Aquino to lead groundbreaking of First Gen’s
Power Plant in Batangas
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead the
groundbreaking Tuesday morning of First Gen Corp.’s San Gabriel Power Plant in
Sta. Rita, Batangas. The 414-megawatt San Gabriel gas-fired project was
expected to begin construction last year. Proponents eye to complete the
project in the 2014/2015 timeframe.
The Lopez-owned First Gen Corp. was incorporated
in December 1998 as the primary holding company for the power generation and
energy-related businesses of the Lopez Group through First Philippine Holdings Corporation
(FPH).
Last year, First Gen had 15 power generation
plants that were predominantly contracted for sale under long-term power
purchase agreements or other energy sales agreements. First Gen’s power
generation portfolio utilizes indigenous fuel such as natural gas, water and
geothermal steam.
The company accounts for 17 percent of the
country’s total installed power generation capacity. It ranked 33rd in gross
revenues and 34th in net income among BusinessWorld’s Top 1,000 Corporations in
the Philippines in 2012.
First Gen’s Management System complies with
standards set by the International Organization Standards (ISO) of Geneva.
Among those who are expected to join the
President Tuesday will be Energy Sec. Jericho Petilla, First Gen Executive Vice
Presidents Richard Tantoco and Ernesto Pantrangco, Siemens Philippines
president and CEO Jacky Chan, Siemens Energy Solutions Ltd president and CEO
Rochus Bergmann and Siemens AG Energy Solutions CEO Rainer Hauenschild. PND
(as)
Coloma underscores significance of switching
from analog to digital broadcasting
President Benigno S. Aquino III has emphasized
that the adoption of the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting - Terrestrial
(ISDB-T) system is aligned with the government’s objective of preventing
casualty in times of calamities and disasters, Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said on Monday.
Coloma said during the meeting with Japanese
Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Yoshitaka Shindo at the Edsa
Shangri-la Hotel in Mandaluyong City that the Chief Executive has already given
the go-signal to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to begin the
groundwork for the adoption of ISDB-T system.
The adoption of ISDB-T was part of the agenda
during President Aquino's meeting with members of his Cabinet on Monday, Coloma
said. The new system is the most advanced international standard on digital
terrestrial television broadcasting format originally developed in Japan.
The ISDB-T started in Japan in December 2003 and
in Brazil in December 2007. The number of the country which has adopted its
standard is gradually increasing with the recognition of its technological
advantage.
Coloma said the presidential directive will pave
the way for the phase out of analogue transmission in approximately two to
three years to deliver better TV signals to every household across the country.
"The introduction of ISDB-T is timely for
the disaster-resilient Philippines. The country experiences more than 20
typhoons every year," the Communications Secretary said.
"The breakdown of the communications system
during the aftermath of super-typhoon Yolanda caused a bit of delay in
responding to the needs of the people," Coloma said.
Coloma said the Philippines is joining other
Asean member countries in switching over from analog to digital broadcasting.
"The evolution of TV broadcasting is one of
the significant aspects of connectivity for the Asean Economic Community
regional integration that is envisioned to be fully attained by 2015," he
said.
Coloma said the NTC ascertained the
compatibility of the ISDB-T system with mobile devices since there are
approximately 90 million mobile phonesubscribers.
Shindo, for his part, expressed his government's
heartfelt gratitude to the Philippines for adopting the ISDB-T which would suit
the country’s requirements and would be most beneficial for the majority of the
population.
He said ISDB-T has built-in early warning system
to enable people with TV sets, mobile phones and other hand-held gadgets with
TV receivers to receive early warning announcements and advisories from the
National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council and Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services.
It also has a built-in mobile transmission that
can send early warnings to mobile phone users in the country at the shortest
possible time, Coloma said.
These features are very much applicable to the
Philippines since it has the same situation as Japan in terms of natural
calamities.
Shindo said ISDB-T also brings new business
opportunity for broadcasting companies.
Joining Shindo during the meeting were Japanese
Vice Minister for Policy Coordination (International Affairs) Masahiro
Yoshizaki, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Toshinao Urabe, and Japanese
Telecommunications and Broadcasting companies officials.
Also in attendance were NTC Commissioner
Gamaliel Cordova, Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary
George Sylianco, Assistant Secretary Jess Yu and Radio-Television Malacanang
Director Lito Nadal. PND (js)
