Australian submarine now in Subic Bay

HER Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Sheean (SSG 77), a Collins-class submarine operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), arrived in Subic Bay Freeport Zone on Friday (Aug. 12) morning.

 A statement by the Naval Public Affairs Office of the Philippine Navy said  the vessel’s port visit to the Philippines will conclude on Aug. 27.

The visiting ship’s commanding officer, Cdr. Jason Cupples, was welcomed on Friday by Cdr. Redentor R. Cortezano of the Naval Education and Training Command.

This was followed by a port briefing on health and security aboard HMAS Sheean.

Philippine Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said the officers and crew of the Australian submarine are set to conduct subject matter expert exchanges and workshop training with PN personnel.

The visit of the RAN submarine and the personnel interaction with their Filipino counterparts are in accordance with the Philippines-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides a comprehensive legal framework to support defense personnel who are engaged in joint training and other related activities conducted in the Philippines or in Australia.

The visit is expected to strengthen the longstanding partnership of the two nations which paves way for an enhanced cooperation in capacity-building and interoperability to undertake humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.

Named for Australian seaman Edward Sheean -- the only submarine of the class to be named for an enlisted sailor -- the ship was laid down in 1994 and launched in 1999.

PHOTO:
The HMAS Sheean (SSG 77) surfaces as it approaches Alava Pier at Subic Bay.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=australian-submarine-in-phl&id=131859

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/08/12/1612779/royal-australian-navy-sub-visits-subic

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Japanese firm sets $30-M to develop Subic Bay golf course

A Japanese company will be developing the Subic Bay golf course into a world-class venue for tournaments, coupled with a facility that will offer housing complexes and fulfilling lifestyle choices for retirees.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said the Subic agency had awarded the golf course development project to a firm headed by Japanese businessman Masafumi Miyamoto, founder of the Smart Community Co., Ltd., the first and largest continuing-care retirement community in Japan.

The Subic Bay golf course clubhouse

“This project is a game-changer for Subic,” Garcia said, noting that it will transform Subic’s existing fairways that had been left rotting in the past few years into a major year-round tourist attraction.

He added that the visiting friends and relatives of those who would reside in the retirement village would likewise generate more economic activities in transportation, shopping malls, medical facilities, hotels, tourist attractions, banks, restaurants, and other businesses.

The project would cost a total of $30 million, excluding a fixed annual rental fee of $350,000 and a five-percent gross revenue share payable to the SBMA for the entire 50-year lease period.

Garcia said that in awarding the lease development contract to Miyamoto, the SBMA considered the overall concept of the project, the proponent’s financial capability, market availability, and business plan presented to agency officials in December last year.

“This s a two-pronged development project that considered the best potentials for what could be considered a major asset in the Subic Freeport,” Garcia said.

Accordingly, the first component, at the cost of $3 million, would involve the renovation and re-development of the whole golf course within two years, from June 2016 to June 2018. This will cover clubhouse renovation, installation of sprinkler systems and repair of ponds, improvement of the golf course, and upgrade of machinery and equipment, golf carts, and service vehicles.

Garcia said the project proponent had promised that the golf course would remain operational throughout the renovation period through a rotational renovation plan that would keep a minimum of nine holes open at a given time.

The second component is the $27-million development of all allowable open areas for the Subic Smart Community within a six-year period. This would consist of the construction and development of an initial 200 condominium units from 2016 to 2018. Next would be the completion of about 1,800 condominium units with various amenities like gym, sports center, arts and crafts studios, karaoke or music rooms, function rooms, library, and bars and restaurants, among others.

Garcia said that Miyamoto’s proposal was based on a market study that showed Japan’s aging society as becoming a financial burden to both the Japanese people and government. This situation had reportedly led to the emergence of elderly care businesses that had rapidly grown to a $252-billion industry just in 2015.

“Subic Bay has been chosen particularly because of its relatively constant weather patterns conducive for year-round golf play and because of its untapped areas that have great potential for a retirement complex,” Garcia noted.

Aside from starting the Smart Community in 2004, Miyamoto founded in 1986 the Square Enix Co., Ltd., which is engaged in publishing, distribution, and licensing of digital entertainment content worldwide, including the highly successful Tomb Raider Final Fantasy.

