More Money To Be Made Running SBMA

Comment from a reader on "Dick Would Be Better"

Oldog agrees with the writer, "Dick would be better" it is a case of lesser of the two evils, a bit of a stretch but never the less it is impossible to be honest and straight in this culture, Dick and the Gordon's run Olongapo City far better than most cities of comparable size.

The writer is wrong about the status situation with Dick, much more money is to be made running SBMA, in the future for sure, of course senators also get rich, however, nothing comparable to SBMA. Whoever ends up in charge of SBMA will be top dog in Philippines, oldog.

Dick Would Be Better

Comment from a reader on "Will Dick Gordon Come Back To Subic?":

For those of us who liked the strict discipline under Gordon, and the exalted status he gave locators and residents, this is a hopeful scenario.

The Freeport is run like any other inept government agency these days. But it's not realistic to think Gordon's huge ego will allow him to take the massive step down from Senator, a national spotlight position, to running the freeport, a fairly obscure administrative post.

Maybe he will run it through a proxy, but in my book a Gordon proxy is better than the bureaucrats in there now.

Express or Impress

Comment from a reader on "It's Your Cue!":

In writing, it is far more important to "EXPRESS," rather than "IMPRESS." Most people of even medium intelligence and command of the English language recoggnizes that the term queue was intended, thereby meeting the test of expressing a thought or idea. Whew! Some moouthful, eh? I look to the SB as a source of Subic area information, not exercises in flawless grammer. Keep up the good reporting, SB guys. I missed your daily renditions during your recent absence, misspelled words and all.

and another:

"The queue or cue is a hairstyle in which the hair is worn long and gathered up into a ponytail. It was worn traditionally by certain Native American groups, Indian Brahmins (see Kudumi) and the Manchu of Manchuria."
Makes you just wanna pull your hair now...dont it...lol

and another:

Thanks for the humerous response Bulletin. I am a non complaining base resident by the way. But do enjoy the humour and bickering from a lot of the comments and replies.

SBMA Should Remove "Gray" Clause

Comment from a reader on "GSIS - SBMA Insurance Deal Leaves Leaseholders In ...":

This phoney baloney GSIS insurance should not be seen as insurance. It is a tax and a pretty small one at that. I pay about 3,000 pesos a year for this "insurance".

In reality, our homes on the base are self-insured, but I question the assertion that homeowners cannot buy private policies with themselves as the beneficiaries. My housing contract doesn't state that and that is the legal document by which I would use to buy the insurance. It states that I am required to buy the GSIS insurance but it doesn't prohibit me from buying additional insurance.

[The Subic Bulletin] As preciously posted the SBMA insurance guidelines document could be a loophole for an insurance company to avoid paying. SBMA should retract that statement so the buildings can be fully insured with REAL policies.

Will Dick Gordon Come Back To Subic?

Comment from a reader on "Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge Still Going To Choke Us...":

OLDOG REPORTS: BRIDGE WILL NOT BE CLOSED
SOMETIME IN MAY DICK GORDON WILL ANNOUNCE HIS SUPPORT FOR AQUINO, AN ALTERNATE BRIDGE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED, AREA HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR STAGING THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BRIDGE.

BONG GORDON WILL BE THE MAYOR, DICK WILL TAKE OVER THE BASE OPERTIONS SOON AFTER AQUINO BECOMES PRESIDENT.

[The Subic Bulletin] We have to agree that your synopsis is a likely one Old Dog. Even though he probably has better management skills than any other Presidential candidate, Dick Gordon does not seem to have the momentum to win the countries top job and getting his beloved Freeport back as his baby would probably be the next best thing.

Many people aren't aware of the recent history that saw Executive Order No. 1 under President Estrada terminate Dick Gordon as the Subic Freeport boss. This came after Dick Gordon's refusal to support Erap during his campaigning for President.

Dick Gordon does have enough votes to seal the Presidential job for Noynoy Aquino so trading the Freeport's top job for Presidential votes that can't win on their own seems like a likely deal.

Big question is are we ready to get Dick back?

Poorly Trained Law Enforcers

Comment from a reader on "GSIS insurance":

5 times in two years is nothing. I was stopped recently twice in one week for allegedly the same offence.

The dreaded flashing traffic lights. I proceeded through the flashing yellow lights without stopping. This happened at the Remy field junction. Then I heard the whistle from the crook hiding behind the tree. Anyway I carried on as usual and the crook radioed ahead to another crook who eventually stopped me at the Rizal gate junction for my "violation". After i gave this crook a mouthfull of abuse his supervisor eventually arrived and said I was right and off I went. Of course money would have also solved the "problem" !

Other than the fact that this is inconvenient, isnt it about time that these crooks wearing uniforms were taken off the streets and replaced with law enforcers that are actually aware of the laws they are trying to enforce?

Having lived outside the Freeport for 15 years I can say that I have never been stopped and any dealings that I have had with the Subic Police have been without problem and without corruption.

The Subic Smokey Mountain

Comment from a reader on the Subic Landfill:

As a Kalayaan resident, I first noticed the smell of burning trash when the wind was right a couple of months ago. Then, in the last two weeks, there was a large grassfire and what appeared to be heavy, additional smoke from some deeply buried combustible material in the Subic landfill, located at the beginning of the Tipo highway and adjacent to the golf course. For the first three days there was no visibility beyond the traffic light near the Royal and Pure Gold Shopping centers, and the eye-watering stench was overpowering. Gradually this condition has improved to where a cloud of smoke still hangs over the dump and the smell is merely unpleasant.

I was informed by an inspector at the landfill that the problem would soon be corrected; that was ten days ago. I'm wondering if the status quo will be typify operations at the dump from now on. What a great way to present the Freeport as a world class business and shopping center and a home for gracious living.

[The Subic Bulletin] Unfortunately landfill fires are very difficult to put out and can smolder for ever because of the gases produced deep in the trash, perhaps rainy season will help the cause.

SBMA Weak Against Gordon Tent

Comment from a reader on "Another Abuse Of Power?"

I am the manager of a restaurant here in Subic.

The wife of one of the Gordon family came here telling us that we had no choice but to give discounts to their customers of xperiencetravelcard.

They are the ones making money from this not us. We give away our profit so they can sell a discount card they don't give any extra business or extra customers to us its just taking our profit and giving it away so they can personally benefit. Our owner is really mad he say that its extortion.

The xperience travel card is just a corruption tax, SBMA should protect the investors from scams even if they are run by the Gordon's!

It's Your Cue!

Comment from a reader on "Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge Still Going To Choke Us...":

Did anyone notice you cannot spell queue?

[The Subic Bulletin] Well we could say that you are the anally retentive nitpicker of the week or we could also say that it was a test to see if anyone was really paying attention, or that there was a pool competition that they were going to, but in this case we think the best excuse for this one is that our meaning related to the fact that the cars were waiting for their cue to proceed from the LED personnel on gate duty! That means that in fact there was a cue of cars not a queue!

Mildly plausible but hardly believable...

SBMA's Insurance Policies

Comment from a reader on "SBMA-GSIS Insurance Deal"

Just to set the record straight:

There is nothing preventing the Freeport leaseholder from, in addition to the mandatory GSIS insurance coverage, securing an individual and separate insurance policy with a private insurance company specifying the leaseholder/resident/locator only, as the sole beneficiary.

