Emirates’ maiden flight brings bright prospects for Clark, Subic

CLARK FREEPORT — With the arrival of the inaugural flight of Emirates Airlines from Dubai to Clark on October 1, more investors are mulling over of moving into this vibrant free port which was once a former US military facility located some 80 kilometers north of Manila.

Economic indicators show that this free port and Subic, a former US naval base which lies some 50 kilometers west of this free port, are beginning their transformation into world-class business and travel hubs with the overhaul of the Clark International Airport (CIA) in preparation for Emirates Airlines and as the Philippines’ new international gateway.

“The renewed and increased economic activity and the positive future of tourism up north of Metro Manila make investors bullish about investing,” Gigie Baroa, Emirates Philippines country manager, said. This renewed development has also prompted the First Philippine Industrial Park Inc. (FPIP) of the Lopez group of planning to develop industry parks here and in Subic, complementing the rise in investor confidence.

Business indicators also show that industrial parks, offices and residential developments are on the rise, further fueling the area’s potential for economic and tourism development.

The same is true with the upcoming investments and expansion of manufacturing and business-process outsourcing (BPO) firms, which in turn, drive higher demand in the retail market. (Ashley Manabat, Business Mirror)

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Garcia cites employee contributions to SBMA’s much improved performance

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto V. Garcia congratulated employees of the agency on Monday for their contribution in drawing out a much improved performance of the Subic Bay Freeport in the past several months.

In a special flag-raising ceremony here to start the month-long celebration of the 113th anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service, Garcia said that everything is going fine for the Subic agency, thanks in part to the good performance of its employees.

“SBMA is so lucky this year, because we are performing much better than at this time last year,” Garcia said.

He added that in terms of mandated business, the SBMA is also doing well as the Board of Directors has already approved more than $600 million worth of new committed foreign investment this month.

Garcia also announced that Subic’s tourism industry is enjoying increased growth, with the possible holding of the Ad Summit Pilipinas in Subic Bay this year, as well as the planned hosting of the Safeguard 5i50 triathlon here soon.

He also said that with the upcoming meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC), Subic Bay has also been chosen as among the strategic places to host one of the ministerial meetings where at least 1,000 delegates are expected to attend.

“Subic will be busy this part of the year. So please be with me in maintaining our environment to put SBMA in a status as model for all government agencies,” Garcia urged the employees.

The Civil Service Commission led other government agencies nationwide in marking the civil service day with programs hewing on the theme "Tatak Lingkod Bayani: Isabuhay, Ipagmalaki, Ipagbunyi!"

Here in Subic, Chairman Garcia led employees and officials in reciting the “Panunumpa ng Lingkod Bayan,” while 2012 SBMA employee of the year Marivic Seguiban recited the “Panunumpa ng Kawani ng SBMA.”

In the same ceremony, Garcia also read a message from President Aquino congratulating government employees for being with the administration’s thrust in providing the best public service anchored on transparency and professionalism.

A video-message from CSC Chairman Francisco Duque III also urged government employees to continue serving the public to the best of their best abilities.

As part of the civil service anniversary celebration, the SBMA has also launched several projects to acknowledge the best performance of employees.

These include free shuttle rides in the morning and afternoon, free review classes for employees planning to take the CSC eligibility examination this October, and a free “Zumba” physical fitness program every Friday just before the close of office hours.

“This is our little way of thanking our employees who work hard so that the SBMA meets what the government is expecting from it,” Garcia also said. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia (extreme right) joins employees in reciting the “Panunumpa ng Kawani ng SBMA” during a simple ceremony held Monday morning as part of the nationwide simultaneous celebration of the 113th anniversary of the Civil Service Commission.

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US Navy vessels in Subic for PHIBLEX 14

Two U.S. Navy vessels carrying around 4,000 American sailors and Marines arrived at this free port on Monday, September 16, to join an upcoming military exercise between the Philippines and the United States.

The U.S. Navy Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) docked at the Alava Pier here alongside the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land, which has been here two weeks ago for a routine port call.

Meanwhile, the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD-18) docked at the Rivera Pier nearby.

The USS Boxer and USS New Orleans, both of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG), left their home port at San Diego, California, last August 23.

The two vessels are part of the Philippines–US Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX 14), which will officially kick off on Wednesday, September 18.

