This came at the heels of the scare that has gripped the country in recent weeks due to the 2019 Novel Corona Virus (2019-nCoV) that originated from Wuhan, China and has claimed the lives of at least 106 people and infected some 4,500 worldwide.

The MV World Dream, expected to arrive here this morning, was the first Cruise Ship to scrap its Subic Bay sojourn that generated a lot of concern from communities in and around the Freeport.

Late yesterday, Olongapo Mayor Rolen C. Paulino, Jr. led city residents in staging a rally outside the Freeport Main Gate protesting the impending visit of the MV World Dream which was carrying around 778 passengers, mainly Chinese nationals, in connection with the Corona Virus threat.

Some residents and locators of the Subic Bay Freeport joined the protest rally.

Eisma, on the other hand, while giving assurance that the Freeport has enough protocols in place to check on the threat and invoking the health clearance given by Dept. of Health (DoH) to the cruise ship passengers while in Manila yesterday, pressed the cruise ship operator to reconsider in proceeding to Subic.

Genting Cruise Lines, the operator of the cruise liner, finally acceded “in face of the circumstances on the ground,” according to Eisma.

“It is my duty to inform all stakeholders in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone that the scheduled port call of the cruise ship MV World Dream in Subic on Wednesday, January 29, has been cancelled,” Eisma said in a statement, “now the Subic Bay Freeport community can breathe a sigh of relief in the outcome that, we hope, is acceptable and satisfactory to all.”

The Cruise Ship visits has been a major trust of SBMA’s tourism initiatives, aiming to establish itself as a premier cruise ship destination.

Almost 40 cruise ship visits has been calendared at the Freeport for 2020, up from some 19 visits it had in 2019.

The Corona Virus scare has dealt local tourism here a major blow, but residents and businessmen, including government and SBMA officials, are in concord that “health and safety” is paramount to the projected gains of the cruise ship visits. -30-

“We write your good office regarding the cruise ship situation amidst the threat of the 2019 Novel Corona Virus,” Olongapo City Mayor Rolen C. Paulino, Jr. said in a letter to SBMA Chair & Administrator Wilma T. Eisma today.

Also today, Mayor Jon F. Khonghun of Subic Town, north of the Freeport, said in his letter “we are appealing to your good office to temporarily stop accepting cruise ships which are bound to enter the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.”

Khonghun urged the SBMA “to be more cautious giving priority to the health and safety of our people.”

Paulino, for his part, said “Let us please err in the side of caution and put primacy in the health and safety of the residents and workers of SBFZ and the city and municipalities surrounding it.”

Amid the hysteria surrounding the spread of the novel coronavirus from China to other countries in Asia, Eisma appealed to stakeholders for sobriety as the cruise ship MV Word Dream is set to dock in Subic tomorrow.

Eisma said in a statement that the Department of Health (DOH) is confident that the multi-layer protocols in place are enough to ensure the safety of host communities that cruise ship passengers visit during their tour.

“I call on everyone to keep calm and take necessary precautions,” Eisma said. “I have been coordinating with Health Secretary Francisco Duque on the matter and the DOH said it’s confident that the quadruple safety procedures in place are enough, so let’s trust the DOH on this issue.”

However, she said the Subic agency is also open to suggestions from local stakeholders on how to address the nCov problem.

“If you feel there is a need for the DOH to reverse its position, then we have to unify our call. We have to decide on this as a team,” she added.

Eisma sounded the appeal as some quarters from the various sectors in the Freeport and outlying communities expressed opposition to the scheduled visit of the cruise ship MV World Dream because of the ongoing nCoV health emergency.

The ship arrived in Manila on Today with a total of 778 passengers, and authorities said passengers, who were seen wearing masks, were allowed to disembark at around 11:30 a.m.

MV World Dream, which is one of the frequent visitors to Subic in the last two years, usually carried more than 3,000 passengers on a trip but had reportedly skipped picking up the majority of its bookings from Guangzhou, a port city northwest of Hong Kong and located further inland, because of a government lockdown at the Wuhan area, the epicentre of the infections.

Eisma said the multi-layered safety protocol imposed by the DOH involved the quarantine of cruise ship passengers upon entry and exit at their last port of call in Hong Kong, during the trip to Manila when they were processed again by personnel of DOH-Bureau of Quarantine who were aboard the ship, and again when they arrived in Manila before they were allowed to disembark.

“The same procedure will be repeated in Subic where the passengers will be heavily guarded when they would be allowed to leave the ship,” she added.

Eisma also noted that Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo had clarified in a press conference at Malacañang on Tuesday that there would be no basis to stop a cruise ship from entering the Subic Bay Freeport if there was no one afflicted by the virus among the passengers.

