‘Philippines to host APEC 2015’

CLARK FREEPORT -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) Central Luzon office has announced that the Philippines is set to chair and host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit in 2015.

Ronnie Tiotuico, DOT Central Luzon director, said the Apec National Organizing Council (NOC) has identified nine potential meeting sites including Clark, Subic, Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Tagaytay, Boracay, and Bacolod).

Clark Water posts 20% growth as income surges to P85.9M

CLARK Water Corporation, the water and wastewater operator of Clark Freeport and the Clark Special Economic Zone, posted a revenue growth of 14 percent on the back of higher billed volume and lower non-revenue water.

Meanwhile, operating expenses declined slightly enabling the company’s net income to grow by 20 percent to P85.9 million in 2012 from P71.4 million the previous year.

Thousands sign in CDC-Cila job fair

CLARK FREEPORT -- Thousands of job seekers trooped to a Job Fair sponsored by the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and Clark Investors and Locators Association (Cila) at SM City Clark Thursday.

SM City Clark Mall Manager Ana Datu said 41 firms inside the Freeport participated in the yearly activity, which is now on its fourth year.

AirAsia starts P1 anniversary seat sale

CLARK FREEPORT – Philippines’ AirAsia is offering a one peso base fare promo for all destinations starting April 5 as part of its first year anniversary celebrations.    "It is hard to believe, it has been a year already since we launched our operations. We had many challenges but the potential for growth is tremendous and we aim to play a big role in growing the market. The passenger traffic in Clark has grown tremendously last year and we have consistently remained committed in providing our guest with the highest standards in safety, efficiency and quality service,” Freddy Herrera, AirAsia Inc. Commercial Head, said.

San Pedro: CRK Near, Not ‘Too Far’

ONCE in a while, we get brickbats from Filipinos based overseas but the recent ideas threshed out by a certain Architect Ben Lao are points to ponder although I may not agree with some of his contentions.

Firm to put up P2-B hotel in Clark

CLARK FREEPORT -- The Eagle Sky Corporation is set to establish a five-star hotel and casino worth P2 billion inside the Freeport.

Dr. Ireneo “Bong” Alvaro, president of Eagle Sky Corporation, said the two-building, six-storey Hotel Midori with 120 rooms was designed by Taiwanese architects from Harvard University.

Hotels, restos urged to apply for liquor ban exemption

ANGELES CITY -- The Department of Tourism (DOT)-Central Luzon office has advised hotels, restaurants and other establishments with foreign customers to apply for exemption on the five-day liquor ban on May 9 to 13.

The Commission on Election (Comelec) decided to extend by three days the duration of the election liquor ban.

Funnside Ningnangan to open Pulilan branch

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Food lovers in Bulacan will soon be able to sample authentic Kapampangan grilled food as Funnside Ningnangan will open its newest branch in Pulilan town on April 6.

Architect Jhong Naguit told Sun.Star Pampanga that they will bring not only their signature dishes and grilled food to Bulacan palates but also rich Kapampangan gastronomic heritage into the Tagalog province.

Terminal expansion

THE Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has finally given the green light for the P1-billion expansion of the Clark International Airport’s existing terminal, now a beehive of commercial flight activities a far cry from the post-Pinatubo era when the area was left to the mercy of the elements.

The Land Bank of the Philippines will finance the Clark airport’s expansion, which we had been expecting since last year.

Goodyear Autocare: A partnership renewed

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Goodyear Philippines and Tire City Inc. of the Laus Group of Companies (LGC) recently renewed their strong partnership to give birth to Goodyear Autocare.

The formal renewal of ties jived with the blessing of the dealership facility along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Dolores, this city.

Town wants to empower drivers

CANDABA, Pampanga -- The Municipal Government here wants to empower various tricycle drivers associations by giving them the opportunity to have extra income through a livelihood program.