The USS Boxer and USS New Orleans will stay here until Friday, September 20, while their personnel undertake some community outreach activities in Olongapo City and Zambales.

Subic Bay, which has a sheltered deep harbor and facilities for re-supply and recreation, is a frequent host to US Navy vessels. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)
 
PHOTO:
The US Navy’s amphibious landing ship USS Boxer (left) docks alongside the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land at the Alava Pier after arriving in the Subic Bay Freeport Monday afternoon. It will take part in the Philippines–US Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX 14), scheduled on September 18 to October 11, 2013.

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Bilateral Amphibious Landing Exercise Set to Begin in Philippines

Manila -- Approximately 2,300 U.S. and Philippine service members will meet for three weeks of bilateral air-ground and amphibious training as well as a staff planning exercise during Amphibious Landing Exercise 2014 (PHIBLEX 14) in the Republic of the Philippines Sept. 18 – Oct. 11.

PHIBLEX 14 is designed to improve interoperability, increase readiness and enhance the ability to respond to natural disasters or other regional contingencies. PHIBLEX will also enhance local infrastructure and quality of life and build upon vibrant professional and personal relationships between Philippine and U.S. Marines.

The bilateral Philippine-U.S. Marine Corps training, consisting of a staff planning exercise, field training exercises and humanitarian and civic assistance projects, sustains and reinforces the foundation and framework for a bilateral force to respond rapidly and effectively to regional humanitarian crises.

The staff planning exercise will increase the capability to conduct bilateral maritime security and territorial defense operations. The field training exercises will provide the Philippine and U.S. Marine units an opportunity to maintain their unit skill sets while sharing best practices and enhancing an already high level of interoperability. Additionally, Philippine and U.S. forces will carry out a series of humanitarian and civic assistance projects that will include engineering civic assistance projects, to improve local infrastructure, and cooperative health engagements, to share medical best practices and meet the medical needs of Filipino citizens. (Public Affairs Section, US Embassy)

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Subic EnerZone donates pre-school facility in Olongapo

Subic EnerZone Corporation (SEZ), a listed corporation in this free port, donated on Wednesday a two-room pre-school facility to the Gordon Heights Elementary School (GHES) in Olongapo City.

The donation was made in line with the corporate social responsibility (CSR) program of SEZ and in corroboration with the Aklat, Gabay, Aruga tungo sa Pag-Angat at Pag-Asa (AGAPP) Foundation, said SEZ senior vice president and chief operating officer Dante Pollescas.

AGAPP has committed to build classrooms and libraries in public elementary schools located in depressed or disadvantaged communities, tapping private companies and other foundations for support as part of their corporate social responsibility.

The third project in Olongapo, the “Silid Pangarap” — as all AGAPP buildings are called — comes packaged with chairs, reading and instructional learning materials, audio-visual equipment, power and water supplies.

“This is purely an undertaking of private corporations committed to build classrooms and libraries in public elementary schools to prepare the children in kindergarten for school life and develop their positive attitude towards schooling,” Pollescas said.

Among these corporations are the National Book Store, which donated books; Uratex for chairs and tables; and EnerZone and Aboitiz for power and water supply lines and the buildings.

GHES principal Fernando de Guzman lauded Subic EnerZone and AGAPP for the initiative, saying that the newly constructed facility would address the shortage of classrooms in the school.

“We wanted to assure the donors that we will take care of the building, so that it can be used for generations. This will benefit not only the children, but the teachers and parents as well,” de Guzman said.

In year 2010, AGAPP and the Department of Education (DepEd), through the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE), have formalized the partnership and launched the School Libraries cum Preschool Classroom project.

The partnership involves the construction of one-storey buildings furnished as school libraries that will also be utilized as kindergarten classrooms with accompanying age-appropriate instructional materials. It will also support teacher training and school staff development with focus on early childhood care and development and family literary.

Meanwhile, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia commended EnerZone for its undertakings that spread happiness among school children and teachers in Olongapo City.

“The project, indeed, fits together with the thrust of SBMA to help neighboring communities attain parallel development through projects that help enhance the capacities of residents, ” Garcia said.

Earlier this month, the SBMA through its Public Relations Department, donated school chairs, desks, and whiteboards to the Agusuhin Elementary School Annex in Subic, Zambales. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic included in 10 Philippine sites short-listed for 2015 Apec meetings

TEN tourism destinations have been short-listed as various meeting sites for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum that will be hosted by the Philippines in 2015.