Miyamoto also founded the Sunpia Golf Club, in Japan’s Tokushima City, which has a total of 100 hectares, with three helipads, 300 parking slots, and driveways lined with cherry blossom trees. (NBM/MPD-SBMA)

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US missile destroyer now in Subic Bay

The U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92) arrived in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines August 8 as part of a U.S. 3rd Fleet Pacific Surface Action Group (PAC SAG).

The port call marked Momsen’s midway point as part of the group.

Under the operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet, the PAC SAG, which consists of the guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (DDG 111), USS Decatur (DDG 73) and Momsen, with embarked Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 31 – is conducting routine patrols, maritime security operations and theater cooperation activities to enhance regional security and stability.

“Momsen’s presence here sends a powerful message to the world about our commitment to the stability of the region,” said Cmdr. Elaine Brunelle, Momsen’s executive officer. “We are skilled professionals committed to enhancing maritime security through bilateral cooperation with our partners throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific.”

While in port, Momsen will complete a voyage repair period and her crew will participate in community outreach events and take advantage of various tours offered by Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

Momsen Sailors participated in four community outreach activities during previous port calls in Busan, Korea, Sasebo, Japan, Singapore and Darwin, Australia. The projects ran the gamut of cultural interactions with senior citizens, children, disabled citizens and beautification efforts.

The crew aboard Momsen will also focus on mission essential maintenance during the voyage repair.

“Sometimes there is special equipment required that the ship does not have on board to calibrate gauges, valves, tools and so on,” said Chief Interior Communications Electrician Justin Hohlbein, Momsen’s maintenance manager. “Pulling into a port like Subic Bay offers us the chance to have these types of jobs completed and the accomplishment of corrective maintenance of mission essential items is necessary for a ship to deploy or to continue on its deployment.”

Spruance also completed its portion of the deployment participating in the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI). OMSI is a secretary of defense program leveraging Department of Defense assets transiting the region to increase the Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting its maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania.

PHOTO:
An MH-60R Seahawk lands on the flight deck of the guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92) in the South China Sea on July 29, 2016. (photo by US Navy)

https://navaltoday.com/2016/08/08/uss-momsen-visits-subic-bay-philippines/

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USS Greeneville sub arrives in Subic Bay

The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772) arrived at Subic Bay Aug. 5 for a port visit as part of its Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment.

“I have been looking forward to this visit for some time,” said Cmdr. Gabriel Anseeuw, commanding officer. “Our Filipino partners are very important to us. I wish we could spend more time here, but our work remains at sea.”

Greeneville’s Filipino-American Sailors were anxious to visit and interact with their heritage.

Fire Controlman 3rd Class Marvin Pascua, a Subic Bay native, looks forward to visiting his family in Subic Bay. Pascua left the Philippines four years ago to join the Navy. Pascua said that he misses the Philippines and eating sisig and turon.

Greeneville measures more than 360 feet long and weighs more than 6,900 tons when submerged. It was christened Sept. 17, 1994 and commissioned on Feb. 16, 1996 at Naval Station Norfolk. The Greeneville arrived at its current homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in March 1997.

PHOTO:
The USS Greeneville (SSN-772), a Los Angeles class submarine of the US Navy, prepares to dock in Subic Bay Freeport for a routine port call Friday (Aug. 05) morning. (Photos by Jun Dumaguing, MPD-SBMA)

http://manila.usembassy.gov/press-photo-releases-2016/greeneville-visits-subic-bay-indo-asia-pacific-deployment.html

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SBMA releases P141.4-M to neighboring LGUs

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently released a total of P141.4 million to eight local government units (LGUs) adjacent to the Subic Bay Freeport.

The releases represented LGU revenue shares for the first half of this year.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia handed over individual cheques to mayors and other LGU representatives and announced that the latest of the semi-annual releases is 18.5 percent higher than the P115.23 million distributed for the second semester of 2015.

“We are proud to turn over to you the result of the hard work of our SBMA workers who made everything possible for the agency. They serve fastidiously as we continuously improve our performance for four straight years,” Garcia told the mayors.