This came as Mayor Jerry Pelayo along with other local officials previously led the groundbreaking of a proposed spare parts shop inside the Ms. Earth Park in Barangay Mandasig this town.

San Pedro: CRK Joins Big League

THE CLARK International Airport is joining the big league in the aviation industry.

This, amid the announcement of Emirates Airlines that it will finally launch daily flights between the desert oasis of Dubai and Clark airport, something that most Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) had been anticipating in the past. And according to my friend Arlan Naeg, who is now with Emirates Airlines in Seattle, US, wherever Emirates Airlines spread its wings other Middle Eastern Airlines such as Qatar Airlines and Etihad will surely follow.

San Pedro: Bright Prospects

EVERYTHING had been turning up rosy for the aviation industry in the country with the recent lifting of the Significant Safety Concerns (SSC) issued in 2007 by the International Civil Aviation Organization, the removal of the 3% Common Carriers Tax and the 2.5 percent Gross Philippines Billings Tax and the announcement of Emirates Airlines that it will launch the Dubai-Clark-Dubai flights on October 1.

Pangan: Jobs

FRESH from our last Barangay Job Fair last Thursday at Barangay Mabiga, we at Peso Mabalacat were hopeful that a considerable number of our citymates would get their chances of landing jobs locally.

Improving the employment rate is one of the national government's goals, as is the thrust of the new Mabalacat City which counts the Clark Freeport Zone as one of its deep sources of employment opportunities.

Mercado: Boycott Air Asia

THE Muslim communities of the cities of San Fernando and Angeles advocated a sustained boycott of Air Asia Philippines as a token protest against Malaysia’s low regard of Filipinos.

“This is the only way to get back at a country whose security forces have been brutally treating our brothers, and whose officials demonstrated a low regard for the Philippines,” Jubaira, a leader of the Muslim traders groups said.

Sapnu: Mga nakumpiskang baril, recyled?

NOONG nakaraang Miyerkules ay ipinrisinta ng Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3) ang nakumpiska nilang loose firearms sa local media.

Umaabot na sa 294 na iba’t-ibang uri ng mga baril at 2,191 mga bala ang nakumpiska ng PRO3 mula noong Enero 13 hanggang Marso 13, ayon kay Chief Superintendent Edgardo Ladao, PRO3 director.

AirAsia, ZestAir forge joint venture agreement

MANILA -- The Philippines AirAsia has entered into strategic alliance agreement with the Zest Airways Incorporated and Asiawide Airways Incorporated (collectively known as the Zest Air Group.

Under the agreement, the AirAsia is expected to acquire 49 percent of common stock of Zest Airways and 100 percent of Asiawide Airways.

Fiesta Keni: Year-round Kapampangan feast

MEXICO -- Now, gastronomes heading north will not have to stray from their destination to get a sampling of real Kapampangan food, cooked from old fashioned home recipes.

San Pedro: Revving up Aviation Industry

THE highly restrictive tax regime was the single biggest stumbling block that drove away the KLM, the last European carrier to leave the country, and prompted other foreign carriers to steer away from the Philippines further stalling efforts to improve the aviation and tourism industry.

The three-percent common carriers tax (CCT) and the 2.5-percent gross Philippine billings tax imposed on foreign carriers did it – pushed the aviation industry into the dustbin of neglect. While foreign carriers avoid the Philippines as a route, the Federal Aviation Authority also downgraded the category rating of our airports to Category 2.

7 Haima branches to serve more customers

ARRIVING in the Philippines in 2010, the name "Haima" as a new breed of modern-day road cars has steadily earned respect in key parts of the country. With its models built with exciting features such as revolutionary and district driving dynamics backed up with excellent user and safety amenities, Haima brand has gradually crafted its own niche in the country's automotive sphere.

Pinedas will win

THE entry of Dennis Pineda in the vice gubernatorial race in Pampanga province has inadvertently brought forth the issue of political dynasty, something that the Pineda family abhors because as the young Pineda said, he is after public service and not for the privilege appended to it.

