Shimano opens facility in Batangas
January 25, 2015
Bicycle and parts manufacturer Shimano Inc. has opened a Philippine manufacturing facility within Lopez-led First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Santo Tomas, Batangas.
The establishment of Shimano’s production operation in the Philippines came just weeks after the European Parliament voted in favor of the European Commission’s proposal to include the Philippines in the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) program. Developing countries that enjoy a GSP status enjoy lower export duties.
Shimano, through Shimano Philippines Inc., allocated ¥3.5 billion (about P1.32 billion) to build its facility within a 13.03-hectare area in FPIP’s 442-hectare economic zone. The Shimano Philippines facility, the Japanese firm’s first in the country, will manufacture various bicycle components mainly for the export market. Once in full operation, the facility will employ 1,000 workers.
Shimano Philippines formally inaugurated its factory on Jan. 9, 2015 – just weeks after the GSP+ status of the Philippines took effect Dec. 25, 2014 following the European Parliament’s favorable vote. “The GSP+ status will present the “Made in the Philippines” products a competitive edge,”
Bike Europe said.
Bike Europe explained that the Philippines already benefits from the standard GSP scheme. In the standard GSP scheme, exports from the Philippines to the EU are taxed at 10.5 percent, versus 14 percent for those from countries not included in the regime.
“In recent years bicycle export from the Philippines to the EU markets was already growing rapidly. In the first six months of 2014 it expanded by 28 percent from 338,000 units in the same period in 2013 to 433,000 this year [2014]. GPS+ will also have a very positive effect on the bicycle producers in the Philippines,” Bike Europe pointed out.
Aside from the EU, Shimano is also eyeing a bigger share of the market in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China). “The Japanese bicycle component market leader says it eyes the growth in demand from the BRICS countries, where the rising living standards results in greater disposable income. According to Shimano these markets are ripe for entry-level components for sports bicycles,” the website added.
Established in 1921 in Sakai City, Osaka, Japan, Shimano now operates over 40 factories and sales offices with close to 13,000 employees in more than 20 countries. As of Sept. 30, 2014, its net sales amounted to ¥241 billion (about P91 billion), while net income reached ¥34.67 billion (Ph3 billion).
Shimano is part of a growing list of FPIP locators, including B/E Aerospace, Brother, Canon, Honda, Ibiden, Murata, Nestlé, Philip Morris, and Sunpower.
FPIP is a 70-30 joint venture between First Philippine Holdings Corporation, a holding company of the Lopez Group; and Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s biggest conglomerates. Early this year, FPIP received government approval for a 92-hectare expansion to be called FPIP Special Economic Zone II.
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Shimano opens facility in Batangas | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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PH, Japan cite progress on auto incentives and VAT refund issues
by Bernie Magkilat
January 24, 2015
Philippines and Japan have cited encouraging progress on issues on several issues to improve business environment including auto industry incentives, refund procedures to value added taxes, import clearance certificate, power supply situation and port congestion.
In a joint statement at the conclusion of the 9th Meeting of the Sub-Committee on Improvement of Business Environment convened under the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA), both sides of the panel noted encouraging progress in some agenda topics.
Japanese firms have been pressing for the refunds of their value added tax. Also, Japanese automotive firms have urged government on the planned automotive industry incentives.
The sub-committee also discussed items during the previous meeting such as the harmonization of national tax incentives and local taxes, application procedures of reduced tax rates under the bilateral tax treaty, taxes on foreign maritime transport services, additional surcharges introduced by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), promotion measures for utilization of the Batangas and Subic ports and deregulation to establish the Philippines a Human Resource Development (HRD) hub.
The 9th meeting of the Sub-Committee on the Improvement of Business Environment (IBE) under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) was held Friday, 23 January 2015 in Manila. It was co-chaired by Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Kazuhide Ishikawa and Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Hon. Adrian S. Cristobal Jr.
The meeting also noted that the exceptional Philippine human resource pool has helped the overseas expansion of Japanese companies. It is expected that these positive developments will be further promoted by frequent bilateral summit meetings, Japan’s on-going cooperation in Typhoon Yolanda relief and rehabilitation, support for peace and development in Mindanao as well as other Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects.
