Guam Braces for Military Buildup

Four years from now, the U.S. military plans to transfer thousands of Marines from the Japanese island of Okinawa. The move is part of a larger military realignment in the region and it is one that could reshape the future of the U.S. territory.

Residents on the Pacific island of Guam are bracing for big changes. Four years from now, the U.S. military plans to transfer thousands of Marines from the Japanese island of Okinawa. The move is part of a larger military realignment in the region and it is one that could reshape the future of the U.S. territory.

All over Guam, the big topic of discussion is the military - and the U.S. Marines moving to the U.S. territory from the Japanese island of Okinawa.

At a diner in central Gaum, Robert Jones says it is a good thing for the island.

"It's going to drive the economy up and that's what we need right now, you know," he said.

Eight thousand Marines are expected to move to Guam over the next four years. The transfer is part of the Pentagon's effort to reduce the troop numbers on Okinawa, where the U.S. has maintained bases since World War II. Most of the Marines will move to new facilities in the northern part of Guam, but Carl Petersen with the Chamber of Commerce says the effects of the buildup will extend beyond military gates.

"Literally everybody who wants to get a job will get a job," he said.

Petersen says the buildup will create 30,000 new jobs on the island. More than half will be temporary construction jobs mostly taken by foreign laborers. But Petersen says permanent, high-paying jobs will go to island residents. He says those jobs, combined with the business from Marines, will help improve an economy suffering from 8 percent unemployment.

"They will become our customer which means we will have greater economy of scale. That will benefit all of us here," he said.

Jim Espaldon is a senator in the territorial legislature and helps oversee the island's infrastructure. He says Guam is not ready for the buildup. He points to an environmental impact statement that says the buildup will attract thousands of military family members and construction workers. The population could increase by 40 percent.

"We are not ready and we are getting no solid assistance from our federal government," he said.

Espaldon says the population surge will overwhelm the island's only public hospital, cause gridlock on major roads and strain the only port. Container shipments there are expected to jump from 100,000 to 600,000 a year, once construction for the buildup begins.

U.S. troops have been on the tropical island for more than a century. After World War II, and well into the 1980s, the island was seen as an outpost of the Cold War and at times more than 20,000 troops were based there. But starting in the 1990s, the Department of Defense closed bases, reduced troop numbers and shut down old facilities. Now there are about 15,000 troops and military family members on the island.

The U.S. and Japan have pledged $10 billion to build or renovate facilities for the Marines but they have not guaranteed funds for infrastructure projects in the civilian community. Senator Judy Guthertz, who oversees the legislative committee on the buildup, says that is partly because Guam's hands are tied, politically. It does not have a vote in Congress, and Guamanians cannot vote for President.

"Guam is U.S. territory. We fly the U.S. flag, we proudly fly the flag. We're patriotic Americans but oftentimes we're the forgotten Americans," said Guthertz.

The military says the federal government is trying to secure money to improve the civilian infrastructure. The Defense Department has consulted the governor, the legislature, and community leaders frequently over the past several years as the plans have been drafted.

The military already controls about a third of the island, and will need to acquire more land for the buildup, which goes beyond the Marines. The Army is building a missile defense system on the island and the Air Force is adding more drones. The Navy is expanding its port so it can accommodate visiting aircraft carriers.

University of Guam Professor Victoria Lola Leon Guerrero says that expansion threatens the native Chamorro culture. She worries the military will take ancestral land from Chamorro families.

"These families and their homes are not visible on these maps but they live there. That is their land. They have their homes built. They are being approached by the military as we speak, to give up their land," she said.

The plans for the buildup are not set in stone. The military frequently reviews the plans and consults with island officials and residents about possible changes.

And a new government in Japan may seek significant changes. Officials in Tokyo are reviewing the plans and many politicians in the governing coalition want to move even more Marines off Okinawa, something the United States says is not practical and could delay the Guam buildup. The Japanese government plans to release its recommendations for moving the Marines in May. voanews.com

Guam Officials ask for more time to review DEIS

BY BRETT KELMAN • PACIFIC DAILY NEWs

If Japan gets more time to consider the coming military buildup, Guam deserves more time to comment, according to letters from some of the island's political leaders.

Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz and Delegate Madeleine Bordallo have both written letters in support of extending the amount of time residents can comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Capt. Neil Ruggiero, local spokesman for the Joint Guam Program Office and the military buildup, did not respond to an e-mail yesterday that asked if an extension was possible.

The draft EIS is a massive document that details how Guam will change when the coming military buildup occurs. Comments from the public may reshape the military's plans.

On Thursday, Cruz wrote letters to Bordallo and Gov. Felix Camacho asking them to ask the military to allow the public more time to comment. The thousands of people who attended four public hearings on the buildup proves the public is concerned, he said.

"The DEIS has raised many questions that remain unanswered. Each review of the DEIS raises more," Cruz wrote in the letter.

Yesterday, Bordallo sent a letter to Ray Mabus, secretary of Navy, asking for a 45-day extension to the draft EIS comment period.

"The public release of the DEIS is the first opportunity the people of Guam and our elected leaders have to see the specific plans and proposals for the military build-up on Guam," Bordallo wrote. " As you are likely aware that has already been a significant amount of interest in the DEIS and many have noted its complexity."

The draft EIS was made public on Nov. 20, 2009. A 90-day comment window is scheduled to close on Feb. 17.

During that time, the draft EIS has been available for public review at mayors' offices, public libraries and a dedicated room at the Agana Shopping Center.

The document is also available online.

Delay

Both Cruz and Bordallo mention the federal government's decision to give Japan more time to consider an international agreement about the buildup in their letters.

