Subic International Marathon races off on Saturday (program of activities attached)

The much-awaited 2nd Smart-Subic International Marathon (SIM) races off at 4 p.m. Saturday at the newly built Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).

The 42.1-mile race that will feature world-class Kenyan runners will start at the Floridablanca, Pampanga exit and ends at the Remy Field inside SBMA Freeport Zone in Olongapo City.

A 3-, 5-, and 10-kilometer side event races will also take place on Sunday.

A total of P1.6 million in cash prizes will be given to the top three finishers in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

A total of 10,000 local and foreign runners are expected to join this big marathon event where the top ten finishers in the male division and the top three female runners will receive cash prizes. The champion goes home with $5,000, $2,500 for the runner-up and $1,000 for the 3rd placer.

Last year, Kenyan Nelson Kirwa Rotich won the main event while Filipino bet Eduardro Buenavista, who will be skipping this year’s edition to prepare for the 25th Laos Southeast Asian Games in December, finished second. (GMANews.TV)


PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES

DAY 1: October 23, 2009; Friday

Event: SUNSET MILE RUN (Media and Celebrity Run)
4:30 PM Assembly Time
5:30 PM Fire-Off
8:00 PM Fellowship

DAY 2: October 24, 2009; Saturday

Event: 42K: A full-marathon race with a starting point at the SCTEx Floridablanca, Pampanga Toll and finish line at the Remy Field, Subic
1:00 PM Assembly time for 42K Runners at Remy Field for shuttling
4:30 PM Fire-off for 42K Runners
7:30 PM After Run Party

Event: NIKE HUMAN RACE 10K
3:00 PM Assembly time (Start / Finish : Remy Field)
4:30 PM Fire-off for the Nike Human Race 10K Runners
7:30 PM After Run Party

DAY 3: October 25, 2009; Sunday

Event: 21K: A half-marathon race billed as “Achievement Run for our Uniformed Men”
5:00 AM Assembly time for 21K Runners
5:30 AM Fire-off for 21K Runners

Event: 10K: A 10-kilometer run with starting point and finish line at the Remy Field, Subic
5K: A 5-kilometer run with starting point and finish line at the Remy Field, Subic
3K: A 3-kilometer run billed as “Humanitarian Race” and will be open to our handicapped runners
5:30 AM Assembly time for 3K/5K/10K Runners
6:00 AM Fire-off for 3K/5K/10K Runners

9:30 AM Awarding Ceremony

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Hanafil starts $5-M renovation of Subic golf course

In a simple “dirt pushing” ceremony, Subic golf course operator Hanafil Golf and Tour Inc. began on Wednesday a one-year renovation program designed to upgrade the fairways here to world-class standards and bring in more foreign tourists next year.

Leading the ceremony on Wednesday night at Subic’s Binictican area was Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga, Hanafil chairman Jay Kim, Hanafil president Benjamin John Defensor III, and Netforce International president Bong Arguelles.

Arreza, who drove a bulldozer at the project site to kick off the dirt pushing rites, described the event as “a momentous occasion” to mark the reconstruction of the prized Subic facility.

“We want to upgrade the golf course here, put it at par with international standards, and place it at the forefront of SBMA’s effort to further enhance the tourism market in Subic,” Arreza said.

“We believe that Subic Golf has proven its capability to bring in more tourists to Subic after its highly-successful junket flight program that brought in more than 1,800 Koreans to play golf in the freeport,” he added.

Arreza also said that the renovation of the Subic golf course will prepare local tourism establishments “for more opportunities coming their way.”

According to Defensor, the $5-million renovation program to be implemented in a year is just part of the overall $48-million development package that Hanafil intends to implement in Subic.

Reiterating Hanafil’s commitment to the SBMA to fulfill its development plans, Defensor said more projects would soon follow after the renovation.

“We are committed. In the bigger picture of things, the golf course will only be one of the attractions that we are going to build,” Defensor said.

Defensor said that Hanafil, which is now one of the largest companies in Subic in terms of committed investment, has contracted out the renovation work to Netforce International, the country's number one golf course builder and designer.

“We chose Netforce, a company which has an extensive experience in building golf courses, because we would also like to support the economy by hiring Filipino companies like Netforce,” Defensor added.

Netforce officials, meanwhile, revealed that in renovating the whole golf course, the company would reshape the existing greens, using paspaplum grass for the greens and Tifton 419 for the fairways. Completion is scheduled for November 2010.

Defensor said the renovation is timed to be completed “just when it starts getting cold in the northern countries.”

Hanafil, which mainly targets golfers from South Korea, will resume its junket flight program immediately after the golf course is fully renovated.

Defensor said the firm’s first junket flight program with Jeju Airlines has proven to be a success, with about 1,800 Koreans participating in three-day golfing holidays organized by Hanafil.

Defensor also said that during the renovation period, the whole 18-hole golf course would be closed “so that we could fully reconstruct the whole area.”

He added that the company is coordinating with Netforce and other construction firms to ensure that golf course employees who would have to be laid off during the renovation stage, could be absorbed by the contractors.

Hanafil is a Philippine corporation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is backed by Hanatour, the biggest tour company in South Korea. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTOS:
[1] SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga (second from right) and SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (third from right) join Hanafil officials in launching the $5-million renovation program for the Subic golf course. Also in photo are (from right): Hanafil chairman Jay Kim, Hanafil president Benjamin John Defensor III, SBMA senior deputy administrator for support services Ramon Agregado, SBMA deputy administrator for business development Raul Marcelo, and Netforce president Bong Arguelles.

[2] SBMA administrator Armand Arreza drives a bulldozer during the “dirt pushing” ceremony to start the $5-million renovation program of the Subic Bay golf course.

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No problem with venue transfer to Subic, says AdCon chief

MANILA - Even with just a month left before the big day, organizers of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) are confident that the transfer of the event venue from Baguio City to Subic Bay Freeport would be smooth.

“Tuloy na tuloy ang AdCon (The Advertising Congress will definitely push through),” said Margot Torres, overall chair of the 21st PAC, during a recent briefing at the office of the Philippine Advertising Board (AdBoard) in Makati.

“We are fortunate that Subic is available,” Torres added, noting that the transition from Baguio to Subic would not be difficult because Subic officials and volunteers “had learned quickly” from hosting the 20th PAC in 2007.

Torres also said the organizing committee was “profusely thankful” to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza for providing them with an alternative venue.

The PAC, which is scheduled on November 18-21, had to be moved from Baguio due to the badly typhoon-damaged roads leading to the original congress venue.

“The problem lies not with Baguio City itself, but the roads leading to it,” Torres explained, saying that the committee’s decision was made with the delegates’ safety in mind.

She added that the alternative route to Baguio, as proposed by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), would take nine hours to traverse.

The officials of Camp John Hay, where the event was originally set, understand the AdBoard’s position, Torres added.

She also said that media networks, advertisers and sponsors of the 21st PAC, a biennial event which is considered the advertising industry’s equivalent to the “Oscars,” had confirmed their participation and support upon learning that the alternative venue would be Subic.

“The venue is tailor-fit to our needs,” Torres said, referring to the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) that was purposely refurbished in 2007 to host some 5,000 PAC delegates two years ago.

Meanwhile, Torres said that SBMA Administrator Arreza had given the assurance that Subic’s hotels could now accommodate more than 3,000 delegates.

Torres added that despite the venue transfer, only minor changes would be made to the congress program itself.

From the supposed breakout groups, plenary sessions will be held instead, as the SBECC’s Plenary Hall 1 can seat some 3,500 people.