In many cases, SBMA’s compulsory requirement for the amount of coverage is merely based on a fraction of the insurable value for most properties in the Freeport. These insurable values were set by SBMA more than 10 years ago, based on the mere book value of assets owned by SBMA and have not increased exponentially since the GSIS insurance requirement was enforced by SBMA.

The premiums charged by GSIS are relatively insignificant. It is unreasonable for a leaseholder to expect that a property, valued at say, P5M would be fully covered by GSIS with an annual premium of P3,000.00. I would suggest that common sense would dictate that leaseholders take personal responsibility in appropriately insuring their properties. Whilst GSIS coverage is mandatory for all government owned and controlled company properties through SBMA all locators and residents need to comply with this national regulation nuisance factor .

Many of us have separate all-risk insurance policies, underwritten by private insurance companies over and above the GSIS requirement, covering the true insurable replacement value of the property with the leaseholder as the beneficiary. This way, should there be a claim, it can be hopefully, handled quickly and efficiently completely bypassing GSIS and SBMA should there be a claim.

Nicolas Insurance is neither a locator or accredited contractor in the Freeport and is erroneous in stating that a separate coverage on properties must show SBMA as the beneficiary. This is not the case and has been reverified with SBMA's upper management.

[The Subic Bulletin] Thank you very much for your opinion, but we can't agree with your assessment.

We would bring your attention to the Section IV of the SBMA Policy Guidelines For Housing Insurance Claims, which states: "each Resident/Lessee is mandated to insure ONLY with GSIS based on the general terms and conditions laid out under the SBMA-GSIS MOA". So on your first point that there is nothing preventing the leaseholder from getting additional insurance elsewhere, the SBMA documentation does not support your statement.

Additionally, your statement that "leaseholders take personal responsibility in appropriately insuring their properties" is consistent with what the Nicholas letter is also suggesting, however it seems Nicholas Broker is suggesting that SBMA's policy that properties can be insured ONLY through GSIS with SBMA as beneficiaries means that the additional polices you speak of could be invalidated should a claim arise.

Finally your last statement: "This is not the case and has been reverified with SBMA's upper management." If you have these contacts in SBMA senior management then please help us obtain confirmation of this in writing, because this is the very crux of the issue. If a Leaseholder were free to obtain other policies without contravening any SBMA rules that could invalidate their claim then this issue would be resolved, but unfortunately the current documents provided by SBMA says "ONLY GSIS".

We don't think anyone is fussed by the GSIS "Tax" but we do want to ensure our "real" policies are valid in case of a claim. Nicholas Brokers tell us that an insurance company could weasel out because of SBMA's policy, we appreciate if you can clarify this issue further in writing with your senior SBMA management contacts.

Tickets Or Tickets?

Comment from a reader on "Get The Right Info":

1. Getting a 13a in the PI took about 15 months. First you get a temp 13a and temp ACR which is good for 1 year; it took 5 trips to Manila. Then you do the whole process over again to get the permanent 13a and ACR; that took 4 trips to Manila. You can get a 13a from the consultes in the USA if you qualify for it. From what I understand it is a permanent 13a.

2. Your clever suggestion for printing up a FAKE onward ticket says a lot about you character. BTW, I've presented PAL officials REAL tickets, e-tickets and regular tickets and they have called the other airlines to verify the tickets validity.

Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge Still Going To Choke Us

Comment from a reader on "Looking For An Election Promise":

It was my understanding that the closure of the bridge was so the contractor could use it as a lift platform and storage area. Storage area? What is wrong with all the vacant space now available next to the construction site. Lift platform? How can it be used as a lift platform if it is unsafe for light vehicle traffic??

The sign now says the bridge will close mid June. What is the reason now for the closing?

Last week I went to Olongapo at around 2pm via the Rizal gate. Took me about 10 minutes to get to the traffic circle due to jeepneys, double parked vehicles and total disregard for traffic rules. Coming back in the same way traffic was backed up to to the bridge because the "traffic officers" can't seem to keep the traffic moving at the 4 way stop just inside the gate.

When the bridge closes is anyone going to be ready to handle the additional traffic and this includes the "traffic officers" of SBMA as well as the traffic police of Olongapo. My bet is it will never happen!!!

[The Subic Bulletin] Did anyone notice the cue of cars trying to get across the bridge this weekend. Get ready for much worse unless SBMA listens.

GSIS insurance

Comment from a reader on GSIS-SBMA Insurance

In other words it doesn't matter if the Leaseholder is exposed as long as SBMA is protected.

This doesn't surprise me a bit. I've lived in the Philippines less than two years but it never ceases to amaze me the bad deals people are offered by businesses and how willingly they fall in line to pay money they may never get back.

SBMA has some nice stores and restaurant but I have been stopped by SBMA's finest five times and extorted for bribes. It just doesn't make me want to spend money there.

I spend as little as I can there and go on SBMA as little as I can because of the corrupt police. I consider it a necessary evil because there are a few imported goods I want to purchase and can only purchase on SBMA. I live in Subic and have never been treated unfairly or asked for a bribe by either the national or city police. I know other people have not been treated well by them either.

[The Subic Bulletin] In less than 2 years you have been stopped by the SBMA law enforcement 5 times and you don't even live inside the Freeport? That must be a record? How do you possibly draw attention to yourself that much?

The Subic Bulletin - Where are you?

Thanks to all the readers who wrote to ask why there was a two week gap in stories, we appreciate your kind words.

Sometimes keeping the blog going is a thankless task and sometimes (especially when we bring attention to important issues) its rewarding.

We assure our loyal readers we are "just resting" and will be back in the saddle this week.

Hey Fool!

Comment from a reader on "Get The Right Info":

In reading the statement, "Philippine Consulate not empowered to issue ACR's," my immediate reaction was, "Hey, fool, that don't sound right!" Then I realized I'm the fool who made the input.

Oops! On reflection, I should have noted my last trip to a Philippine Counsel was a long time ago, almost thirty years, and I was NOT there to apply for ACR status.

Looking For An Election Promise

Sb, old dog reminds all to notice sign on leaving base "magsaysay!!! "time for a change" will be an interesting tango, magsaysay people will say bridge will stay open with auxiliary bridge, might win the election, cheers, oldog

[The Subic Bulletin] We just cant comprehend that they can erect a temp bridge for the residents of Pundaquit and they can erect a temp bridge for the Lubao road even when there are alternative routes, but for this strategic thoroughfare (Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge) that supports the billions of investments SMBA keeps telling us about, we get the cheap treatment. Old Dog has a good point, anyone offering the correct solution (from any party) for an obvious problem is worthy of extra votes!

Olongapo OFW's Told To Wait While US And Japan Governments Squabble

MANILA, Philippines—The anticipated deployment of about 20,000 Filipino construction workers to Guam is unlikely this year, a recruitment consultant said Sunday.

Emmanuel Geslani said Japan’s review of the plan to relocate the United States military base from Okinawa to Guam will delay the planned OFW deployment to next year at the earliest.

“Until US President Barrack Obama and Japan’s Prime Minister agree on the Futenma issue all bets are off on Guam at the moment,” he said in a news release.

In the 2006 realignment pact, Washington and Tokyo agreed to move the Futenma Marina Corps Air Station from downtown Futenma in Okinawa to an airfield to be built at Camp Schwab, a more rural part of the island. Once that airfield is built, Futenma would be closed and 8,600 of the 17,000 US Marines stationed on Okinawa would be moved to Guam by 2014, with Japan shouldering more than $6 billion of the estimated $10 billion expense for building accommodations for the US troops.