According to an Associated Press article published this week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accepted a decision by Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada to consider relocation of the Futenma air station until May.

The allied nations agreed to move the air base off Okinawa in 2006, but a question lingers: Where should it go?

Although there has been no official word the base would come to Guam, if it did, thousands more military servicemen would be added to the island on top of the planned buildup.

In their letters, Cruz and Bordallo said Japan's delay provides the perfect opportunity to give local residents more time to comment on the draft EIS.

"The courtesy extended by the United States to the government of Japan reflects the difficult decision involved with implementing the realignment of military forces that I believe that similar considerations would benefit the DEIS on the Guam military buildup," Bordallo wrote.

Guam Military buildup hearing receives mixed reaction

By Haidee V. Eugenio - Saipan Tribune Reporter

Residents weighed the pros and cons of the $15- to $20-billion military buildup in Guam and Tinian during Friday night's public hearing on Saipan, with some individuals expressing support to the multi-year project due to economic benefits and national security issues, while others oppose the project altogether for its ill social, environmental, and cultural impacts.

“Our economy is drying up. The local people are leaving because of lack of jobs here. We need the military, but we need to work together,” said former Rep. Manny Tenorio.

Martin Manglona, for his part, said there's no reason to be scared about military training ranges on Tinian.

“All plans on Tinian are for small ranges, nothing else. We have it in Kannat Tabla, so there's no problem,” said Manglona, adding that local people could get jobs and could find other business opportunities such as supplying fresh produce to the military.

Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero of the Guam-based We Are Guahan which is opposed to the military buildup, said the buildup intends tso carry out U.S. Department of Defense plans, and “does not intend to help residents.”

She said that CNMI residents should never forget the environmental problems caused by the U.S. military in Tanapag, referring to the polychlorinated biphenyl contamination of soil and land crabs on Saipan's northern village.

Leon Guerrero also urged people to visit their website, www.WeAreGuahan.com, to know more about the group's strong opposition to the buildup.

Among other things, the group said the majority of the 18,000 jobs coming through the buildup will go to off-island workers and not local residents, and the buildup's draft Environmental Impact Statement does not mention military commitment to give Guam the money necessary to develop infrastructure to support a huge population influx.

They were among the estimated 30 members of the community, and another 30-plus Navy personnel and military contractors at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe on Friday night for the Joint Guam Program Office's public hearing on the buildup's draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The number of people who showed up in both the public hearings on Tinian and Saipan were far below the numbers on Guam wherein the hearings drew 200 to 400 people.

Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) said there are issues not related to the military buildup that the people of Tinian also want to be addressed, including the needed repair of the outer seawall and piers.

“It would be great (if the military funds it) but they won't because it's not a military wharf. That has to be a Commonwealth project or funded from a separate funding because it's not a military harbor; it's commercial. And I've also been telling people that this is a military buildup in Guam. Tinian is only ancillary of the buildup and if people think that someone is going to get rich from the Tinian portion of the buildup, I would like to know how because I haven't seen it,” Sablan told Saipan Tribune.

'No more comment period extension'

Sixto Igisomar, speaking as a member of the public, asked for more time to review and comment on the draft environment impact statement on the military buildup.

There are some 11,000 pages of documents on the draft EIS/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement on the military buildup.

The draft EIS/OES can be accessed online at www.guambuildupeis.us.

Retired Maj. Gen. David Bice, executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office, said JGPO believes that the 90-day comment period ending on Feb. 17 is sufficient.

“We've had well over 1,600 people come out to our public hearings where they asked questions and got their questions answered by experts. We've also gotten a lot of comments online as well as during the hearings,” Bice told Saipan Tribune.

Bice said there had been enough public outreach programs on the project, including public scoping in 2007, as well as partnership sessions with the local government and the regulators like the Environmental Protection Agency.

“We believe that our effort has been really unprecedented because this is a pretty large realignment and we had an unprecedented approach in terms of reaching out to the public and the regulators to ensure that our document is complete,” he said.

Bice said “every comment is important,” and every comment will be evaluated. The comments will also be recorded in Volume 10 of the final EIS.

“I can tell you that we are going to make adjustments to the EIS. We've heard comments made by people as we go along. I would make a mental note (when I hear) a solid comment that we need to take a look at either the plan or the phraseology that's in the EIS that may not be as clear as it should have been. So I can tell you that we are going to make adjustments to the EIS based upon the comments we received,” he added.

Townhall meetings

Despite the end of the six public hearings held in Guam, Tinian, and Saipan, there are still opportunities for residents to know more about the draft EIS/OES.

Tom Linden, coordinator for the CNMI Military Integration Management Committee, said MIMC, in partnership with the Office of Economic Adjustment and the Guam Advisory Consulting Team, will be hosting a public forum on Jan. 27, Wednesday, at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

He said representatives of the OEA and ACT will break down the 11,000-page EIS and be willing to answer any questions regarding the military buildup. The public is encouraged to submit questions ahead of time to the MIMC coordinator by sending e-mails to cnmi.mimc@commerce.gov.mp.

MIMC, created in June 2009, serves as the planning and policy making entity for all activities related to the expansion of military training and other defense transformation initiatives in the CNMI and Guam. It is the official entity through which the CNMI will interface with the U.S. Department of the Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, JGPO, the Department of Defense, and all other military representatives regarding the military buildup.

The Tinian plan

Because Guam cannot accommodate all training for the relocating Marines, the military looks at Tinian to provide opportunities for training groups of 200 Marines or larger due to greater land availability.

