SBMA opens ID processing center at Hanjin shipyard

Thousands of workers employed by Hanjin Heavy Industries Corporation (HHIC-Phil) will now benefit from extension services provided by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) after the agency opened on Monday an ID Processing Center (IDPC) right at the main gate of the South Korean shipbuilder’s shipyard.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the center will cater to nearly 20,000 personnel working 24/7 on three shifts at HHIC-Phil’s US$1.6-billion facility at the Redondo Peninsula here, which is now the fourth largest shipbuilding facility in the world.

“This project will provide workers of Hanjin and its affiliate companies added convenience when it’s time to renew their SBMA ID’s and gate passes. Now, they don’t have to cross the bay just to avail of SBMA services — we brought the processing center to their doorstep,” Garcia added.

The newly-opened IDPC located at the HHIC main gate is maintained by personnel from the SBMA Labor Department, Law Enforcement Department (LED), and Office Services Department (OSD), which are all tasked to facilitate the issuance of new SBMA IDs.

Atty. Ramon Agregado, who is SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Operations, said the IDPC project translates to more efficient service by the SBMA and less foot traffic at its main ID processing center.

“This cuts both ways,” Agregado noted. “On one hand you ease the difficulty for nearly 20,000 workers having to cross Subic Bay only for badging. On the other hand, we make it less chaotic at the SBMA badging office.”

OSD Manager Gerardo Hermoso said the center is expecting to process an average of 200 ID applications and renewals each day, prioritizing those that have already expired.

Hermoso said that to avail of badging services, the workers would have to visit the IDPC only once to have their photographs taken. Payment will then be made through salary deduction, and the new IDs will be released by the HHIC-Phil Human Resource Department.

He added that SBMA is also considering the possibility of extending IDPC operations for two more hours to accommodate workers whose shift ends at 5:00 p.m.

“This may seem to be a just a puny effort on the part of the SBMA, but with this scheme we eliminate the need for workers to be absent from work because they can have their photo taken right here at the shipyard. After work, they can drop by the IDPC, have their photos taken, then after just a few minutes, exit the gate and head for home,” Hermoso said. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator Ramon Agregado (left) and HHIC-Phil Deputy Managing Director Kim Joong Gyu cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the satellite ID Processing Center for employees at the Hanjin shipyard in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The satellite office was established to provide convenience to nearly 20,000 workers of Hanjin and its affiliate companies.

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S. Korea’s Philippine investments reach $3.8B

CLARK FREEPORT – South Korean investments in the Philippines have reached an estimated $3.8-billion, an official from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea shared Wednesday.

South Korean Minister and Consul General Min Kyong- Ho said that amount includes the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. based at the Subic Bay Freeport and a thermal power plant based in Batangas.

Kyong-Ho also said that trade volume between the Philippines and South Korea has reached $11.5 million as of October.

He explained that the amount exceeded the expected $10-million trade volume between the two countries.

Kyong- Ho added that the Korean Consulate now expects a total of $12-million in trade volume before the end of 2013.

“I would like to thank the Filipino people for welcoming and helping Korean communities here. We would be happy to see a lot of your countrymen to participate in our cultural events,” Kyong- Ho said.

Aside from investing, Kyong-Ho added that Philippines is one of the favorite vacation destinations of Korean, most especially during their winter season.

“It is now winter in Korea hence the Philippines should expect more Korean tourists to arrive in the country,” he said. (Mark Manuel, Manila Bulletin)

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/s-koreas-philippine-investments-reach-3-8b/

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Tsunami warning system installed at Subic Freeport

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has announced the installation of a tsunami alert system at the Sueste Point in this free port, thus beefing up Subic Bay’s capability in disaster preparedness.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the Tsunami Early Warning System (TeWS) here forms part of a string of early warning systems installed in selected high-risk coastal communities in the country.