Both sides agreed to continue efforts in reducing outstanding issues before the next meeting through continuous dialogues with business communities. These dialogues are important in attracting more Japanese investments into the Philippines.
JPEPA, which entered into force in December 2008, is an important framework for enhancing economic ties between the two countries. Both sides noted that recent trade and investment figures are very encouraging and that JPEPA has sustained increased Japanese investments to the Philippines.
Results of the meeting will be reported to DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo in an appropriate timing by both sides. The next meeting of the Sub-Committee would be held later in this year.
The Sub-Committee on Improvement of Business Environment, a regular semi-annual dialogue, is an important forum for public and private sectors of both countries to discuss specific issues to ensure a transparent, predictable and consistent Philippine business environment.
Representatives from various Philippine government agencies, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) were likewise present during the meeting. The private sector was represented by Yoshio Amano, President, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc. for the Japanese side and Jake Ogana, Program Officer of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) for the Philippine side.
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PH, Japan cite progress on auto incentives and VAT refund issues | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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House: Inclusion of Sabah will delay BBL run
by Charissa Luci
January 25, 2015
House leaders thumbed down yesterday the proposed inclusion of the controversial Sabah issue in the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), fearing this would only “complicate” and “delay” the approval of the peace measure.
Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. and Basilan Rep. Jim Hataman, vice chairman of the 75-man House adhoc panel, said the BBL and the country’s unresolved territorial claim over Sabah are two different issues that should be dealt with separately.
“The inclusion of Sabah issue in the BBL would complicate the measure and would delay its passage,” Belmonte said in an interview after Amina Rasul Bernardo, lead convenor of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID), appealed to lawmakers to ensure that the resources-rich Sabah “would not be lost just because we failed to mention it in the BBL.”
The House Chief expressed the Lower Chamber’s full support to the government’s longstanding quest to resolve the territorial issue, noting that it was the late President Diosdado Macapagal who initiated the Philippine claim in 1961.
In 1950, Belmonte added that Congress adopted a “resolution expressing the sense of the Philippines that North Borneo belongs to the heirs of the sultan of Sulu and the ultimate sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines and authorizing the President to conduct negotiations for the restoration of such ownership and sovereign jurisdiction over said territory.”
INTERNATIONAL ISSUE
Deputy Majority Leader Sherwin Tugna of the Citizens Battle against Corruption (CIBAC) partylist agreed with his colleagues that Sabah issue “should not be included” in the BBL given Congress’ timetable to pass the measure within the first quarter of 2015.
“This is an international territorial issue that an internal and municipal law (BBL) has no bearing. This territorial issue should be raised in the international courts,” he said.
In 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative, signed a law on the country’s archipelagic baselines, which was upheld in 2011 by the Supreme Court, affirming the Philippine claim to Sabah.
The Philippine claim is based on the argument that the 1878 deed entered into by the Sultan with an Austrian named Gustavus Baron de Overbeck and an Englishman named Alfred Dent was a lease agreement. Malaysia, however, is of the belief that it was a treaty of cession.
JOIN THE PARTYLIST
During the hearing, Rasul-Bernardo maintained that despite conflicting claims, Sabah is a “historical part of Sulu” and the new leadership of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (SSNB) assured it would pursue its claim through peaceful means.
The new rajah muda (crown prince), Datu Maharajah Adinda Pugdal Kiram said Sabah was given as a gift by the Sultan of Borneo to the Sultan of Sulu sultan for helping quell a rebellion.
Rasul-Bernardo also pushed for a “bigger participation” of the sultanates in the new Bangsamoro entity that will be created through the BBL.
But instead of the proposed reserved seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament, government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer encouraged Moro leaders representing the sultanates of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and Sulu,Moro leaders to join the party-list system where they have a bigger chance of representation.
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House: Inclusion of Sabah will delay BBL run | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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Palace: Info still raw on plot to kill pope
By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star)
Updated January 25, 2015 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday confirmed receiving raw information on a plot to assassinate Pope Francis during his recent five-day visit to the Philippines.
“We were able to speak to those in the security establishments on that and I was told that they were aware of that particular piece of unverified information that was passed on,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB.