Geslani said this US-Japan agreement has been the basis of the meetings between the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Guam legislators and businessmen over the past three years for the hiring of OFWs.
Recruitment agencies have been pooling manpower for the anticipated variety of construction activities that the Guam move of 35,000 Marines and their dependents would entail. New headquarters, new runways, barracks, hospitals, and housing for dependents were in the drawing board.

However, in late 2009, newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stopped the plan, called for a review of the 2006 pact, and assembled a committee to look at all possible alternative locations for Futenma’s operations.
In reaction, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said any changes to the 2006 agreement were unacceptable. Even US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a January speech in Hawaii, “We look to our Japanese allies and friends to follow through on their commitments, including on Futenma.”

“Our OFWs are raring to work in Guam because of the higher wages and benefits that US and Japanese contractors provide. However, they may have to wait until next year after this yawning rift between Tokyo and Washington is patched up,” Geslani said.

The Ampelos Snowfield!

Comment from a reader on "Snow Mobiles For Sale":

I will take 2 snowmobiles.....anywhere local to use them?

[The Subic Bulletin] Maybe Ampelos Towers is also building a indoor snowfield!

Quit Your Whining!

Comment from a reader on "Why Torture Yourself"

I married a Filipina and we are very happy together. We have no children. If we both pass on I would like my assets to go to her family.

I agree with the post if you do not like it here, leave. Quit your whining and sniveling. One should expect different laws and customs in different cultures around the world.

Thats what makes life interesting. Do you really want a homogenized international world?

How dull.

Get The Right Info

Comment from a reader on: "Exit Ticket Required"

I would advise the permanent visa applicant to proceed with utmost caution.

For starters, it should not take more than a month to gain 13A status, provided the requisite documents are in order.

Secondly, Id take with a grain of salt any/all advice given "off the cuff" from local Immigration officials. Ask for a reference by article and verse.

The last time I had occasion to visit a Philippine Counsulate, they were NOT empowered to issue ACR's. When so requested, they would issue a visa for the purpose of entering the Philippines, THEN apply.

I'm guessing that the Counsulates can issue Student visa's for extended stays, but that quite a different matter from PR status.

Please correct me if I'm wrong and/or outdated in my assumptions

and another;

My practical advise:
a. prepare the format of an e-ticket on Word
b. fill in a date of exit with any airline of choice on an existing flight nr
c. print out

That will satisfy them and works well.Be smarter than the bureaucrats setting and implementing those rules....

GSIS - SBMA Insurance Deal Leaves Leaseholders In Debt

This letter from an insurance broker operating in Subic is about the requirements of SBMA on leasehold properties to insure through GSIS with SBMA as the beneficiary. We normally avoid letters from companies that could be construed as commercial in nature but The Subic Bulletin moderators reviewed the relevant documents and feel this information is of important interest to leaseholders.

WE HAVE CONDUCTED A PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENT EVALUATION THAT HAS REAVEALED THAT THE MAJORITY OF GSIS INSURANCE POLICIES REQUIRED BY SBMA DO NOT PROVIDE THE COVER EXPECTED AND LEAVE LOCATORS AND RESIDENTS AT RISK OF SIGNIFICANT LOSS.

SBMA recently released a document entitled “Policy Guidelines For Housing Insurance Claims”, SBMA claimed that this document was to “address the growing concern of residents/lessees with regard to getting insurance policy on their housing units, with SBMA as beneficiary”.

Unfortunately instead of achieving the stated purpose this document clearly outlines how exposed lessees are to significant costs.

As we provide insurance services to protect the assets of many investors and residents in Subic we are often asked to comment on this document and the coverage provided by the GSIS policies that SBMA requires leaseholders to purchase. Unfortunately in almost all cases the policies are inadequate and the leaseholder would experience substantial loss in the unfortunate event of a claim.

We have tried to get the situation resolved with SBMA at numerous levels but no one in SBMA seems to be interested in taking ownership of the issue. SBMA ensures that they are protected in the wording of their leases and house rules so it seems that there is no motivation for them to fix the issue. In other words it doesn't matter if the Leaseholder is exposed as long as SBMA is protected. This is not what insurance is all about and all parties could be quiet easily covered if the right policies were applied.

Likewise GSIS ensures they are protected from paying out in many cases and can do so because they are in a monopoly situation, the leaseholder cannot go elsewhere when they discover just how poor the coverage is.

Furthermore the leaseholder’s hands would be tied from taking any legal action to recover underpayment from the GSIS policy because they are not the beneficiary in the policy and SBMA would not take legal action on your behalf because SBMA’s policy is that the leaseholder pays all shortfalls from their pocket.

Let’s take a look at some of the specific points raised in the SBMA document:

- SBMA demands that leaseholders are fully responsible for all restoration or repairs to houses that are damaged in any way while at the same time forcing leaseholders to buy insurance policies that DO NOT provide this level of cover.

-SBMA then makes it clear that the shortfall between the cost involved and the inadequate policy must be borne by the leaseholder. This paragraph also demands that the leaseholder takes full responsibility for any and all unspecified damages but SBMA will not allow them to buy an insurance policy that has such broad coverage, in fact SBMA won’t allow them to have an insurance policy at all as SBMA specifies that all policies must have SBMA as the beneficiary.

The statement “It is also the policy of SBMA that the Resident/Lessee assumes any unrecoverable claim” is deeply concerning, unrecoverable in who’s opinion?

If there is a GSIS policy and GSIS refuses to pay for any reason whatsoever, the leaseholder has no recourse whatsoever, just pay for everything. In this scenario, THE INSURANANCE HAS NO VALUE WHATSOEVER AND PROVIDES NO PEACE OF MIND TO THE PERSON PAYING FOR THE POLICY.

In this Document SBMA also states that all repairs must be performed by one of their “accredited” contractors, This would be reasonable if the whole claim was covered by the policy, but in this scenario of third party beneficiary insurance the “SBMA friendly” contractor could charge any amount at all to consume the insurance money with the least amount of work, again leaving the investor with no choice but the pay exorbitant excess charges of the builder.

As mentioned earlier in this document, we have been trying to get an appointment with someone in SBMA who can discuss this, even with the Administrator himself as he signed the letter but there is no response whatever to our requests.

As we have heard many concerns about this from our customers we developed a policy that can insure the leaseholder for the shortcomings of the GSIS-SBMA deal but with no response from SBMA we have decided to bring this to the attention of all lease holders.

Signed by Nicolas Insurance Brokers

[The Subic Bulletin] If anyone would like to clarify any points on their situation with Nicolas Brokers please contact The Subic Bulletin (thesubicbulletin@gmail.com) for their contact details, we wont post them here as this is not an advertisement.

The Abbreviation Of An Abbreviation

Comment from a reader on "Kalaklan Bridge To Remain Open!":

What is R.M. Drive? Do you mean Magsaysay Drive? Was there a law that changed the old road to R.M. Drive? Whats wrong with the name Magsasay?

Clearly nothing is wrong with the Bridge and street that was named after a statesman and former President of the Philippines in the same way as James Gordon hospital, Gordon Avenue, Gordon Heights, were named after a famous mayor and the thousands of government vehicles that bear Gordon's name.

Magsasay to R.M.? WTF and OMG! if i get sick, ill take myself to JML hospital, using G. Avenue from G. Heights?