Globe modernizes Globelines infrastructure in Central, southern Philippines

GLOBE Telecom said apart from its wireless network transformation, which is at the homestretch of its first phase of completion, the company has likewise modernized its Globelines wireline infrastructure in key areas in the central and southern parts of the country.

Globe launches promo for prepaid subscribers

CLARK FREEPORT - Globe Telecom has launched the first and only service in the country that allows prepaid subscribers to create and customize a prepaid promo that fits their needs, budget, and lifestyle.

GoSakto empowers prepaid subscribers to design their own promo according to what they need, recognizing the fact that customers have different call, text and surfing needs.

Middle East Flights

AS AN Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) before in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for three years, I observed that Filipino workers who are leaving for vacation to the Philippines abhor flying via Saudia Airlines because they do not serve alcoholic drinks aboard and sanitize the alleged excesses of the West in their newspapers and movies.

The apparent inflight restrictions compelled me like other OFWs to fly via Singapore Airlines which are sparkling clean and of course they serve alcoholic drinks. I remember a flight from Jeddah to Singapore where I consumed Black Label like a freeman would do. Remember, I’d been to the Kingdom and each time that I go home was like a parole from maximum prison.

Furniture exporters eye domestic market

LUBAO -- Local furniture makers exporting world-class woodcraft, metal and other home furnishings are now looking at the domestic market to sustain the industry following the strengthening of the Philippine peso versus the US dollar.

Guagua Councilor Tonton Torres said Kapampangan furniture exporters remain aggressive and bullish despite the slump the industry is experiencing.

Bank of Florida shares ERMP’s success

CLARK FREEPORT -- Bank of Florida (BOF) shared on Wednesday with hundreds of members of the Confederation of Central Luzon Rural Banks (CCLRB) its successful adoption of the Enterprise Risk Management Program (ERMP).

The CCLRB’s annual conference, which was dubbed as “Adapting to the New Management Framework for Rural Banks: Building Capacities for Managing Risks,” was held at the Holiday Inn in Clark Freeport.

San Pedro: Do the ‘Zepathon’

ON OUR way to school one morning, I was surprised to see my eight-year old son Adrian Elijah listening to Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker,” enjoying Jimmy Page’s riffling chords courtesy of the iconic Les Paul electric guitar. He then shifted to the No. 15 song in my old Led Zeppelin Remasters which is “Stairway to Heaven” and then looked for “Rock and Roll.” Hey, this kid rocks.

More jobs, competitiveness will sustain local economy

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The government and private sectors should create more jobs and boost the country’s competitiveness ratings to cushion the continuing growth economy even as it is at risk -- but not threatened -- by clouds ahead like geopolitics and the strengthening peso versus the US dollar.

This was opined by businessman and Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. vice-chairman Rene Romero over the weekend, who also said that the forecasts made by BDO chief market strategist Jonathan Ravelas during the chamber’s recent general assembly were peeks at the trend the local economy will take in 2013.

San Pedro: Do the 'Zepathon'

ON OUR way to school one morning, I was surprised to see my eight-year-old son Adrian Elijah listening to Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker", enjoying Jimmy Page's riffling chords courtesy of the iconic Les Paul electric guitar. He then shifted to the No. 15 song in my old Led Zeppelin Remasters which is "Stairway to Heaven" and then looked for "Rock and Roll." Hey, this kid rocks.

More jobs, competitiveness will sustain local economy

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The government and private sectors should create more jobs and boost the country's competitiveness ratings to cushion the continuing growth economy even as it is at risk -- but not threatened -- by clouds ahead like geopolitics and the strengthening peso versus the US dollar.

This was opined by businessman and Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. vice-chairman Rene Romero over the weekend, who also said that the forecasts made by BDO chief market strategist Jonathan Ravelas during the chamber's recent general assembly were peeks at the trend the local economy will take in 2013.