Tinian is only about 100 miles or 160 kilometers away from Guam.

The northern two-thirds of Tinian are leased to the U.S. Department of Defense. Company and battalion level non-live fire training areas already exist and are used on these lease parcels.

“The land, however, could be developed to accommodate live fire ranges,” the draft EIS/OES stated.

The proposed actions on Tinian include firing ranges for rifle known distance, automated combat pistol, platoon battle course, and field firing; and airspace use.

Comments on the draft EIS/OES can be submitted online, or during the public hearings set by the U.S. Navy in Guam and the CNMI.

Guam infrastructure aid coming slowly

HAGATNA, Guam (UPI) -- Guam's governor says while he supports a U.S. military buildup on the island, needed infrastructure improvements have been slow coming.

Gov. Felix Camacho told the military niche newspaper Stars and Stripes that Guam has had a tough time securing money for transportation, water, sewage landfill projects.

He says the new infrastructure will be necessary if the U.S. territory is to cope with buildup plans that could temporarily bring nearly 80,000 people to the island of 178,000 people to build a new base for 8,000 Marines to be transferred from the Japanese island of Okinawa.

"It's been very frustrating for the government," Camacho told the newspaper. "It's such a bureaucratic mess to secure funding. It's been slow to come."

Another issue is the land needed for the base. Opponents of the plans point out some of the land the U.S. military wants has been set aside by the government for a homesteading program for native Chamorro families, Stars and Stripes said.

Camacho told the newspaper a deal for the military to buy the land may put Guam in a better position to negotiate for money to improve its ailing infrastructure.

Guam bracing for human tsunami

When U.S. forces move in from Okinawa, population will rise 25%

By DARIO AGNOTE - Kyodo News

HAGATNA, Guam — Guam is bracing for a deluge.

Thousands of American service members and their families are to relocate to the island from Japan in what could be the biggest such shift in forces since the war.

Already concerns are being raised over the "boomtown effect" — the rapid and large spike in population and related economic activity — on Guam's limited resources and inadequate infrastructure.

At least 8,600 marines and 630 army personnel plus their estimated 9,900 dependents are expected to move here from Okinawa. There will also be a transient military component up to 9,000-strong.

Joining the crowd will be the thousands of outside workers needed to build new roads, deep-draft wharves, aircraft carrier berthing, barracks, houses and similar infrastructure on Guam and on Tinian off Saipan, 160 km to the northeast.

Construction will begin next year despite funding concerns that stem from the Hatoyama administration's reluctance to share in the multimillion dollar relocation cost.

The immediate concern is whether the Japanese government will honor the 2006 deal struck by its predecessor to chip in $6.09 billion for the relocation, which has an estimated price tag of $12 billion to $15 billion.

The biggest concern, however, is the social cost.

The relocation of most of the marines and their dependents is expected to start in 2014, coinciding with the peak in construction activities and expenditures.

"At this peak, the total increase in Guam residents from off-island would be an estimated 79,178 people," says a draft environmental impact statement commissioned by the U.S. Defense Department.

After 2014, when the infrastructure projects are completed, the population is expected to level off to an estimated 33,608 people, on top of Guam's current population of about 178,000.

Based on the estimates of project planners, the endeavor will result in approximately $12 billion, in 2008 dollars, worth of construction occurring on Guam between 2010 and 2016.

Although the desired completion date moving the military personnel is 2014, the construction will likely continue into 2016, the study says.

Guam's population will increase by more than 25 percent during the four- to six-year buildup, said Paul Shintaku, executive director of the Guam Buildup Office.

"The impacts will be wide-ranging and far-reaching. It would be every aspect of the community and our social structure," Shintaku said.

"It's overwhelming," added Shintaku's deputy, Nora Camacho. "It can be from traffic to the hospital to our social services, schools, transport of goods coming into Guam and goods going out of Guam to Micronesia. It doesn't only affect Guam. It affects the entire Micronesia because we're a regional hub."

People from the Philippines, the United States, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands and even Samoa are expected to descend on the island in search of jobs.

"There is cause for concern over the impacts on crime and social order due to other factors," the EIS study says, adding construction booms "are typically accompanied by a sense of loosened norms and social disorder."

People "from the Freely Associated States of Micronesia — whose numbers may increase in both the construction and operational stages due to more job opportunities — have high crime rates associated with adapting to less traditional social structures," it says. "There is a potential for more prostitution, alcohol and substance abuse, and family violence associated with young military populations in general, including sailors taking shore leave after weeks at sea.

"The particular reputation of marines as fighters could well trigger a transitional period of adjustment in which local young men test themselves against marines in fights," it says.

There are also concerns over the possibility that some of the workers will stay on the island for good and contribute to the "growing minoritization" of Chamorros, the indigenous people of the Mariana Islands.

Prior to World War II, Chamorros comprised more than 90 percent of Guam's population. The percentage dropped below 50 percent by 1980 and fell to 42 percent by 2000, the study says.

"There will be an expansion in non-Chamorro voting population that could affect the proportion of Chamorro office-holders and government workers, eventually affecting the current government budgets and activities dedicated to cultural issues and practices. It could also affect outcomes of any future votes about Guam's political status," it says.

"The buildup is so beneficial, beyond our comprehension and beyond what you see in the past," Camacho said.

David Leddy, president of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, says there is overwhelming support for the relocation.

"We treat it as another industry," he said. "The local government is the biggest beneficiary in terms of revenues that can be generated from the economic activities.

"There are positive and negative impacts. We just have to weigh the positive and negative and see what's good for the people," Leddy said.

