The plan to move the US military bases from Japan to Guam is getting the people who worked at the former American facilities in this country excited. Building new military bases in Guam, three hours from Manila, is expected to generate employment for the thousands of people who once worked in US bases here.
Guam Gov. Felix Camacho was in town recently to check out plans of local employment companies to deploy Filipinos to work on the new bases, which will replace US military facilities in Okinawa, Japan. Camacho reportedly said that while Filipinos may get some of the work, they will have to compete with US citizens who have lost their jobs recently because of the recession.
But Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. is one of those who remain upbeat about the possibility of getting high-paying ($12 an hour) jobs for his constituents during the so-called Guam Buildup. The $10 billion project—funded mostly by Japan—is expected to bring up to 25,000 active duty troops and their dependents from Okinawa to the US territory.
Mayor Gordon says he wants former Subic base workers who were trained by the US Navy to get priority in the hiring process. American military authorities, he says, already know the dedication and professionalism of Olongapo’s workers, who have undergone training in various specialized skills under the direction of the Americans.
The mayor visited Guam twice in the past two months to work out arrangements for the employment of workers from Olongapo, Zambales and Bataan. He also brought local businessmen with him so they check out bidding rules for contracts and projects that will be available once the buildup starts. By Jojo Robles - Manila Standard Today
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