The sensors in the system communicate signals to alerting sirens strategically located at five designated areas in the Subic Bay area—one at Bldg. 657 in the Subic Bay Freeport, two at Barangay Wawandue in Subic town, and another two at Barangay Barretto in Olongapo City.

Maj. Vicente Tolentino, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) coordinator of the SBMA, said the Subic authority is now gearing up for a tsunami-preparedness program after systems installation has been completed.

“As of now, we are currently in the stage where we are coordinating with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) regarding the training and education of stakeholders, employees and residents on how to utilize the system and how to respond properly during tsunami emergencies,” said Tolentino, who is also chief of the Special Reaction Division of the SBMA Law Enforcement Department.

He added that the TeWS sensor here would be particularly helpful due to the presence of the Manila trench subduction zone, which is an active convergent plate margin between the South China Sea and the northern Philippines. The oceanic trench located west of the islands of Luzon and Mindoro, is responsible for the belt of volcanoes on the west side of Luzon including Mount Pinatubo.

Tolentino also explained that the TeWS sensor system is designed to detect wave abnormalities in the coastal waters of Subic Bay.

The tsunami detection equipment is composed of a platform with a pole equipped with different sensors. These include an ultrasonic tide sensor, dry sensor, and wet sensor at specific heights of one meter, five meters, and ten meters.

Tolentino added that the SBMA may eventually press for installation of additional sirens for better coverage of warning signals from the sensor, as the lone siren in the Subic Bay Freeport would not be enough.

The installation of the tsunami alert system in the Subic Bay area was contained in a memorandum of agreement signed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and its Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), the city of Olongapo, municipality of Subic, and the SBMA in November 2012.

The agreement also required the SBMA, Subic, and Olongapo to prepare and produce community-based evacuation plans.

Aside from Subic Bay, the PHILVOLCS-ASTI of the DOST has also completed installation of TeWS in Lingayen Gulf, Albay Gulf, Manila Bay and Batangas Bay. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Members of Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) under the DOST, and the SBMA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee installs the Tsumami Early Warning System – Subic Bay Detection Station at Sueste Point in Redondo Peninsula.

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De Leon, Rana rule Tri United

UNILAB Active Health’s triathletes Benjamin Rana Jr. and Ani Karina de Leon-Brown ruled their respective events the Elite division even as new faces Juan Carlos Abad and Christianne Nicolle de Vera shone the Teens division in yesterday’s l TRI United 3 held at the Dungraree Beach in Subic.

Rana won the 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run pulling away as he timed two hours, five minutes and 37 seconds to beat out UAH teammates Mark Anthony Husana (2:11:00) and Philip Atento (2:13:58).

The win was Rana’s first victory since 2011 in triathlon races held in Subic.

De Leon- Brown, however, needed to sweat in out in the run leg to ward off the challenge of Kristina Beckendorf the title.

“I really thought it was going to be more of a relaxing race for me until I noticed that Kristina was slowly gaining on me in the run, so in the end, I really needed to work hard for it,” said De Leon-Brown, who clocked in at 2:33:05.

Beckendorf had the second best time at 2:34:33 but she competed in the 35-39 age group to claim the gold medal.

Joining the four individual winners was Team Santy Barley which dominated the Team competition with accumulated time of 27 hours and 15 minutes.

Billed as the Elite and Age Group Championships, the race organized by BIKEKING which is headed by Raul Cuevas, and supported by Unilab Active Health, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department (SBMA), Enervon Active, Enervon HP, I-ON Energy Drink, Hydrite, AboitizPower, Pocari Sweat, TIMEX, Crystal Clear Purified Water, Corima and Orbea, attracted 464 participants.

Meanwhile, Abad and De Vera banked on their impressive showings in the swim to anchor their victories in the Teens division which was held half the distance of the Elite. (Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/de-leon-rana-rule-tri-united/

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Canine competition set in Subic Freeport

Dog lovers will have something to look forward to as the 1st Subic Bay Dog Agility Championship kicks off on October 26 at the Remy Field here in this free port.

