4 - Clark Development Corporation

1
COMMUNITY
“This very important legislation
would have encountered rough sailing
in Congress were it not for the solid,
persistent
and
lour
Mabalacat Mayor
representation of business
Marino “Boking” Morales
leaders and executives,” said
lauded the creation of
Morales. “The singular gesture
the Clark Freeport Zone
amply demonstrates what a
and the passage of tax
united front against an issue
amnesty
and
tax
can put up with and derive
incentives bills that
significant results.”
prevented over 400
foreign
and
local
Without the tax incentives,
investors from closing
locators had expressed
shop.
intention to pull out and invest
elsewhere should there have
Morales speaking
been no remedial measures
before Clark Investors
on the ruling of the Supreme
and Locators Association
Court regarding the issue.
(CILA), local executives
and non-government
The revocation of the
organization (NGOs) at
incentives would have
the 14 th Anniversary
required Clark locators to pay
celebration of Clark
the normal corporate income
D e v e l o p m e n t
tax rate of 32 percent instead
Corporation praised all
of the preferential rate of 5%
P/CEO Levy P. Laus (extreme right) with (L-R) EVP Philip JB. Panlilio , Mabalacat Mayor Marino
those who helped in the CDC
on gross income, and would
P. Morales, CILA President Frankie L. Villanueva during the 14th anniversary celebration of CDC and
passage of tax amnesty unveiling of Clark Freeport logo.
be assessed back taxes for
and incentives bills.
the number of years they have
been operating.
“Without their nobusinessmen,” according to Clark
nonsense participation in lobbying for
Morales also expressed his
Investors.
the tax amnesty and tax incentives
gratitude to former CDC president
Morales was supportive of the Antonio R. Ng., former CDC-EVP Victor
bills, precious investments and jobs
national government’s plant to have Jose I. Luciano, who were among the
would have been gone,” said Morales.
Clark Freeport Zone as a major first to lobby for the passage of the tax
“These faceless individuals were
component of a much bigger mega- amnesty and incentives bills and local
there supporting Clark investors from
logistics hub in the Subic-Clark corridor. executives led by Angeles Mayor
Day 1”, said Morales.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had Carmelo Lazatin and the rest of the Metro
“These well meaning individuals
envisioned the Subic-Clark corridor as Clark Advisory Council (MCAC), and
did not take centerstage but rather
part of mega logistics hub and services business and political leaders in
remained on the sidelines as the
in the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway.
Pampanga.
passage of the bills were heralded by
Boking lauds creation of Clark Freeport Zone
DOT organizes tour guide services to Clark
The Department of Tourism – Region
III has formed a guide service association
to address the need for quality tour escort
service for groups, families and individuals
visiting Clark and its environs.
This was the announcement made by
Regional Director Ronaldo Tiotuico of the
regional tourism office in a press statement
issued recently.
Tiotuico said the association named
Central Luzon Guide Service Association
chaired by its President Florante “Jones”
Palo is composed of some 15 young and
dynamic men and women whose
knowledge and technical skills in tour
guiding have been developed via a two-
week intensive training workshop conducted
by the Office of Tourism Standards of the
Department of Tourism headed by Director Ma.
Victoria Jasmin, April this year.
The members of the guide service
association are now duly accredited by the
Department of Tourism and are set to seek
license or permit to engage in their newfound
profession with the local government unit of
Angeles City.
The association now provides such
services like customized sightseeing tours,
airport courtesies, transfers and check-in
(airport to hotel), and travel planning. The group
also offers group tour packaging including
arrangements for meals, hotels, transportation
and shopping.
Statistics show that Clark alone
generates more than 25,000 foreign visitors a
month courtesy of low-cost carriers like Air
Asia, Tiger Airways, Hong Kong Airlines and
CR Airways, not to mention carriers like
Asiana Airlines and domestic carriers, Cebu
Pacific and SeAir, Inc.
Visitors to Clark come from Korea,
Malaysia, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong
Kong (or mainland China).
Tiotuico said he is now coordinating with
the hotel and restaurant association in
Pampanga on the availability of licensed tour
guides in Pampanga. The offer of guide service
will henceforth become a regular feature in all
DOT accredited hotels, travel agencies and
resorts in Pampanga and the rest of the
region.
