OPM Hitmen in Subic

OPM crooners Richard Reynoso, Chad Borja (front), Renz Verano, and Rannie Raymundo (back) motorcade around Subic Bay Freeport as part of their concert-for-a-cause, "An Evening With The OPM Hitmen sa Subic," staged at the Subic Bay Exhibition & Convention Center on Sunday, May 24. Proceeds went to the volunteer sweepers of the freeport and the Philippine Red Cross.

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240 cyclists vie in tour of Subic

A huge field of 240 cyclists and sports club members from around the nation braces for a full weekend of cycling action and scenic views as the Bike United Tour of Subic fires tomorrow at 7 a.m. at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Participants will be classified into three categories with category 2 comprising advanced riders who performed well in previous Bike King races. Intermediate participants who have been active during the past 1-2 years fall under category 3 while the novice riders are grouped in category 4. Female riders will have a separate category.

Organized by Bike King, headed by Raul Cuevas, the first day action will have Stage 1, a 20-kilometer individual time trial (ITT), which starts at 7 a.m., along the Argonaut Highway with turnaround points near the New Container Terminal and near Zambales Highway before concluding at 9 a.m. At 2 p.m., Stage 2 will fire off participants of the 60 km road race and will go around farther the Freeport (Zambales Highway and Appari Road included) and finish at 4 p.m.

The final day of the race at 6 a.m. covers the Freeport and portions of Bataan through Morong past the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

Gift items and specially designed trophies-medals await the top three winners of each category as well as winners of the individual general classification (stages 1, 2 and 3) for categories 2 and 3 and female and the team general classification category. The awarding ceremony will be held at the Subic Holiday Villas on Sunday, at 11 a.m.

The event is sponsored by Unilab Active Health, Aboitiz, Subic Holiday Villas, AboitizPower, Orbea, Pocari Sweat, Crystal Clear Purified Water, Shimano, OtterBox, Maxxis Tires and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/sports/2014/05/16/1323765/240-cyclists-vie-tour-subic

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Subic celebrates Labor Day with job fair, fun games

Investors and workers in this freeport zone, along with their families, joined hands in the annual celebration of Labor Day here with a labor-recruitment activity and fun games to strengthen goodwill and camaraderie.

“While most of the labor organizations in the country join street protests and rallies, workers in the Subic Bay Freeport take part in what they believe is a more productive way to celebrate this global holiday,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said.

“The workers of Subic are going beyond mere display of flags and streamers during Labor Day. Here, we celebrate by building on the positive, by strengthening the workers and creating more opportunities for them,” Garcia said.

Organized by the SBMA Labor Department in collaboration with the Subic Bay Workers Development Foundation, Inc. and Harbor Point (Ayala Malls), the celebration started as early as 6:00 a.m. with a three-kilometer fun run participated in by company managers, workers and some family members.

After that, a talent competition was held at the Harbor Point Activity Center to see who were the best dancers, singers and muses among workers from various companies.

At the same time, 25 business locators in the Freeport organized a job fair at the Harbor Point Promenade.

SBMA labor manager Severo Pastor Jr. said the Labor Day job fair in Subic was the biggest in Central Luzon as more than 4,000 jobs were offered by the participating firms.

The labor official attributed the significant increase in the number of job openings here to the continuing effort of the SBMA management to attract more investors in the Freeport.

Pastor also lauded the workers in the Subic Bay Freeport, saying that the local workforce had helped make Subic a globally-competitive business center.

He added that quality performance by Subic workers is the result of not only good salary or company prestige, but also how workers feel about their employers or managers, as well as how investors feel about the SBMA and vice versa.

“We are different here in Subic. This is because Freeport workers and their managers choose to relax side by side, and also have friendly competition with other personnel from other companies. This makes for good camaraderie and goodwill, and ultimately good performance and good business,” Pastor said. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Young jobseekers, most of them fresh from college, scan company announcements during a Labor Day job fair at the Harbor Point Ayala Mall in the hope of landing a full-time job at the Subic Bay Freeport.

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Special lane, weeklong program await Subic visitors during Holy Week

In anticipation of the increased volume of visitors driving to the Subic Bay Freeport this Holy Week, the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) will be implementing an integrated toll fee payments starting April 16.