In an interview, Ma. Victoria Jasmin, undersecretary for Tourism Regulation, Coordination and Resource Generation of the Department of Tourism (DOT), said the 10 “preselected” destinations are the National Capital Region, Tagaytay, Cebu, Clark, Subic, Legazpi, Iloilo, Davao, Bacolod and Boracay.

The DOT is a member of the Apec-National Organizing Council (NOC) set up by President Aquino to oversee the activities and programs that will be held under Apec in 2015 and ensure the successful hosting of the event.

Jasmin told the BusinessMirror “there are several meetings spread throughout the year, and I’m pretty sure that each [destination] will get at least one, barring some fortuitous events.”

The Apec summit which that gathers the heads of state of 21 member-economies, will be preceded by other activities throughout 2015, including the Senior Officials Meeting, the Ministerial and Sectoral Ministerial Meetings, as well as meetings of technical working groups that include the support staff for officials participating in the main Apec events.

Jasmin added there has been “no final decision yet” on where the summit would be held.

Separate government sources also said it was clear that the President “doesn’t want to build a separate facility” just for the Apec meetings.

The Philippines hosted the Apec summit in 1996 at the Subic Bay Freeport. Then-President Fidel V. Ramos built 18 Mediterranean-style villas in the so-called Apec Village, specifically for the use of the heads of state in the summit. The villas reportedly cost $50 million and used for only six hours by the Apec leaders.

But visitor arrivals finally crossed the 2-million mark in 1996, ending the year at 2.05 million, up 16 percent from the 1.76 million posted in 1995, indicating the increased attraction of a country as a tourism destination once a major international summit is held there, government sources noted.

The Philippines is targeting foreign arrivals to reach 10 million by 2016, by the time Mr. Aquino steps down from office.

A team from the NOC has been going around these past few months inspecting the 10 pre-selected Apec sites. Government sources said the inspection teams are checking the hotels in each destination, its MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) facilities, the local organizing committee headed by the chief executives of the local government units, etc.

“Specifically, they check the availability of [hotel] suites, the quality and number of rooms, as well as the indicative rates, and renovation or upgrade plans,” one source added.

The Apec-NOC was set up by the President through Administrative Order (AO) 36 issued on November 28, 2012. It is chaired by the executive secretary with the secretary of foreign affairs as co-chairman, and composed of the heads of the regular line agencies.

Among the main functions of the Apec-NOC is to “approve and recommend to the President a master plan for the Philippine hosting of Apec in 2015, including an estimated budget for the proper hosting of the Apec meetings,” according to AO 36. (Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo / Special to the BusinessMirror)

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BCDA opens Bailey bridge at segment of SCTEX

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) today opened a Bailey bridge along the Clark-Porac segment of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

"The bridge will serve as a temporary relief to the damaged segment of the toll road that serves as an approach to the Pasig-Potrero Bridge," BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano Casanova said.

Last August 19, the strong current initiated by the Tropical Storm 'Maring'-enhanced Southwest monsoon caused massive erosion of up to 10 hectares of land from the banks of the Pasig-Potrero river which battered that part of the 94-kilometer SCTEX.

The 49-meter long structure, which has a maximum capacity of 25 tons, was built by BCDA and Department of Public Works and Highways in a span of nine days.

It is initially open to Class 1 or light vehicles only.

After stabilization of the support base of the Bailey bridge, it will be open to Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles in the next two weeks.

In the meantime, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles coming from Manila or Tarlac going to Subic/Tipo, are advised to exit at the Clark South Interchange then take the Clark Friendship-Manibaug Road going to Porac Interchange (to enter SCTEX).

Likewise, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles from Subic/Tipo going to Tarlac or Manila may exit at Porac Interchange then take the Manibaug-Friendship Road going to Clark South Interchange (to enter SCTEX).