BUILDUP HOUSING: $200 million workforce housing project deal sealed

PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

Korean construction company STX Construction on Dec. 22 signed a $200 million contract with Guam's Younex Enterprises Corporation, sealing a workforce housing project deal, a press release from Younex stated.

STX Group Chairman Kang, Duck-soo and Younex Enterprises Corporation Chairman Yoon, Kil Koo signed the contract to design, build and assist with the operations and management of an 18,000 bed, fully integrated workforce village to house the surge of thousands of temporary labor expected to come to Guam in the near future, the release stated.

The Ukudu Workforce Village is strategically located in what is referred to in the Defense Department's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) as the Harmon Annex, bordering the Navy's South Finegayan family housing facility and just north of Two Lovers Point.

Yoon said Younex has responded to the call by the Defense Department to provide a private sector solution to a DoD mission.

“We recognize the major challenges the Guam buildup will thrust upon our community, and we believe our project provides an optimum solution to the need for workforce housing while minimizing the impact to Guam's community," Yoon stated in the release.

Japan To Spend $518M On Guam Buildup Next Year

But Tokyo Holds Back On Futenma Replacement Funding

Written by Jeff Marchesseault, Guam News Factor Staff Writer

GUAM - A financial news service reports that while Japan will hold off on substantial FY10 spending for the relocation of a U.S. airbase in Okinawa, it will spend more than half a billion dollars in 2010 for constructing U.S. military installations in Guam. That, according to iStockAnalyst.com. About 8,600 Marines and their 9,000 dependents are scheduled to transfer from Okinawa to Guam by 2014.

Japan's appropriation is undoubtedly welcome news to Washington, especially after word broke in mid-December that the new coalition government in Tokyo would delay until May its decision on whether to honor a 2006 U.S.-Japan security accord for the region. This document spells out an arrangement in which Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is to be relocated from Okinawa's crowded Ginowan City to remote Cape Henoko near Camp Schwab in Nago, Okinawa. The same agreement stipulates that nearly 20,000 Futenma personnel including Marines and their families will move to Guam.

Tokyo's $518 million in FY10 support for the partial move to Guam looks promising as a boon for Guam's buildup, as a pressure-release valve for Ginowan, and as a signal to Washington that Japan appreciates the critical, time-sensitive nature of the Okinawa-Guam transfer. After all, Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway remarked recently that Japan's delay tactics on Futenma's replacement were compromising the stability of the region.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama reportedly admitted on Friday that the 'option' of moving all of Futenma's operations to Guam is no longer even a consideration. According to ZeeNews.com, Hatoyama explained on Saturday:

"It looks as though having everything at Futemma transferred to the US territory of Guam is unrealistic in light of the deterrence" provided by the US military, Hatoyama said.

Hatoyama's pronouncement may lend qualified encouragement to an Obama-backed diplomatic corps exasperated by what they see as Tokyo's intransigence for refusing to commit to the 2006 accord, even as plans are fast afoot to begin building up Guam for the realignment by as early as next summer.

Domestically, the pressure is on the Hatoyama Administration to find an alternative replacement site for Futenma. According to the Wall Street Journal, an upcoming January 24 mayoral election in Nago has come to be viewed as a de facto referendum on the U.S. military's presence in Japan. The sitting mayor is in favor of building the airbase in Nago, his challenger opposes the idea. There is a swelling notion in Okinawa and in government that other parts of Japan should begin shouldering a larger share of the responsibility of hosting U.S. bases in Japan.

However, the U.S. remains firm in its stance that there is no alternative to moving the airbase now in Futenma to Camp Schwab. And the U.S. has insisted that until Japan's new government sees fit to honor the bilateral agreement to make the internal move within Okinawa, the transfer of Marines to Guam can't happen.

Read the iStockAnalyst.com story, "Japan to forgo earmarking spending for new airfield in Okinawa", December 25, 2009.

Read the Wall Street Journal story, "Okinawa Mayor Race May Hold Key To U.S.-Japan Base Spat", December 24, 2009.

Read the Kyodo News story, "Hatoyama nixes Futenma relocation to Guam, eyes alternative Japan site", December 26, 2009.

Read the Zee News story, "Japan PM eager for decentralization of power", December 26, 2009.

Read the Press TV story, "Japan's PM says decision on US base by May", December 26, 2009.

No Decision On Okinawa-Guam Transfer Till May: Japan Prime Minister

$300M For Summer Construction Now Thrown Into Question

By Jeff Marchesseault - guamnewsfactor.com

GUAM -Japan Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama says he'll wait till May to announce his decision on where to relocate a U.S. airbase from a crowded city in Okinawa. That, according to Reuters, Mainichi and Asahi news agencies.

This development now throws into question whether the military buildup will proceed as scheduled on Guam and raises questions about whether the House and Senate will indeed earmark $300 million in FY2010 funding for a related military buildup on Guam. The transfer of 8,600 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam depends on the new Japan government's commitment to honoring a 2006 bilateral accord cementing the realignment.

Construction to relocate and house the Marines on Guam is due to start between the summer and fall of next year. Washington had been hoping that Tokyo would decide by December 18th whether to abide by the agreement. The decision came sooner. But it's not what the U.S. wanted to hear.

December 18th is the last day the military construction earmark can be included in pending appropriations legislation.

Kyodo News had reported as late as this morning that Hatoyama was expected to reveal his decision on the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma at a ministerial committee meeting regarding the policy agendas of the three political parties comprising Hatoyama's coalition government. But his only decision so far today is simply not to decide.