The congress theme and topics for discussion likewise would remain unchanged, she said, although a slant was introduced to make the event more meaningful and relevant.

Torres added that they will soon launch the AdCon’s “Brand Aid” campaign, which will center on what messages from the advertising industry will be appropriate, especially at times when the Filipino nation is reeling from disasters, like the recent typhoons.

She also revealed that one reason why the PAC could not be postponed was that the industry needed to convene at the soonest time possible to immediately execute plans of action to help flood and typhoon victims.

Torres said Ad Congress organizers had pledged part of the proceeds from the 21st PAC to the Red Cross and other beneficiaries still to be identified by the AdBoard.

“It was even proposed that proceeds from ticket sales in the event’s highlight — the Araw Awards — could be given to the flood victims,” Torres said.

AdBoard representatives will meet with SBMA officials on Friday afternoon to discuss details of the Advertising Congress here. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: The Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) will be the venue of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) on November 18-21. Subic also hosted the 20th PAC in 2007.

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SBMA employees’ co-op lent out P2-M in two years

A cooperative formed by employees of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has already released more than P2 million in loans — proof of a vibrant savings and investment scheme that has benefited more than 400 members in just two years.

Officials of the SBMA Employees Welfare Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SEWMPC) said the cooperative has also inaugurated its own office barely two years after its launching in October 2007.

“It can be declared to all that there is now a respectable cooperative within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, as we now have an actual office, a manifestation of our members’ strong confidence,” said SEWMPC chairman Severo Pastor Jr.

“We have already extended at least P2 million in loans to some 400 members who are in need of financial support, and another P200,000 is ready for releasing,” Pastor also said.

He added that with its new, fully-furnished office located at the SBMA gym complex, the cooperative can better reach out to SBMA employees working in various areas of the Freeport.

SEWMPC was organized in 2006 with full support and encouragement from SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga and SBMA administrator Armand Arreza.

Aimed at uplifting the living conditions of SBMA employees, the cooperative has helped its members increase their income and savings through investments, as well as greater productivity.

Pastor, who is also manager of the SBMA Labor Department, said the creation of the SEWMPC was likewise a direct answer to the growing operation of local loan sharks “who milked our fellow employees with unconscionable interest rates.”

Today the SEWMPC has about P2.5 million in assets, mostly sourced from members of the board who voluntarily lent their money for the operation of the cooperative.

In his message during the inauguration of the cooperative’s new office, SBMA Chairman Salonga said the SEWMPC has proven to be “a reliable lifesaver in these times of global recession and calamities.”

“Through our cooperative, we can make our life a bit easier,” Salonga said. “And we are looking forward to the time when we won’t need it anymore, to the time when we have all the chance to buy anything we need.”

The new office, according to Pastor, will be registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), a step toward becoming part of a federation of cooperatives within Central Luzon.

On the same occasion, Zambales CDA officer Edmund Engao swore into office the elected leaders of the cooperative. These are SEWMPC chairman Pastor, vice chairman Lolita Mallari, treasurer Evelyn Crescini, and secretary Dorotea Varela.

Engao also inducted into office the cooperative’s board members: Rodolfo Kalaquian, chairman of the audit committee; Magdaleno Motas, Paulita Yee, Antonietta Sanqui, Marco Estabillo, Rodel Mayor, Emerlinda Delos Reyes, and Rebecca Ventura. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: MOVING FORWARD: SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga (left) inaugurates the new office of the SBMA Employees Welfare Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which has released more than P2-million in loans to its members.

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Subic taekwondo team retains title in 2nd Chairman’s Cup

About 150 taekwondo enthusiasts from the Central Luzon region flocked to this free port recently in a bid to conquer titles in the 2nd Chairman’s Cup Invitational Taekwondo Tournament, an annual event sanctioned by the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA).

After the whole-day competition held at the Subic Gymnasium here, Subic-based Philko Taekwondo Training Center was declared champion after garnering 287 total group points. The team successfully defended their 2008 title against three other teams.

Philko was way ahead second placer Korean Grace Taekwondo, a team from Angeles City in Pampanga, which accumulated a total of 58 points, while the Subic-based Mondriaan Aura College Taekwondo Jins trailed with 50 points, and Precious Child Montessori of Zambales with 27 points.

The winners received trophies and certificates of recognition in group and individual categories.

The 2nd Chairman’s Cup Invitational Tournament was organized by Mondriaan Aura College, in partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Hallelujah Taekwondo Ministry (HTM), a full-gospel group from South Korea that reaches out to the youth through sports.

In the event’s opening ceremony, SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga assured the various taekwondo associations gathered for the tournament that SBMA will continue to put prime importance to sports and youth development, in line with its sports tourism thrust.

“The SBMA will continue to provide avenues for sports where local athletes can hone their skills” said Salonga, citing this free port’s sports-conducive environment and modern sports facilities.

Salonga also lauded the efforts of Aura College and HTM for finding a way to strengthen Filipino-Korean ties, and promoting youth welfare through sports.

Rev. Lee Joo Hyung, who headed the Korean delegation of about 15 athletes, said that by donating taekwondo gears and equipment to Aura College, which is propagating the sport locally, the HTM “is merely sharing the blessings that we have.”

Lee said the HTM, which was organized in Korea in 1988, has been conducting similar tournaments in Manila for the past eight years.

He said they decided to bring taekwondo competitions to Subic since an HTM missions base was nearby, and because the Subic Bay Freeport has available facilities.

Meanwhile, Aura College president Edgar Geniza described the event as “a celebration of two cultures glorifying one God through sports.”

“This tournament will go on as long as friendship between the Philippines and Korea continues,” said Geniza. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: TAEKWONDO KIDS: Participants in the 2nd Chairman’s Cup Invitational Taekwondo Tournament held at the Subic Bay Freeport await instructions prior to group and individual competitions.

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ALI leases 7.5-ha Subic property for integrated master-planned development

MANILA, Philippines - Real estate developer Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) signed last Oct. 16 a 50-year lease agreement for a 7.5-hectare property along Rizal Highway within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Given Ayala Land’s unmatched experience and proven track record of world-class real estate projects, an integrated master-planned development which is envisioned to include a shopping mall, Business Process Outsourcing office building, and hotel will proudly rise at Subic’s Central Business District.

The proposed mall shall offer basic conveniences that will address the everyday needs of Subic and Olongapo, as well as unique concepts that will serve not only the immediate communities but also the tourists and transients.

ALI’s development will be a catalyst for growth in the Subic-Olongapo corridor and will be a major mixed use project in the Subic Freeport Zone that is well-planned, integrated and environmentally balanced.

With a total investment of approximately P3 billion including investments generated from the project’s multiplier-effect from retail, office and hotel locators, the project is expected to create about 10,000 new jobs from construction phase to operations. (Philippine Star)

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Subic ready for Ad Congress

After organizers of the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress pulled out of Baguio City due to safety concerns following the damage wrought by a series of typhoons in Northern Luzon, officials in this free port said Subic was more than ready to host the event.

"We're ready to accommodate them. Already we have the venue and hotel rooms are available," said Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza.

But Arreza said officials of the SBMA and the Advertising Board (AdBoard) have yet to finalize details of the congress' shift in venue to this free port, which hosted the biennial convention in 2007 and 1993.

"It is not final yet, although we are ready for them if they choose this venue.… The decision still lies with the AdBoard. I'm certain that they are looking for other venues. No agreement is in place yet," he said.