Among the town executives who arrived for the turnover held at SBMA Boardroom were Mayor Rolen Paulino of Olongapo City; Bataan mayors Cynthia Estanislao (Morong) and Joseph Inton (Hermosa); and Zambales mayors Jefferson Khonghun (Subic) and Dr. Estela Antipolo (San Antonio).

Mayors Jose Dominguez (Castillejos) and Elvis Soria (San Marcelino) of Zambales, and Mayor Gila Garcia of Dinalupihan, Bataan were represented by their respective municipal treasurers.

The shares released to the LGUs were derived from the five-percent gross revenue taxes (GRT) paid to the SBMA by business locators and investors operating inside the Subic Bay Freeport.

From the five-percent GRT, three percent goes to the national treasury, while two per cent is distributed by the SBMA among the eight LGUs.

The LGU shares are computed based on the following criteria: population, 50%; land area, 25%; and equal sharing, 25%.

The revenue shares are to be used for community development projects, including those for health, education, peace and order, and livelihood programs to enable communities near the Subic Bay Freeport to keep pace with developments in the special economic zone.

The LGU recipients thanked Garcia for the continuous support given by the Subic agency to the neighboring LGUs through the revenue shares, as well as for its effort to generate employment opportunities for residents, and for assistance in various community projects. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Local government officials show the cheques they received from SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (fourth from right) during the turnover of LGU shares for the first half of 2016. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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P60-B project to boost Subic Freeport as logistics hub

A P60-billion investment project to be implemented by an Australian firm here is expected to push this premier free port into the ranks of top global logistics centers today.

This was announced by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Robert Garcia yesterday at a press briefing here, wherein he also cited other new investment projects that had been approved by the SBMA board of directors.

According to the SBMA official, Asian Institute of Aviation (AIA) will occupy seven hectares of land near the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) and will build hangars and food processing stations for its intermodal logistics business.

Garcia said that AIA will be joined by an Australian firm, which will buy into the company for the new operations.

“The business model of the company is to export from Australia to China, Japan, and other Asian countries, via airplanes,” Garcia said. “The company will import meat, sea food, and other agricultural products from Australia by plane or by ship to Subic Bay, and will process and package these products according to customer orders and then deliver them to customers.”

Garcia explained that the Australian partner has been doing the processing already in Australia, but because the processing in Australia entails higher labor cost, it has decided to do the processing in Subic.

The operation, Garcia said, will become intermodal. “They will ship out by air since they have seven jets; they will also ship out via seaport, and their volume for the seaport is 60 containers per month,” Garcia said.

Aside from the P60-billion investment, the project will generate 800 jobs, aside from those during the construction of facilities, and the company “has also shown interest in providing new equipment for the tower at the Subic airport,” Garcia said.

The new investor also plans to build hangars for maintenance and repair operations (MRO) that will cater to jets in Hong Kong. “Mahal magparada ng jet dun. You pay $3,000 just to park it outside without a hangar,” Garcia added.

The new investment has been approved in principle by the SBMA board after the proponents showed proof of funds, Garcia said, adding that the construction of proposed facilities will still be subject to detailed engineering design.

“This is a good project for us,” Garcia said. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA bats for free wi-fi in Subic Freeport tourist areas

With the Philippines in No. 13 among countries with the highest number of Internet users and sixth in the most number of people on Facebook, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is working on a plan to have more public wi-fi areas here where visitors can stay “connected” for free.

According to SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, the Subic agency is discussing with local Internet provider PLDT-Subictel the possibility of putting up free wi-fi connection for the whole Central Business District (CBD) in the Subic Bay Freeport, an area most frequented by tourists and visitors.

Garcia said that a meeting with PLDT-Subictel president Renato Castaneda has already yielded positive results: the provision of free wi-fi at Remy Field, a favorite spot for residents and practicing athletes because of its track oval and other sports facilities.

“Now I’m trying to convince them to turn the whole CBD into a free wi-fi area, just like what they are doing to airports, seaports, and other places where a lot of people go,” Garcia said.

The SBMA chairman added that he has also identified alternative spots in the Subic Freeport for possible free wi-fi connection. These are the Boardwalk Park, Malawaan Fishing Area, the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, and the Harbor Point mall.