U.S. officials have consistently maintained that there is no alternative to moving Futenma's functions from their present location in crowded Ginowan City in southern Okinawa to a remote peninsula in northern Okinawa. The U.S. also continues to assert that 8,600 Okinawa-based Marines, their 9,000 dependents, civilian staff and equipment cannot be transferred to Guam as planned until Hatoyama agrees to abide by the 2006 accord - an agreement that took about 15 years of careful political maneuvering and exhaustive research to formulate.

Despite expectations, Hatoyama wasn't saying whether he would reveal his intentions on Futenma today. He told Kyodo, "I will determine a government policy soon, and do so by consulting with my Cabinet ministers, while I can't mention the date because it is sensitive."

According to Kyodo, Hatoyama denied reports the the administration intends to propose talks with the U.S. to discuss a new relocation site for the airfield by the end of the week.

Finally, commenting on the fate of the suspended high-level bilateral talks on the relocation issue, Hatoyama told Kyodo: "It depends on the U.S. response. We can think of various options."

Read the Reuters report, "Japan to put off decision on U.S. base row: report", December 14, 2009.

Read the Kyodo News report appearing in The Japan Times, "Decision on Futenma said in the offing", Tuesday, December 15, 2009.

Japan official: Buildup a go

Futenma base talks suspended

BY AMRITHA ALLADI • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS AALLADI@GUAMPDN.COM

Theagreement to lighten the presence of U.S. troops in Okinawa and move some of them to Guam will proceed as planned and on schedule, despite the suspension of talks between the United States and Japan regarding the relocation of the Futenma Marine Corps air base, Japan's Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said during his visit to the island yesterday.

"At this moment, we aren't seeing any delay," Kitazawa said through an interpreter at a brief press conference at the Hyatt Regency Guam in Tumon yesterday.

However, talks between the United States and Japan regarding the relocation of the Futenma base have been suspended with no restart date planned as of yet, according to The Associated Press. Kitazawa said yesterday he didn't know when the Futenma relocation issue would be resolved.

Relocating the Futenma base from the southern to the northern part of Okinawa is a step toward executing parts of the 2006 U.S-Japan agreement that includes reducing the number of U.S. Marinesthere by almost half and moving 8,000 of them to Guam.

Both sides finalized the agreement in February, when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Japan's then-Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone signed the pact, which spells out Japan's $6 billion of the $10 billion estimate to move the Marines to Guam.

Kitazawa visitedGuam to see the location for the proposed transfer of Marines from Okinawa, according to a press release from Gov. Felix Camacho's office. He visited Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base Guam, and Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Guam, and received briefings on the vital role Guam plays in hosting the U.S. Air Force and Navy to ensure stability and security throughout the Pacific theater, according to officials from the Joint Guam Program Office.

On Guam, the military's buildup plans go beyond building a Marine base. The United States also plans to build an Army missile defense facility, facilities for recurring visits of an aircraft carrier, and expansions to the existing U.S. Air Force and Navy bases -- a buildup tab of more than $15 billion, according to previously released federal government estimates.

No more qouta for Guam worker's visa

Guam Exempt from National Cap on H-2B Workers

Guam- Guam is now exempt from the national cap on applications for non-immigrant visas. PL 110-229, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 went into effect on November 28, 2009.

Prior to the exemption, applications had to be filed prior to the October and April cap openings in order to be considered for approval by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Local employers may now file at any time during the year with the Guam Department of Labor for approval of a Temporary Labor Certification and authorization to import H-2B workers with US DHS.

The legislation was enacted to give employers the ability to temporarily meet increased manpower needs that will come as Guam ramps up for the impending military build up. The exemption will likely be critical, as Marine relocation construction projects will tap all available local and regional construction resources.

Although the exemption is in effect, local filing requirements and program procedures remain relatively unchanged. For more information, contact GDOL’s Alien Labor Processing and Certification Division Administrator Greg Massey at 475-7005. Specific information on the program is also available online at www. guamdol.net under the alien certification section. pacificnewscenter.com

Guam Department of Labor Director Greg Macey discussing labor related issues with Mayor Bong Gordon.

Guam law allows temp labor certification

by Heather Hauswirth - kuam.com

Guam - Local employers will now have the ability to temporarily meet increased manpower needs that are necessary for the impending military buildup. Public Law 110-229 (The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008) took effect on November 28, lifting the national cap on applications for non-immigrant visas.

According to the Department of Labor, this means local employers can now file requests for temporary labor certification and authorization to import H-2b workers with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security throughout the year. Prior to the enactment of the law, applications had to be filed prior to the October and April cap openings.

DOL officials say this exemption is critical to meet the needs of the impending military buildup.

RP companies eye $15-b Guam buildup

Local construction companies hope to get a big share of the contracts in the $15-billion military buildup in Guam.

Anthony Fernandez, president of the Philippine Constructors Association Inc., told reporters yesterday that local contractors would likely be tapped as sub-contractors in the Guam construction with American and Japanese companies getting all the big projects.

“I am hopeful that Philippine contractors would get a big share of the contracts in Guam. A lot of the local companies are interested. The Guam buildup is a one-time opportunity that we should not miss,” said Fernandez at the sidelines of the business forum on “Opportunities in Guam for the Philippine Construction Industry” in Ortigas yesterday.

Senator Judith Guthertz, chairman of the committee on Guam Military Build-Up, said Guam would need at least 15,000 Filipino skilled workers until 2014, excluding projects funded by the Japanese government.

She said every billion dollars spent on the project would generate 5,000 to 10,000 new construction jobs.

The Guam project, however, poses a major challenge to the local construction industry.

