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.

AES Philippines refinances $500M non-recourse debt from local banks

AES Philippines, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (AES: NYSE), announced that it has closed a refinancing of its outstanding $500 million long-term non-recourse debt facility from a consortium of local banks in the Philippines, including Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), Philippine National Bank (PNB), and Security Bank.

Binay: Urbanization comes not at the expense of agriculture

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Vice President Jejomar Binay in a statement said urbanization will not come at the expense of agriculture and other natural resources.

Binay's statement was read by her daughter Nancy during one of the occasions attended by the local officials and residents in Candaba town.

Bank of Florida bares 2013 strategic directions

BACOLOR -- Pampanga's top rural bank -- Bank of Florida (BOF) – bared over the weekend its strategic objectives for 2013 as part of its "vows" to serve its customers better and after fulfilling its "promises" of greater efficiency.

San Pedro: Economic disconnect?

FORMER ambassador to Greece and columnist Rigoberto Tiglao, a known supporter of Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga's 3rd District, had been saying that there had been an apparent great disconnect between the 6.6 percent economic growth announced by the Aquino government and the amount of foreign direct investments (FDI) that entered the country.

Subic tax remittances hit P7.62 billion

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT -- Tax collection agencies in this Freeport have turned over to the national treasury a total of P7.62 billion in taxes collected from January to December 2012.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia said the amount was derived from taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Farmers call enactment of Agrarian Reform bill

FARMERS led by the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Farmers' Alliance in Central Luzon) and Anakpawis Partylist-Central Luzon is calling for the enactment of House Bill 374 or the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB).

The bill was filed by Anakpawis Partylist Representative Rafael Mariano and other progressive partylist representatives from Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women's Party, ACT Partylist and Kabataan Partylist.

Bizman optimistic with country’s 6.6 GDP growth

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) vice chairman Rene Romero is optimistic that the country’s strong economic performance of 6.6 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2012 would have a good effect on investor confidence and business atmosphere in the country.

Sun Business powers Bounty Agro Ventures Inc.

SUN BUSINESS, the corporate arm of Sun Cellular, has formed an agreement with poultry integrator Bounty Agro Ventures Inc. (BAVI), by supplying Chooks-to-Go, the country’s number one rotisserie chain, with seamless and efficient business solutions.

“As Bounty Agro ensures to bring the best quality poultry products to every Filipino home, this partnership with Sun Business would definitely allow the growing company to put better service on the table,” said Michele Curran, Sun Cellular’s Vice President for Sun Business Marketing.

AirAsia passengers may now pay at 7-Eleven stores

CLARK FREEPORT -- Paying for Philippines' AirAsia booking reservations and other online purchases are now easier via any 7-Eleven stores nationwide.

Sharklet Retrofit

AIRASIA and Cebu Pacific have both launched the Airbus 320 with "sharklet" wingtips that will reportedly provide fuel-burn reduction by about 4 percent due to the aircraft's improved aerodynamic feature.

Bank of Florida opens 13th branch

STA. RITA -- While most rural banks in Pampanga and Central Luzon are consolidating their resources with bigger commercial and universal banks, the Bank of Florida (BOF) continues to expand on its own, opening its “homey” branch in this town on Wednesday afternoon.

May polls ‘crucial’ over Pampanga, country's biz gains

STA. RITA -- Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) vice chairman Rene Romero said Monday that the results of the upcoming May elections would be very crucial in maintaining the country's economic gains.

P8-M village rice mill to rise in Sta. Rita town

STA. RITA -- An P8-million integrated modern rice mill and drier facility will soon rise in Barangay Diladila here in a bid to boost palay-post harvest services and reduce farm expenses for farmers here and the whole of Pampanga’s second district.

Seamless Transport Service

LAST Thursday, the Clark International Airport Corporation has finally opened the TriNoma Clark Airport Lounge, where passengers can take a P200 bus ride all the way to the Clark airport and vice-versa.

Betis Crafts featured in ELLE magazine spread

GUAGUA, Pampanga — Betis Crafts, one of this town’s most lucrative and well-established wood art and furniture brand, was recently featured in ELLE Decoration Philippines’ December 2012-January 2013 issue, sharing pages with the best brands and companies in the country and the world.

The eight-page feature presented Pampanga furniture crafts and wood products. According to Myrna Bituin, wife of BCI president Jose Bituin, the feature presented how Kapampangan artistry could be at par with that of other wood artists in the world. 

Labor department sets dates, pay rules for 2013 holidays

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has identified and set the pay rules for holidays this year.

According to DoLE-3 Director Raymundo Agravante---through labor communications officer Jerry Borja---Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz promulgated the implementing guidelines for Proclamation No. 459, Series of 2012, “Declaring the regular holidays, special (non-working) days, and special holiday (for all schools) for the year 2013” to avoid complexities and disseminate in advance information about holiday dates and rules to both employers and workers in the labor sector.