Eisma said the SBMA has placed the Port of Subic on heightened alert as early as January 6, after the Department of Health’s Bureau of Quarantine issued an alert on the viral pneumonia that has infected people in Wuhan. This heightened alert status covered both sea ports and airport in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Eisma said she had personally discussed the Subic situation with Secretary Duque last Monday and was advised that there was not a need just yet to stop the entry of cruise ships in Subic.

But Duque further advised Subic to be on standby should drastic measures, such as a temporary ban on cruise ships, be deemed necessary, she said.

Eisma said the SBMA will continue to coordinate with all concerned parties, including local residents, Freeport locators, and government agencies on how Subic would best address the nCoV emergency.

“This is something that affects our own community, so we have to wisely decide what’s best for it,” Eisma said. (30)

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In an interview, CSC Provincial Director Edgardo Cruz disclosed that 1,121 examinees will take the Professional level while 249 are set to take the Subprofessional level.

Deadline of the application period was last January 15 but Cruz said they closed applications even before the said date.

“We have reached the target number of applicants two days after we opened applications on December 16, 2019 that is why we closed applications earlier than expected,” Cruz explained.

Testing centers will be at Bataan National High School and Hermosa National High School.

Cruz advised examinees to prepare for the exam by studying the coverage of the 170 test items for the Professional level while 165 test items for the Subprofessional level.

“The coverage and other details of the CSE-PPT is available at our official website-www.csc.gov.ph. Examinees should review, especially for first time takers, so they know what to expect,” he furthered. (PIA 3)

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — At least 9,085 hectares of irrigated rice lands in Bulacan will not be supplied with irrigation water this dry cropping season.

The data of the provincial agriculture office showed that the north zone service areas of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) have a total of 18,138 hectares of irrigated rice lands while the south zone service areas have 13,347 hectares of irrigated farmlands or a total of 31,485 hectares.

Felix Robles, chief of the water control and coordinating unit of Bustos Dam, said on Friday the current irrigation water allocation approved by the National Water Resources Board for Bulacan and some parts of Pampanga is only 20 cubic meters per second (cms).

At least 30 cms of irrigation water is needed to cover all the farmlands in these areas.

Robles said the NIA has two service zones in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga, the north and south that is being supplied with irrigation water coming from Angat Dam in Norzagaray and diverted to the Bustos Dam for distribution.

Currently, he said the 20cms supply is being used to irrigate 16,500 hectares of irrigated rice lands in the north zone areas and 5,100 hectares in the south zone areas.

Another 800 hectares are being supplied with water through irrigation pumps in the rice lands in the towns of Angat, Bustos and Pandi, for a total of 22,400 hectares.

“This leaves 9,085 hectares of irrigated rice lands without water for their rice crops this dry cropping season and also thousands of farmers without their main source of income,” Robles said.

Early this month, Governor Daniel Fernando appealed to the NWRB to increase the irrigation allocation for Bulacan farmlands due to the improving water condition in Angat Dam.

Last January 7, the NWRB allocated 20 cms, from the earlier 10 cms approved last December, for irrigation purposes from the water coming from Angat Dam due to the improved water level.

Based on the monitoring of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) of Bulacan as of 8 a.m. on Friday, Angat Dam’s water level was at 204.03 meters as against the 201.60 meters recorded at 5 p.m. last December 31.

However, the dam’s water elevation still several meters below its ideal end-of-the-year level of 212 meters. (PNA)

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. on Friday asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)- Pampanga 3rd District Engineering Office to immediately stop the cutting of 259 trees along the Friendship Circumferential Road in Barangay Anunas here.

“As government officials, I believe we need to balance the need to promote development with keeping an open ear to the opinions of the public,” Lazatin said.

The mayor also said he wants the preservation of these trees which will be cut to give way to the road widening in the area.

“Let us look into possible alternatives that would satisfy the need to clear the area for road widening without killing these trees,” he said.

In his letter addressed to district engineer Tito Jesus Salvador, he cited the outcry against the cutting of the trees by citizens.

The Save The Trees Coalition, he said, has started an online petition on social media calling for a suspension on the tree-cutting.

To date, the petition has been signed by more than 3,000 people.

“And in light of this vehement opposition from our constituents, I would like to respectfully request your good office to immediately suspend the ongoing cutting of trees along the Circumferential Road,” the mayor said in his letter.

“Although this will surely help to lessen the traffic in our city, please do not compromise environmental conservation because of development. Leave no negative impact in our nature,” he added. (PNA)

However, it does not include service providers, family driver, children under foster family arrangement and others who perform work occasionally or sporadically and not on an occupational basis.

The last wage hike for the “kasambahay” in Central Luzon was in 2017.
The DOLE official reminded workers, including domestic workers, that they may file a complaint at the nearest DOLE office against their employers who will violate or refuse to abide by the minimum wage hikes.