Under this scheme, all vehicles going to the Subic Freeport using the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX) will pay the combined toll fees for SFEX and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) at the SCTEX Tipo collection plaza from April 16 to the 20.

MNTC, which operates SFEX, SCTEX and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), said the special privilege for Subic-bound motorists is in response to a request of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for a designated special lane.

“We have been implementing this annually, basically to address the concern of SBMA,” MNTC said.

The temporary toll fee collection system is expected to free the motorists of hassles brought about by long lines of vehicles at the toll plaza during the peak of the Lenten Season.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said that the with the anticipated influx of vehicular traffic in Subic this summer vacation, especially during the Holy Week, the integrated toll fees system “will provide comfortable travel experience for motorists going to Subic.”

He also expressed his appreciation to the MNTC management for its support.

Garcia also said that the Subic Bay Freeport community has prepared a week-long program of activities for visitors to Subic to have a meaningful Holy Week observance while enjoying the Freeport's best facilities and services.

The SBMA official, however, noted that almost all of the hotels and housing facilities in the Freeport area have already been fully booked for the summer vacation, as most of the rooms have been reserved as early as January.

The week-long Lenten program in Subic will start on April 13, or Palm Sunday, with the reenactment of the entry of Jesus to Jerusalem.

This will be followed by “Pabasa sa Freeport,” the chanting of life, passion and death of Jesus Christ starting on Holy Monday (April 14-15), procession on Holy Wednesday, Grand Procession on Good Friday, “Salubong” on Easter Sunday, and the Stations of the Cross and the Veneration of the Cross.

A free musical healing concert dubbed “The Mysteries of Sorrows and Five Wounds of Jesus” organized by the Bethesda Spring of Hope ministry for Good Friday will feature Karylle and Yael Yuzon of Spongecola, Boots Anson Roa, Jose Mari Chan, Tina Monzon-Palma, Ku Aquino, Gino Padilla and many others at Subic’s Boardwalk area.

On the Black Saturday, visitors will be treated to the opening of food, souvenir and specialty shops at the Boardwalk area, followed by the grand championship round for dance and acoustic band competitions.

To cap the Holy Week activities, the SBMA will be offering the Subic Bay Easter Egg Hunt for children after the morning mass on Sunday at the San Roque Chapel. Gifts, awards and other surprises donated by Freeport businessmen await lucky egg hunters. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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TATAP hosts GAC Tour

THE Table Tennis Association of the Philippines will host the GAC Group World Tour 2014 Philippine Open on May 15­18 at  the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Table tennis chief Ting Ledesma said the international tournament has attracted more than 180 players from 40 countries  all over the world.

"It is really a great pleasure to host an international competition like the World Tour," said Ledesma, a former national player. "We are expecting the world's toughest table tennis players to compete in the four-day competition."

National players Richard Gonzales, Nash Jacolo, Jamaica Sy, Rodel Valle, Ian Lariba, Sendrina Balatbat, Walden Ledesma,  Annabelle Commendador, Rommelia Princess Tambo and Stephen Andrew Timson will be up against the foreign entries.

"I would like to thank Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, particularly chairman Roberto Garcia, for letting us
use the  venue and facility for free," said Ledesma. "They really wanted to help us developing table tennis."

Interested parties have until April 15 to register. (Manila Times)

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Subic Freeport all set for Holy Week

Subic is all set for the upcoming summer holiday, as it plays host to several events organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Freeport business locators to ensure a meaningful and enjoyable observance of the Holy Week here.

According to the SBMA Tourism Department, religious activities for the Holy Week will kick off with the “Blessing of the Palms” on April 13, to be followed the next day by the traditional “Pabasa”, which will run until April 16 at Subic By's San Roque Chapel.

A procession will be held on Holy Wednesday, while a re-enactment of the Last Supper will highlight of Maundy Thursday.

On Good Friday, devotees can join the guided “Way of the Cross” at the Holy Land Subic theme park in the morning and the “Veneration of the Cross” at the San Roque Chapel in the afternoon. There will also be the traditional Good Friday grand procession, which will go around the Freeport's central business district.

Meanwhile, the Bethesda Springs of Hope Ministry will hold its annual healing prayer and musical concert at the Boardwalk Park, featuring singers Karylle, Yael Yuzon, Gino Padilla and Jose Mari Chan. The event will also have actress Boots Anson-Roa and broadcaster Tina Monson-Palma as guests.

