Who’s calling the shots at SBMA?

Investors and employees are getting confused over who really calls the shots at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). Insiders reported that the group of Administrator Armand Arreza is trying to marginalize SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga, making major appointments and policy changes without consulting the latter. Arreza recently filled up the position of Deputy Administrator for Finance and hired a legal consultant who was later found out to be lawyering for a locator against whom SBMA had filed a case, all without the knowledge of Salonga. Worse, contractual employees are allegedly being required by Arreza’s camp to obtain a letter of recommendation from Olongapo Mayor Bong Gordon, Bataan Governor Tet Garcia or Zambales Governor Vic Magsaysay before their appointments could be renewed. The quandary started when GMA reorganized SBMA through Executive Order 340 that split the position of the Chairman and Administrator into two. EO 340 virtually overrode Republic Act 7227 where the Administrator also served as ex-officio chairman of the board of directors, as was the case during the time of Dick Gordon and Felicito Payumo. It can be recalled that former SBMA Chairman Francisco Licuanan and Administrator Alfredo Antonio did not also see eye to eye on many issues, with Antonio resigning barely a year after his appointment. Licuanan then recommended a replacement, but the appointment did not push through even after GMA had reportedly given her verbal approval, causing Licuanan to resign. Insiders disclosed that Sen. Dick Gordon had put pressure on PGMA to appoint his man Arreza for the position. It was clearly "transactional politics" at work — a phrase ironically coined by Gordon himself to denounce Charter change. Despite efforts by Salonga and Arreza to show a smooth working relationship, the cracks are showing, confounded by perceptions that the faction headed by Freeport Corp. Services (FSC) president and Subic Anti-Smuggling task force chief Jose Calimlim also calls the shots at SBMA. Insiders say Salonga has every right to fight efforts to have him marginalized. As head of agency, he has to ensure that all policies, directives, plans and programs formulated by the board are carried out. As agency head, he is directly accountable to the president for SBMA’s performance — and thus he has to exercise the corresponding authority. PGMA should step in and clear the confusion once and for all. SBMA should be run like a corporation with Chairman Salonga wielding the powers of a chief executive officer with Arreza functioning as chief operating officer. This clear demarcation line should be clearly drawn. Otherwise, ambitious plans to make Subic a competitive hub will not go beyond the drawing board. Mabey & Johnson, NUJP give scholarships for slain journalists’ kids

Statistics by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) confirm at least 83 journalists have been killed since 1986, including 10 this year — leaving bereaved families at a loss on how to pay for their children’s education. Bevil Mabey Study Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the British bridge-maker Mabey and Johnson Ltd., has teamed-up with the NUJP and the Kasangga sa Kaunlaran Foundation to provide scholarships to deserving children of slain local journalists. Mabey has put up P1 million a year for five years to finance the scholarships while Kasangga underwrites NUJP’s costs for administering the fund. The Mabey-Kasangga-NUJP program approved four additional applicants, increasing the total number of scholars in the elementary, secondary and collegiate levels to 36 for this school year. Mabey and Johnson is known as the sole supplier of pre-fabricated modular steel bridges for the President’s Bridge Program.

Spybiz milestone: Jose Pidal says goodbye to Mrs Pidal

Presidential brother-in-law Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo has decided to separate from his second wife, former Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) chairperson Aleli Morales. People working with Morales say she is a thoroughly ambitious woman with a bad temper. She resigned from PSE last year ostensibly to devote more time to help Iggy with his duties as Negros Occidental congressman. Informants however said the situation has become sticky because of her temper, and there is allegedly a third party involved. While the ex-couple are suing each other, Arroyo is reportedly hurt by the failure of his second marriage, and appears to be the aggrieved party in this case. It can be recalled that Ignacio Arroyo once admitted to being the controversial "Jose Pidal."

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