18 countries to compete in Clark little league games

CLARK FREEPORT – At least 18 teams from different countries in Asia will be competing against each other on the upcoming Asia-Pacific (ASPAC) Little League 2013 here, the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) announced.

CDC Tourism Promotions Office Manager Noemi B. Garcia said the event is slated from June 30 to July 8 and will be held at the CDC Parade Grounds.

Garcia added that the teams competing during the ASPAC competition are China, Chinese Taipei, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Jordan, India, Kuwait, New Zealand, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

All teams from other countries are expected to arrive on June 30.

In anticipation of erratic monsoon rains, Garcia said the game schedules may change in case inclement weather disrupts the sports activities.

As part of Clark’s tourism activities slated for the second half of the summer season, Garcia said the hosting of the ASPAC games here is expected to boost the Freeport’s image as the choice sports tourism destination north of Manila.

For more details about the event visit the ASPAC Little League’s website at littleleague.org.ph, or contact +632-892-1800;+639175754740 and look for Sarah May Cayari or at scayari@relivinc.com.

INGASCO pours P1.35-b for air separation plant in Clark

CLARK FREEPORT – A leading Japanese industrial gas firm will be investing P1.35 billion for the establishment of an air separation facility here, the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) announced.

Masahiko Kitabatake, president of INGASCO, Inc., on Monday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the establishment of an air separation facility project of Taiyo Nippon Sanso Clark, Inc., a whole subsidiary of INGASCO, Inc.

According to Project Manager Noel Ret Sampol, Taiyo Nippon Sanso Clark, Inc. will pour P1.35 billion for the project and will employ some 30 personnel during its initial construction phase and at least 300 workers once the facility is fully operational.

CDC President Arthur P. Tugade, in his speech, described the groundbreaking ceremony as a timely event. At the same, Tugade also pledged the CDC’s commitment and support to the company.

In 2011, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III witnessed the signing of a reservation agreement and term sheet between INGASCO and CDC during the Chief Executive’s state visit to Japan.

The fuel facility will be located in a 32,928-square-meter area along Panday Pira Avenue here.

The project would include the installation of mechanical and electrical equipment used for air separation such as cryogenic distillation column, column, multi-stage air compressors, pumps, electrical substation, cooling towers, and cryogenic storage tanks, among others.

Once fully operational, INGASCO will be capable of supplying nitrogen, argon, and oxygen to big Clark-based firms like Texas Instruments (TI) and Phoenix Semiconductor Philippines Corporation (PSPC), and other electronic and semiconductor companies.

The facility will have an output capacity of 10,100 Nm3 per hour for the production of liquid oxygen (LOX), liquid nitrogen (LIN), and liquid argon (LAR), including major process areas in filtration, air compression, pre-purification, liquefaction and separation/distillation, storage and product loading.

INGASCO is 70 percent owned by its mother company Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC), a major supplier of industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and argon to a wide range of industries, including the steel, chemical, electronics, automobile, construction, shipbuilding, and food industries.

The company also develops and manufactures gas-applied devices and equipment and plays a vital role in the frontiers of science and environmental preservation, as well as the Japan National Hydrogen Project.

Aside from its industrial gas business, the corporation is also involved in the supplying medical oxygen and other high-quality gases to medical institutions.

350 patients benefit from Korean firm's medical mission at Clark

CLARK FREEPORT – At least 350 indigent patients benefited from a medical mission spearheaded by a Clark-based Korean firm and civic group in cooperation with the Clark Development Corporation (CDC).

CDC Vice President for Operations and Technical Services Franco A.L. Madlangbayan said the International Association of Lions Club 354-D Korean Chapter Lions Club and Clark-based JB Cresta Corporation sought the assistance of the CDC for the conduct of a medical mission held in Clark Hills Village here from May 17 to 18.

JB Cresta Corp. Managing Director Jeano Bak said the event aims to boost the “interaction of the Korean organization with the Filipino people and provide medical services to local patients inside and outside” the Clark Freeport.

Bak added that members of the medical team were all from Seoul, Korea consisting of a dentist, dermatologist, general surgeon, internal medicine practitioner, and orthopedic assisted by 20 other staff.

Assisting the Korean medical team were personnel from the CDC Health Services Office and Community Extension Services Office (CESO) and provided various medical services to 200 patients on the first day and another 150 the following day, Madlangbayan also said.

Madlangbayan noted that the CDC “greatly appreciates” the service provided by JB Cresta and Lions Club and for their “intention to foster cooperation between the Korean Chapter Lions Club and local patients,” which he described as “a very worthy cause and gesture of friendship.”