“Aside from Remy Field, those are the major points where visitors would benefit the most from a public wi-fi system,” Garcia added.

Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that the SBMA board of directors is now studying a proposal to operate the Internet-based Uber taxi franchise in the Subic Freeport.

The transport system, which is franchised by the American multinational online transportation network company Uber Technologies Inc., operates through a mobile application that allows customers with smartphones to book trips online.

“Uber is very much interested to put up its business here, maybe because we have a different regulatory framework here. So, we’re working out the details like the requirement for professional drivers and third party liability insurance,” Garcia said.

“We have spoken with the Uber general manager, and they are very interested because they want to make Subic an example of their operations,” he added.

Garcia said that he sees much benefit from Uber operation in Subic: “Number one is it will provide additional jobs; and number two, it will force local taxis in the Freeport to lower their fares, which are really excessive.”

Garcia said the high cost of transportation inside the Freeport works against efforts by the SBMA to promote local tourism. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (right) and PLDT-Subictel president Renato Castañeda discuss the provision of free public wi-fi in the Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Fendercare Marine to start Subic Bay operations

Fendercare Marine, one of the world’s biggest ship-to-ship (STS) cargo transfer service providers, is opening its services in Southeast Asia by bringing its operation to Subic Bay.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said that among the investment projects approved by the SBMA board of directors recently was Fendercare’s proposal for ship-to-ship transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

A world leader in ship-to-ship transfers, Fendercare operates from a global network of over 50 bases

The operations, Garcia said, will generate a minimum of P50 million a year in terms of port use only. This does not include indirect fees like payment for tugboats, chandlers, bunkering, and food supplies, Garcia added.

Jerome Martinez, manager of the SBMA Seaport Department, said the company is planning to start its operation in Subic Bay in the last week of September this year.

In connection with this, he said that Fendercare Marine business development manager William Barker and the company's Asia Pacific commercial manager Capt. George Mills recently conducted an orientation for Subic stakeholders to answer queries and concerns related to the their operations in Subic Bay.

“It is because of the location, the logistics available, and the assistance that the company is receiving from SBMA that Fendercare Marine has chosen Subic as the location for its operation in Asia,” Barker said during the briefings.

Barker noted that the operation would initially involve two ships: MV LNG Excel, a mother ship anchored at Subic Bay and loaded with LNG from Australia, which it would feed to MV LNG Lerici, a daughter ship, which in turn would deliver the cargo to Asian destinations, especially China.

The same officials also briefed fisherfolk in the coastal communities of Subic, Zambales, and Olongapo City on the project.

In the said briefings, Fendercare representatives also allayed fears of adverse environmental impact, saying that LNG is a very safe form of fuel that is why it is widely used in Japan where one shipload of LNG is said to be unloaded every 20 hours.

“It burns slowly, evaporates rapidly, and does not mix with water or kill fish or any other marine life. LNG is very environmental-friendly,” company officials said.

Fendercare Marine, which is a part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has been awarded a certificate of excellence for STS operations throughout 2015 for its exemplary safety record without any environmental accident since it began STS services in 2013, involving LNG transfer.

The company has provided ship-to-ship services to the oil and shipping industries globally since 1995. Today these services are provided from a global network of 50 bases, currently handling in excess of 2,800 transfers a year, the company website said. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic attracts P100-B new investments in first 7 months

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has generated new investments of about P100 billion in just the first seven months of 2016, recording one of the biggest half-year investment turnouts for this free port since its establishment in 1992.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said in a media briefing here on Monday that several big-ticket projects were approved by the SBMA board of directors in the first half of 2016, compared to the previous four years when the SBMA attracted only P42-billion worth of new investment projects.

SBMA Chairman & Administrator Roberto V. Garcia

Garcia said the biggest of the new projects is the P60-billon joint venture by an Australian firm with Asian Institute of Aviation, an existing locator at the Subic Bay airport.

“They would transport agricultural products from Australia, mostly meat and seafood, repack them here, and then fly or ship them out to customers worldwide,” Garcia explained.