On Black Saturday, religious activities will include the “Blessing of Fire” and the Easter vigil mass at the San Roque Chapel.

Easter Sunday will start with the traditional “salubong” and Easter mass, followed by an Easter egg hunt at the San Roque Chapel grounds.

Apart from the usual religious activities slated for the Holy Week, visitors will also be treated to various contemporary fun events at the Subic Bay Freeport.

These include a group-dance competition at the Boardwalk Park on April 16, and a musical show headlining local bands and DJs until April 17.

On April 19, a concert featuring the Incre-T-Booms and Jireh Lim, as well as dance and acoustic band competitions will be held at the Boardwalk Park.

A food bazaar will also open to serve tourists visiting the Boardwalk Park area from April 16 to April 20. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

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2014 Commodore's Cup Regatta set on April 22 to 26

Big boats and ocean multihulls will set sail on April 22 to 26 to compete in this year's Commodore's Cup Regatta in Subic Bay.

The race is organised by the Saturday Afternoon Gentlemen Sailing (SAGS) Club, in conjunction with the Lighthouse Marina Resort, Watercraft Ventures, Inc. and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) under the auspices of the Philippine Sailing Association.

This year the Subic Commodore's Cup will include four days of racing for Flying Fifteens, dinghies, Hobie 16s and windsurfers simultanous with the Rolex China Sea Race fleet is en route Hong Kong-Philippines. Big Boats will take over for a further four days of racing in the sparkling environs of Subic Bay.

Organizers consider Subic Bay truly a first class spot for regatta, with its deep waters, airport, dockyards, and the presence of Subic Bay Yacht Club. Organisers hope that boats sailing in the Hong Kong to Subic Rolex China Sea Race will 'stay an extra day' and participate in the Commodore's Cup.

For more of this story: http://www.sail-world.com/Asia/Subic-Commodores-Cup-expands/120541

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Olongapo ready for influx of tourists this holy week

The City of Olongapo is now ready for the influx of tourists during the holy week and summer vacation after it established Oplan Sumvac 2014 or the Olongapo Incident Management Team (IMT) to ensure public safety.

Olongapo City Mayor Rolen C. Paulino activated the group to minimize untoward incidents due to the influx of both local and foreign tourist in Olongapo and Subic Freeport.

Olongapo City is well known for its rescue team that can handle any situation. “Hindi po natin kaya mag predict ng accidents pero ang gusto natin mabilis natin itong marespondihan, pero sympre mas gusto natin na walang mangyari para safe lahat at makapag enjoy ang ating mga bisita pati na rin ang mga residente.” Paulino said.

Olongapo’s use of Incident Command System provides a systematic and functional command organization which will increase the effectiveness of the operation, Carlo Elepongga, Research and Planning of DRRMO said.

Aside from the rescue team, the Olongapo Traffic Management and Public Safety Office, the local PNP, health department, James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital, volunteer groups and other government agencies will assist the IMT to be located at strategic locations in the city. (PAO Olongapo City)

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Subic Bay hosts Asian Paratriathlon on April 26

THE Asian Paratriathlon Championships will be hosted at the Subic Bay Freeport on April 26, the first day of the K-Swiss ITU Subic International Triathlon.

This year a new classification system will be implemented in line with the International Triathlon Union’s standards for paratriathlon. Effectively, all athletes are required to undergo classification at a designated ITU competition. The ITU will send an official to conduct this classification.

Prior to the event sponsored by K-Swiss, Century Tuna, Asian Center for Insulation Philippines, Gatorade, SPEEDO, Standard Insurance, David’s Salon, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department and Green Triathlon, the ITU will also conduct a technical course for paratriathlon officials on Apr 24.

Last year, Filipinos debuted at the paratriathlon event and acquitted themselves very well. Andy Avellana and Arnel Aba finished 1 & 2 in the the Tri- 2 (one /no leg, no prosthesis) and Sixto Ducay got the silver in the Tri-4 category (no/one arm). They will come back this year to improve on these performances.

Paratriathlon has been accepted for inclusion for the IPC’s 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Manila Standard Today)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/02/17/subic-bay-hosts-asian-paratriathlon-on-april-26/

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