"We recognize the vital role of the SCTEX in the socio-economic growth and development of Central Luzon being the main artery in the delivery of goods and services in the region. That is why the BCDA made sure that the closed segment of the toll road be open to traffic at the least possible time without compromising the safety of the motorists," Casanova said. (CLJD/MJLS-PIA 3)

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US servicemen in beach clean-up

US Navy servicemen from the submarine USS Hampton and submarine tender ship USS Emory Land conduct a beach clean-up project along the Waterfront Road in the Subic Bay Freeport on Monday morning as part of the Navy’s community relations program. Their ships are now docked at Subic’s Alava pier for routine port call. (amd/mpd-sbma)

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Japanese officials visit Subic Freeport

Senior officials in charge of a Japanese prefecture hosting an American military base visited this free port on September 4, meeting with top officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to learn about Subic’s experience in base conversion.

Ichita Yamamoto, Japan’s Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, led the delegation that arrived here on Wednesday and called on SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia.

The Japanese official was on a three-day visit to the Philippines to take a look at Subic and Clark, both former U.S. military bases in the country that are considered to be models of bases conversion.

Yamamoto was accompanied in his Subic visit by Motomi Inoue, who is Director-General for Okinawa Affairs; Akio Isomata, a minister from the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines; and Masaru Ikeda, Director for Policy Coordination for Okinawa Affairs.

During the meeting, Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the development of the Subic Bay Freeport from being a U.S. military base into a premier tourism, logistics and investment hub.

Yamamoto said that the insights he gained during the visit would help in their efforts of converting the military bases in Okinawa Prefecture.

He also said that he was surprised to learn how truly skillful and easy to work with Filipino workers were.

Yamamoto also commented that the Freeport’s maritime facilities, particularly the container port terminal, are its strongest asset. However, he said that the Freeport should maximize the terminal’s full potential.

Yamamoto then commended Garcia for his leadership, stating that strong leadership is necessary for strong development.

Garcia, for his part, thanked Yamamoto for visiting the free port and informed the visitors that the SBMA is working on increasing Subic’s port terminal’s operations.

When asked about the Subic’s advantage over other special economic zones in the country, Garcia told the Japanese delegates that Subic is the first free port in the country and has 20 years of experience as compared to the other special economic zones.

Garcia also said that the Subic Bay Freeport hosts a thriving shipbuilding and dry-docking industry, making the Philippines the fourth largest shipbuilder in the world. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Japanese minister Ichita Yamamoto (left) receives a briefing from SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia following his arrival at the Subic Bay Freeport. Yamamoto, who is Japan’s Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, visited former U.S. military bases in the Philippines to learn about their conversion to economic zones.

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Fitness festival set

THE SUBIC Fitness Festival will be held on Nov. 15, 16, and 17 at Subic Free Port Zone Harbor Point, Camayan Beach and Ocean Adventure.

The festival starts its journey to Subic with free fitness sessions in Manila on all weekends of September and October.

Organized by F&F Events, alongside Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the festival aims to promote a holistic approach to fitness amongst Filipinos.

Kicking off at the FTX gym along Tordesillas St., Makati on Sept. 6, 7 and 8, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the series of events will feature all the fitness disciplines headed to the main gathering.

Reijo Maranan del Prado, 2008 Mr. Philippines title holder, challenges fitness buffs to break records through functional body weight and resistance training with Circuit Warz today (Sept. 6).

Learn the preparations involved to qualify in the Gladiator Circuit Battle, Extreme EnduroChallenge, Strong Man Competition and TugofWar.

The free circuit training is open to individuals and circuit teams alike, featuring speedrepetition, speedendurance and powerweight exercises.

Dance the workweek stress away on Sept. 7 with Urban Street Dance. Shed starched shirts for basic tees and move to your favorite groove for a funfilled, highenergy, cardiovascular workout.

Bring your family, round up your friends, and let the SFF crew teach you how to stay insync anywhere and everywhere.

Sunday is a treat for the spirit as International Metacoach, Imee Navarro, teach individuals how to unleash their greatest potentials. On Sept. 8, learn to express your power with neurolinguistic programming, selfcontemplation, and meditation techniques.

Move within your mind and experience results physically and mentally through the guidance of EQ Academy with Soul Fitness.

For more information, contact Ramon Domiquil at 09159425926. (BusinessWorld)

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Olongapo Medical Society, SBMA conduct feeding project

The Olongapo City Medical Society (OCMS), together with the Public Relations Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA-PRD, has conducted a feeding project recently for Ayta children in an upland community of Olongapo City.

The feeding project benefited Grade 1 students at the Iram Elementary School in Barangay New Cabalan.

Iram, a small community comprised mostly of indigenous Ayta families, is one of the adopted communities of SBMA under the agency’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.