“They were aware...although they did make it a point to establish that the information had no details and was unverified, but because of the situation, it was passed on anyway,” Valte said.
She said country’s security officials – on receiving the report – exercised prudence and acted accordingly to ensure the safety of Pope Francis for the duration of his state and pastoral visit from Jan. 15 to 19.
Asked whether the switching off of cellular phone signals was in response to the reported assassination plot, Valte said it was not the only reason, as the decision to require telecom firms to turn off signals was made even before the emergence of the “unverified” information.
But Valte emphasized that in preparing for an event as big as the papal visit, “you take all of the situations in consideration and you prepare accordingly.”
“We also adjust but...the plan is complete, that this is what we will do and that was precisely what was implemented by government,” she said.
“And thankfully, all of us cooperated...all those who went (to the pope’s activities) contributed to the success of the visit,” Valte said.
A former military intelligence officer claimed there were two attempts to assassinate the pope during his visit in the Philippines – one in Manila and the other in Tacloban, Leyte.
The unnamed former officer claimed that four plotters with links to Islamic militant group al-Qaeda were nearly cornered by Manila police hours before the papal mass at the Quirino Grandstand last Jan.18. The plotters, the former officer said, managed to slip away in the ensuing commotion.
A few months ago, the Iraqi government warned that terror group Islamic State wanted the pope killed, and that the threats against the leader of the more than one billion Catholics were credible.
On Thursday, Pope Francis told Italian police officers in charge of security around the Vatican that he saw “shadows and dangers” amid reports of threats to his life, but urged them not to give in to fear.
“On the horizon we see shadows and dangers which worry humanity,” the pope said in the wake of an increase in security around the Vatican amid fears Islamic State extremists may be plotting to attack the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
“As Christians we are called not to lose heart or be discouraged,” Francis said in a new year’s message to the Vatican police.
Security was tightened in Saint Peter’s Square in September after intelligence services intercepted a possible plan to attack the Vatican.
Iraq’s ambassador to the Holy See, Habib Al Sadr, at the time warned that “what has been declared by the self-declared Islamic State is clear. They want to kill the pope. The threats against the pope are credible.”
In the Philippines, a confidential memorandum was circulated to certain police stations, ordering an inventory of foreigners in their custody as part of security preparations for the pope’s visit. Citizens of an Asian country were singled out for possible terrorist links.
Thousands of police and military personnel were deployed throughout the pope’s visit, during which he declined to ride in bulletproof vehicles or wear a flak vest underneath his cassock. Cell phone signals, commonly used to set off explosives, were jammed wherever he went.
Some worry Francis has made himself a target by speaking out against the Islamic State group and having the Holy See voice support for US air strikes in Iraq.
Italy’s interior minister this month said police were on high alert in key locations across Rome and around the Vatican after the Paris attacks claimed by Yemen-based al-Qaeda.
– With Jaime Laude
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Palace: Info still raw on plot to kill pope | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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Philippines, Pakistan hold 4th round of policy consultations
(The Philippine Star)
Updated January 25, 2015 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The fourth round of policy consultation talks between Pakistan and the Philippines was held last Thursday in Manila.
Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry led the Pakistan delegation, while Evan Garcia, undersecretary for Policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs, led the Philippine panel.
The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of Pakistan-Philippine relations. Noting the traditional warmth and cordiality of bilateral ties, they expressed satisfaction at the continued growth of mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse fields including trade, commerce, security and defense.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to further intensify cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, trade, education, science and technology, civilian nuclear energy and promotion of people-to-people contacts.
Both sides also agreed on the need for greater interaction between the private sectors of the two countries.
They also discussed regional issues and matters pertaining to cooperation at multilateral forums, including inter-faith dialogue.
Pakistan reaffirmed its desire for an enhanced partnership with ASEAN.
The Philippine side gave an overview of regional issues in Southeast Asia, while the Pakistan side discussed the situation in South Asia, the monumental efforts made in countering terrorism as well as Pakistan’s efforts aimed at ensuring peace in the region.
The Pakistan delegation expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to them during their stay in the Philippines.
Foreign Secretary Chaudhry later called on Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario.
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Philippines, Pakistan hold 4th round of policy consultations | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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