2
INVESTMENTS
Texas Instruments
to invest $1B in Clark
Top US semiconductor firm, Texas Instruments (TI) Inc. the world’s
biggest maker of mobile phone chips would build a US$1-billion plant
in Clark Freeport Zone.
Levy P. Laus, CDC president, said
Malacañang and TI Philippines have
already signed an agreement for the
investment, which will start to pour into
the Freeport starting August this year.
Bing Viera, managing director of TI
Philippines said: “As we look toward our
30-year anniversary in the Philippines in
2009, we expect this new facility to be a
flagship for the company in terms of
quality and output. I thank our kind hosts
from the government of the Philippines
for working together with TI to make this
expansion possible.”
The TI investment is an expansion of
the firms assembly/test operations in the
Philippines with a new site that aims to
CDC P/CEO Levy P.
be the most environmentally efficient
assembly/test site in the world.
At 77,000 square meters in size, the site within the Clark Freeport
Zone is expected to eventually employ about 3,000 workers and will
double the capacity that TI has in the Philippines.
This is an important site for TI because it will add capacity to
support our growing business and serve our customers, said Kevin
Ritchie, senior vice president of TI’s technology and manufacturing
group.
Once built, we expect to quickly ramp the site with the help of our
experienced team in Baguio, where w’eve had assembly/test operations
for almost three decades, he said.
The extremely elated Laus, who led lobbying for the legislation
that would lead to the provision of tax amnesty to locators through the
transformation of Clark into a Freeport, said the TI investment will
further boost the vision to make Clark Freeport Zone a global
investment destination.
It will generate more employment for the people of Central Luzon,
he said adding that the passage of two landmark bills which granted
amnesty further enhanced the attraction of Clark as a premier investment
area in Southeast Asia.”
Construction is expected to start in the second half of 2007, with
initial production in the second half of 2008.
An upbeat President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announces the $1-billion expansion project of Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) in the
Philippines, specifically at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, during a press briefing at Malacanang’s Reception Hall Thursday
morning. Among those with the President in photo are (from right) Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director-General Lilia de Lima,
3
Speaking on behalf of the Philippines, President Gloria MacapagalArroyo welcomed TI’s move to grow operations in the country.
“Today TI is the leading exporter from the Philippines and this
announcement demonstrates how successful the relationship has been
with TI,” said President Arroyo. “I thank Bing and his management
team for considering the Clark Freeport Zone and for making the
decision to expand its facilities,” she added,
The President said the facility was a sign of foreign investors’
“continuing confidence” in the Philippines.
“Competition for this investment was fierce among the different
possible sites in Asia, all wanting Texas Instruments to put their $1
billion in their places,” Arroyo told a news briefing.
“We are thankful Texas Instruments finally chose the Philippines,”
she said.
With an expected investment of US$1 billion over 10 years, the site
will incorporate many of the environmental and energy design features
that were first used by TI in the United States at its newest semiconductor
facility. Reducing water, energy and waste will be given priority
consideration from the start of building design and construction, and it
will be the first ground-up facility to be the leader in Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) registered in the Philippines.
(Albert Lacanlale, Sunstar Pampanga)
PGMA signs E.O. 619 providing incentives
to new Clark Freeport Zone locators
In a move to further promote the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) as
an economic haven in the Asia - Pacific region, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo has issued an executive order granting tax and
duty incentives to “duly registered business enterprises that will
operate in special economic zones to be created by proclamation
inside the CFZ.”
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President signed
on April 26 the Executive Order No. 619 “Creating and Designating
Special Economic Zones Pursuant to Republic Act No. 7916, as
Amended by R.A. 8784, in Relation to R.A. 7227, as Amended by
R.A. 9400, Inside the Clark Freeport Zone.”
With the issuance of the EO, duly registered business
enterprises that would operate at the special economic zones “to
be specifically designated by the President by way of proclamation”
inside the newly-created CFZ would be entitled to the same tax
and duty incentives as provided for under Republic Act 7916, or
the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, as amended.
E.O. 619 provides that the Philippine Economic Zone Authority
(PEZA) “shall register, regulate and supervise all registered
enterprises within the said special economic zones” so these
business enterprises could avail themselves of tax incentives.
In signing E.O. 619, the President noted that the amendments
in R.A. 9400 “provide for the applicability of R.A. 7916, as amended,
and the role of the PEZA with respect to Special Economic Zones
(SEZ) that may be created in Bataan, Zambales as well as in John
Hay SEZ, but did not so provide for the applicability of R.A. 7916,
as amended, in the Subic SEZ, Poro Point Freeport Zone, and the
new Clark Freeport Zone.”