The feeding project was part of the OCMS nutrition program, which began last July as part of the celebration of the Nutrition Month.

Members of the OCMS and SBMA team that visited Iram also conducted story-telling sessions with the pupils and taught them about proper waste segregation.

The group also donated trash bins to the school.

According to Dr. Evelyn Natividad, one of the members of OCMS who facilitated the feeding program, the project will continue until December to monitor the progress of the children’s weight gain.

Natividad also said that apart from the monthly feeding program, the OCMS will also conduct child advocacy programs such as values education and proper hygiene training.

They are also planning to conduct campaigns against drug abuse, smoking and alcohol use among high school students.

Natividad also said her group has distributed hygiene kits to the pupils after conducting hygiene training last month.

“Next month, we are planning to conduct livelihood training for the kids’ parents so that they can have other sources of income,” Natividad added. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Members of the Olongapo City Medical Society (OCMS), assisted by the SBMA Public Relations Department, teach proper nutrition to Ayta children at Iram Elementary School in Olongapo City.

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SBMA leads relief operations in communities affected by typhoon “Maring”

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), in cooperation with various locators, continues to distribute relief goods to displaced and indigent families affected by Typhoon “Maring” and heavy rains from the southwest monsoon or “habagat.”

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the distribution of relief goods is part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of the agency to help neighboring communities of the Freeport, especially in times of emergency.

Garcia said that through the agency’s Public Relations Department, thousands of bags of relief goods were distributed among residents of Olongapo City and the municipalities of Dinalupihan and Hermosa in Bataan, which were severely affected by Typhoon Maring.

“We are very grateful for the help and support coming from the business locators in the Subic Freeport, as well as workers, and cause-oriented organizations and individuals, who sent their donations of clothing and food items so that we would have something to give our neighbors who lost so much during the recent calamity,” Garcia said.

Meanwhile, RP Energy Inc., a locator in the Subic Bay Freeport, had distributed more than 2,000 bags of relief goods and hygiene kits in Olongapo City, and the municipalities of Subic, Castillejos and Iba in Zambales.

The relief bags contained five kilos of rice, canned goods, cookies, noodles, candies, and bottled water that evacuees who fled their homes needed most.

In an Aeta tribal community at Sitio Bagong Silang, Barangay San Pablo in Castillejos, RP Energy’s relief operations got a warm reception Mayor Jose Angelo Dominguez, who assisted in the distribution of goods to some 180 families who were relocated from flood-prone areas.

“It is good to see that companies like SBMA and RP Energy reach this isolated area to send a message to our minority brothers and sisters that they are being cared for,” said Dominguez.

RPE CSR officer Vic Chan, who personally supervised the relief operations, said that the company has always been giving priority to the welfare of the communities affected by calamities. RP Energy is a consortium of companies which proposes to build a coal-fired power plant at Subic’s Redondo Peninsula.


Chan said that although the company is not yet starting its construction phase, “the commitment to help those affected by floodings and whose livelihood was disrupted by calamity must be done immediately without delay.”

RP Energy received an award for its CSR program “Katuwang Natin Sa Buhay” in the recently held 48th Anvil awards in the category of public relations program focused on community development. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 24th Infantry Battalion gather food packs donated by RP Energy for distribution to flood victims during relief operations at Barangay Mangan-Vaca in Subic, Zambales recently. The relief drive is a joint undertaking of the Tambuli Lions Club and RP Energy, with the assistance of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Public Relations Department.

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Olongapo starts dredging river

The local government of Olongapo has started dredging part of its river channel in an effort to alleviate continues flooding in the city.

Mayor Rolen Paulino said that B&B construction, a private contractor provided heavy equipment’s for free to the city, which is currently being used together with the city’s dredging machine.

The dredging along Banicain river which separate Subic Bay Freeport and the city started last week but was put on hold due to Tropical Storm Maring.

Olongapo suffered heavy flooding during “Maring’s” none stop rain. Paulino explained that it would take more than one month to finish dredging Banicain River which covers the whole perimeter channel after which it would transferred to another river channel.

“All the contractor asked for is the sand that would be dredge from the river, which they would use as part of their construction materials,” Paulino said. He explained that the dredging would not prevent flood in the future but would lessen it.