The congress is the biggest event that brings together the country's top corporations and advertisers and representatives and officials of media and advertising firms.

The SBMA, in preparation for the 2007 congress, built a convention facility that has a 2,456-square meter plenary hall and an exhibit area covering about 10,000 square meters.

Arreza said the SBMA has started contingency planning with representatives of the AdBoard.

Asked about the logistical challenge that the transfer of the venue might entail, Olongapo Councilor Gina Perez, chair of the city council's tourism committee, said the city has enough time to prepare for the event scheduled in November.

She said hotels and restaurants in Subic and Olongapo can easily reserve rooms for delegates.

"Like before, they are welcome here. We will make sure that if they choose us; we will be ready for their requirements," Perez said.(Robert Gonzaga, PDI Central Luzon Desk)

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Storm's Aftermath: 21st Ad Congress moved to Subic

MANILA, Philippines — The trail of destruction across northern Luzon left by Tropical Storms “Ondoy” (international codename: Ketsana) and “Pepeng” (Parma) has forced the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard) to hold the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC) closer to Metro Manila instead of Baguio as originally planned.

“It is with reluctance that we withdraw from Baguio, as the city has been most supportive and generous to the 21st PAC from the planning stages right until this moment when preparations are near completion,” the PAC said on its website.

Instead, the ad congress scheduled on Nov. 18-21 will take place in Subic.

“We have never doubted Baguio’s resilience nor its readiness to accommodate the 21st PAC in spite of the disaster. But the further strain thousands of delegates and participants would subject the already weakened northern Luzon infrastructure would put their safety and that of the local people’s at risk,” the PAC said.

Despite the short notice and various requirements, Subic authorities have readily agreed to host the 21st PAC.

Dedicated to victims

The sufferings of the victims of Ondoy and Pepeng are not lost on the advertising industry.

“The 21st PAC is the best time for the industry to come together and reflect on ways to be of service to the typhoons’ victims and to respond to the call of nation rebuilding. Our economy must not come to a standstill. We must help drive the local economy back on its feet,” the PAC said.

“We dedicate the 21st PAC to the victims of the northern Luzon calamity. Part of our proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross for rehabilitation efforts in northern Luzon. This ad congress has heart and a cause. We enjoin all members of the industry to be an active part of this endeavor,” it added. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

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Beach Clean-up, after the storm

AFTER THE STORM: Employees of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, assisted by students and workers from schools and investor-companies in the Subic Bay Freeport, undertake the cleanup of Subic’s famed waterfront after successive typhoons washed up debris onshore.

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P20-M Subic IT facility offers ‘revolutionary’ business ideas

Had it crossed anyone’s mind 10 years ago that coffee shops and restaurants today would serve “wi-fi” on their menu to boost sales?

This kind of foresight in emerging and revolutionary trade trends is now available to businesses in this free port with the opening of the P20-million innovation Laboratory (Innolab) of the Subic Telecommunications Company Inc. (Subictel), a company owned by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Corp. (PLDT).

Subictel launched its new facility last Wednesday at its office near Subic’s historical landmark, the Spanish Gate. Among those who witnessed the event were Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, Olongapo City mayor James Gordon, PLDT executives and staff, members of the Subic Bay Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of business locators here.

Arreza said that the PLDT Innolab will showcase Subic’s capabilities in terms of IT support, and will eventually determine to some extent direction taken by the IT sector in this free port.

“PLDT’s Innolab marks a new foundation for Subic Bay’s emergence in the knowledge economy,” said Arreza, who expressed optimism that this free port’s business process outsourcing (BPO) potentials will soon be maximized.

“With PLDT as partner, the Subic Bay Freeport can now shift from labor-intensive industries to knowledge-based industries, guided by the emerging trends in the IT sector,” Arreza added.

According to PLDT first vice-president Nerissa Ramos, the PLDT Innolab features “proofs of concept” of breakthrough technologies that are being offered by PLDT.

“Soon, everyone will realize that Subic’s IT capabilities is as good as what is offered in Manila, Cebu, Clark and other renowned BPO destinations in the country,” Ramos said.

According to PLDT, it is now offering various “cutting edge” IT solutions in the fields of hotel and restaurant management, manufacturing, retailing, franchising, real estate, and BPO.

“The Internet is playing a huge role in today’s management of businesses. With PLDT solutions, people can monitor and make business directions even from afar, and even generate cost-savings, as they employ these technologies that streamline business processes,” Ramos said.

For example, she said people can try out the video conferencing studio that has been set up in the Innolab. This has a “dirty kitchen” where they can simulate their clients’ technology and demonstrate how to hook it up with PLDT’s IT solutions.

“They can see for themselves the results immediately in the Innolab,” Ramos explained.

At the same time Ramos expressed hope that through PLDT’s Innolab, the BPO industry in Subic Bay would flourish.

She said that Subic Bay can play a major role in the outsourcing industry as this former US military base is a major connector to PLDT’s fiber optics network.

Ramos also said they will soon partner with universities and colleges within the Subic Freeport to bridge the academe-industry mismatch in terms of information technology.

“Schools can make PLDT’s Innolab a destination for their field trips. We also propose tie-ups with tertiary schools so the academe will get to have hands-on update on the current gadgets, systems, and trends in the IT sector,” she said.

Soon, Ramos said, everyone will realize that the country is not lagging behind, adding that the Philippine’s telecommunications infrastructure and road networks “are a lot better compared to India,” which is considered a prime destination in the global BPO scene.

The PLDT’s Subictel Innolab is the fifth such facility in the country. The first one was launched in Manila in 2003, and subsequently in Cebu, Clark, and Davao. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (second from right) and Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr. join executives of PLDT and Subictel in launching PLDT’s Innovation Laboratory at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

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PLDT ‘innolabs’ target next-wave cities

Telecoms giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is aligning its IT outsourcing strategy with the government’s next-wave cities program.

PLDT recently opened its latest innovation lab, or “innolab”, here (in Subic) targeting the freeport’s huge shipping and related businesses.

These innolabs feature best-of-breed technologies targeted to address specific IT requirements.

PLDT First Vice President and Head of Corporate Business Group Nerisse Ramos said local industries are already looking at a “globalized” market for their products and service but they are unaware of the technological practices to enable their goals.

A recent study by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) noted that the telecoms industry will ride the global crisis as broadband services become even more relevant both for businesses and individual users.

Companies are seen to migrate requirements to cost-effective and reliable managed services pitched by telecom firms.

PLDT is looking to make this pitch even to small and medium businesses, which comprise majority of businesses in the country.

“That’s why the outsourcing model works in the Philippines because many of these companies are unable to maximize their IT investments; they spend a lot without realizing these investments,” Ramos said.

Ramos said that one of their targets is to look at other locations with a community of businesses that can use Innolab services.

“We’re following the “Next Wave Cities” project of the government if we’re going to put up Innolabs,” Ramos said.

The Next Wave Cities project is led by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology. It aims to build the necessary public works and telecommunications infrastructure in certain areas in the Philippines to entice potential investors from abroad. (Alexander Villafania, Phil. Daily Inquirer)

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Here comes the roadtrain: Subic to launch cost-efficient trucking system via SCTEx

A trucking system popularly used in Argentina, Australia, Mexico, United States and Western Canada to efficiently transport bulky loads will soon be seen for the first time along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).

Expected to hit the SCTEx in the fourth quarter this year, the so-called road train or “triples,” as it is known in the U.S. and Canada, will be introduced by the International Heavy Trucks Center (IHTC), a Subic-registered enterprise.

