Hanjin: The Untold Story
Ben Contreras (knock, Knock)
Goldstar Daily May, 12, 2008 Issue
HANJIN used to be Hanil, a South Korean construction firm known for its durable roads and highway stretching from Iligan to Butuan is a landmark of its achievement. It’s Korean-made.
A local politician claims to have gone to South Korea thrice allegedly to woo Hanjin to put their money in Misamis Oriental. Fact is, he went there to court a glass factory. “I’ve been courting Hanjin for more than 10 years and … said President Arroyo.
Hanjin has a ship-building facility in Subic. The need for a place where it could fabricate accessories and parts arose. When it found their existing area in Subic too small for the intended purpose, it sought the assistance of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Peza then sought the assistance of Phividec.
Hanjin had wanted 1200 hectares but Phividec could only give 400 and before the agreement between the Korean Company and local governments of Tagoloan and Villanueva was signed, some of the local government officials were invited to Subic to observe their shipyard.
One of Hanjin’s important requests before agreeing to invest here is to put their company under Peza, under which law, the company would be exempted from taxes for eight years. This would enable Hanjin to recover a part of their investment faster.
Hanjin’s entry into the province drew support and great optimism from every sector of our society. It is expected to create employment, give new life to a sagging economy and other opportunities to make money. They brought in hundreds of heavy equipment and hundreds more to rent if made available. With its US$2-billion investment, Hanjin has put Mindanao in the world map.
Along the way, Hanjin encountered minor problems that were given negative publicity and went out of control. Then the news exploded like a bomb and caught everyone by surprise. Hanjin is withdrawing, bannered The Gold Star Daily. The other papers, including the Manila media, picked up the story.
We subsequently heard and read many stories. What stories did people talk about? A lot! We have one about the alleged attempt to bribe a mayor (later denied by the mayor himself). Another was about how a local government ordered Hanjin to stop its work and why t lifted the order so the firm could resume operations even without an environmental compliance certificate. Then there’s this story about how a town government charged the Koreans P 120 thousand a month for the use of its gym and other money-related stories.
You heard these aired incessantly over the radio. You heard politicians hurl ugly accusations against each other. And when you try to analyze it, you begin to ask yourself: Is there a conspiracy to destroy Mayor Oloy Emano and Juliette Uy?
The media has a responsibility to report the truth. If one resorts to character assassination without basis, certainly that is unfair. And anyone who is into it should be ashamed of himself or herself.
No, I am not pointing an accusing finger at any of my colleagues in the media. Neither am I saying that some are under the payroll of politicians. I am only admonishing them to be responsible and honest. Do not slap a person without reason and say “I’m sorry” and that’s it.
Going back to Hanjin , and like I said before, we have a law to follow. The mistake in Subic should not have been allowed to be repeated here. The Korean firm which abhors negative publicity should have been more prudent.
“But who needs who?” said Arroyo. Oloy Emano only wanted the Koreans to observe our laws by securing the ECC before doing anything. And because this project is too big to let go, Oloy gave them the hospitality and leniency typical of Filipinos by allowing them to do the clearing operation without ECC.
But the malicious eyes and minds see things differently.
Let’s not use the word “abuse.” The Koreans promised to get the ECC. Before securing one, they proceeded to build the training centers. “Wait a minute,” said Oloy Emano.
The Koreans wanted to construct the training centers without ECC and Oloy wouldn’t allow them. Oloy could be charged by DENR for breaking the law. So why blame Oloy for doing the right thing?
Oloy and Juliette have in many occasions argued on issues, but their personal and political relationship has been good, strong and beyond politics.
The controversies surrounding the Hanjin project have unwittingly centered in Oloy. “This is unfair,” said one politician. Juliette is also to blame.
Like Oloy, Juliet was peppered with malicious attacks and nasty stories. Not a few have allowed themselves to become willing tools of certain politicians in the conduct of character assassination against two mayors.
A bystander who happens to be a neighbor of Bong Rubic was hit by a stray bullet, accusing him of cornering the bulk size of the projected 44 thousand employees to be hired. Poor Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. He was just trying to help the deserving.
