The Year That Were

Wrong? Well, it just felt that way. While compiling the report for the upcoming General Membership Meeting, many of the things the Subic Chamber accomplished seemed like things that were done more than a year ago, maybe more. But not.

We were actually able to squeeze way more than a year’s worth of work in 2011… and we’re not even done yet.

So let me just provide a brief of the things we have done this year.

Early in the year, we were preoccupied in trying to persuade the newly elected President Noynoy Aquino to reconstitute the SBMA Board of Directors. But, being preoccupied with one thing does not necessarily mean we do nothing else.

In fact, we have written the President three letters in as little as a few weeks in between. The second was about our support for the Open Skies Policy and the third was requesting the fast-tracking of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA). The first two we wrote late in the year prior and the last one early in January. That was quite a busy time. We were busy lobbying. We were being interviewed by reporters left and right. We were newsworthy. Eventually, it all paid off.

• New SBMA directors—appointed;
• Executive Orders 28 and 29 for Open Skies—issued;
• AIFTA—approved!

Early in the year, we also organized our annual State of the Freeport Address. This one became the most attended SOFA in the Subic Chamber history. The first time, too, that the newly appointed SBMA directors and almost the entire Olongapo City government attended.

Collaboration between the SBFCC and the SBMA was at its highest in 2011. We met with no less than SBMA Administrator Arreza almost on a weekly basis. We got a lot of things done. We were part of the SBMA Traffic Safety Board, we collaborated with the Visa Processing office, and more. The SBFCC even participated in SBMA’s strategic meeting. The close collaboration was culminated by SBMA’s offer of an office space for the SBFCC at the SBMA Regulatory Building for closer cooperation. That is exactly where we are now located.

Not only with SBMA, we have also heavily collaborated with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI). We have started to work with the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP). In fact, it was the first time ever that ECOP awarded a Subic Bay Freeport locator for good labor practices.

Going global, the SBFCC is also now a member of the World Chambers Network.

We became very busy, too, with various other issues including the Redondo Coal-Fired Power Plant issue, use of senior citizen cards, and utility rates increases where letters and position papers and attendance to public hearings were made.

We made sure to do our best to help individual problems of members. As Administrator Arreza aptly put it, “the SBFCC is the complaint desk of SBMA.” We do get many of the complaints before SBMA does after all. It is not uncommon for the Chamber office to receive requests for assistance for days on end.

On the flip side, we do get requests to grace or speak on events such as company openings, anniversaries, or school graduations by members—a welcome breathe of fresh air. Free food and sometimes a lei to boot. What can I say?

Since a coin actually has three sides, we get many solicitations as well.

Financially, the Chamber is in good financial standing. We have actually broken all records since 1995 in terms of gross income. We also expect to break the membership record soon. We had continuous increase in both membership and income since 2009 so we must be on the right track.

Not all business, one of the Subic Chamber’s advocacies is social responsibility. In this regard, we helped organize the very first Subic Bay Freeport Summer Sports Festival and the highly successful and most attended International Coastal Cleanup at around 6,000 participants. When typhoon-related disasters struck, we were there to help those that were affected. We even donated relief goods to as far as the province of Bulacan.

We also had our Annual Blood Drive. This particular event is always eagerly anticipated by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) because of the considerable blood donations that we are able to provide to them. In fact, the PRC awarded the SBFCC with a certificate for this achievement sometime during the middle of the year.

Finally, we just did the SBFCC Board of Directors election. You’ll have to wait for the official announcement during the GMM but let me just congratulate not only the winners but everybody who ran. Winners or losers, the Subic Chamber always has a place for members who are willing to serve for the sake of the Subic Bay Freeport.

So yeah, it seems like we have done more than a year’s worth of work—2011 felt like “the year that were.”

…and don’t forget our final project for the year—the Toys for Tots program this December. Nailed.

Friends, Happy Holidays!