The two-day event will feature the country’s top competitors in events such as the popular DiscDog, or Frisbee and Super Weave competitions.

The competition, organized by the Philippine Dog Athletics Association (PDAA), will be the first agility competition in the Philippines to be sponsored by the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA).

On October 25, meanwhile, a dog show that featured tricks, training, and agility and obedience events held at the Harbor Point activity center here.

According to George Baker, one of the organizers of the agility championship, the event aims to provide novel, highly entertaining and enriching activities for all participating dogs and their owners, as well as spectators.

“Through this event we hope to build a regional community of dog owners and sports enthusiasts and forge lasting relationships among them,” said Baker, a long-time dog trainer.

Baker also said the event was organized so that the country will be able to compete for the World Dog Agility Championship.

“It’s now sponsored by the USDAA and it’s one of the last hurdles to enable the Philippines to compete,” he added.

Baker said that for the past seven years, PDAA members have been holding dog agility competitions across the country.

“Just last year, a PDAA competition was held in Cebu where an estimated 2,000 people were in attendance,” he said. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

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PBA players set charity game for Olongapo leptospirosis victims

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Basketball fans will get the chance to watch their favorite players in action during a charity game to be played here on October 25 for the benefit of leptospirosis victims in Olongapo City.

The event, dubbed as “Thriller Time”, will feature several active players from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and will be held at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Gym in this free port.

The SBMA, which is supporting the charity project, will provide free use of the sporting venue.

Apart from the PBA players, the event will also feature players from the SBMA and Lyceum of Subic Bay, who will clash in an exhibition game.

According Willie Miller, the event organizer, “Thriller Time” aims to raise funds for the benefit of leptospirosis victims in Olongapo City, as well as to raise public awareness on disease prevention.

He added that they are also hoping to donate enough medicines to the local government to prevent another outbreak of the flood-borne disease.

Miller, who is currently playing for the Global Port Batang Pier, hails from Olongapo City.

The city recently suffered a leptospirosis outbreak after heavy monsoon rains resulted in severe flooding in all but one of the 17 barangays in the city.

Eleven victims died in the aftermath, while close to 500 people were hospitalized due to the outbreak of bacterial infection. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

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2013 Olongapo Mardi Gras to bid for simultaneous street-dancing record

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Revelers from Olongapo City, Zambales and Bataan will fill the entire stretch of Magsaysay Drive in Olongapo to groove to party music at this year’s Mardi Gras, which will run from October 23 to 25.

The street party will attempt to break the Philippine and world records for the most number of street party-goers on the last day of the event.

Dubbed as “Galaw ‘Gapo”, the event will have people dancing simultaneously to party music for one hour along the entire stretch of Magsaysay Drive, the city’s main entertainment venue.

The Philippine record is currently held by Manila with 8,000 street party-goers, while France holds the current world record with 10,000.

Meanwhile, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be joining the festivities by featuring performers from different tourism-business locators inside the Subic Bay Freeport during the event’s first day.

The SBMA tourism office said that local bands Vanity and Versus will play on the SBMA stage located in front of Casino Filipino-Olongapo.

The three-day street party will also be broadcast live online by DWSB 89.5 Subic Bay Radio, SBMA’s official radio station.

Other performers from Manila, as well as local artists, will provide entertainment during the upcoming street party.

Local and Manila-based DJs will make sure the party will never stop by providing dance music for three days, organizers said.

The Olongapo Mardi Gras is an annual street party organized by the city government of Olongapo and Metro Olongapo Chamber of Commerce, and supported by the SBMA. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA tax break guidelines out

THE SUBIC Bay Metropolitan Authority yesterday released the registration guidelines for aviation and logistics companies in the economic zone that are seeking import tax breaks.