This Subic Bulletin is becoming a platform for partisan politics, i am not for Gordon, nor for magsaysay, in fact im from Bataan. it doesnt take a political analyst to see that this seemingly harmless bit of information has Public Relation Officer of the Gordons written all over it. clear as daylight buddy.

You people are biased, shame on you!

[The Subic Bulletin] Thanks for your most entertaining contribution we will surely place it in the "most silly letters" file!

Lets see if we got this straight, you believe the moderators of the Subic Bulletin are biased to the Gordon camp because we allowed someone to abbreviate the name of a road when in fact you abbreviated it yourself?

If you are against abbreviations why do you call is "Magsaysay Drive" instead of Ramon Magsaysay Drive? Magsaysay is an acceptable abbreviation to you but RM Drive is not?

Even the sign outside the Rizal Ave gate says, oh wait should that be J. P. Rizal Avenue gate? ahhh whatever the sign says "To RM Drive",

Such nonsense, anyway the good news is that while both camps keep calling us biased were happy.

Budget Airlines Less Appealing For Passengers On A Fixed Schedule

Comment from a reader on "Crooked Immigration At Cebu Pacific Terminal":

The requirement is to have a confirmed return or onward ticket. An open dated ticket doesn't do it.
One would assume that the ticket must be dated within the authorized stay of the tourist. So I guess technically the guy was right. But one does have to ask the question as to who they are working for ?

[The Subic Bulletin] For years the situation has been simple, most tickets have a year validity so you simply get a flight a year away and change it when need be, however budget airlines insist you take the exact flight or forfeit the ticket. All they do is make themselves less appealing for travelers that are not on a fixed schedule.

Another Abuse Of Power?

Comment from a reader:

Has anyone noticed the tent that has been erected in one corner of the PTT gas station right outside Royal?

Its hard to believe, but this tent houses an unregistered business with no permit to operate. This business has been operating there for several months without being shut down.

How can this be?

This unregistered business is selling a pre-paid discount card and in the terms and conditions on their website its says the card must be "validated at their head office (see map)" but no map or registered office exists. What is this rip-off preying on the unsuspecting tourists and residents?

On further investigation it was found that the website was registered in the name of BRIAN GORDON.

Why are other locators forced to do things correctly but it seems the rules don't apply to the Gordon's who can just pitch a tent anywhere and start peddling as they please.

Is this the sort of abuse for government rules and regulations we can also expect from Bong and Dick? What happens if Dick becomes president, which one of the family will become the huweting king?

Can someone tell me more about this situation and why its been able to occur?

How Wide Is His World?

Comment from a reader on "Community Property However You Spell It":

And right your policy is, too, SB. One can discern much about the character and credibility of a writer by the style and composition of their inputs.

Aside from that, although I agree with the writers definition of community property laws in the Philippines, I think I would quarrel with the claim that its "common practice worldwide.

I can only wonder just how "wide" is his world. Keep the warts in there.

Snow Mobiles For Sale

Comment from a reader on "Baypointe Construction Shames Ampelos Towers":

SB. I HAVE A PLACE NEXT DOOR, RECENTLY I HAVE OBSERVED MORE ACTIVITY, MORE CEMENT TRUCKS, MORE WORKERS, ETC.

CANNOT FIGURE FOR SURE IF THE ACTIVITY IS BOGUS OR A CON JOB, HOWEVER, ANYBODY INTERESTED I AM SELLING SNOWMOBILES AT BARGAIN PRICES.

[The Subic Bulletin] We heard there is a bridge for sale too, just down the road....

Kalaklan Exit Needs Bailey Bridge

Comment on your post "Stay Of Execution":

There is no logical reason to close this bridge and build the other one at the same time.

Put a Bailey Bridge in or why not build the new one at the dock then barge it in, surely there is an alternatavie than putting places like baloy and barretto in the dark ages for almost a year!!! the money they will lose in taxes for lost revenues will be 5 times the cost of a temporary bridge..

Why Torture Yourself

Comment from a reader on "Investments For My Wife's Family":

There seems to be an endless supply of naive foreigners arriving in Paradise who never heard of the term "caveat emptor."

The author should not blame Philippine law for what he obviously considers to be an unfair rip off of his assets. Most countries have similar laws regarding real estate ownership.

Perhaps he might find solace if he commiserates with an American who has been victimized by a divorce and property settlement in a community property State.

and Another;

Best is you marry a American Women!

Best you go home where all is good. Why torture yourself in the country that done suit your needs?

SBMA Kills Subic Culture

It was announced to the local schools and organizations that SBMA has given the Subic Bay Cultural Center to a private corporation.

Although this may be a great location for another white elephant casino the schools and organisations have not been offered an alternative inside the Freeport!

So Subic Freeport has lost any culture that it had....

Vigilante Patrolmen Still Confused Over SCTEX Speed Limit

Comment from a reader on "Who Is Capable To Enforce?":

This moderator is very naive if he/she thinks having the deeply corrupt Philippine National Police patrol the Subic expressway would be a good idea.

Then we would have the shakedowns that we see on the national highway in Barrio Barretto. These private expressway patrolmen may have a vested interest in earning revenue from catching speeding vehicles (as do police all over the world, catching speeders is a big revenue generator for towns worldwide) but who cares? As long as they catch the speeding idiots who are endangering the lives of the rest of us, I hope they make good money for the expressway. (As for your other naive question, if a member of my family was assaulted, would I want the police or private security investigating the case, of course the answer is that I would hire private security to get the job done, as would anyone in the Philippines who could afford it, and not leave it to the corrupt, inept PNP to get justice for me and my family. (I wouldn't hire the Starbucks security guy though. Then who would guard the coffee?)

PS. I notice you still evaded the central question: do you personally drive faster than 100 kph on the expressway? If you do, then be honest and admit so we know your bias on this issue.

[The Subic Bulletin] There is no doubt the PNP is not perfect, but I suggest you go up to the PNP training center located up near the magazine area sometime. The PNP is recruiting and training a better educated breed of Policeman, this combined with the restriction on promotion for non graduate cops means the PNP is certainly getting its act together. Everyone has horror stories and thats why its pleasing that they are actually improving their game. Go and meet the new PNP, talk to them, you will be presently surprised.

You keep harping on about people speeding by going over 100 kph but you have not answered our original question, why are there conflicting 80 and 100 kph signs on the expressway, see here. Do the vigilante patrolmen enforce the limit that suits them or is this just another example of the incompetence that you place your trust in? Maybe if these cowboys were properly trained they would have not allowed the expressway to become cloaked in smoke and cause multiple deaths. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20091229-244526/Burning-ban-sought-near-SCTEx-after-4-die-in-smash-up Lives should come before profits.

We don't believe the central question here is the driving habits of the moderators but I can tell you that your assumption, or assertion for that matter, is incorrect.

While we appreciate your intentions on this subject, based on the comments we have received you seem to be alone in your quest. Time for a new subject?

Right Wing Nut Sweet Talks Subic Bulletin

Comment from a reader on "Credibility "Expert" Hits Below The Belt!":

I really think you normally do a great job on being objective. However, you made an error when you let someone post a right wing diatrab under the auspices of agreeing with you.

Not everyone is a right wing nut and our personal political views are irrelelevant to anything in the Philippines. I would not insult anybody by comparing lying, making rash decisions and lack of education to Bush.