“This is a challenge for us, not only the project itself but the possible drain on our human resources. We have a lot of engineers and skilled workers but these resources are not infinite. We need to keep training our people, we have to replace our workers that are being deployed abroad,” said Fernandez.

He said with global economies starting to pick up, demand for skilled Filipino workers such as engineers and welders would increase from traditional markets like the Middle East and even from neighboring countries in the region.

“Three to four years ago, the construction industry was hit hard by the exodus of skilled workers overseas but at the same time, we cannot hold these workers from pursuing more better opportunities abroad,” said Fernandez.

He said given the strong demand for Filipino workers, the challenge now was how the local industry could serve a growing market for such skills sets.

“There is the Guam buildup and at the same time, there is the foreseen surge in construction activity in the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries now that global economies are recovering. On top of that, there is the constant domestic construction requirements that we have to address,” said Fernandez.

He encouraged industry players to take advantage of the opportunity and be ready to meet the requirements of the US government.

“It is not as simple as taking a plane to Guam. The standards would be different, rules would be different,” said Fernandez.

Meanwhile, Guthertz said qualified US residents would have a first crack at the jobs to be generated out of the military buildup.

“We will look for qualified US residents first before hiring other nationalities. But it is not as simple for American workers to uproot their lives and work in Guam. Besides, the US economy is starting to pick up so there should be other opportunities in the job market,” said Guthertz.

She said contractors who want to participate in the buildup must sincerely commit to field skilled workers and take care of them before sending these workers overseas. She said the workers must have contracts, adequate housing facilities and other benefits.

“Guam does not have enough skilled construction workers to address the buildup requirement,” said Guthertz. by Elaine Ramos Alanguilan - Manila Standard Today

Guam military buildup to benefit Filipino constructors

Filipino constructors want to get a huge slice of the $15 billion military buildup in Guam that would open at least 15,000 jobs for Filipino construction workers.

But Anthony Fernandez, president of the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA), cautioned that this might trigger shortage in construction workers, especially engineers, who in recent years have been lured to lucrative jobs abroad.

This also comes at a time when the construction markets here and abroad are expected to boom following recovery from the financial crisis. These markets, he said, need to be served all at once.

"The challenge for PCA now is how it can manage to serve the military buildup and other construction markets in other parts of the world… (and in) making sure to have people (here and) develop the nation," said Fernandez, president and chief operating officer of First Balfour Inc.

Fernandez said three or four years ago, the local construction industry was been hit hard by the exodus of experienced and skilled construction workers, from engineers to welders, to jobs in the Middle East.

"Contractors have to keep training their workers to replenish the ones going abroad," Fernandez said.

He said Filipino contractors are hopeful to get a big share in the contracts but noted that they are willing to be just subcontractors.

"The rules and standards are different," he said. Investing in Guam requires them to incorporate and set up a local office, and abide by the laws set by the US, including in their procurement of services and materials. BY IRMA ISIP - MALAYA

EIS: 33,000 new jobs by 2014

BY LAURA MATTHEWS • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

Guam's unemployment rate will drop by more than half in 2014 as the buildup creates thousands of jobs, according to the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed, multibillion-dollar military expansions on the island.

With more people paying income taxes, and as businesses pay more taxes and fees, the draft Environmental Impact Statement estimates that government of Guam will generate $325 million in 2014 revenue alone -- an increase of about 60 percent of its current annual budget.

In the recently published Defense Department document, which contains thousands of pages, Guam's unemployment rate is assumed to fall to 4.0 percent when Guam residents and off-islanders start taking on jobs associated with the military buildup.

The unemployment rate was last recorded in September 2007 and is estimated to be 8.3 percent, according to the document.

Guam's population is expected to soar -- with 79,178 additional people in 2014. That is approximately half of the current population.

The buildup, according to the EIS, may include the relocation of 8,600 Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam. An Army ballistic missile defense facility and a facility for recurring visits of an aircraft carrier are included in the proposed expansions.

The quality of life for many residents will improve as the buildup is projected to provide approximately 33,000 jobs for civilian workers at the 2014 peak, according to the draft EIS. An additional 6,150 jobs will be provided on a "more permanent basis" thereafter.

Guam residents are estimated to occupy about 2,000 direct on-site construction jobs for the Marine Corps facilities between 2013 and 2014.

Similarly, excluding direct on-site military construction, residents are expected to capitalize on 2,566 jobs during the 2014 construction boom. The related jobs "include civilian military jobs, direct from purchases jobs and indirect or induced jobs."

An additional 2,211 jobs will be made available by 2020 for Guam residents, as the 15,157 jobs that will be occupied by off-islanders during the boom, will decrease to 3,935 that year, as estimated by the EIS.

Guam Olongapo Alliance

Mayor Gordon holds the "key" to Guam given by Guam Officials during his recent visit to the island.Guam Legislature recently passed a resolution approving the Sisterhood Alliance with Olongapo City

Guam officials headed by Senator Eddie Calvo handed the symbolical key of the city of Guam in connection with the Sisterhood with Olongapo to Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. last November 13, 2009 marking the start of a strengthened and harmonious relationship between Olongapo City and Guam.

Guam Contractors To Train Filipino Labor For Buildup

Guam Contractors Association Wary of Training Too Many Guamenians for construction work

Guam - The Guam Contractors Association says there is such a thing as training too many local skilled laborers.

GCA president James Martinez tells the Pacific News Center during interview that their goal is to train just enough skilled laborers to handle Guam's current construction needs and it's construction needs after the buildup.

The reason for this according to Martinez is because h-2 workers can simply go home when the buildup wanes and jobs run thin. The same can't be said for local skilled laborers who might end up jobless once the construction boom ends.

