a never-ending but futile struggle to prove yourself right.

Jerry Yang, founder and former CEO of Yahoo, employed the complicated matrix management system, embroiled the company in endless reorganizations, and produced not so pretty results. Jonathan Schwartz, CEO of Sun Microsystems, made a number of restructurings at the company and failed - the company was recently bought by Oracle.

For some folks, simplicity appears effortless. Lou Gerstner executed one of the most challenging turnarounds in business history by reversing the planned disaggregation of IBM and refocusing the company on IT services. His new vision for Big Blue was brilliant, but it was also simple and elegant, requiring far less restructuring than the previous plan (S.Tobac, BusinessNet).

Frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora - it is futile to do with more things that which can be done with fewer. Next time, given a choice, but not to the point of inadequacy, choose the simpler path - it usually is the better choice.

Facts and Timelines Regarding the Issues Surrounding the Supposed Cutting of Trees in an Alleged Urban Forest
Within the Subic Bay Freeport

by Prof Danny Piano; April 2009 Issue

A lot of times, diving head-on into an issue without knowing the facts behind it puts one into trouble or into an embarrassing position later, to say the least. The Chamber has been aware of reports regarding the alleged cutting down of trees in an area commonly known as the Mini-Golf Course and which is claimed to be within a forest reserve.

In order to be able to understand the facts behind these reports, the Chamber did a lot of leg work and independently gathered documents from various sources that provided factual information on the issue. On this basis, the following were established:

On October 22, 2007, Kyung An Co. submitted a proposal to build a hotel-casino project in and around an area popularly known as the Mini-Golf Course;
The Mini-Golf Course was originally reclaimed and developed by the U.S. Navy from swamplands in the 1960's;
In 1992, under SBMA's Urban Design Guidelines, the Mini-Golf Course and adjacent areas were referred to as Parcel No. 35 and was designated as a resort, retail, and recreational area;
In the 1996 SBMA-commissioned Kenzo Tange Master Plan, Parcel No. 35 was declared as a high-end tourism area;
Kyung An Co. proposed a committed development amount of P2.5 billion over six years to develop the area;
On December 7, 2007, the SBMA Board of Directors approved in principle Kyung An's proposal;
On December 7, 2007, the SBMA Board of Directors also approved two other proposals: the MBK Grand Leisure Inc. expansion and Wonderpark Inc., beside the same area and subject to completion of the new CBD Master Plan, of which Kyung An's proposed project is also part of;

Parenthetically, on September 30, 2007, invitations for eligibility for the development of the CBD Master Plan project was published and where five actually purchased bid documents; and where three: Berkman International, Design Science, and Palafox/Woodfield Consultants submitted Technical and Financial Proposals;

Whereas, on January 25, 2008, after evaluation of the technical proposals, Design Science was found to be highest rank followed by Palafox/Woodfield Consultants.
On June 6, 2008, the SBMA Board approved Kyung An's request to assign the leasehold rights to Grand Utopia, Inc.; the development was called the Ocean 9 Casino-Hotel project;
Grand Utopia obtained the services of the Yamasaki Group to build the project; and around August 2008 the Yamasaki Group tapped Palafox Associates as its local partner (ref: PDI report dtd 1 Dec 08) to take charge of the ECC and the EIS (ref: PDI report dtd 5 Mar 08);
On August 19, 2008, SBMA's Ecology Department inventoried Parcel No. 35 and found 366 live trees where 212 are less than 8 inches in diameter;
On 5 September 2008, the SBMA Board approved the awarding of the SBF Master Plan Project to Design Science, Inc.
On 11 September 2008, the Ecology Center, in a letter to Grand Utopia suggested that the trees be saved and incorporated in the development plan;
On September 11 2008, Palafox Associates received a letter from Concerned SBMA Employees requesting to protect the trees (ref: Arch. Palafox DZMM interview dtd 7 Dec 2008);
On 16 September 2008, during a SBMA/SBFCC Liaison Meeting, SBFCC raised the issue about the cutting of the trees;
On 22 September 2008, according to Eric Park, executive manager of Grand Utopia, Palafox signed the subcontract with the Yamasaki Group (ref: PDI report dtd 5 Mar 09);
On October 29 2008, Palafox Associates begged off from the Grand Utopia Hotel project;
On 30 November 2008, newspaper report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) came out alleging that 366 trees would be destroyed in Parcel No. 35, out of which 37 are century-old trees; this was followed by many more newspaper reports, radio and television interviews;
On 5 December 2008, a consultancy group and non-government organization, Kanlugan, composed mostly of professors and experts from U.P.-Los Banos, submitted the IEER to SBMA, where it recommended that an equivalent reforestation of 8 hectares of land is a better option than balling the trees; also, that 51 of the trees should be retained on site;
On 5 February 2009, the Council for the Built and Natural Environments (CBME), the biggest group of architects in the Philippines conducted a fact finding mission and validated that the proposed project site is in a commercial district, there is no natural forest in the proposed project site, and that no tree has been cut or felled; CBME also concluded that vegetation in the project site can neither be considered virgin forest, or a natural old-growth forest, and that there are no century-old trees in the area.