According to Resolution No. 13-05-4772 published yesterday, locators in Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) “shall be allowed admissions of TEDFA (tax-exempt and duty-free aircraft), engines, parts and accessories on the premise that the units shall be used primarily in support of and in furtherance to the business operations of the locator in the SBFZ.”

“The minimum condition set by SBFZ is that the units are principally based in SBFZ ... and that these TEDFA return [to], stay [in], and use SBFZ as their core base of operations such that at the end of each flying sortie, these TEDFA return [to], stay [in], use and maintain physical presence at the SBIA (Subic Bay International Airport),” read the notice.

If these conditions are not met, locators will have to pay duties and taxes for their aircraft, engines, parts and accessories.

Another condition is that locators should have “sufficient, reasonable hangar space [to] justify the need for admission of aircraft units in relation to their business operation in Subic.”

Otherwise, locators will have to prove that they have put up actual investment of at least P100 million, read the notice.

Locators are also prohibited from transferring ownership of TEDFA within three years of admission.

Those who fail to observe the guidelines will have to pay P250,000 as well as duties and taxes if TEDFA units were sold to an entity not entitled to tax incentives. Another fine of P250,000 will also be charged to those who fail to prove active hub presence in Subic.

The SBFZ, 110 kilometers north of Manila, was established in 1992 as the country’s first freeport zone after the closure of the American naval base there. (Daryll Edisonn D. Saclag, BusinessWorld)

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=SBMA-tax-break-guidelines-out&id=78263

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SBMA rescue team wins 2013 Gawad KALASAG

Emergency rescuers from Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will again receive the highest honor in the national disaster management recognition program after being chosen as first place in the Urban Search and Rescue (URBAN SAR) category for this year.

This will be their second award in the said category since 2009.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said this was announced by the office of Undersecretary Eduardo del Rosario, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and concurrent executive director of National Disaster Risk-Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

According to the announcement, the SBMA Fire and Rescue Team will receive award for Best Government Emergency Response Management (GEM) for Gawad Kalasag Private/Volunteer Organizations, Government Emergency Response Management.

The SBMA Fire and Rescue Team is headed by Ranny Magno, one of the country’s acknowledged experts in disaster and emergency operations, who is constantly invited by various rescue teams to give lectures and share experiences on disaster management.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) presents the annual Gawad KALASAG, an acronym for “KAlamidad at Sakuna LAbanan; SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan”, in recognition of individuals, groups or institutions that have shown extraordinary courage, heroism, self-sacrifice, and bravery against all odds in times of emergencies and disasters.

Other winners in the same category are: 2nd Place - Team Isulan Fire Fighters, Sultan Kudarat- Region XII; and 3rd Place - Special Operations Coast Guard Southern Tagalog- Region IV-A.

The SBMA Fire and Rescue Team, together with other winners for various categories, will receive the award on October 25 at Camp Crame in Quezon City. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Members of the SBMA Fire and Rescue Team, along with other civilian volunteers, carry the body of a landslide victim during a retrieval operation in Castillejos, Zambales on September 24.

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Philippine Tamaraws face Thailand in Rugby League Asian Cup

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Philippine Tamaraws are set to defend their title as Asian rugby league football champions as they face Thailand in the first match of the 2nd Asian Cup at the Philippine Marine Merchant Academy (PMMA) in San Narciso, Zambales on Monday, October 21.

The Tamaraws, the country’s national rugby league football team, are conducting training camps in this Freeport in preparation for their upcoming match.

Apart from the Asian Cup, PMMA will also stage the Zambales 9’s rugby tournament featuring local rugby football teams on October 19.

According Tamaraws head coach Clayton Watene, the team is aiming to qualify for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup in Australia.

“The Asian Cup is being started so we can have teams in Asia that will eventually be qualified for the World Cup, and we wantto be the first team from Asia to compete,” Watene said.

He added that last year, the Tamaraws won the 1st Asian Cup title against Thailand.

Watene said that the team was formed a few years ago after they scouted players with Filipino heritage in Australia and began training them for international competitions.