This is another indicator that Guam officials are realizing that it simply is impractical to prepare their people for a job that will last for three to four years only. That they rather prepare their people for a more perment job which is after the construction phase.

This is good news to our manpower force especially in the construction sector because it simply means that Guamenians will not be interested in filling-up the construction requirement and that they will refocus their preparations to the manpower requirement of facility maintenance.

In another article by By Jeff Marchesseault of Guam News Factor entitled:

Guam Contractors To Train Filipino Labor For Buildup

It Says That Island Firms Are Teaming Up With RP Government

Guam-based contractors will "serve as resource speakers" during government- and industry-sponsored training programs for Filipino construction workers.

The Philippine Construction Association and the Department of Trade and Industry have coordinated the training with Guam contractors.

This is what we are working on, the latest visit of Mayor Bong Gordon and Senator Richard Gordon to Guam and our Sisterhood Alliance with Guam are geared towards ensuring that necessary preparations for Guam Buildup are taken cared of and the long-term relationship of the two entities are well planned to ensure that both will equally benefit.

Gordon: Grab your opportunities

'Grab your opportunities:' Developing workforce important to island's success

BY AMRITHA ALLADI • PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

The Guam military buildup can be a boon or a bane, and it's up to the leaders and residents of Guam to seize the opportunities that it offers, said Philippine Sen. Richard Gordon.

Gordon, who is running in the 2010 Philippine presidential race, said Guam's leaders should clearly define the host community's vision for the buildup and what is expected of Guam's residents to achieve that goal, he said.

"If you put people on vision mode ... it's so easy," he said. "You gotta grab your opportunities, make sure that you get the most of it. Don't let them run your show."

And Gordon is speaking from experience.

During his keynote address on the second day of the Guam Community and Economic Development Forum yesterday, Gordon shared the story of how he led Olongapo City from being devastated by volcanic ashes to become the thriving city--complete with an international and industrial port-- that it is today.

Olongapo was originally a "sin city" dotted with strip clubs, lacking industry, agriculture and commerce other than the former Subic U.S. Navy base, he said. While Philippine nationalists resented the American presence, Gordon said he always felt it was better to work with foreign players voluntarily rather than become a "victim" of their influence.

"To me it was a great boon," he said.

But the Subic U.S. Navy base closed there in 1992 following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Gordon said. As mayor of Olongapo, Gordon built a "second city," with the help of about 8,000 volunteers. He brought in billions in investments.

With the help of the volunteers and investors, his city became a magnet for international investments as a free-trade industrial port -- enticing computer and cell phone manufacturers and brand-name companies such as FedEx and Reebok, among others.

"We were able to get back on our feet fast," he said.

Similarly, Gordon said Guam should concentrate on further developing higher education, tourism and business processing industries. If that's done right, Gordon said Guam could potentially become more successful.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

In the past two days, my inbox was overwhelmed by emails, pati inbox ng mobile phone ko ay napuno din ng messages. Since most of the questions are recurring, I will just put them in the list of Frequently Asked Questions so that applicants will be requested to first read the FAQ before throwing questions.


1. When will actual hiring going to take place?

There are a few hiring going on as we speak such as yard workers (welders, pipe fitters, ship fitters, etc.) for Guam Shipyard and construction workers but right now limited to generator mechanics, heavy equipment operators (earth moving), heavy equipment mechanics and electricians. We are expecting the bulk of deployment in the second quarter of next year.

2. Is the recruitment exclusive to former US base workers?

Not at all. While former base workers have an edge since they are already familiar with the US Mil standard operating procedures (SOP) and can easily adopt to the culture and language, this advantage does not necessarily mean that they have exclusive right to apply.

3. Are there opening for Nurses?

We have not yet received specific requirement for nurses but obviously, when you send 15 thousand workers plus the 8 thousand marines and 10 thousand dependents… you will definitely need nurses to look after their health and medical requirement.

4. How about entertainers?

Almost the same as in the above answer, with more that 30 thousand people additional people on the island, especially with workers and marines…. By experience that we had in Subic and Clark…. We have no doubt about the boom in entertainment industry as well.

5. Is there some sort of placement fee?

Absolutely none. This was emphasized during the industry forum by the Guam Department of Labor. They will ban recruitment agencies that have proven to have charged recruitment fees. Under their law, the employer has to shoulder such expenses.

No recruitment fee will be collected from aspiring workers but a service fee of up to $1,000 will be collected from the construction companies that will hire foreign workers

6. Is there age limit?

Guam being under US, implements the Equal Opportunity Employment Law. Age, Sex or Gender, Religion and handicap will not hinder you from being employed. In fact when we visited Guam Shipyard, there are Filipino workers who are as old as 65.

7. What jobs are going to be opened? And where can we see the job openings?

Mostly construction and warehousing workers in the early parts of the project (2010 – 1013) then maintenance and base workers in general (from office admin – accounting –computers - clerical – security – etc)
Follow below link for list of open positions
http://guam-ofw.blogspot.com/search/label/Job%20Vacancy

8. How is the rate per hour on various positions?

http://guam-ofw.blogspot.com/2009/05/guam-wage-rates.html

9. How do we register?

http://guam-ofw.blogspot.com/2009/07/application-form.html

10. How do we know if we qualified? And do we need a passport?

The employer checks our data base whenever they require manpower; they are the one who will select the applicants for interview.

Passport is a must if you intend to travel outside of the country. Employers who are choosing between two equally qualified applicants will definitely select the one who already has passport.