“There is a need to make R.A. 7916, as amended, also
applicable to the Clark Freeport Zone in areas to be specifically
designated by the President by way of Proclamation,” E.O. 619
states.
The renaming of the former Clark Special Economic Zone to
Clark Freeport Zone was one of the major amendments to R.A.
7227, as amended, otherwise known as the Bases Conversion
and Development Act of 1992 and for other purposes,” now
embodied in R.A. 9400.
The Clark Freeport Zone would cover 4,400 hectares of the
former Clark Air Base. The rest of the reverted base lands located
in Angeles City, Mabalacat and Porac towns in Pampanga and
Capas and Bamban in Tarlac would now be under the jurisdiction
of the PEZA.
CORPORATE
all over the area.
$1 M promenade project connection
The project is envisioned to create a convergence of all
tourists, businessmen, locators, travelers and residents of
freeport
zone in one place while trying to enjoy the
CDC,
construction
firm
send
ambiance of Clark not only as an investment destination but
to be established in Clark the
also a tourist attraction.
Aeta OFWs
to Saudi
Arabia
A $1 million promenade project will be established
Pangilinan said among the reasons why they chose to
inside Freeport Zone after Clark Development Corporation
invest here is the increasing
President Levy P. Laus signed
number of inbound flights to
an agreement with a local
Clark and its connectivity to
tourism firm at the Holiday Inn
Subic and Tarlac before the end
Resort in Clark Field recently.
of the year.
Laus said the first-of-itsThe project is expected to
kind project in Central Luzon
be completed before the first
will be similar to the classy
quarter of 2008 in time for the
promenade in Libis area in
full opening of the P21-billion
Quezon City.
Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway.
Vilma Chivel Pangilinan,
Pangilinan said the Global
Global CD&P chief executive
CD&P Corporation and other
officer, said the firm would
CD&P-owned companies such
venture into a modest yet
as the CD&P Enterprises (a
ambitious pro-active business
design,
planners
and
property development in
Construction company), CD&P
Clark.
Builders Thailand Co. Ltd. (a
Pangilinan said the
construction firm based in
proposed project to be
Bangkok, Thailand) and Perwira
established at the back of
Travel & Tours (a Department
Clark Hostel along the MA
Trade and IndustryCDC P/CEO Levy P. Laus congratulates Vilma C. Pangilinan CEO of Global CD & P Corporation for the of
Roxas
Highway
will
registered company that
$1 million promenade project signing ceremony held at Holiday Inn Clark recently.
complement
business
concentrates on International
operations of several business
Marketing, Travel and Tours
establishments in the tourism area here and service the and other related tourism inbound business) will throw in
needs of their foreign and local clientele.
financial resources for the project.
He said the project will bring famous world renowned
The firm’s expertise includes the construction of
chain of coffee outlets, grill and restaurants, spa and residential, townhouses, commercial building and road works
massage parlor, fashion shops and some video arcades, and also offers expertise in careful planning, designing and
including the establishment of wireless fidelity (Wi-FI) building projects.
81 ffamilies
amilies rreceiv
eceiv
e CDC community pr
ojects
eceive
projects
The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has extended
some families – including Aetas – for start-up business.
assistance to over 81 families through its Community Extension
Rondolo said CDC is also encouraging beneficiaries of CDC
Services Office (CESO) by promoting jobs, holding livelihood
community projects to involve
seminars and programs, and
themselves in agriculture business,
dispersing livestock to various
starting off as small scale
beneficiaries, including Aetas,
entrepreneurs.
residing almost adjacent to this
CDC was able to disperse carabaos
economic zone.
to 11 families in Barangays Calapi,
The extension programs
Gate 14, Haduan, Calumpang,
aim to aide Kapampangans
Sto.Nino and DapDap Resettlement.
and Aetas improve their
While a goat dispersal program was
knowledge in the field of
also granted to 50 families in Sitio
livestock, vegetation handling,
Monikayo, Barangays San Martin,
and marketing.
Burog and Sta. Rosa.