The roadtrain consists of a conventional tractor pulling not just one trailer, but two or three using a trailer truck dolly. A trailer dolly is a single-axled articulated fifth wheel that connects two or three trailers pulled by a tractor head.

IHTC said the use of the roadtrain at the SCTEx was arranged through continuous coordination with Philippine National Construction Corporation.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza said that the use of trailer truck dollies via the SCTEx “will mean big savings and provide more efficient means of transporting goods between Clark and Subic.”

“We’re sure that the trailer dollies will attract not only more investors and port users in Subic and Clark Freeport zones, but also other importers and exporters from Central and Northern Luzon,” Arreza said.

He explained that the introduction of the trailer dolly would also lower freight cost because two or three more trailers can now be connected behind the main trailer.

Arthur delos Reyes, SBMA consultant for special projects and economic development, said the IHTC will initially be using two trailer dollies that are about 90-feet long each.

The trailer dollies are “very safe and road worthy,” he added.

“Being the first in the Philippines, this cost-saving mechanism is expected to encourage heavy port users in Central Luzon to use Subic, thus increasing shipments in the Freeport,” Reyes said.

Reyes also said that the new transport concept will be used only in the SCTEx, which connects the free ports of Clark and Subic, because the roads leading to the ports of Subic and Clark are wider and hardly have any traffic problem.

The truck dollies, however, cannot be used presently in the North Luzon Expressway or South Luzon Expressway, he added. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
The roadtrain, a cost-efficient trucking system expected to lower freight cost, will be introduced at the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

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Hanjin Subic gets 10 ship orders from French container firm

CMA CGM Group, the world’s third-largest container line operator, has placed ship orders to South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin for 10 ships for Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction -Philippines (HHIC-Phil) in Subic.

CMA CGM has a total of 51 ships ordered from various South Korean shipyards for the 2009-2012 period.

CMA CGM is a leading client of South Korean yards and Hanjin has secured orders which will be constructed by its affiliate yard in the Philippines.

It currently operates 370 ships in 200 shipping lines around the world.

The firm is undergoing debt restructuring effort and has reached agreement on the establishment of a committee comprised of French, European and international banks including certain major financial institutions from Asia and the Republic of Korea.

The firm is addressing short and medium term financing requirements with a view of strengthening the capital structure to ensure its ongoing development.

In 2008, it moved the equivalent of 8.9 million 20-foot container units, generating revenue estimated at $15.1 billion.

Compared with the second half of 2008, the first half of 2009 saw record decreases in freight rates and shipment volumes on all main shipping lines around the world.

However, the level of activity began to improve again during the third quarter of this year and, so far this recovery is sustained in the fourth quarter.

The forecasted load factors and freight rates for the beginning of 2010 suggest a possible continuation of these recent positive trends.

CMA CGM will continue with the initiatives started during the course of 2009.

CMA CGM is aiming to reach an all-encompassing agreement with the help of the committee by the middle of November.

HHIC-Phil on the other hand said the continued construction of high value ships only show its positive performance amidst the economic meltdown.

The Subic Shipyard, one of the world’s Top 10 largest shipyards, is equipped with high technology shipbuilding facilities that include mega docks and goliath cranes that are used to build high technology, high value added ships.

At present, the Subic shipyard focuses on mega and large container carriers of 12,800 TEU or more, as well as tankers and bulk carriers and it no longer import ship components from Korea, as it embarks on building its own.

Lynette Dela Cruz, Seaport Department Strategic Planning Head of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said Hanjin Subic delivered the 5th vessel to an Egyptian firm in August. (Genivi Facto, Malaya)

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US forces deliver aid to flood victims

The United States said Monday its military forces were carrying out rescue missions, delivering aid and providing medical care for victims of the flooding in the Philippines.

"US forces are helping support rescue operations for victims of the flooding, as well as distributing essential relief supplies," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters. "They're providing medical treatment to flood victims," he added.

He said the US Agency for International Development set aside 1.8 million to help relief organizations deliver relief to the needy.

"The USS Tortuga and the USS Harpers Ferry are in Subic Bay right now and are providing support," Kelly said.

Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman quoted by Pacific Command, said nearly 450 US Marines and sailors posted in the Manila area delivered relief supplies, cleared roads, and provided basic medical care to residents over the weekend.

"More than 8,000 food packages have been delivered, and more than 1,400 Philippine residents have received medical care," according to the Pacific Command website. (Olongapo City News)

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Charges filed against Subic drug suspect

Manila - The Department of Justice (DoJ) has filed narcotics charges against Harry Yao, owner of a warehousing company in Subic Bay Freeport Zone which allegedly handled the illegal drug shipment of businessman Anthony Ang.

Acting Justice Secretary Agnes VST. Devanadera also ordered the reversal of an earlier resolution that cleared Mr. Ang’s associates, namely, Robert Lee, Anton S. Go, Rudy G. Chua, Cai Changcheng and Cai Wengcong.

In May 2008, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials intercepted a car driven by Mr. Ang, then the operations manager of Hualong, Inc. which is into transhipment.

Mr. Ang had claimed the boxes inside his car were computer components and asked that he be allowed to retrieve the documents for the cargo. He did not return and authorities later on found out the boxes contained high-grade methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

Authorities also later on discovered hundreds of kilograms of shabu insideHualong’s warehouse. Ms. Devanadera said the respondents "have admittedly permitted respondent Ang to run the transhipment business and have acquiesced in or assented to his patently unlawful acts." (bworldonline.com)

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Solon bats for stronger SBMA, CDC

Bataan Rep. Abet S. Garcia is pushing for the enactment of a law strengthening and expanding the powers of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Clark Development Corp. (CDC) to allow them to further develop other Special Economic Zones in Luzon to optimize airports and seaports in Subic and in Manila.

Eldest son of Bataan Governor Enrique “Tet” Garcia, the bachelor solon said that “The State must be aggressive in taking advantage of the strategic infrastructure in Subic, Clark and Manila as international transportation hubs. The development of Special Economic Zones in the municipalities nearby, bordering the highway and railway and connected to the airports and seaports in Subic, Clark and Manila must be encouraged as this will bring jobs to the people and work to the workers and promote a rising standard of living and an improved quality of life for all. The development of these Special Economic Zones will embody a decentralized local government and private sector-led development..." (Mar T. Supnad, Manila Bulletin)

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Kenyan eyes Subic marathon defense

KENYAN RUNNER NELSON KIRWA Rotich leads the foreign charge when he defends his title in the 2nd Smart Subic International Marathon that starts at the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway and ends at Remy Field on Oct. 24 and 25 in Subic Bay, Olongapo City.

Rotich, who clocked 2 hours, 27 minutes and 11 seconds to nip Filipino Eduardo Buenavista (2:27:56) for the title last year, headlines a field expected to reach 10,000 that will negotiate a scenic route that will pass through Floridablanca, Pampanga.

Speaking at the PSA Forum on Tuesday, Subic marathon founder Gen. Sam Tucay (ret.) and race organizer Adi delos Reyes said that at least 30 Kenyan runners have confirmed their participation in the event, along with a slew of participants from the United States, Australia and China.

The marathon will veer away from the traditional early morning start with the race firing off at 4 p.m. on Oct. 24.

Apart from the regular 42K race, 21K, 10K, 5K and 3K events will be held simultaneously the following day.