11. Do we need to regularly email the task force to ask questions and make follow-up on the status of our application?

If you have finished thoroughly reading this document and you were not able to find answer to your question, then you can email your question and we will answer as soon as we can (even post it here if we think others will be interested to the answer. You are not however advised to make follow-ups on your application, remember that the employer will be the one who will contact you if they are convinced that you are the worker they are looking for.

12. Where can we submit our resume and supporting documents?
We are encouraging applicants to submit digital applications (via email) since we are not capable of storing volumes of papers. Just have your resume and other documents ready, you will have to bring it (original and two photo copies) when you are called for interview or initial screening. You will learn more about the details once you receive and email or text message from the task force.

13. What training program can we avail for free at the Olongapo Skills Training Center and how can we avail of such training?

Welding, Shipbuilding, Computer Cyber Skills, Call Center, etc

14. Is the Task Force Guam acting like an employment agency? NO

15. What POEA land based agencies are connected to the task force Guam?

At present there are five with formal MOU, one of which is the Philippine Association of Service Exporters Inc (PASEI) which have more than seven hundred member agencies.

16. Why would Guam prefer Filipinos over other nationalities who are accepting lower salaries such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Thailanders, Indians, etc. and why don’t they just hire jobless Americans?

First of, remember that they are constructing a military facility (their military secrets are of prime consideration – the Chinese is one military might which they need to always be “on-guard” (you know where this discussion is going to…)

I can’t talk for the other third world workers but I will just quote Guam Officials on what they can say about the OFW:

“The most likely source of non-US workers for us would be the Philippines," said Guthertz. This, said Respicio, was because “Filipinos are hardworking, they’re loyal, and they’re very, very industrious."

Guam - Olongapo Relation Formalized

Guam and the City of Olongapo now have a strategic and official relationship. Guam Speaker Judith T. Won Pat, Ed.D. and Olongapo City Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. signed the Memorandum of Understanding establishing the relationship this morning at the Legislative Public Hearing Room.

“I am so excited about the future we have with Olongapo City,” Senator Eddie Baza Calvo said. The senator authored Resolution No. 170-30, which allowed Guam to enter the sister-city relationship. “Not only do we have so much in common with Olongapo City, but many of our people can trace their ancestry there and to the Zambales province. This is a remarkable partnership, and one that will only strengthen our sisterhood with the Philippines.”

Our two communities will use the relationship to enhance Guam’s workforce, sustain economic development and promote trade. The resolution stressed the Guam military buildup and how Guam and Olongapo can help each other to maximize opportunities presented by the buildup.

Key to the Island of Guam

Senator Calvo presented the Key to the Island of Guam shortly after the signing of the MOU to Mayor Gordon. The event marked the first time the Legislature has entered the island into a sister-city relationship, according to Speaker Won Pat.

Mayor Gordon was accompanied by Olongapo Vice Mayor Cynthia G. Cajudo, members of the city government and leaders from the Metro Olongapo Chamber of Commerce. Philippine Consul General to Guam Olivia Palala also witnessed the signing, along with Senators Tina Muna-Barnes, Eddie Baza Calvo, Jim Espaldon, Judith Guthertz, DPA, Adolpho Palacios, Telo Taitague, and Ray Tenorio.

Discussions on the sister-city relationship began in April, when Mayor Gordon visited Guam and talked to Senators Calvo, Guthertz and Rory Respicio about the matter. The three senators introduced the resolution shortly thereafter; and the Legislature passed it earlier this week.

Please call Troy Torres at 788-6009 for more information. -- pacificnewscenter.com

Follow Guam OFW group on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=179147321916

Olongapo City mayor on Guam

Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon is on island for the signing of the Guam-Olongapo Sister City Agreement that will be formalized during a signing ceremony at the Guam Legislature on Friday. The agreement, at the request of Senator Eddie Calvo and Yona Mayor Pedo Terlaje, is expected to be the catalyst for a growing partnership between Guam and the city in the Philippines that was once host to one of the largest U.S. military installations in the region.

Said Mayor Gordon, "It's going to be a fruitful relationship because Olongapo and the Province of Zanpales and the free port has been here for so many years sending our constituents here ever since the Americans touched base with the Philippines so the sister hood won't be a one-sided affair." by Heather Hauswirth - Kuam News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVyJXlNVDDQ

Revised Temporary Labor Certification Guideline

The Guam Department of Labor's Alien Labor Processing & Certification Division is pleased to release the Revised Temporary Labor Certification Guidelines.

A Temporary Labor Certification is required for the filing of a petition for H-2B workers with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service. Federal regulations at 8 CFR 214.2, vests the Governor of Guam with the authority to issue Temporary Labor Certifications for job opportunities in Guam.

In order to complete this process the employer must: • Advertise the job opportunity, prior to filing, and be able to document such efforts.

• Submit their COMPLETED application to the Department of Labor Alien Labor Processing & Certification Division (ALPCD).

• Test the local labor market through Guam Employment Service and via advertisements in the Pacific Daily News.

• Obtain an approved Temporary Labor Certification.

• File for and obtain approval from the USCIS. • File for and obtain the workers VISAs in the foreign country.

• Once the workers arrive in Guam, file for and obtain Work Permit ID Cards from ALPCD

This guideline has been developed to assist you in successfully filing an Application for Temporary Labor Certification in Guam. Once you have compiled all of the required documents, you may contact our office and one of our staff will be happy to review your documents and identify any deficiencies prior to filing. Only completed applications will be accepted for filing and further processing. Please contact us to make an appointment with a caseworker.

Click here to download the Revised Temporary Labor Certification Guidelines in it's entirety. (pdf format)