Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Felicito Payumo announced this after conducting a site inspection at the manufacturing plant of Sankyo Seiki over 5.5 hectares of prime industrial land at the Subic Techno-Park (STEP).
Payumo said that the SBMA Labor Center is already accepting applicants for various positions such as line production workers, engineers, offices personnel and other support employees.
"This is a vote of confidence of the private sector particularly the Japanese business community on the Philippine government, as well as on Subic Freeport under the administration of President Arroyo," Payumo stressed.
SBMA labor department head Severo Pastor Jr. said that Sankyo Seiki began hiring production plant operators this month to complete the projected employment of 3,500 in time for the inauguration of its newly constructed plant by the first quarter of next year.
"By all indications, Japanese investors remain very bullish, especially on Subic Freeport in the midst of economic recovery," Payumo added.
Sankyo Seiki committed total investments of $100 million into the Freeport for the manufacture of high-speed precision electronic equipment, micro-motors for computer peripherals and other high value added specialized digital core parts for multi-media and other business.
The SBMA chairman also said that Sankyo Seiki comes at a time when speculations run aground that foreign direct investments are shying away from the Philippines as a result of the prevailing crises in the country and the Asian region.