Meanwhile, the PHP20 wage increase for minimum earners in Central Luzon also took effect this January.

Under the new wage order, minimum earners in Central Luzon in the non-agriculture category and establishment with total assets of PHP30 million or more will receive a PHP420 basic pay per day.

On the other hand, employees working in the non-agriculture category and establishments with assets of less than PHP30 million will have a PHP413 basic pay per day.

This new wage hike adjustment applies for minimum wage earners in the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan and Nueva Ecija.

For the province of Aurora, the daily minimum wage will be PHP369.
Under the agriculture category, the new wage hike for plantation and non-plantation workers in Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales, will be PHP390 and PHP374, respectively.

Workers in the plantation and non-plantation in Aurora, on the other hand, will be PHP354 and PHP342, respectively.

Meanwhile, for the retail or service category with 16 or more workers minimum wage is PHP409 and PHP395 for those with less than 16 workers — for both six provinces; and PHP304 in Aurora.

“The board did its best to balance both the interest of workers and employers. The additional take home pay of workers is in response to inflation and rising cost of living without, of course, impeding the growth of businesses,” Campita added. (PNA)

Story by Capt. George McArthur
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
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HONOLULU – The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit is conducting a series of training events both on and off base in Oahu, Hawaii, January 6-31, 2020.

The training will involve more than 100 Marines including the 31st MEU’s Maritime Raid Force made up of Force Reconnaissance Marines, and will include simulated visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) maritime interdiction operations at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Schofield Barracks, and the Ewa Beach training area followed by a series of simulated direct action limited-scale raids at Dogs of War Airsoft Park, Wet’n’Wild Water Park, and Aloha Stadium.

We strive to keep the impact of operations on the local community to a minimum while still being able to meet our training objectives. Local citizens may see and hear operations during the training exercise including helicopter flights and gunfire.

Limited live-fire events will be taking place during the training exercise, coordinated with the Government of Hawaii including the Honolulu Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation field office Honolulu, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service. These exercises are vital to maintaining the skills of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in ensuring readiness as a crisis-response force.

The point of contact for further questions or inquiries is Marine Corps Communication Strategy and Operations Officer Captain George McArthur at george.mcarthur@usmc.mil.

KUMAMOTO, Japan – More than 145 Okinawa-based U.S. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit will join around 500 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force service members, for bilateral training exercise Forest Light Western Army Jan. 18 – 31, 2020, in Kyushu, Japan.

The exercise will consist of field training events to include basic infantry skills training, vertical assaults integrated with MV-22B Osprey flight operations, and combined-arms operations. U.S. Marines from Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st MEU, will join their JGSDF counterparts from the 12th Infantry Regiment, 8th Division, Western Army, during the exercise.

Bilateral training is essential to ensuring that our forces are prepared to work and fight together should the need arise. Exercise Forest Light Western Army and similar training like it serves as a testament to the proven partnership the U.S. Marine Corps and JGSDF have during real-world contingencies such as after the Kumamoto earthquakes in April 2016.

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), with the 31st MEU, flew MV-22 Ospreys from Okinawa to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, and provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief with the Japan Self-Defense Force as part of Joint Task Force Chinzei. This example emphasizes the importance of interoperability shared in the course of bilateral training exercises such as Forest Light Western Army.

The Forest Light series of exercises enhance the collective defense capabilities of the U.S.-Japanese alliance in a dynamic and challenging environment through a variety of bilateral training activities.

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — Devotees coming in droves continue to pay homage to the replica of the image of the Black Nazarene inside the St. Joseph Cathedral compound here.

Children and adults fall in line to reach the Black Nazarene, offer sampaguita garlands before kissing or wiping with handkerchief the cloth, foot or hand of the image in a flower-decked tent at the side of the cathedral.

The devotees silently recite a short prayer or inaudibly deliver their petitions while holding the foot of the image.

Jimmy Mangalindan, caretaker of the Black Nazarene replica, on Tuesday said the annual “pahalik” has been held here since 2010.

Asked why locals are flocking to the cathedral for the “pahalik”, he said, “kasi sa Quiapo napakaraming tao at ang mga may karamdaman, matatanda nahihirapang makapunta doon kaya dito na lang sa Balanga upang madali nilang mahawakan ang imahen at makapag-prusisyon pa sila (Because in Quiapo, there are too many people and those who are sick and elderly have difficulty going there. Here in Balanga, they can easily hold the image and they can join the procession too).”

He said the “pahalik” started Monday and will end on Thursday.
After the afternoon mass on the last day, the procession for the Black Nazarene will start at 6 p.m.

During the procession, Mangalindan, along with some assistants, will be on top of the carriage to catch towels being thrown by devotees, which they will wipe the image with before these are tossed back. (PNA)