Watene also explained that the Tamaraws, a rugby league team, should not be confused with the Philippine Volcanoes, which play rugby union football. Rugby league football is played with 13 players, while rugby union is played with 15 players.

Watene said that the team is looking forward to visiting their relatives and touring the rest of the country. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
The Philippine Tamaraws train at the Remy Field in the Subic Bay Freeport.

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SBMA mounts photo exhibit for Ayta scholarship program

In observance of Indigenous People’s Month, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has mounted an exhibit of photographs of Ayta tribesmen in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone to help fund its Ayta scholarship program.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the exhibit has been put up by the SBMA Public Relations Department as a fund-raising project to benefit 10 Ayta children currently on full scholarship at the Olongapo City National High School.

“We’re enjoining the public to support in this worthy cause,” Garcia said during the opening of the displays on Monday.

“The exhibits are designed not only to raise funds, but also to raise consciousness about our Ayta brethren and how we can help uplift them to be part of the mainstream society,” he added.

The IP Month celebration organized by the agency will also serve to emphasize how both the SBMA and the indigenous people in the Subic Bay Freeport have looked after each other through the years, Garcia said.

SBMA public relations manager Armie Llamas said the photographs will be on display and be available for bidding at Harbor Point Ayal Mall’s Zen Garden until October 28.

The photographs were taken at the Ayta villages of Pastolan in Hermosa, Bataan and Kanawan in Morong, Bataan by SBMA information officer Carlos Andres and Alan Fabricante of Vantage Point Photography in Olongapo City.

The two photographers donated their collection of work for the project.

Llamas said that bidding forms will be available at the exhibit area during the two-week exhibit. The minimum bid will be P1,000 per photograph.

Bidders should write down the number of the photo, bid price, name of bidder, and contact details on the bidding form and place the filled up form in the drop box provided at the exhibit area.

Winning bidders will be notified on October 29 so that they can collect their photographs at the SBMA-PRD office, Llamas added.

Aside from the fundraising exhibit, the SBMA has also scheduled several other activities for the IP Month.

The opening activities included a special flag-raising ceremony led by the Pastolan Ayta community on October 14, followed by a community breakfast among Ayta leaders and officials of the SBMA, and free movie-viewing for Grades 3 and 4 pupils of the Pastolan Elementary School at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center on October 14.

On October 16, the SBMA scheduled a radio interview with Pastolan tribal chieftain Conrado Frenilla and tribal elder Bonifacio Florentino to help promote community awareness of the Ayta culture. The following day, October 17, a drug prevention seminar will be held by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for secondary school students at the Pastolan village.

The month-long celebration will be capped by a visit by Grades 5 and 6 pupils of the Pastolan Elementary School at Zoobic Safari on October 22; a feeding project and children’s hour at the Kanawan Elementary School on October 24; and a feeding project for pre-elementary children and Grades 1 and 2 pupils at the Pastolan Elementary School on October 25. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
An Ayta tribesman demonstrates fire-making techniques to foreign tourists at the Pamulaklakin Ayta Village in the Subic Bay Freeport where a month-long program has been organized by the SBMA to celebrate the Indigenous People’s Month.

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World’s only five-star cruise ship visits Subic Freeport

The world’s only five-star cruise ship is here in the Subic Bay Freeport as part of its tour of the country, strengthening Subic’s position as a preeminent tourism destination.

MS Hanseatic docked at the Alava Pier of the Freeport Monday (Oct. 14). Prior to its arrival here, the cruise ship toured the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan. It arrived in the Philippines yesterday (October 13).

According to the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, it is the only five-star expedition-cruise ship worldwide.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said this is first time that the luxury cruise ship has docked in Subic.

He said passengers of the ship are scheduled to visit tourist attractions in the Freeport during the ship’s one-day stay.

The ship has a capacity of 184 passengers, aside from its crew of 125.