“Kung dati yung ibang part ng city ay hangang bewang ang baha baka pag natapos ang dredging ay hanggang tuhod na lang.” Paulino added.

“The city will save a lot with this move, because if we alone shoulder the dredging expense it would cost us millions and that will hurt us a lot, considering that the city is in the process of paying its billions peso debt from PSALM” he explained.

Last month a locator inside Subic Bay Freeport also proposed to dredge the river channel of Olongapo for free, but it has yet to materialize. (Pao/ 08292013)

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GEARCON showcases Subic Bay as digital entertainment haven

With the participation of some 5,000 video game enthusiasts, a convention for gamers and cosplayers was held last week at the Harbor Point, showcasing this premier Freeport's potential as a haven for digital entertainment.

Dubbed as GEARCON 2013 and organized by GEAR, a local gaming community, the convention was a full gaming, e-sport and consumer electronics expo, which targeted both gamers and non-gamers here and elsewhere.

Marlo Zerrudo, officer in charge of the SBMA Information Technology Department, said that the event demonstrated that Subic Bay Freeport could easily be a venue for international gaming competitions.

He added that the gaming community in Olongapo and other nearby areas is quite a large market for digital entertainment.

“This is the first gaming convention of its kind in the Philippines, and we hope to follow this up with another,” Zerrudo said.

The major feature of the week-long event was a hands-on demonstration of all the current generation consoles (PS3, Xbox, WiiU). Participants, both professed gamers and non-gamers, got the chance to try out for themselves the latest innovation in gaming technology, including three-dimensional and aided and unaided motion-detection gaming.

An exhibit showcasing various consoles from the first (1972-1977) to the eighth generation (2012-current) was also put in place at the event venue.

Also part of the convention were competitions on Defense of the Ancients (DOTA), Tekken Tag Tournament Two, Magic the Gathering, and the Wii and Xbox dance contests.

Over P100,000 worth of prizes were awarded to competition winners and lucky participants who participated in the raffle draw.

According to the organizers, the goal of the event was "to celebrate the advancements in technology that has had a widespread ripple effect in our daily lives.”

“With the advent of high-speed internet connectivity, gaming has evolved from a solitary activity to massive multi-player games played across continents by millions of people. Once the exclusive domain of video-gamers, virtual simulation is now a crucial component in various professions. It has also established itself as a veritable medium for health and fitness,” a statement from GEAR also indicated.

The organizers added that "this gaming convention is dedicated not only to the gamers of today's generation, but also older gamers who used to play on the various Atari, Nintendo and Sega consoles, as well as handhelds during the eighties and nineties." (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic Sea Lion Gives Birth

After the heartbreaking death of a baby dolphin, Subic marine park Ocean Adventure sea lion star Brandy gave birth to her second baby last Aug. 18.

This is the eighth pup born in the successful sea lion breeding program of the marine theme park. According to a park statement, the birth is "proof indeed of Ocean Adventure's ongoing commitment to the highest quality of care and welfare for their animals."

Weighing approximately 6 kilograms at birth, Brandy's baby pup was vocalizing with her within minutes, a sign of acknowledgement from the mother.

"In the wild, sea lion pups are born at the same time every year beaches filled with hundreds of sea lions," the statement confirmed. It added that moms and babies find one another by recognizing each others' unique vocalizations.

The pup was successfully nursing from the mother within hours from birth, and will continue to do so for the next seven to eight months of its childhood.

"In a few months she will begin to play with fish, eating small pieces in the process, until she is eating whole fish by about six months old," the statement said.

"This heartwarming pair is special because Brandy was diagnosed with bilateral mature cataracts four years ago. Although nearly blind, she is doing a remarkable job of caring for her second pup and the bond between mother and daughter is strong," a park official stated.

Because Brandy enjoys "working," she is a well known star of the environmentally-themed Sea Lion Marine Patrol show. She will be taking a long break from her starring role to enjoy motherhood and introduce her pup to the rest of the sea lion group in the near future.

Ocean Adventure's sea lions play a major role in the park's advocacy of environmental protection and species conservation.

"While we recover from the recent calamity brought about by typhoon "Maring" and the Habagat, Brandy and her pup is a reminder to us all to take an active role in caring for the environment," the official added.

Ocean Adventure is an advocate for action. All the shows and exhibits are designed to enlighten and empower the public through highly educational and quality entertainment products. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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