San Pedro: Clark Airport Lounge

TOMORROW, the Clark International Airport Corporation will finally open the Clark Airport Lounge at the TriNoma in a bid to further improve accessibility of the Clark airport, now one of the busiest airports in the country.

San Pedro: Fastest growing airport

WITH over 1.3 million passengers recorded last year, the Clark International Airport is currently the “fastest growing airport” in the country today.

The Clark airport posted some 1,312,979 passengers in 2012 compared to 767,109 passengers in 2011 or a 71.16 percent increase. The 3rd Best Airport Zone in the world is destined for something bigger this year which include the expansion program of existing airlines and the entry of more airlines.

Subic workforce breach 90,000 mark

THE number of workers in Subic Bay Freeport has breached the 90,000 mark during 2012, said Roberto Garcia, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator, citing the aggressiveness of the agency in enticing more investors.

“The current number of employees has kept the Freeport Zone afloat despite the crises that affected the world. We need to strengthen that number to ensure sustained growth in our country’s economy,” Garcia said.

Bright Future for Aviation

PAMPANGA Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. Chairman Emeritus Levy P. Laus foresees a brighter future for the aviation industry in the Clark Civil Aviation Complex. Laus anticipated a big demand for pilots and other aviation-related jobs in the coming years.

17 get jobs from vice mayor’s call center training program

PORAC -- Some 17 students who graduated from Vice Mayor Dexter David’s call center training program have recently been hired in various Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies inside the Clark Freeport.

David said the graduates are part of the two batches of students who underwent 100 hours of call center language training under Asia Work Solutions.

Veggie farmers get carts from Butil

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Some 42 vegetable farmers here received “Nego Karts” on Thursday from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and the Butil Farmers Party, in a bid to help them peddle their farm produce.

San Pedro: 7 Hours in Davao

WITH gray clouds blanketing the approach to the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City, the Cebu Pacific flight descended into the runway with a loud thud in the aircraft’s rear wheel followed by another thud in the front wheel. Whew, I thought the fuselage will break into pieces. As if God heard my prayers, He gave us a dilapidated taxi that is akin to a suicide car bomb from Afghanistan, hehe. “Balaku mikawa-kawani ya,” said Rendy Isip. Nevertheless, the taxi reached the ultra-modern SMX Convention Center in one piece.

And so we reached the state-of-the-art 7.835-square meter SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang for the Davao Investment Conference (ICon) held last Friday. The SMX has three function rooms at the 3rd floor of the new SM Lanang that can hold at least 5,000 people and further have five additional meeting rooms. SM Clark should have a similar convention center and for a while as we were walking inside SM Lanang and the SMX Convention Center I envied everything that the SM Group had done in Davao City.

Converge launches ‘router’ promo

CLARK FREEPORT -- Full telecoms firm ComClark, now known as Converge, has launched its “Router Promo.”

San Pedro: Blueboy

THE political pot is apparently heating up all over the country as candidates for various public positions last Monday filed their respective Certificates of Candidacy (COCs). In Angeles City, many had awaited the return of former Pampanga 1st District Rep. Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno in the political scene.

Last week, Nepomuceno, accompanied by his wife Gina and sons Jepoy and Christian, finally filed his COC – defining the contours of the electoral landscape in Angeles City and the whole of the First Congressional District. It also paved the way for the much awaited battle royale

AirAsia to start daily Clark-Singapore flights

CLARK FREEPORT ---– Philippines’ AirAsia, the country’s newest low cost carrier, will begin its daily Clark-Singapore flights on December 15 with booking period which will last until October 7.

To celebrate the new route, the Filipino carrier offers an all-in, one way promo fare from only P999 from Clark International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 starting October 1 until 7 October 2012 via airasia.com.

Visiting the No. 1 Airport

NICE, France -- The Dubai International Airport never ceases to amaze me whenever I pass through it or visit the desert oasis. Back in 2003, I was invited by the best-selling broadsheet newspaper Gulf News at their editorial headquarters in Dubai and I was astounded to see that the Dubai Duty Free Store had been giving away a Rolls Royce car. During my five-hour stop on my way to Nice, France last week – the same store is currently giving away an American icon – a jet black Harley Davidson motorcycle.

According to the Financial Times Group of London, the Dubai International Airport is the ‘Best Airport’ in the world followed by the one in Morocco and of course our very own Clark International Airport. Clark is adjudged as ‘Best Airport’ within an ecozone setting.

Philippines now 65th in global ranking

THE global competitiveness ranking of the Philippines has apparently improved from 75th to 65th out of 114 countries, based on the 2012-2013 Global Competitiveness Report, an annual publication of the World Economic Forum. And Malacañang had been harping about the improved economy under the leadership of President Benigno Aquino III.

San Pedro: $500-M airport, but where?

PHILIPPINE Airlines president Ramon S. Ang has announced that they will build a $500-million airport that will sit on a 2,000 plus hectare property. Ang left everybody in the woods as to where this airport which he said will only be 15 minutes away from Metro Manila will be located.