He added that the partners would put up an intermodal cargo terminal, use both airport and seaport, and expect to turn out around 60 containers per month for the Subic seaport.

“So that is going to be a big help,” Garcia said. “Their investment is going to be P60 billion for this project alone, and it will generate 800 jobs, not counting those for the construction work.”

Garcia said the project would also involve building new hangars, as the investors would bring in seven jets for their operations and offer maintenance and repair operations for jets, mostly from Hong Kong.

Garcia clarified that this commercial operation, which would occupy the northeast corner of the Subic airport, would not affect the proposed use by the Philippine Air Force of the southwest portion of the Subic airport for military training and logistics under the Expanded Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca).

The SBMA board, Garcia added, has also approved an industrial estate project worth P34 billion in a 400-hectare area in the Redondo Peninsula, near the site of the Hanjin shipyard.

The proposed industrial estate project will include the development of a 200-megawatt solar plant and the construction of warehouses and logistics facilities, and the establishment of factories, and generate around 53,000 jobs.

Garcia also mentioned that Korean shipbuilder Hanjin has received the green light from the SBMA to put up its own 12-megawatt solar power plant at Redondo.

Another big project that was recently approved by the SBMA board of directors was the ship-to-ship transfer operation for liquefied natural gas, which will be worth another P5 billion.

“Things are looking good,” Garcia said, pointing out that aside from the big-ticket investments, the Subic agency has approved “a lot of smaller projects.”

“So as far as I’m concerned, we have a lot of activity in the pipeline for the next three to five years,” Garcia added. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic expects bigger cargo volume in 2016

WITH all the reforms that the seaport in Subic has implemented over the last few years, the volume of goods flowing in and out of the facility, deemed as the top international cargo shipping hub in Northern Luzon, should increase this year.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto V. Garcia said the Port of Subic has shown “great potential, as more businesses utilize Subic as their entry point to the Philippines.”

Cargo unloading at the Port of Subic

“We anticipate a growth in volume as more and more companies capitalize on the services and facilities here and the much greater access and efficient transportation of goods the area provides,” he said.

Together with the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), the SBMA has opened a one-stop shop (OSS) in its new container terminal (NCT) 1, significantly reducing port document processing time from one day to a mere four hours.

Roberto R. Locsin, general manager and president of SBITC, said that, with the recent upgrades, the port would be more efficient in handling the expected surge in cargo volume.

“The upgrades will ensure that our clients, both local and international, will receive world-class port service at the shortest turnaround time,” Locsin said.

The OSS also provides a designated lounge where brokers are given access to Wi-Fi and workstations. The company also recently acquired from Finland Generation G reach stackers that have a 45-ton lift capacity.

To date, the port offers cargo-handling services for both 20- and 40-foot containers, as well as the bigger 45-foot boxes for a full container load (FCL) and especially-handled cargo. The terminal also allows 10-day free storage for cargo exports and imports.

In 2015 SBMA introduced lower harbor and berthing fees resulting in a 75-percent increase in regular port calls from shipping companies that have been doing business in the area for years and new ones ready to take advantage of the latest opportunities.

With strategic business partnerships, trucker costs are now more competitive amounting to almost only a third of the previous price.

“Our seamless and cost-effective transfer of goods allows port users to maximize their business operations,” Locsin said.

With an annual capacity of 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the terminal is projected to exceed last year’s 120,000-TEU cargo volume, now that more business enterprises from nearby Bataan and Clark Field in Pampanga course their cargo through Subic.

Garcia said his group believes that Subic is the best option for businesses that carry imported and exported goods to and from North and Central Luzon.

Garcia also noted that the SBMA has adopted a preadvise system for trucks to improve traffic flow in and out of the free-port zone. This system was first implemented in the Port of Manila and has already made significant improvements in minimizing the dwell times in the port. This is the same efficiency expected to benefit the companies in the Subic port.

“All of these developments in NCT-1 and 2 manifest our readiness to accept the much greater volume of cargo in the port,” Garcia said. “We continue to strive to deliver world-class service and management in our operations as part of our mandate and continued commitment to help drive economic growth in the country. The much greater volume will pose a completely new set of challenges.”