In a report by CESO
The report added that 20 families
Manager Felicisima Rondolo
benefited from the mushroom
to CDC President Levy Laus,
livelihood project, including the
CDC has also distributed
conduct of seminars on actual
carabaos,
goats,
and
planting, harvesting and marketing of
Exchange of Ideas.CDC Community Extension Services Office (CESO) staff listens attentively to one of the
mushroom bundles to enable aetas who were endowed with the livelihood program in one of the seminars conducted by CDC.
harvested mushrooms.
4
THE BUZZ
CDC joins w
as
ket
was
astte mar
mark
fair on Ear
Eartth Da
Dayy celeb
Clark Development Corporation, in cooperation with
SM City Clark and the Environment Practitioners’
Association (EPA), celebrated Earth Day last April 20
by initiating Waste Market Fair from 9 am to 4pm at the
SM mall parking lot near SM Hypermarket.
SM’s medical
mission a success
CORPORATE social responsibility (CSR) worked at
its best when SM Foundation and the Angeles University
Foundation recently served more than 1,270 patients at
the “Gamot Para sa Kapwa 2007-Medical Mission Mall
Caravan” held at SM City Clark.
SM Foundation, the charitable arm of the SM
Group of Companies, spearheaded the medical mission
providing seven doctors and two dentists together with
the Para-Medical staff composed of a Radiologist, ECG
Technician, Radiologic Techinician, and X-Ray
Technician; free medicines for the patients and the SM
Mobile Clinic. AUF sent 7 doctors, 2 dentists and student
volunteers to serve the beneficiaries while the local
DSWD staff of Angeles City and Mabalacat also assisted
the beneficiaries composed of families, elderly people
and persons with disabilities. The activity was also in
cooperation with Clark Development Corporation.
There are at least 761 patients availed free
medical consultation and medicines, 209 had dental
consultation and tooth extraction, 78 underwent X-ray
exams, 50 for ECG and 170 had free bone density
scanning. Other medical services included height and
weight check-up and blood pressure monitoring.
SM Foundation’s Gamot Para sa Kapwa Medical
Mission, which is being conducted yearly at SM malls
and indigent communities, aims to provide ancillary
Pledge for the earth: Declaring their commitment to promote a zero-waste environment
are CDC VP for Operations Frank Madlangbayan, Ms. Earth Philippines Air Regional
winner Joyce Ayson, AUF VP for Administration Sylvia Soriano, DENR Regional Technical
Director Remy Atabay, EMB Region 3 Ed Licuan, SK representative Randy Mallari, HARP
President Jim Dale, SM Supermalls AVP for Operations Bien Mateo, and PENRO Head
Regina Vitug.
CDC’s Environment Management Department
manager Juan Miguel Fuentes said the waste market
fair, is an effort to help save the environment through
the intensified move to bring recyclable materials directly
to recognized recyclers for the best buy-back prices,
at the same time serving a good economic sense of
earning from waste materials.
Fuentes, who is also the EPA President, the group
and SM bought paper scraps such as cartons,
newspapers, notebooks, and bond papers; used ink and
toner cartridges, electronic wastes such old CPUs,
keyboards, computer monitors, and other electronic
appliances; used lead batteries for cars, trucks, UPS,
and rechargeable lamps; used PET bottles and other
plastic products; and aluminum and tin cans.
The activity is one way of CDC’s support to the strict
implementation of Ecological Solid Waste Management
Act or Republic Act 9003.
5
services to communities within the SM branches which
have limited or no access to such services, to give
literacy programs to enable communities and individuals
to prevent and manage diseases and illnesses after the
medical mission, and to provide an avenue to encourage
health advocacy, multi-sectoral coordination and
community participation.
Nearby communities in San Fernando and Mexico
will also be able to avail the free medical benefits when
the Gamot Para sa Kapwa 2007-Medical Mission Mall
Caravan moves on to SM City Pampanga on May 31.
1
3
2
4
1.
CDC P/CEO Levy P. Laus during the launching of the Clark Tree Heritage
Program to save an initial 54 Acacia trees in Clark in celebration of the Earth
Day.
2.
CDC VP Frank L. Madlangbayan gestures and explains CDC’s Programs for
gate 14 settlers.
3.
CDC P/CEO Levy P. Laus (3rd – L); CDC Chairman Rizalino R. Navarro (center)
and other CDC officers pose for a photo opt during CDC’s 14th year anniversary
and the motorcade of a new and official logo of Clark Freeport.
4-6
Sports fest and fun games for CDC employees during the 14th Anniversary
celebration of CDC.