Based from the above, the Subic Chamber Board of Directors came out with a position paper. Now, you have to do a little bit of leg work yourself and head on to our website, www.subicchamber.org/Issue_on_Cutting_of_Trees.pdf, to find out more about it.

Freeportopia

by Prof Danny Piano; March 2009 Issue

When SBMA, business, and SBFCC work closely together to address problems affecting us all.

Historically, government, business, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have always been at odds with each other. "The business of business is business" as what the economist and Nobel Prize winner, Milton Friedman once said. NGOs want everyone to do good things - which cost money that people are reluctant to dole out in the first place. Governments, on the other hand, are seen by business as imposers of rules and taxes that they can do well without, and seen by NGOs as insufficiently moral and ridden with corruption. Although these three sectors have worked with each other, expediency rather than trust govern the relations.

Are the relations between the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), business, and the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) any different? Yes, better than most but still at loggerheads with each other, collaborating but not as a team, there is regard for each other but not much trust.

Can something be done about it? Absolutely! How?

First, ask yourself this question: "Does it make sense to work together and will building the relationship be mutually beneficial?" If your answer is no, then you do not have any problem, can pursue your own agenda in isolation, and should stop whining (if you are). If yes, be prepared to make compromises - this is the only way working together is going to work. Trade-offs are necessary to produce results that will benefit us all.

Second, there needs to be a convenor; one that can bring the right people together in order to identify and understand the extent of shared interests and in the process, create a potential for joint action. The SBFCC can, and is willing, to step up to this task. We are already doing this, as a matter of fact, but our resources are limited. With assistance from the other parties, we can do more.

Third, all parties need to understand and be prepared to work around the core requirements or "red lines" of other parties.

Fourth, solutions to problems must be co-created and where implementation procedures must be agreed upon by all.

In line with the above, SBMA and SBFCC are now actively discussing the mechanics in the formation of joint working groups. In the past, SBMA decisions are made based primarily on inputs from SBMA's own working groups. Arrangements are now being discussed where members of the Chamber are "embedded" in those working groups. The locators' voices can now be heard before crucial decisions are even made. A special locator's congress was also done last Feb 10 to gather issues that are of primary importance to locators. The collated issues will be used as basis for determining what working groups should be given priority.

Are we anywhere near Freeportopia then? Far from it. As all other utopias are, reaching that idyllic state is mostly mind feed. We just want to have a more or less safe, nice, productive, and friendly place where we can reasonably work and live in peace, quiet, and harmony. Right now, we are making another baby step towards attaining a semblance of it.

A bright and prosperous 2009 to everybody!

by Prof Danny Piano; February 2009 Issue

Well, that is at least what I hope and wish for every company and organization, employer and employee alike, in and around the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The Subic Freeport has been one of the most dynamic places for business in the Philippines and Southeast Asia but with the global financial crisis, the influx of new investors would most likely be reduced. One reason is because banks will try to improve liquidity and will try to limit credit availability; therefore, many companies, old and new, local and foreign, looking to raise capital, would be hard-pressed to get one. We can expect the availability of new jobs in the Freeport to be much less than it would have been, had not the crisis happened.