More than P1.2 million in prize money will be at stake in the event with the men’s champion receiving $5,000, Delos Reyes said. (Phil. Daily Inquirer)

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SBMA sends 2nd emergency contingent to Ondoy victims

The participation of volunteers from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in rescue and relief operations in the wake of Typhoon Ondoy tragedy kicked into high gear, as the agency sent a second emergency contingent to flood-ravaged Metro Manila.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza deployed additional members of the crack SBMA Fire and Rescue Team, as another typhoon edged closer to Philippine territory and authorities urged residents in flood-prone areas to be ready for more heavy rains.

On Sunday SBMA first dispatched its search-and-rescue team, along with rubber boats and other emergency equipment, to the Marikina area.

Arreza, who is also director of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), said the SBMA has traditionally sent its fire and rescue teams “anytime, anywhere to provide assistance and to save lives and properties.”

Aside from the fire and rescue team, rescue vehicles and rubber boats, the SBMA sent out about P300,000 worth of relief goods on Wednesday.(H. Empeño, Business Mirror)

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SBMA sends help to Ondoy victims in Metro Manila

As typhoon "Pepeng" moved closer to Philippine territory on Wednesday, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) kicked its rescue and relief operations into higher mode to help provide food and other basic necessities to flood victims in Metro Manila, as well as search for missing persons in the aftermath of the “Ondoy” tragedy.

Early yesterday, the SBMA sent out some P300,000-worth of relief goods, rescue vehicles, rubber boats, and another batch of trained rescue personnel to the flood-ravaged Marikina in response to the call for assistance made by the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).

The SBMA emergency contingent dispatched yesterday was composed of firemen, harbor patrol personnel, and even common employees willing to set up camp to help out in various operations at the emergency station set up by PNRC at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

A search and rescue team was first dispatched on Sunday, along with rubber boats and other emergency equipment, to the Marikina area.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, who is also a director of the PNRC, said 1,100 bags of relief goods, each containing five kilos of rice, four cans of sardines and six packs of instant noodles, were hastily packed by SBMA employees “to immediately build up the food stock” at the PNRC station.

The SBMA also sent 35 bales of used clothing, along with some 12 cavans of rice, Arreza said.

Arreza explained that more goods coming from the Subic Bay Freeport area will follow, as the SBMA gathers more donations from the hundreds of business locators in this free port.

“It has become a tradition here to send out goods to calamity-stricken areas where the SBMA rescue team is dispatched,” Arreza said.

“When SBMA rescue equipment and personnel are stationed in an area, one might as well expect goods from the Subic community pouring in soon,” he added.

Arreza also said that the trained SBMA emergency personnel were specifically sought by the PNRC, which currently lacks operators for their recently-acquired fire trucks.

The SBMA firemen, after assessing the situation, will embark on cleaning operations in the mud-inundated communities of Marikina, he said.

As the SBMA called for volunteers to help in the search, rescue and relief efforts, some SBMA employees left the comfort of their offices and joined the agency’s emergency team.

“This is one of the greatest sources of personal satisfaction for us — to be able to help our countrymen who are in dire need,” said Sander Lucban, an SBMA warehouseman who joined SBMA's humanitarian mission.

With only a single set of spare clothes, Lucban said he is willing to extend his scheduled one-day stay at the PNRC camp if his services would be needed in the coming days.

“The boss (Arreza) need only say so. We are ready,” he said, speaking on behalf of the 17 other volunteers from his department.

The SBMA rescue team, which has set itself apart for the exhaustive training of its personnel and its modern equipment, is being dispatched almost all over Luzon to conduct various rescue operations.

Before the typhoon “Ondoy” tragedy, the SBMA rescue team was busy in Botolan, Zambales, which was also hit by floods after a series of typhoons beginning last month. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: SBMA employees load up trucks with some P.3-million worth of relief goods for flood victims in Metro Manila, as SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza looks on. The SBMA also sent out its emergency team to help in search and rescue operations in flood-ravaged communities.

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‘Hassle-free’ cash card launched in Subic Free Port

Vacations and leisure trips to popular tourism attractions in this free port have just gotten more efficient with the recent introduction of a cashless-transaction system for paying the bills.

This, after Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and Pilipinas Micro-Matrix Technology Inc. (PMTI), an information and communications technology firm based in this free port, launched the RCBC MyWallet-WOW Mangga Card that integrated features of an ATM card and a credit card.

Prior to the cobranding venture, MyWallet is known as a prepaid stored-value ATM/cash card designed to give holders easy access to the bank’s deposit and withdrawal facilities, as well as faster transactions with business establishments.

The WOW Mangga Card, on the other hand, was recently introduced in the Subic Bay Free Port for cashless payment with accredited business theme parks, hotels, restaurants and other tourism establishments.

The resulting fusion of features “introduces the convenience of cashless transactions with fast and accurate payments that also eliminate the problem of short-changing due to the unavailability of coins,” the firms said in a statement.

The RCBC-WOW Mangga card can also be used for the unique “hop-on, hop-off” transportation system recently introduced by WOW Card to efficiently bring visitors to various tourism attractions in the Subic Bay Free Port.

The card, which is now available in RCBC branches nationwide, also allows family vacationers to plan ahead for their trips to Subic with the “Pack Your Own Package” scheme that also provides discounts.

The introduction of the cashless- transaction system, said Raul Marcelo, deputy administrator for business development of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), “will definitely boost the tourism program in the Subic Bay Free Port Zone.”

“At the same time, this will bring Subic to the next level, as far as adapting technology to bolster tourism is concerned,” he added.

The SBMA had earlier endorsed the introduction of PMTI’s WOW Mangga Card to draw more foreign tourists who are more at home with cashless transactions.

“With WOW Card’s joint venture with RCBC, Subic’s bid to be at the cutting edge of technology is further strengthened,” Marcelo said. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror Online)

IN PHOTO -- OFFICIALS of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and Pilipinas Micro-Matrix Technology Inc. (PMII) conclude an agreement integrating RCBC’s MyWallet with PMTI’s WOW Mangga Card for cashless-transactions convenience at the Subic Bay Free Port. Photo shows (from left) RCBC executives Emma Siapno, Nestor Pineda and Ismael Mike Sandig, and PMTI officials Laurence Ilicito and Sarah Jane Sandoval. H. EMPEÑO

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Subic marine park starts dolphin-breeding program

The operator of the Ocean Adventure marine park in this free port has embarked on a cetacean breeding program to boost the number of dolphins in its open-water viewing facilities.

According to a statement from the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium Inc. (SBMEI), the company that operates Ocean Adventure and its sister facility, Camayan Beach Resort & Hotel, four more dolphins were acquired recently from Japan for the marine park’s breeding program.

Three female and one male bottle- nosed dolphins were the new arrivals, the SBMEI said. They are now undergoing a routine 30-day quarantine and acclimatization period before their introduction to the existing dolphin population at the park.

Ocean Adventure, which is one of the most popular tourism attractions in the Subic Bay Free Port today, is expanding its marine park business that features trained dolphins, false killer whales and sea lions that perform in a huge open-water habitat.

The SBMEI said that under a permit approved by the Department of Agriculture, the four new dolphins will be part of a cetacean breeding program “so that a stable and sustainable population of bottle-nosed dolphins at Ocean Adventure may be achieved.”

The dolphin breeding program was pushed by the firm after it became “extremely successful” with its sea-lion reproductive-management program that has produced three healthy sea- lion pups this year. The company said a total of seven pups have been born so far at the marine park since it began operations in 2001.