MS Hanseatic was built in 1991 as the Society Adventurer, but was renamed when she was purchased by Hanseatic Tours, now owned by marine transportation giant Hapag-Lloyd. The ship specializes in trips to the Antarctic.

SBMA deputy administrator for business Reuel Kabigting said the arrival of the Hanseatic is a very welcome development, as it would boost the Freeport’s thrust of becoming a premier tourist destination in Asia.

The SBMA has been preparing the Freeport to be a top cruise-ship destination after it became a founding member of the Asia CruiseTerminal Association, Kabigting added. (FMD. RAV/MPD-SBMA) 

PHOTO:
Members of a school band presents passengers with leis upon disembarking from the MS Hanseatic cruise ship at the Subic Bay Freeport on Monday.

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Subic Bay hosts PH duathlon on Dec. 1

PHILIPPINE Team berths are at stake in the Philippine National Duathlon Championships 2013, firing off at 6 a.m. on Dec. 1 at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Philippine Olympic Committee chair Tom Carrasco, the president of the organizing Triathlon Association of the Philippines said, “We will send a strong team to 2014 Asian Duathlon Championship in Sri Lanka that is capable of bringing back the crown to the country after 10 years.”

Ryan Mendoza of the Philippine Air Force clinched the men’s title when the country hosted the continental championship at the Clark Special Economic Zone in 2004. Mendoza followed up his feat with another gold-medal showing at the duathlon’s debut in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Pattaya, Thailand.

World Duathlon Championship 2013 veteran Mirasol Abad and the Philippines’ top duathlete Robeno Javier banner the tough field of the race sponsored by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department, Standard Insurance, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Inc., Gatorade, David’s Salon, Fitness First, Lifestyle Subic Bay and Green Triathlon.

Expected to crowd out Javier are the other PH team members who are also seasoned internationalists, namely Carlo Pedregosa, Jimmuel Patilan and Bigboy Robinson Javier.

In the distaff side, Mary Pauline Fornea is expected to hound Abad throughout the standard 10-kilometer run/40-km bike/5-km run grind.

Also expected to dish out fine performances are triathletes John Chicano, Nikko Huelgas and Justine Chiongbian so with budding duathletes Joey Delos Reyes, Jeric Buhian and Baltazar Valencia.

Last year’s Asian Duathlon Championship’s challenging technical course with Remy Field as the transition area will test the mettle of the elite competitors and age-groupers. Post-race activities will be held at the nearby Subic gymnasium.

The Junior participants (16-19 years-old) and age-groupers aged 16 and above will take a stab at the sprint distance course of 5-km run/20-km bike/2.5-km run.

A 2.5-km run/12-km bike/2.5-km run course for the Youth Mini-Sprint category is also on tap.

Currently, entry fees for standard distance is P2,000 and for Sprint and Mini-Sprint P1,500. Effective November 1, rates will appreciate to P2,500 (Standard) and P2,000 (Sprint/Mini).

TRAP-registered athletes can avail themselves of 10% discount while students and senior citizens are entitled to 20% discount.

Entry forms may be downloaded at www.triathlon.org.ph. The TRAP office at the Philsports Complex, Pasig City, at BIKE KING store c/o Raul Cuevas at Bonifacio High Street and SPEEDO Concept Stores (Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall, The Podium, Glorietta 4 and Bonifacio High Street) are the registration centers. (MST Sports, Manila Standard Today)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/10/14/subic-bay-hosts-ph-duathlon-on-dec-1/

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Olongapo eyeing Miss World venue

OLONGAPO CITY — Mayor Rolen Paulino said Miss World organizers paid a courtesy visit in his office on Saturday with Miss World Megan Young as part of her homecoming and victory celebration.

Paulino said franchise holder Cory Quirino and Miss World Organization president Julia Morley brought up the idea for the city to host the next pageant.

Paulino said tourism sites and facilities in Olongapo and adjacent Subic Bay Freeport would be the venues of several activities for contestants representing over 120 countries across the globe.

