Irked Ebdane tells Hanjin officials ‘Your still in the Philippines’

CASTILLEJOS, Zambales: “You’re still in the Philippines”  an irked Zambales governor Hermogenes  E. Ebdane Jr. told Hanjin officials after restricting government officials entry to the shipyard.

“You are still in the Philippines, right?” Ebdane reminded Hanjin general manager for external trade Taek Kyun Yoo, when the firm’s security officers tried to bar provincial officials from the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Dept. of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and the Philippine National Police.

“If you’re not letting them in, then I won’t get in, too,” the governor who was visibly irked said.

The incident marked the first time that Hanjin officials here relaxed their strict security protocol at the shipyard, which some observers described as “discriminatory.”

Hanjin officials invited Ebdane for an audience regarding various concerns and proposal.

In November 2007 Amor Deloso who was Zambales governor then was not permitted to enter the premises of Hanjin after his name was not on the list when former Vice President visited the shipyard prompting Deloso and his officials to leave.

Yoo, on behalf of Hanjin Heavy Industries Corporation-Philippines (HHIC-Phil), had sought the governor’s assistance, among others, in the processing of the firm’s application for land use conversion that was reportedly filed with the DAR and the Department of Agriculture almost a year ago.

HHIC-Phil needed the conversion permit before it could start construction on a 1,300-unit housing project for Hanjin employees at barangay Magsaysay in Castillejos, Zambales.

Yoo said that while the firm has already complied with all the requirements, including an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the local DENR office, it has yet to be issued a land use conversion permit.

Ebdane, for his part, promised his assistance on the land conversion issue and gave instructions to the DAR representative to speed up the release of the said permit.

Ebdane also told HHIC-Phil officials to resolve the issue on the shuttle service for Hanjin workers, as well as tend to the garbage that the governor observed was filling up the area from the roadside to the shores of Subic Bay.