Before they were transferred to Subic, the four dolphins lived in an open-water facility in Japan, where they underwent some preliminary conditioning and training for the past two years, the SBMEI said.

At their new Ocean Adventure home, the new dolphins will undergo further training from Ocean Adventure’s animal-care experts and training staff to “enhance the animals’ development through internationally recognized positive-reinforcement training techniques,” the SBMEI said.

Aside from being used in the SBMEI’s cetacean breeding program, the four dolphins will also become the “new additions to our already exciting lineup of entertainment and activities,” said John Corcoran, a director of the SBMEI.

The company said it has opened two new shows this month that feature trained animals at Ocean Adventure.

The first one, the Rap, Jump and Roll Show,” is presented at a new seaside stadium and features international trampoline performers, along with the park’s famous animal mascots and dancers.

The second is called “Walk on the Wild Side,” shown at the new Eco Theater, and includes forest animals, along with Aeta tribesmen who demonstrate jungle survival skills.

SBMEI chairman and CEO Timothy Desmond also announced recently that the firm has opened “Adventure Beach,” which was designed for special events, group outings and team-building activities. (Henry Empeño , Business Mirror Online)

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Subic tourism week focuses on diversity

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) kicked off the celebration of Tourism Week here on Monday with a smorgasbord of events that focus on the highly-diversified natural attractions here, as well as the unique culture of local inhabitants.

The week-long tourism celebration also features events aimed at fostering camaraderie among various tourism stakeholders in this free port, and promoting livelihood opportunities among local residents.

For the official opening of the Tourism Week, SBMA employees and other stakeholders in the local tourism industry gathered in front of the SBMA administration building, where Subic Bay’s iconic double-decker tourist buses and other vehicles duly-festooned with balloons and buntings began a motorcade that made the rounds of the Subic Bay Freeport.

SBMA deputy administrator for tourism Raul Marcelo said the SBMA has also scheduled job fairs, seminars and skills-building programs for hoteliers and restaurant owners, beach cleanups, tree-planting activities, and team-building events throughout the week-long observance.

Special programs like the Subic Bay tourism sports festival, and the Subic Bay familiarization tour that will give visitors glimpses into the unique facets of this former US military base, will also be held, said Marcelo.

“We want to create an awareness that the success of tourism here depends on many factors — caring for the environment, equipping the workforce, forging cooperation between stakeholders, and knowing intimately what Subic Bay has to offer,” he also said.

To give due emphasis to these factors that made Subic a popular tourism attraction, Marcelo said the line-up of events for the Tourism Week has been planned under the theme “Tourism Celebrating Diversity.”

“We are balancing the forward thrust of tourism with environmental and cultural sustainability,” Marcelo said in a briefing here.

“We are saying that this could be attained by tapping the greatest capability of man — the ability to foster social responsibility and forge cooperation to achieve goals,” he added.

The SBMA tourism chief explained that this is the strategy employed by the SBMA that has made Subic Bay a popular destination.

“Tourists are actually people who want to escape from their monotonous surroundings. They go to places that offer something different. The tourism industry, therefore, banks on diversity,” Marcelo said.

“This is the unique facet of Subic Bay; it is a destination with many destinations,” he added, citing this free port’s clean beaches, virgin tropical rainforests, zoos, theme parks, and other man-made facilities catering to audiences of all ages and persuasions.

Marcelo, who joined SBMA and Clark Development Corporation (CDC) officials in promoting the Subic-Clark corridor in Hong Kong last week, said that the Subic Bay tourism week also serves actually as a means to prepare the local tourism establishments “for more opportunities coming their way.”

The Subic Bay Freeport has enjoyed immense popularity as a tourism site where visitors can enjoy the best of both worlds — the raw excitement of forest and marine attractions amid the comfort and luxury of modern hotels and entertainment facilities.

Subic’s accessibility by land, air and sea also makes it an ideal place for vacation, sports events, corporate meetings and conventions, as well as for simple weekend breaks for families. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: Employees of a locator engage in the familiarization tour which is part of the SBMA’s tourism celebration aimed at fostering camaraderie among various tourism stakeholders in this free port, and promoting livelihood opportunities among local residents.

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Subic’s Ocean Adventure park gets 4 new dolphins

The highly popular Ocean Adventure marine park has recently acquired four more dolphins to boost the growing cast of marine animals featured in its open-water viewing facilities here.

The new arrivals — three female and one male Bottlenose dolphins — are the “new additions to our already exciting lineup of entertainment and activities,” said John Corcoran, director of the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium, Inc. (SBMEI), the company that operates the marine park and its sister facility, the Camayan Beach Resort & Hotel.

Ocean Adventure, which is now expanding its marine park and resort business at Subic’s Camayan beach area, is now home to trained dolphins, false killer whales, and sea lions that perform in a huge open-water habitat.

Under a permit approved by the Department of Agriculture, the four dolphins will be part of a cetacean breeding program “so that a stable and sustainable population of Bottlenose dolphins at Ocean Adventure may be achieved,” the SBMEI said in a statement.

The SBMEI added that the firm “has been extremely successful with its sea lion reproductive management program, as evidenced by the birth of three healthy sea lion pups this year.” A total of seven pups have been born at the marine park since 2001, it was learned.

The SBMEI added that the new dolphin arrivals will undergo a routine 30-day quarantine and acclimatization period before they are introduced to the existing dolphin population at the park.

Prior to their transfer here, the four dolphins have been living in an open-water facility in Japan, where they underwent some preliminary conditioning and training for the past two years.

Now, Ocean Adventure’s expert animal care and training staff “will enhance the animals’ development through their internationally-recognized positive reinforcement training techniques,” the SBMEI said.

Aside from being used in the SBMEI’s cetacean breeding program, the four dolphins will also be involved in shows at the Ocean Adventure park, which opened two new shows this month: “Rap, Jump and Roll Show” and “Walk on the Wild Side.”

The first show, presented at a new seaside stadium, features international trampoline performers, along with the park’s famous mascots and dancers; the second, which is shown at the new Eco Theater, presents animals of the forest, along with Aeta tribesmen who demonstrate jungle survival skills.

Earlier, SBMEI chairman and CEO Timothy Desmond announced that the firm has recently opened “Adventure Beach”, which is a special events beach for group outings and team-building activities.

The development of the new seaside stadium, the Eco Theater, and the Adventure beach are part of the company’s 10-year master plan designed to beef up the park’s extensive product line-up.

Desmond said the firm’s expansion “is evidence of our ongoing commitment to provide our guests with the very best in family entertainment.”

Under the expansion program, Ocean Adventure’s large open-water lagoons “will be expanded even more to provide one of the largest (marine) habitats in the world,” the SBMEI statement said.

A portion of the lagoon “will be dedicated exclusively to the dolphin reproductive management program,” the company added.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority deputy administrator for tourism Raul Marcelo welcomed Ocean Adventure's efforts to enhance its attractions and facilities.

"This will not only attract more tourists to the only marine theme park here, but also strengthen further Subic's position as a unique and wholesome tourist destination," Marcelo said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO: An animal trainer makes dolphins perform at the Ocean Adventure marine park in the Subic Bay Freeport.

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Subic investments remain flat

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it expects investment pledges in the Freeport this year would be flat on the back of the global economic slowdown.

Armand Arreza, SBMA administrator, told reporters that there have been several projects in the Subic Freeport zone that were delayed as a result of the global economic slowdown.

“Some projects have been postponed, but they were never cancelled,” he said.

But despite this, Arreza said SBMA will continue to market the freeport to interested investors.