Subic has been making head-way in terms of transshipment and maritime logistics services, overshooting its 2014 port revenue of P908.6 million by 25 percent, with a P1.16-billion collection last year. The port has significantly grown in 2015, as it recorded a 123,558-TEU cargo volume, from just 77,618 TEUs in 2014. (Lorenz S. Marasigan, BusinessMirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/2016/07/30/subic-expects-bigger-cargo-volume-in-2016/

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SBMA, Globe Telecom hold WASAR training in Subic

Members of the SBMA Fire and Rescue Team and the Globe Telecommunication-Emergency Response Team (Globe-ERT) conducted a collaborative water search and rescue (WASAR) exercise at the Subic Bay Freeport waterfront area Thursday morning (July 28) to further enhance joint sea disaster and flooding rescue operations.

Around 30 personnel from the said company trained alongside SBMA rescuers.

Globe Telecom also pledged to donate an inflatable rubber boat with outboard motor to the SBMA Fire and Rescue Team for use in search and rescue operations. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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BoI approves Subic power plant

Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc., led by Meralco PowerGen Corp., received a certificate of registration from the Board of Investments for its 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Subic, Zambales costing P63 billion.

“The registration entitles RPE to duty-free importation of equipment, materials and spares used for the power plant for a period of five years from date of registration. Also income tax holiday for four years from commercial operation,” RP Energy project development manager Joselito Lantin said Friday.

Lantin said RP Energy would build the project in phases. The company is currently negotiating for the engineering, procurement and construction contract covering the first 300-MW phase of the project.

He said the EPC contract would include an option for a second 300-MW unit.

“Targeted to start construction for phase one is fourth quarter 2016. Expected commercial operation is late 2019/early 2020,” Lantin said in a recent briefing.

Electricity generated by the project is covered under a separate power supply agreement with Manila Electric Co. accounting for 225 MW and Aboitiz Energy Solutions contracting 75 MW.

The company signed an amendment to the power plant site lease and transmission line right-of-way lease agreements with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority in February.

“We will do 300 MW and then [expand to] 600 MW, depending on our capability to interconnect with NGCP [National Grid Corporation of the Philippines]. It just takes a few months before you can start the phase two,” Meralco PowerGen chairman Manuel Pangilinan said earlier.

Meralco PowerGen is the power generation arm of Meralco, the country’s biggest power distributor, and owns a majority stake in RP Energy. (Alena Mae S. Flores, Manila Standard)

Full story: http://thestandard.com.ph/business/211878/boi-approves-subic-coal-plant.html

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Asian tourists love Subic, Clark

Koreans and Taiwanese composed the majority of the 1.4 million foreign and local tourists who visited Subic and the 900,000 who trooped to Clark in 2015, according to Ronaldo Tiotuico, the regional director of the Department of Tourism in Central Luzon.

The tourists come to the Philippines for weekend casinos and golf courses, Tiotuico said. Subic attracts more tourists than Clark because it is a seaport with natural wonders, theme parks, white beaches and convention facilities that can accommodate up to 9,000 participants, he added.

Clark, a former air force base, also offers casinos and two golf courses and a convention center that can hold 1,000 persons. Outside the base, Angeles City offers culture, heritage houses and food tourism.

Clark will host a bicycle race on July 30 with 600 participants. The cyclists will visit tourists spots inside the base, which is being promoted as a biking hub. There will also be a two-day trade exhibit by bicycle producers and traders at the mall inside the base, Tiotuico said

Other tourist spots near Clark, Tiotuico said, are the Lahar 4x4 trail, the Mt.Pinatubo crater and the Sta. Juliana native village, which attracts 300 tourists a week.

Tourism authorities are anticipating the conversion of Clark International Airport into a dual airport, but the lack of infrastructure and traffic dampens their enthusiasm.

According to Tiotuico, the tourism gains of a dual airport system will spill over to Regions 1 and 2, including the Cordillera.

However, some sectors urged Tiotuico to first develop the rich tourism potential of Central Luzon to serve the expected increase in arrivals.

Some of these potential tourist magnets are the Death March trail dating back to the World War II, beaches, the Mango Festival of Zambales and Aurora, the planting season of Nueva Ecija and its Science City, the war memorial of Bataan, and the Giant Lantern Festival and the Via Crucis of Pampanga.