“It will be great boost for both Philippine Tourism and Olongapo as the host city if all plans will push through,” Paulino said.

In a short program for the homecoming and victory celebration of Young held at Harbor Point-Ayala Mall, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Roberto Garcia also batted for Subic Freeport as a suitable venue for preliminary galas and dinners.

In her reply, Quirino vowed to work on the request for the hosting of Miss World contest here.

“Since there is an invitation for us to bring Miss World, here we will work on it to make it happen,” Quirino said.

Aside from raising funds for charities around the globe under the banner of its “Beauty with a Purpose” program, Miss World is also credited with directly influencing a dramatic increase in tourism in all of host cities since it started in 1951.

In Young’s victory parade, thousands of residents lined up on the streets to welcome the first Filipina ever to win the Miss World title, and luckily she is from Olongapo.

Clad in white long sleeve knee-cut embroidered dress, Young waived to the rousing cheers of the crowd.

“You really don’t know how much happiness you all have given me this day,” teary-eyed Young said, including a visit to James L. Gordon Hospital to cheer up patients.

The motorcade passed Magsaysay drive, Rizal and Gordon avenues to the streets of Barangay Pag-Asa and East Tapinac before heading to the City Hall. (Cecille Garcia, Manila Standard Today)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/10/14/olongapo-eyeing-miss-world-venue/

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'BATANG GAPO' | Pride, joy and charity in Miss World Megan Young homecoming

OLONGAPO CITY – Not letting the rain dampen their enthusiasm, proud Olongapenos welcomed the Philippines’ first Miss World during her homecoming in this city at the weekend. Her visit was a respite from the difficult days of coping with the aftermath of record floods and landslides that hit the city and parts of Zambales two weeks ago.

Megan Young, who bested 126 ladies to capture the elusive “blue crown” almost two weeks ago in Bali, Indonesia, was all smiles as she arrived at the Harbor Point Mall where she was welcomed by Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino, SBMA Chairman Bobby Garcia and Mayor Jose Dominguez of Castillejos where Young spent her childhood.

“I’m trying my best not to be emotional kasi iyakin talaga ako. Young told the crowd. “I used to walk around these areas - this mall on such a low profile and now I have this.”

The 23-year-old actress and film student said that it’s a great feeling to be home because of the opportunity to see family and friends.

Aside from the cheers, Young was also awarded with certificates of recognition by Mayors Paulino and Dominguez for “bringing pride to the Philippines and shining a spotlight on the beauty of Olongapo and Zambales.”

When the skies cleared, a motorcade was also held to celebrate her victory where she was accompanied by Miss World chairperson Julia Morley, Miss World Philippines licensee Cory Quirino, and her mother Vicky Young.

Young also visited the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital to check on those affected by the Leptospirosis outbreak in the city brought about by the severe flooding several weeks ago.

Even during the peak of pageant activities in Bali, Young had expressed concern over the devastation suffered by her native Olongapo and Zambales, beset by record flooding and landslides that killed nearly two dozen people a fortnight ago.

Young came directly from Metro Manila after a whirlwind of activities that included a motorcade in Makati City and is expected to return to the Metro to do more charity work for the Tuloy Street Kids Foundation in Muntinlupa – a beneficiary of the Miss World Organization.

She is also set to fly back to London where the MWO is based where she will focus on charitable activities including one for clean drinking water in some areas in Haiti.

When asked about her beauty secrets, Young advised everyone that “it is all about feeling beautiful. Don’t mind it if other people tell you you’re beautiful or not. Knowing that you, yourself, are beautiful is enough. (Ramon Angelo Britanico, Special to InterAksyon.com)

PHOTO:
Megan waves to the crowd from her float at the homecoming parade in her native Olongapo City.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/72667/batang-gapo--pride-joy-and-charity-in-miss-world-megan-young-homecoming

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