“We will continue to build leads,” he said.

Last year, investment pledges with the SBMA reached $249 million, or roughly P12 billion. But it was way below the $1.71-billion worth of pledges the Freeport attracted in 2007.

SBMA has reported that investment commitments in the first quarter of this year reached about P1.5 billion, up by 13.6 percent year-on-year.

Arreza said he would lead a delegation to the cities of Shanghai and Suzhou in China next week to lure investors to Subic’s logistics, property development, and tourism sectors.

He also said the Freeport is ready to be a site for business process outsourcing (BPO) activities. Arreza said they have put in place the infrastructure, and a BPO facility will be ready by the end of this year.

Arreza said SBMA is currently in talks with two large call-center companies, and the agency is also looking at opportunities in the nonvoice segment.

At present, three BPO firms are located in Subic, he said. (Ben Arnold O. de Vera, Manila Times)

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EEI forms new unit

LISTED CONSTRUCTION firm EEI Corp. has set up a new unit to handle operations in Subic, documents submitted to regulators showed.

The new firm, named EEI Subic Corp. said it would engage in contracting and the specialty construction service business for property development and infrastructure firms.

The new firm has P100 million in authorized capital, P99.99 million of which were subscribed to by EEI. It paid for P89.99 million.

EEI Corp.’s profits from January to June rose by 15% to P291.62 million even as revenues were cut by more than a quarter to P3.31 billion amid a decline in local construction activity.

EEI had said it was cautiously confident of its near- to medium-term prospects despite the global economic slump.

The company had secured contracts and orders in Saudi Arabia. It also won several contracts in the first half, such as the 18-storey Acacia Grove condominium- hotel in Alabang, toll station work packages for the Public Works department, and an airport interchange. (BusinessWorld)

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SBMA approves US$57.74-M new investment projects

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently approved new investment projects worth a total of $57.74 million, as this free port continues to beat the odds of the global economic downturn and attract fresh capital infusion from both foreign and Filipino investors.

In ceremonies at the conference hall of the Subic Bay Development and Management Corp. on Wednesday, SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga and SBMA administrator Armand Arreza formally signed in 17 new projects in four different industry sectors here.

These included six new projects in leisure industry worth a total of $ 53.59 million, three in manufacturing and maritime with total investments of $1.3 million, three in general business at a total of $266,274, and five in logistics with a total of $2.57 million.

According to Arreza, the latest additions to Subic’s growing business community “only proves the resiliency of the Subic Bay Freeport in attracting new investors despite the global economic crisis.”

He added that as of August this year, 65 new accounts have been added by the agency to the list of investor firms here that totaled 948 at the end of 2008.

Arreza also said that most of the 17 new investment contracts were signed by new business locators, while a few were by existing Subic firms that opted to expand operations.

The biggest investment commitments in this latest batch of approved projects is the P2.5-billion (about $50 million) commitment by Ocean Nine Philkor, Inc., a South Korean firm involved in the development and operation of hotels, casinos and resorts.

The firm, under its short-term plan, will be renovating a hotel complex in Subic’s Cubi area to start its hotel and casino operation by January 2010, Ocean Nine manager Charles Kim said during the contract-signing ceremony.

The second biggest project in this batch is the P70-million construction of a four-story hotel and expansion of a dining facility by Innasia Corp., which operates Courtyard Inn in this free port. This is followed by the P50-million expansion of Puregold Duty Free (Subic) Corp., and the $1-million project of Lionair Subic Philippines, Inc. for the servicing and maintenance of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft here.

The new investors whose project proposals were approved by the SBMA under the leisure sector are: Aggressive North Developers, Inc., with P30 million for hotel and restaurant operation; Goltongne Subic, Corp., $368,333 for a restaurant and gift shop; Innasia, P70 million; LG Digital Plaza, Inc., P11.25 million for an authentic Ilonggo restaurant, wholesale and retail operations, and import/export services; Ocean Nine, P2.5 billion; and Puregold Duty Free, P50 million.

Under the manufacturing and maritime sector, the new projects are: Consummare, Inc., with $562,478 for the production of specialty wood products; Pacific Metal Works Corp., for steel fabrication; and Shang Min Construction Corp., $580,000 for trading of construction-related materials and equipment.

Under general business, the new locators are: Golden AI Trucking, with committed investments of $215,074; I Will Communicate, Inc., $30,000; and M&M Subic Bay Development Corp., $21,200.

Meanwhile, five new investments were approved under the logistics sector: Food Entrepreneur and Exporters of the Phil., with $470,000 for trading in grains and meat products; Lionair Subic, $1 million; Omni Aviation Corp., $700,000; Solutions Advancing Global Enterprise International Import-Export Corp., $300,000; and Subic Bay Merlion Trading, Inc., with P5 million for the transshipment of wines and liquors.

In the same occasion, SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga thanked the new business locators “for having confidence in the Subic Bay Freeport”, and vowed the agency’s full support and cooperation. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga (3rd from right, second row) and SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (7th from left, second row) join representatives of new investor-companies at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone after a mass contract-signing on Wednesday.

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Subic Freeport aims for new Chinese investments

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be promoting this free port as an investment site to companies based in China, as the agency intensifies its efforts to gain substantial investments despite the economic slowdown.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said Subic officials will be visiting the city of Suzhou in China next week in the hope of bagging more investments after fresh capital infusions from countries like South Korea and Taiwan seemed to be tapering off.

As of the latest SBMA record, investments by Chinese firms in the Subic Bay Freeport stood this year at only US$12.7 million, the sixth biggest in terms of nationality here.

Arreza said that while SBMA’s April 2009 tally showed that Korean firms still had the biggest investment commitments here at US$2.76 billion, Korea’s investment momentum in the manufacturing sector that was started by shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. in 2006 had significantly waned.

“So we’re looking for more diversified investments to cushion the effects of any economic downturn on the Freeport's revenue and employment generation efforts,” Arreza said.

He added that companies based in Suzhou, which is located just outside the financial capital of Shanghai, have recently diversified from industrial manufacturing to information technology and commercial development.

This makes Suzhou-based firms more attractive to the SBMA as the latter prepares the Subic Freeport for more investments in property development, tourism, logistics, and energy.

Arreza added that the SBMA is now adopting a “wait-and-see” attitude toward investments coming from Korea, Taiwan, and the Middle East, even as it seeks new markets like China.

Arreza also stressed that Subic’s financial performance this year had remained on the positive side, despite the delay in some scheduled investments here due to the global economic downturn.

“Investments would most likely be flat by the end of this year, but Subic’s revenue performance remains up,” Arreza said..

He attributed the continuing growth in revenue to investments approved by the SBMA from two years ago. “These are now being realized,” he added.

Likewise, Subic’s export production and job generation continued to gain, although only slightly, Arreza said, citing some Subic manufacturing firms that had actually expanded operations despite the recession.

In the first seven months of 2009, the SBMA also created about 2,000 new jobs, adding to the 86,000 total number of workers recorded at the end of 2008.

Arreza added that even at this slow rate, Subic would still have a total active workforce of about 90,000 by the end of 2009.

"By attracting new investments, especially in manufacturing, from Suzhou, we hope to generate even more new jobs here," he said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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SBMA chair urges Asian ports to explore new ways to gain growth

Citing the unprecedented growth in revenue at the Subic seaport despite the current economic slowdown, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga challenged Asian ports to find new opportunities amid the ongoing crisis.