Please screen the posts from now on and lets leave religion and politics to sections of the internet where that is the topic.

Community Property However You Spell It

Comment from a reader on "Investments For My Wife's Family":

If you're going to live in the Philippines, married to a Filipina, you should at least learn how to spell "Filipina". It's not "Philippina". Sad to say, the blog moderators don't know how to spell it either. the reason 50 percent of your condo goes to your wife in the Philippines is the same reason 50 percent of your condo in the United States goes to your wife: it's called community property and it's not some strange Philippine tradition, it's common practice worldwide!

[The Subic Bulletin] One more time for the dummies.... We don't and won't spell check contributions, we believe in them being published exactly as received, warts and all.

Baypointe Construction Shames Ampelos Towers

Comment from a reader:

Why are you censoring comment on the Ampelos towers?

Did you guys buy a unit in this mess or something and don't want to see it criticized?

Condolences if you did buy into this thing, but it's a very relevant topic and the blog no longer ever mentions it. How is it not newsworthy that the big new hospital building that started a year ago right by Ampelos is nearly done and Ampelos still has that token rebar sticking out of the ground to dupe more buyers into this failed project.

Even if you guys were duped into buying into this thing, you should still do the right thing and provide news (and warnings) to your readers. That's what being "unbiased" is all about.

[The Subic Bulletin] Now thats what we call an over active imagination...

Last year we were getting accused of being anti Korean this year we are getting accused of protecting and even investing in a Korean company's projects. Our heads are spinning...

Fact is although Ampelos seems to be going nowhere there has been nothing else to write about this white elephant and certainly there have been NO submissions from readers, so where is this censorship you speak of?

We must confess that we sometimes wonder if the concrete trucks causing the dangerous road hazard in Canal Road is just a publicity stunt? Pretend your building if you can't so more people will invest.

Maybe you should write some constructive contributions next time!

Exit Ticket Required

Comment from a reader on "Cebu Pacific's Bad Attitude":

I just had the same problem in Hong Kong with Philippine airlines. I had to buy a full fare return ticket. In more than 30 trips over the past three years this has never come up.
Something has changed and it seems we have not be advised.

and another;

As an American expat traveling in and out of the Philippines since the mid 80's, I have observed that some airlines will ADVISE the traveler to purchase a return flight out of the Philippines or 'take their chances', and some airlines will take it upon themselves to ENFORCE the Philippine immigration rule of the return flight out before issuing the boarding pass.

This happened to me several years ago when I booked an online one-way ticket from San Francisco to Manila on a Cathay Pacific flight. Upon arriving at the check-in counter in SF they insisted that I purchase a flight out of Manila before I would be issued a boarding pass. So I purchased a Manila-Hong Kong (one-way) ticket. This past November, I flew on a one-way Hawaiian Airlines flight to Manila from Honolulu and they mentioned nothing to me about purchasing a flight out. So it appears that it depends on what the policy is of the particular airline you are flying on.

As for me I will be applying for a Permanant Resident Visa during my next stay in Honolulu, which I have been told by an Olongapo Immigration Branch official, it can be issued on the same day at any Philippine Consulate abroad. Required documents would be the Philippine marriage certificates and birth certificates of your Philippine-born children.

It however would take a year if applied for at immigration in the Philippines (what's new?).

[The Subic Bulletin] We certainly remember it being this way since at least the mid 90's and in fact it is a requirement by most countries that have visa on arrival schemes.

The law is such that if a passenger is denied entry to into the Philippines the airline must take him back out of the country and if he does not have a valid ticket the airline carries the cost. So in fact the airlines have the choice to enforce this or not but carry the consequences should the visitor be denied entry.

Stay Of Execution

Comment from a reader on "Kalaklan Bridge Update":

The obvious solutions never happen in the Philippines. Often, the answer which makes the most sense, doesn't seem to work here either. I think it might be a black hole where good sense and management cease to exist.

[The Subic Bulletin] Unfortunately the stories getting around in the press have failed to point out that the Bridge closing has only been postponed not prevented...

Bridge will now close on June 16 so we will have to sit in the rain instead to fight the hellish traffic, thanks for nothing...

Freeport Cable's Speedy Service

Comment from a reader on "ESPN Still Has Card Problems On Freeport Cable":

I was told a couple of weeks ago that the problem would be corrected "by the end of the week". This would have been January 9 or 16, don't remember exactly.

However, THEY DIDN'T TELL ME THE YEAR!!!

Cebu Pacific - Profit Before People

Comment from a reader on "Cebu Pacific's Bad Attitude":

With regard to Cebu Pacific's inflexibility, I totally agree.

On December 23 my family and I checked-in at the Cebu Pacific Terminal 3 location in Manila for a domestic flight to Bohol after fighting through gridlocked traffic in the city. We just made it in time.

One of our family members who had to travel on her own from Angeles City made it to the check-in counter just as the rest of us put our bags on the scale. We were all there and glad she made it, however she was turned away because she didn't make it with in their apparently MANDATORY 45 minute time frame prior to departure.

We explained that the traffic was terrible approaching the airport, and the rest of us were also delayed because of it, and could we please get her on the flight? They replied in no uncertain terms that no, this was CP policy and they had to follow it.

So we asked them to re-book her on the next flight available and they replied that no, her ticket was now forfeited and she had to purchase an entirely new ticket (rules you know). Furious, and no time to get her booked, we boarded the flight without her thinking perhaps they had sold her seat to someone else. As they closed the cabin doors we saw numerous open seats throughout the aircraft, including hers! What idiots! Cebu Pacific- YOU SUCK!

Another View On SCTEX Enforcement

Comment from a reader on "Misguided Enforcement On The SCTEX":

I looks like this guy is one of those driving with 65km/h with his van on the left lane.

Than he is upset if somebody wnants to pass him with 110km/h. Keep of from the left lane.

If you want to fight for something, fight against pollution. Thats where thousand of people got killed every day, NOT from a few speeding cars.

Speak For Yourself!

Comment from a reader on "Zambales Residents To Black-ban Subic Freeport":

Speak for yourself!

The numbers of residents that boycott SBMA shopping will be less than 1%.

As with everything, we will get adjust and move on. Where are you going to get specialty goods that are import? Don't act like a silly child.

The Balikbayan Privilage

Comment on your post "Cebu Pacific's Bad Attitude":

It's all in the "TIMATIC" and Philippines Immigration posts and various Airline websites.

Timatic

IATA Timatic is the industry standard used by airlines and travel agents to check passenger documentation requirements. The service provides personalized immigration and health requirements based on the destination, transit points, nationality, residence and departure country.
Timatic features:
• Passport requirements and recommendations
• Visa requirements and recommendations
• Health requirements and recommendations
• Airport tax to be paid by the traveler at either departure or arrival airport
• Customs regulations relating to import/export of goods and small pets by a passenger
• Currency regulations relating to import and export by a passenger
Timatic can be used to provide passengers with this critical information as part of the booking process, as well as during check-in to ensure travelers have the correct travel documentation.

http://www.iata.org/ps/publications/timatic.htm

http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/international_travel_information/visa_passport_information/

http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=239&Itemid=37

THE BALIKBAYAN PRIVILEGE (R.A.6768 as amended)

By legal definition, a Balikbayan is:

1. A Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the Philippines for a period of at least 1 year;
2. A Filipino overseas worker; or
3. A former Filipino citizen and his or her family, who had been naturalized in a foreign country and comes or returns to the Philippines.