Lack of tourism information prevents foreign and local tourists from fully experiencing the treasures of these destinations, they said. (Romeo Dizon, The Standard)

PHOTOS: 
Fun-tastic activities in Subic Bay that attracted 1.4 million foreign and local tourists in 2015 (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://thestandard.com.ph/news/-provinces/211499/asian-tourists-love-subic-clark.html

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Olongapo City officials undergo drug tests in support of anti-illegal drug campaign

OLONGAPO CITY - Local officials in this city led by Mayor Rolen Paulino submitted themselves to drug tests Wednesday as part their support to the national government's campaign against illegal drugs.

There was no special treatment for the local executives led by Paulino. They underwent all procedures-- from filling out forms and physical examination, to submission of urine samples.

“Ginawa naming ito para ipakita at maging ihemplo para sa mga taga Olongapo, kung yung iba nating mga kababayan ay umamin na user or pusher, ito naman ang paraan naming para ipaalam sa taong bayan na malinis at hindi involve sa drugs ang mga namumuno sa kanila,” Paulino said.

Among those who underwent drug testing are Vice Mayor Jong Cortez and city councilors led by Lugie Lipumano, Bj Cajudo, Noel Atienza, Ed Guerrero, Winnie Ortiz, Edna Elane, Linus Bacay, Bas Palo and Jerome Bacay.

“It was a surprise drug test, I told vice mayor Cortez and the city council to meet me in a restaurant and then I led them to the drug testing center,” Paulino said.

All tested negative both for marijuana and Methamphetamine Hydrochloride locally known as shabu.

Last week, around 400 drug dependents, or what the Philippine National Police called reformists, surrendered to Mayor Paulino and the local police and pledged not go back using or dealing illegal drugs.

According to Paulino, the city will be providing them livelihood options like as casket-making, as well as making eco-bags since the city is now implementing the no-plastic policy and making caskets.

Paulino explained that the city will be providing free caskets to indigent residents who can not afford it. “It will save us a lot of money, instead of buying from private funeral homes plus it will provide livelihood to others,” Paulino explained. (SNL)

PHOTOS:

Left: Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino is assisted by a nurse at the drug testing center. Local official led by Paulino underwent a drug test Wednesday, with results yielding negative for illegal drugs.

Right: Olongapo City Vice Mayor pose for a picture before submitting his urine sample at the drug testing center Wednesday. 

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SBMA gives computers to schools ‘to even up learning field’

Talk about levelling the learning field for schoolchildren.

As part of its commitment to help catalyse growth and development in neighboring communities, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be giving away desktop computers to various schools in Olongapo City and the provinces of Zambales and Bataan.

SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia said the agency is looking forward to donating around 90 units of used but serviceable desktop computers to help schoolchildren undertake basic learning in information and communications technology.

“This is our way of taking up the cudgels for the youth who lack access to equipment that could boost their skills and learning potential, to level the playing field,” Garcia explained.

“We have tacitly given these children the responsibility to assume leadership in the years to come, but how could they improve themselves if they lacked the wherewithal to do so? These computers give them the fighting chance, so to speak,” Garcia added.

Garcia said the Hewlett-Packard computers were just replaced with newer models when the agency opted to upgrade its system to achieve greater computing power and to bolster systems efficiency.

According to Vergil Joseph Lansangan, head of the SBMA Management Information Systems Office, they have been putting to good working condition the computer units decommissioned from various SBMA departments prior to delivery to recipient schools.

He said that the units, while not top of the line, are just a few years old. “They’re certified A-Ok,” Lansangan added.

Lansangan said his office had recently delivered 37 computer units to Balanga City for the beneficiary schools. The rest have been allotted to schools in Olongapo and Zambales.

Nomer Alviz, an information technology officer at the SBMA-MIS, said the units have been bundled with basic software that students could readily use.

The software programs are all licensed, he added. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA-MIS head Vergil Lansangan (4th from left) and other SBMA staff delivers computer units for use of schoolchildren in Balanga City. Other units will be donated to various schools in Olongapo City and Zambales. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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