Salonga, who opened the 11th general assembly of the International Network of Affiliated Ports (INAP) in Mokpo, South Korea as outgoing chairman, also underscored the importance of INAP’s strategic alliance, saying its policies and actions “impact on the entire maritime port industry of the Asia-Pacific region.”

“The (maritime) industry operates in a global environment and grows or shrinks proportionately with trade activities all over the world,” Salonga noted in his statement at the opening of the assembly.

“But the proverbial silver lining behind today’s economic slump is the fact that while every crisis is different, all crises have one thing in common – and that is, they all create opportunities, especially for those who can identify them and are ready to act,” he added.

Salonga said the Port of Subic, which had lately become a choice anchorage for international seagoing vessels waiting out the recession, provides a good example of how opportunities could be created out of “unfortunate events.”

He said collections from vessel lay-ups in Subic Bay, as well as wharfage fees on imported products brought Subic seaport’s revenue total in the first seven months this year to P319.73 million. This amount was P3.43 million more than the revenue target set by the SBMA for this year, and represented a 15.7 percent growth over the 2008 figures.

“Our port collection from these laid-up ships, along with other equally significant factors, has allowed our seaport operations to achieve its revenue targets for 2009, as early as July,” said Salonga.

“So, today’s economic crisis should not be any different – if we attack it with logical examination, passionate zeal and decisiveness,” he also told INAP members.

Salonga likewise exhorted members of the port network “to re-establish priorities by taking a fresh look at how to manage the fiscal and operational aspects of ports, where to find new revenue streams and, at the same time, control costs.”

At the same time, Salonga urged INAP members “to discuss how we can attract more ports to join INAP,” which, he said, had attracted only three new members in the last 11 years.

He said that by tackling these twin tasks, INAP could “manage to be heard and heeded as a formidable voice and authority in the industry”, especially since ports “remain critical to the financial health of most economies around the world.”

“We in INAP can definitely be part of the solution – if we do what we ought to do and do it well,” Salonga concluded...

This year’s INAP general assembly was hosted by the Mokpo Newport in South Korea. Last year, the INAP convention was held in this free port under the auspices of the SBMA.

Among the INAP officials who participated in this year’s assembly were: Choi Byeong-Soo - CEO of Mokpo Newport Co. Ltd., Angelo C. Verdan of the Cebu Port Authority, Priyath B. Wickrema of the Sri Lanka Port Authority, Masanao Ozaki of the Kochi Prefectural Government, Chang Dechuan of the Qingdao Port Authority, and Achmad Baroto of the Port of Tanjung Perak, Indonesia. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Low-cost airline to invest $US10-M for Subic operations

Pacific Pearl Airways (PPA), a private airline offering domestic and foreign chartered flights, has set up its home base at the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) here and said it plans to infuse US$10-million for its startup operations scheduled in December.

PPA president Kristoffer Jimenez said the airline will start with two advanced Boeing 737-200 jet planes capable of seating 114 passengers for international flights, and turboprop aircraft for initial domestic flights from here to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, and Davao.

Local flight destinations will expand as PPA establishes its presence in the local airline industry, said Jimenez.

He added that PPA will be offering competitive rates without sacrificing quality service costs — an advantage that he said was made possible by tax incentives and other perks offered by this free port.

Jimenez also said that PPA will eliminate stop-over hassles with its direct flights, enabling passengers to gain more savings and more quality holidays as it significantly cuts travel lag time.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand Arreza, who signed the memorandum of agreement with Jimenez last week, considered this latest investment here as proof of Subic Bay’s economic resiliency.

“What we have witnessed now proves that there’s still life after FedEx,” said Arreza, referring to the US courier giant which used this free port as its Asia-Pacific hub. Last February, FedEx transferred to China, where domestic cargo volume alone exceeds that of Asia.

Arreza said that being an international airport, the SBIA can host just about any kind of air transport requirements, singling out Subic’s cargo-sorting capability as its edge over other airports in the country today.

“We urge cargo airliners to start making their inquiries here at the SBIA this early, and see for themselves its complete cargo-sorting facility, and the Freeport advantages that made FedEx’s operation here successful,” said Arreza.

Arreza also said he expects more flights to and from Subic in the near future, as the SBMA aggressively promotes business and tourism establishments here.

To this, PPA’s Jimenez concurred, saying that Subic has a “very strategic location.”

“A lot of tourists come here — foreigners and locals alike. It is also a booming place in terms of businesses,” said Jimenez, who also called on interested applicants for pilots, cabin crew, and maintenance personnel to inquire at PPA’s office at the SBIA here.

Pearl Pacific Airways was organized in September 2006 and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with necessary permits from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and the Air Transportation Office (ATO). (SBMA Corporate Communications)

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Subic Freeport to train Filipino workers for Guam military build-up

Guam senators who met with officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Friday said Subic Bay would make an ideal training center for the thousands of Filipino workers needed in Guam, where the United States’ “greatest military build-up since the end of World War II” will be made.

Senators Judith Guthertz and Rory Respicio, who led the Guam delegation here, inspected the various skills-training facilities in this free port and urged the SBMA to form a Philippine delegation to Guam to expedite the setting up of the Subic Bay training center.

SBMA chairman Feliciano Salonga, who led the SBMA receiving party, readily pledged his support on behalf of the SBMA, saying that “a Philippine representation will ensure that Filipino workers will get a first shot at this massive employment opportunity.”

“This project costs US$15-billion, and 20,000 foreign workers are needed. We must not let this opportunity slip from our hands,” said Salonga, who is keen on fulfilling SBMA’s mandate to maximize employment in the region.

The SBMA official said that through the Philippine representation, technical and legal requirements for the training center and various labor concerns, including the mass deployment of Filipino workers, will be addressed.

He added that the Philippine panel will also help ensure that the training center will adhere to standards set for the Guam project.

Guthertz, who chairs the Guam Committee on US Military Buildup and cites her University of the Philippines (UP) education, urged the to-be-formed Philippine representation to work out training designs with Guam’s community college.

She also expressed much confidence in the skill of Filipino workers, “who built Guam after the brutal World War II.”

Guthertz added that the “sudden change” in Guam compelled them to look up the history of Subic Bay, which underwent similar transformation as it was a former US naval base.

Meanwhile, Respicio, who heads the Guam Committee on Foreign Affairs, said the Philippines “will likely be the source of labor for the Guam buildup,” and ruled out competition from Chinese labor.

“You have the facilities here; the Philippines is poised to grab this opportunity, so you have to be prepared,” said Respicio.

The Guam mission then signed a memorandum of understanding with Salonga and SBMA administrator Arreza as an “expression of the mutual goal of the Philippines and Guam.”

“As we sign this MOU, we’re holding true to our pledge that we have an obligation as senators from Guam to ensure that foreign workers that will go to Guam will not be exploited,” said Respicio.

The Guam mission also met with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) secretary Marianito Roque, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Jennifer Manalili, Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) head Carmelita Dimzon, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director-general Augusto Syjuco.

The visit, according to Guthertz, was meant “to establish understanding, and to learn more about the Philippine process,” so that final agreements could soon be made for the Guam build-up that would relocate US troops stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

Guthertz said that major construction works are scheduled from 2010 to 2014, while proposed troop movement of 14,200 military personnel and their 38,070 dependents starts on 2012 and is scheduled to be completed by 2016. (SBMA Corporate Communications)

PHOTO: SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (left) and SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga (second from right) sign an agreement with Guam senators Judith Guthertz and Rory Respicio for the training of Filipino workers needed in the island’s massive military build-up.

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