• The "Balikbayan Privilege" may be availed of by foreign family members of all 3 classifications provided that they travel together everytime they enter the country (MEMORANDUM dated July 1, 2008 issued by Atty. Edgardo L. Mendoza, Chief, IRD).

• "FAMILY" shall mean the spouse and the children of the Balikbayan who are not Balikbayan in their own right traveling with the latter to the Philippines. (Section 2 (b) of R.A. no. 9174, amending R.A. 6768, entitled: "An Act Instituting a "BALIKBAYAN PROGRAM", by providing Additional Benefits and Privileges to Balikbayan and for other purposes").

• Correspondingly, all Balikbayans 14 years and below and 60 years of age shall be allowed to extend their temporary visitor visa under Section 9a of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 as amended, for a maximum period of 6 months for every extension PROVIDED that all appropriate fees are paid. Thus, Balikbayans are allowed a maximum total stay of 2 years inclusive of all extensions. (MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. ADD – 02 – 011 dated 11 February 2002).

The Commissioner of Immigration Andrea D. Domingo informed the Department of Foreign Affairs on 04 June 2001 that, "All Immigration Officers at authorised ports of entry shall grant the benefits and privileges to all Balikbayans and Former Filipinos included every time they enter the country to visit, regardless of their frequent travel". This means that the above categories of persons could now avail of the Balikbayan benefits and privileges regardless of the number of times they enter the country within a year.

I'll add that it must be kept in mind that the Balikbayan visa is for Filipinos/Filipinas THAT ARE RESIDING IN COUNTRIES OUTSIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES. It's to entice them to return and stay a while and "spread the wealth"; it's not designed for those that are living in the PI to get "Pass Go" card and thereby create a new class of immigrant.

If you really live in PI with your asawa, go get an ACR I-Card like others have done.

[The Subic Bulletin] We tend to agree, its a bit tough to be complaining about the system when your really circumventing the system.

Leasehold Rights Fight Update

SBMA has backed down somewhat in the battle over the registration of leasehold rights.

The mandatory registration will now cost only 200 Pesos.

More information can be found on the Subic Chamber of Commerce website http://subicchamber.org

Kalaklan Bridge To Remain Open!

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand C. Arreza has assured Olongapo City Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. that the Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge which connects the Freeport to Olongapo and Zambales in the north will no longer be closed as planned during the construction of a new bridge beside the old one.

“We’ll keep it open per your request,” said Arreza in a message to Mayor Gordon on Monday.

“Mayor, as we discussed last Friday, we’ll just reinforce Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge to keep it open,” Arreza said in a text message when Mayor Gordon inquired on a plan to conduct a load test on the bridge to determine its current capacity. “We’ll just reinforce Kalaklan Lighthouse bridge to keep it open.”

Arreza also said the load test has been canceled since it will only cause further damage to the concrete piles and that since they have no sensors, the test will be useless.

Earlier, SBMA has announced that the Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Feb. 15 and pedestrians on March 1, 2010 until construction of a new bridge has been completed about a year later. This has caused an uproar from several sectors both in and out of the Freeport but specially from Olongapo businessmen who foresee a resulting monstrous daily traffic jam in the narrow streets of the city proper.

The protests were fueled more when it was learned that the old bridge will not be demolished yet while construction of the new one is ongoing but, instead, will be closed for the use of the contractor which bagged the contract for the construction of the new P200M bridge.

The U.S. Navy built old bridge which was constructed over 50 years ago has allegedly weakened with wear and tear through time. It has been closed to heavy vehicles but has been kept open to light vehicles and pedestrians for about a year now.

Another major bridge linking the Freeport to Olongapo through R.M. Drive - the Main Gate bridge, has been closed to vehicular traffic for almost 2 years now for the same reason of alleged weakened structure.

Mayor Bong Gordon has been making representations with the SBMA to keep Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge open, at least to light vehicles, to avert a potential traffic disaster in Olongapo City.

Traffic Congestion In Olongapo

Comment from a reader on "It's Official - Ayala Mall For Subic Freeport":

hope the city must also think an alternative plan to ease the traffic in gapo...

like in the case of ramos st., along victory liner up to the stretch of chowking..

fruit vendors had already occupied the half lane of the street....

there is no more space for pedestrians walking along the said street...

[The Subic Bulletin] Yes that's the same stretch of road that SBMA wants to shove the Kalaklan Bridge traffic!

Crooked Immigration At Cebu Pacific Terminal

Comment from a reader on "Cebu Pacific's Bad Attitude":

I returned to the Philippines on Jan 4, 2010 via Cebu Pacific through Manila arriving around 5am. The innigration room was full of arriving passengers and it took me almost 2 hours to reach an immigration officer.

I too am married to a Filipina but have a tourist status because I refuse to go through the 13a bs. I was asked for a ticket exiting the Philippines, which I produced. However, the immigration officer said it was not valid because the flight was on Feb 12, 2010 and I was only allowed 21 days in country.

My passport has many extension stamps in it and I told the immigration officer that I would extend after the initial 21 days. He refused to stamp my passport and directed me to see a Cebu Pacific representative in order to buy a ticket.

After protesting quite loudly about this bs he changed his mind and stamped me in.

My question is if you have a ticket to exit the country does the date have to be within the 21 days? Also, why was there only 6 immigration officers working at this time of the morning when so many flights come in, when I got there the room was half full but by the time I left it was full!!!

I have my own theory on why so few immigration officers were working but will keep that to myself!

[The Subic Bulletin] Sounds like the Immigration officer is on commission from Cebu Pacific. There is no doubt they are taking advantage of customers that they should be helping instead. The best advice seems to be don't fly Cebu Pacific!

Opposition Grows To Kalaklan Bridge Closure

Story by Ed Piano sent in by a reader:

Different groups in Olongapo City have banded together to oppose the closure on February 15, 2010 of Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge which connects Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City and the rest of Zambales.

Led by the Greater Subic Bay Tourism Bureau (GSBTB), Metro-Olongapo Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MOCCI), Subic Bay Resorts Association (SUBRA), Olongapo Chinese Chamber of Commerce and several transport groups in Olongapo and Zambales, an appeal to delay if not avoid the closure of Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge was conveyed to Engineer Joselito Bakuzeta of SBMA Eng’g Dept., in a consultative meeting on January 20, 2010 at the Olongapo City Hall.

A new bridge will be constructed beside the existing one which was built by the U.S. Navy some 50 years ago because, according to SBMA officials, the structure has weakened over time.

However, the same experts said the old bridge can still service light vehicles and pedestrians, which has been the case for almost a year now, pending the construction of a new one.

In a multi-sector meeting held at the SBMA Board Room earlier, it was revealed that the bridge will not be immediately demolished and instead, will be used by the contractor for its equipment, drawing reactions from city representatives for what they say “undue favor to the contractor over the public’s interest.”

According to MOCCI President Aurelio “Bong” Pineda, with the expected resulting monstrous traffic situation in Olongapo once the Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge is closed, businesses in the city will certainly suffer, eventually affecting everybody, from students to employees, even passersby.

According to the GSBTB, the imminent closure is ill-timed since it will coincide with the on-set of summer vacation, the beginning of construction activities relative to the establishment of the SM Mall, Ayala Mall, Ocean 9 Casino, the Ampelos Tower as well as the Expansion Project of the New Banicain Fishport.