5
aus
the
nn
yor
evy
is published monthly by the
CDC Public Relations Department
Tel. No. [045] 599-9000 local 981 to 984
6
Levy P. Laus Chairman, Editorial Board, Angelo C. Lopez, Jr. Editor-In-Chief, Noel G. Tulabut
Managing Editor / Layout Artist, Eric V. Jimenez Senior Writer, Raul Amores / Photographer, Precy
Cunanan/Writer/Researcher, Leila D. Razon-Pingol, Gina Cunanan, Juliet Ugay/ Circulation,
Carlota Paule, Frances Ruth Dimalanta/ Staff, Dennis “Borj” Meneses/ Graphic Artist
6
AIRPORT
DMIA readied for in-flight catering for long haul flights
The Clark International to operate at DMIA once the could be one of the best new
Airport Corp. (CIAC) said it will in-flight catering starts gateway in the country. It is
being developed as part of a
soon have its in-flight catering operation,” said Luciano.
services in anticipation of
This airport with its twin mega-logistic hub and
services in the Subic-Clark
long-haul flights that will
corridor.
operate here.
“The acquisition
CIAC President and
of the state-of-the-art
CEO Victor Jose I.
radar system was
Luciano recently inked a
just one of the steps
lease agreement with
taken to improve the
MIASCOR-Gate Gourmet
infrastructure at
for the development of an
DMIA. And now we
in-flight catering services.
are
trying
to
The firm is expected to
establish the in-flight
prepare 4,000 meals per
catering facilities at
day to meet the needs of
DMIA to cope up
airliners now operating at
with
the
this airport.
In-flight catering. CIAC President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano (seated, foreground)
signs a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with MIASCOR-Gate Gourmet Chairman
development of new
Luciano signed the
Jovino Lorenzo Jr. for the development of in-flight catering services at Diosdado
airports in Asia,”
MOU with MIASCOR-Gate
Macapagal International Airport (DMIA). The in-flight catering is expected to attract
said Luciano.
long-haul airlines into the DMIA. Witnessing the signing are President Arroyo and
Gourmet Philippines
(L-R) CIAC Executive Vice-President and COO Alexander Cauguiran, CIAC Chairman
With the in-flight
Chairman Jovino Lorenzo
Nestor Mangio, Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President Levy P. Laus and Subiccatering
facilities,
Jr. last April 4 in the
Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC) Chairman Edgardo Pamintuan.
CIAC is expecting to
presence of President
serve the thousands
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Luciano said the in-flight 3.2-km runways built by the of overseas Filipino workers
catering is vital to this airport Americans, its newly- (OFWs) who are based in
because long-haul airliners acquired $9.3 million radar Central and Northern Luzon,
could now be served. “We are system and its strategic said Luciano.
The bulk of OFWs in the
expecting long-haul airliners location in the heart of Asia
Middle East and elsewhere in
the world came from the two
regions and this airport could
very well serve these OFWs,
said Luciano.
OFWs in the two regions
will no longer have to travel
to Manila to catch their flights
because this airport is just
right at the doorstep to serve
them, said Luciano.
CIAC is in talks with Tair
Airlines, a Middle Eastern
airliner for a possible
operations between Clark and
Saudi Arabia.
MIASCOR will initially
provide 4,000 meals daily for
the increasing number of
budget airlines here.
OFWs in Central and
Northern Luzon are awaiting
the operations of Tair Airways
with great anticipation
because their travel time will
be shortened while they will
also save money if they fly out
here instead of catching their
flights in Manila.
DMIA routes to North Asia, ME seen
The Clark International
Airport Corporation (CIAC) is
eyeing the development of
routes from the Diosdado
Macapagal International
Airport (DMIA) to different
destinations in North Asia.
CIAC President and CEO
Victor Jose I. Luciano
however said major airlines
should make Clark their hub
“so they can fly to North Asia
such as Japan and Korea. At
present, Asiana of South
Korea is providing flights
between DMIA and Incheon,
SK five times a week.
Speaking before CIAC top
brass and employees during
its annual Strategic Planning
held at The Lakeshore,
Luciano said “we also
want to have America flights
but for the moment we will
invite middle eastern flights,”
said Luciano. Tair Airways of
7
Saudi Arabia is set tooperate
at DMIA this year once the infight catering facility is
established.