The initial effects would be felt more quickly in credit-driven sectors but will certainly spread beyond it. We will also generally see some slowing down in hiring from existing companies simply because more companies, local and foreign, will be competing for less available work. Since the Philippine wage level is higher than many other Asian countries (India, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, etc.), we can expect lower volume of work coming in to the Philippines.

Other effects include consumers buying less. Less demand will mean lesser supply needed and, needless to say, fewer workers needed to produce the reduced market requirements. The International Labor Organization estimates that there would be an increase in unemployment by about 20 million men and women; a percentage of this would undoubtedly be from the Philippines.

But despite the expected general downturn of the economy in 2009, the Subic Bay Freeport will still be in a relatively strong position, at least compared to other areas. The recent 28 new investments in the Freeport would help in counteracting the slump and possible layoffs from some existing companies.

By and large, the 2009 economic outlook in the Subic Bay Freeport is certainly not gloomy but still bright, perhaps not as bright as previously forecasted, but still good enough to propel it forward and drive it to greater heights.

---x-x-x-O-x-x-x---

I am Prof. Danny Piano, President of the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce for 2009. I hope to be able to continue the good work that former president John Corcoran did for the Chamber. Having worked with him since 2006, he is a tough act to follow, I can tell you. Fortunately for me and the rest of us, he decided to still be part of the Chamber Board of Directors even when he is very busy with his company. Together with the rest of the Board: Atty. Omy Duran as Vice-President, the angel-hearted Ms. Rose Baldeo as Corporate Secretary, Dante Pollescas as Treasurer, and Tom De Bruin and Jerry Hammond, along with the indefatigable Executive Director Susan Dudley and our Admin staff - we hope and we will try our best to serve you better!

There will be some changes in how the Chamber conducts business this year, two of which includes:

The creation of seven standing committees: the Business Development Committee, Labor & Workforce Development Committee, Membership Committee, Security & Safety Committee, Environment Committee, Events & Ambassador Committee, and Government Affairs Committee. The chairmanship and preliminary description for these committees can be found in the SBFCC website. For members interested to join and willing to volunteer time and effort to these committees, please contact the Chamber office.
A change in SBFCC-SBMA liaison procedures. Instead of the usual monthly liaison meetings with SBMA, Chamber committee chairs or proxies will now be joining SBMA committees so that possible issues on matters concerning the business community can be discussed right then and there instead of after the fact. This arrangement was already approved by SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza after a series of discussions with him.

We do have a number of events already lined up and is being finalized including socially responsible programs like the annual Blood Drive. The recent Up With People event was a huge success that the organizers, because of the overwhelming support and outpouring they received, even plan on doing it again here at Subic. Loads of donations from that event were already given out and distributed to the less fortunate around us.

---x-x-x-O-x-x-x---

Although the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce is here to help you and the community, the Chamber, as a matter of forthrightness, also needs help. Perhaps because of the same global financial crisis or perhaps because some of our members do not find enough value in the service we provide or were not aware of the things we do, our membership has somewhat dwindled during the past year.

I would like to take this opportunity, therefore, to call on all our members
to recruit one - JUST ONE - non-member buddy of yours to join us!

On the Chamber's part, we will try to do more and will make sure that you know what we are doing for you. I admit that in some cases, we do things for and on behalf of the community, but never get to tell you about it - like a father who stands against an issue in defense of his family but takes it all in by himself. Just recently, the Chamber submitted two strongly-worded position papers against the 1) Bureau of Immigration's "Survey" of Foreign Nationals in the Freeport, and the 2) Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) Inspection Blitz of SBF companies. We will now be posting all our position papers on our website.

We hope that with your help, 2009 will also be a bright and prosperous year for your Chamber!

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