“This will definitely affect our business. Most of our visitors in the summer are day tourists. If the average traveling time from Manila to Subic is 4 hours and another 4 hours going back, visitors have no time left to enjoy their day and if that is the case, tourists will not come here anymore. If you really need to close down the bridge, do it after the summer season so that our business will not suffer too much. We have employees to think of and our employees have families and children to tend,” said representatives from MOCCI.

“If you need to demolish the existing bridge for the construction of a new one, you have to provide an alternative for us because the bridge’s closure will certainly create traffic and congestion plus the downbeat to the tourism industry. The contractor and SBMA can provide a bailey bridge to temporarily accommodate motorists and pedestrians until the new bridge is finished,” Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, who mediated on the meeting, told Bakuteza.

Meanwhile , Col. Joe Aquino , head of Olongapo City Office of Traffic Management and Public Safety (OTMPS), accounted that the closure of Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge will lead to no less than 2,500 additional vehicles passing thru Olongapo’s streets and will also adversely affect several thousands of pedestrians who walk thru the bridge every day.

“The closure of Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge means that we have to go around the city to reach the James Gordon Hospital. In times of medical emergencies, a heart-attack victim would be dead already before reaching the hospital since traveling time from the outskirts to the city proper is bound to increase,” said an ex-pat residing in Bgy. Barretto, the city’s beach capital.

To convey the predicament of affected sectors and the city government’s concerns, Mayor James “Bong” Gordon Jr. sent a letter addressed to SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, a day after the meeting, which proposes the following schemes to mitigate the possible effects of the closure of Kalaklan Lighthouse bridge such as the construction of a bailey bridge to be used by pedestrians and motorists during the entire construction period or to reinforce the existing bridge to make the existing bridge safe and passable until the new bridge is constructed.

“We are not opposing the construction of a new bridge per se, what we are contesting is the untimely closure of the existing bridge. There must be a proper coordination with the City of Olongapo in this issue, because we will be the ones facing the wrath of the public when traffic starts to build up in the city’s major roads,” said Olongapo City Administrator Ferdie Magrata.

“It doesn’t make sense. Why close the bridge immediately when light vehicles can still safely pass? Why appropriate the old bridge for the contractor’s use instead of the general public? If it is a choice between the interests of the public and the convenience of the contractor, we expect SBMA to side with the public,” said Vic Vizcocho, Olongapo City Public Affairs Officer.

It can be recalled that over a year earlier, the SBMA has also closed down the Main Gate bridge connecting R.M. Drive in Olongapo and SBFZ to motorists, re-routing vehicles to and from Olongapo and Zambales to 3 remaining entry and exit points: the 1st Gate fronting Rizal Ave. connected by the Asinan Bridge, 14th st. Gate and the Kalaklan Gate, which leads to the current object of controversy.

Should the Kalaklan Lighthouse Bridge be closed without an agreed solution that would be beneficial to all concerned, the closure will not only lead to traffic mishaps but will definitely affect the business peak seasons of resort-hotel owners in Barretto and in neighboring towns in Zambales, as well .

Retail Competition And Protectionism

Comment from a reader on "Super Retailers Required In The Philippines":

We have one already, "SM Hypermarket", it's in the Clark SM Mall, and elsewhere I suppose. If you don't read the sign as you come in you'll think your in a Super Wal-mart. Chance it!

[The Subic Bulletin] Although SM does bring a large variety of items into the reach of Filipinos there is no substitute for the competition driven market that comes from having international operators. But that's life in the Philippines where the big money families control the government to legislate in favor of protectionism.

Right On The Mark

Comment from a reader on "Credibility "Expert" Hits Below The Belt!":

Re: Credibility "Expert" Hits Below The Belt!
After reading this authors comments and your reply, it reminds me of the democrat and republican congress in America. The new (democratic) Obama administration is filled with the most hateful people that I have ever heard. If you say anything against them you will be under fierce attack which are most untrue, whereas the republicans would disagree in a much more constructive manner.

This author reminds me of someone in the current administration. After his attack on you on "probability and statistics," he couldn't think of anything else to say so he attacked you on something totally different from the subject at hand. Your reply was in a much more constructive manner and right on the mark. Please keep up the good work; I look forward to reading your bulletin.

Dangerous Brent School Buses

Comment from a reader on "The Brent School Headmaster's Shady Deals":

It is horrifying to know that Zahalka is servicing School buses, Parents should talk to people who have had repairs made at this guys workshop.

Must a accident happen before someone reacts???
Very Scary !!!!

Investments For My Wife’s Family

Comment from a reader on "Land Ownership for Foreigners":

One of the problems in investing in the Philippines, is that many of the hazards are well hidden. After buying my Philippina wife a very nice home in Laguna with hot-spring pool, I wanted to invest in a condo (which everyone told me was something foreigners could do, subject to a 40% rule on overall foreign ownership).

I did not know that if the phrase (married to Juanita De La Cruz) was added to the Title, you have lost 50% of your investment already, and given the difficulty of your American heirs coming here to corrupt the judges, you have probably already lost the entire condo to your wife's family.

What About Other Violations On The SCTEX

Comment from a reader on "SCTEX Cowboys On The Revenue Hunt":

Erm, what about the vehicals at night without rear lights!

[The Subic Bulletin] We can only assume that they believe drivers with no tail lights are not as rich as speeding motorists so enforcement by the cowboy-cops is not so attractive/lucrative...

Philippine Politics Is All About Packaging!

Comment from a reader on "Only Movie Stars Get The Votes":

No, that's not the reason. That's a pathetic excuse. Only a small fraction of candidates are movie stars and many of them won't win.

Good intentions and blind idealism are not enough. Because if that were the case, We'd all be eating healthy food and exercising regularly. Nobody would smoke, consume alcohol, or eat junk food. Notice how health clubs have to market themselves just to motivate people into getting in shape?

You can have the best-tasting broccoli in the world, but if you don't know how to market and promote it, only a few people would buy it, let alone it eat. You can whine and bitch all you want about how healthy broccoli is, how good it is for your health, and how unfair life is. Do you think that will change people's minds?

JC does not know how to promote and market himself. With his current "packaging", he doesn't stand a chance.

Reader Sets The Pace For His Future Contributions

Comment from a reader on "Guam's Best Assets":

"THE SUBIC BULLETIN"... REALLY?

Subic Bulletin, your website is suffering from terminal anemia. There are a lot of things going on right in the freeport, bad and good. But instead of focusing on Subic, you choose to discuss with your one sickly entry a day, issues like Guam's Kmart, Clark's airport when Subic has a failed airport and your personal immature law enforcement gripes about the SCTEX, with which I think most people do not agree.

I wouldn't really care so much, but you use the lofty "The Subic Bulletin" as the title of your blog. C'mon! It would be like the Manila Bulletin having only one single tiny article a day with a focus on Cebu or Davao.

Please stay on the topic of your website and put in more effort with your articles or be realistic and change your name to a title that at least implies less responsibility about Subic.

[The Subic Bulletin] We are truly excited by your interest and commitment in the Subic area and look forward to your regular contributions.

But here is a question for all readers: The Subic Bulletin is often taken off target by its readers such as the Guam K-mart mails. Would you rather us delete them as off topic or keep up our policy of trying to give everyone a say regardless? Please let us know?