Once Tair Airways starts
flying into DMIA, it would
service thousands of OFWs
who had come from Central
and Northern Luzon. These
OFWs no longer have to travel
all the way to Manila to catch
their flights.
The number of OFWs in
North Asia is also dense
prompting CIAC to develop
routes to North Asia. OFWs in
South Asia such as Singapore
and Malaysia are being
served by two budget airlines
– Tiger Airways and Air Asia.
Last year, DMIA
posted 2,065 international
flights
with
470,867
passengers, a 110 percent
increase from the previous
year
with
224,497
passengers (1,188 flights). In
2004, a mere 230 flights were
recorded with 49,546
passengers.
For its domestic
flights, DMIA recorded 432
flights with 9,442 passengers
in 2004; 455 flights with
7,618 passengers; and 443
flights
with
17,889
passengers last year. Once
the existing DMIA terminal
was expanded, passenger
capacity is expected to rise
between 1 million to 2
million passengers per year.
Luciano has also urged
CIAC workers to be efficient
and dedicated because “you
will play a crucial role here
(DMIA).”
Luciano laid out CIAC’s
plans and programs for the
year which include the
continuous development of
DMIA’s
infrastructure,
advanced
security
management,
financial
stability, development of
human resources and
invitation of major airlines to
operate in Clark.
CIAC Chairman Nestor
Mangio said the “airport is a
dynamic industry.” “This is our
legacy not only to our families
but to the province and nation.”
World-class
airport
developer Architect Ben Lau
of the US and Professor
Tommy Lopez of the Asian
Institute of Management (AIM)
had also key noted the two-day
Strategic Planning delving on
the importance of “branding”
in a bid to improve services at
the airport.
Lau
advised
CIAC
management to acquire more
lands as possible because
“2,200 hectares is not
enough.” Lau’s firm built
several airports in the US,
Canada, West Africa and
China.
InFOCUS
CDC, construction firm send
Aeta OFWs to Saudi Arabia
The Clark Development Corporation (CDC), through the since March to the foreign country.
Clark Polytechnic and international construction firm
According to Sampang, the diminutive cultural minorities
Engineering Equipment Inc. (EEI), has successfully deployed have shown that, given the proper training, they could perform
Aetas as overseas Filipino workers to the Middle East.
their tasks as satisfactorily as their counterparts from the
During the recent celebration of Labor Day, two more plains could.
Aetas-Teorito Sibal and Relly Dela Cruz flew to Jubail, Kingdom
In the program, CDC offers Polytechnic’s facilities and
of Saudi Arabia to work in an EEI project as skilled workers manpower for values formation and training of the
specializing in pipe welding.
beneficiaries. The EEI, for its part, shoulders the equipment
Sibal, 30 and Dela Cruz 27, bring to
and materials for the training.
seven the number of Aetas already
A total of P250 per day or close to P45,000
deployed abroad through the project
was spent for the trainings of each of the
initiated by the CDC and EEI, through its
beneficiaries, Sampang said.
Chief Executive Officer Roberto Castillo.
CDC Executive Vice President Philip
Jose Vladimir Sampang, Executive
Panlilio, in an interview, said the project is
Director of the Clark Polytechnic, said Sibal
part of CDC’s social responsibility –ensuring
and Dela Cruz were part of the 10 Aetas
not just trainings but jobs for the beneficiaries
who have undergone a 40-day skills training
of the program.
and values re-orientation at the institution.
He said the Polytechnic contacted the
They were given briefing on what to
chieftains of Aeta communities and asked
expect in the country they will be going to
them if they could send participants to avail
and were also counseled on how to wisely
of the program. The 10 beneficiaires were
spend the money they could earn in
chosen from 20 initial nominees sent by Aeta
working abroad.
villagers.
As pipe welders and fitters, the Aetas
Sibal, who will leave behind his wife and
are poised to receive a monthly
three pre-school aged children, said his
compensation of US$450 to US$500 per
deployment abroad has opened an
month in Saudi Arabia. This excludes
opportunity for his family to be freed from
overtime pays, free board and lodging, and
the clutches of poverty.
(L-R) Joseph King, Roland King, Roger David
medical services.
As a farmer who grows root-crops in a
Aside from Sibal and Dela Cruz, five
small piece of land, Sibal said his family had
other members of their tribe have already been deployed to endure eight month-long wait for them to enjoy more than
a single meal each day.
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