Repetitive Programming

Comment from a reader on "Problems On Freeport Cable TV":

I am based in Manila, so don't have that particular "Insert Card" problem, but I have noticed that on SkyCable the coverage of both U.S. college and Pro football has totally ceased. Also, the coverage of some live drama programs (Dexter, Brotherhood) has ceased, and instead we are fed reruns of previous seasons, sometimes in marathon sessions. Are local cable companies trying to save money by cancelling live programming and feeding us taped shows instead? Anyone else noticed this?

Zambales Residents To Black-ban Subic Freeport

Comment from a reader on "Kalaklan Bridge Update":

And for those of us who live in Barretto or beyond, we will stop shopping in SBMA. If I need to drive through the entire city of Olongapo just for the priviledge of spending my money in SBMA, I will exercise other options.

I imagine more money is spent inside SBMA by people living outside it than is spent in Barretto or Subic by SBMA residents. Again the powers that be have selected another way to inconvenience their customers and the tenants of SBMA will suffer lost business.

Are All Philippine Airports Poorly Managed?

Comment from a reader on "Another Reason To Avoid Clark Airport.":

As a frequent traveller from both Manila and Clark to all major cities in Asia, I can only marvel at the Philippines ability to constantly 'balls' things up. Yes, the travel tax is is a nonsense, but it simply pales into insignificance when compared to the utter joke that constitutes arrival at the new Manila (Cebu Pacific) terminal. After getting off the plane airport staff still insist on collecting health forms (other Asian countries stopped this long ago) and are anal about having a cell phone number from all travelers - a very welcoming reception to international visitors who don't happen to either have a local cell number or know what hotel they are staying at - never mind that they don't read what is submitted anyway (I have frequently filled out my name as 'Donald Duck' or Michael Jackson in an effort to see how if they really care what is written. Apparently not). From there you pass through immigration and pick up your baggage and here the stupidity really begins. You line up single file often for 30-40 minutes to individually show the form to an official who sizes up your bags in an attempt to asses the possible value of its contents. After answering their standard question ' anything to declare?', despite being in a 'nothing to declare' lane, they give you the form back and on you go. In a job creation scheme that could only be dreamt up in the Philippines, there is another roving official who leaps from trolley to trolley in an attempt to collect the customs forms as you leave the airport. I have turned this into something of a sport and bide my time leaving the customs counter in an attempt to pass the official at top speed as he's busy with a larger group of tourists, feigning ignorance of the fact that I'm meant to hand over the form. He invariably runs and catches you but I am constantly furthering my distance record.

What the Airport Authority has succeeded in doing is constructing a very nice modern terminal and then using the same archaic thinking and passenger management procedure as before.

One only has to look at some of the regions other airports to see how to do it properly. Please Philippine Airport Authority, your visitor numbers and SOP show that you don't have the knowledge to handle passengers; just learn from the other Asian nations who are doing it well and enjoy the benefits of praise and respect rather than ridicule from Locals and Foreigners alike.

Who Is Capable To Enforce?

Comment from a reader on "Misguided Enforcement On The SCTEX":

What a bunch of baloney by the moderators of the Subic Bulletin. This blog supports speeding and dangerous driving on the SCTEX, likely because the moderators enjoy doing this. That's crystal clear from the moderators previous posts. Be a man and admit it.

[The Subic Bulletin] Why do you feel so strongly that expressway patrolmen are the right people to do enforcement and not the police? Do you have a vested interest?
Do you think we should use poorly trained rent-a-cops for other things?
Maybe if a member of your family was assaulted we should ask the security guard at Starbucks to run the investigation?
Is this the enforcement you are looking for?

ESPN Still Has Card Problems On Freeport Cable

Comment from a reader on "Problems On Freeport Cable TV":

I have been told that the receiver box was changed and thats why they are having the problem. They have contacted the supplier but cant seem to get the problem resolved.

Just another in the many problems with the "world class" Subic Bay Freeport Zone

The 500 Peso Immigration Fee

Comment on your post "Corruption At Clark Airport":

Sucker!!! Those immigration clowns will take P500 and let you go, thereby saving you the difference. Just hand it to them and let them know you will go to the cashier otherwise.

They will let you pass.

[The Subic Bulletin] Not sure we would be so proud of that...

Cebu Pacific's Bad Attitude

Comment from a reader:

First let me say that the SB is excellent, it's succinct, clever, splendidly informal, at times controversial and informative.

Thank you SB and its Subscribers.

Second, Clark Airport has come in for some 'stick' recently but I want to say that my family and I have passed through Clark a number of times, internally and internationally and we have found the staff, from the first you meet - car park guys - right through the airport to be warm, pleasant and efficient.

Thank you Clark.

Third, Immigration has been the subject of correspondence recently and in this regard I would now like to add that yesterday my family and I returned from Singapore. There at the boarding desk of Cebu Pacific Airlines I was refused a boarding pass because my passport is British and they demanded that I have Permanent Residency or a return air ticket.

I was then marched to the Cebu Pacific Airport office and a woman announced herself as the person in charge of the office, she would not listen to me, at all. I explained that I had been married to a Filipina for 12 years with daughter, and we were all travelling together as a family, my permanent address was in the Philippines etc., she was totally inflexible, loudly saying that I was illegal in Philippines without either, unless I had a B/B stamp in my passport dated 2010, which was impossible since this was only 4th January but I had a B/B stamp for the previous years.

She would not listen, she said more than once that I would be prohibited entry into Philippines, even as a family member. She then said that a new law came into effect on 1st January 2010 which effectively states that ALL foreigners married to Filipinos had to have Permanent Residency or a return air ticket OR they will be deported. I said that I had been through Philippine Immigration over a 100 times over the last 12 years or so and NEVER, but never had experienced a problem and I then said: "why are you doing this" followed quickly by the question: "is it because Cebu Pacific wants to sell me another ticket" she half-smiled but said nothing; so I repeated the question: "do Cebu Pacific want to sell me another ticket" she bowed her head. I then said if such a law did come into effect on 01:01:10 then when we purchased the ticket in December '09 Cebu Pacific should have informed us of the new law. She dismissed this completely, and abruptly said it was our responsibility not Cebu's. Her attitude throughout was, in my opinion, unprofessional she was belligerent and the whole episode was unnecessary and distasteful. Finally, I am aware that "Tourists" entering Philippines have to have a return air ticket but those who permanently reside in the Philippines, who are married to a Filipino and who enter as a FAMILY member, do NOT.

Questions: 1.0 Did a new law come into effect on 1st January 2010 which says the all foreigners married to a Filipino must have Permanent Residency or a return air ticket in order to gain entry into Philippines?
2.0 If a foreign person married to a Filipino arrives at Philippines will he or she be deported if they do not have Permanent Residency or a return air ticket, whether or not they are accompanied by their spouse and attempt entry as a family? Upon receipt of opinions, views and comments of others, who are far more knowledgeable than me, I will then judge if the Cebu Pacific representative was lying, incompetent or wholly correct and if she was then I will unreservedly apologize. Warm regards happy New Year and please keep up the good work.

[The Subic Bulletin] We have heard this complaint numerous times about Cebu Pacific and yes they do it to sell you FULL PRICE ticket while they have you on your knees.

As far as we know the law they are using to force you to buy the ticket has been around for a long time. Someone who is married to a Filipina is suppose to get a 13a visa so these problems don't exist.

We would be interested to know if someone has any other information where a balakbyan visa exempts you from having an exit ticket.