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20 November 2015

6-star cruise ship diverted to Subic port

The six-starred cruise ship “M/V Silver Shadow” dropped anchor here yesterday for a two-day visit as a “no sail zone” was declared at the Port of Manila due to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

Captain Ildefonso Gonzales, Port Captain and General Manager of the Sharp Port Services, Inc., the port of Subic was considered as its priority alternative port call since Manila South Harbor declared “no sail zone” on November 17-20.

The Silver Shadow is a cruise ship built in Italy that entered into service in year 2000, which can carry up to 382 passengers.

Being operated by Silversea Cruises along with seven other cruise ships, the Silver Shadow was brought to the Philippines through SHARP Travel Services Inc.

Silver Shadow, a cruise ship rated with six stars for its exceptional services, amenities, cuisine and accommodations, docked at the Alava Pier in Subic Bay Freeport straight from Coron, Palawan.

It has been in Philippine waters since November 16 and has toured Tagbilaran, Bohol; Boracay Island, and Coron, Palawan.

It will set sail toward Hong Kong when it leaves the Subic port on November 21. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

PHOTOS:
MV SILVER SHADOW IN SUBIC BAY

[1] Dock workers wait for the MV Silver Shadow cruise ship as it prepares to dock at the Subic Bay Freeport Thursday (Nov. 19) morning for a port call. The cruise ship, which carries around 700 crew and passengers, who are mostly European tourists, has been in various Philippine tourist destinations since Nov. 16 and will be sailing to Hong Kong today. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] School children perform a native dance to welcome the arrival of MV Silver Shadow, which docked at the Subic Bay Freeport Thursday (Nov. 19) morning. The cruise ship, which carries around 700 crew and passengers, who are mostly European tourists, has been in various Philippine tourist destinations since Nov. 16 and will be sailing to Hong Kong today. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.mb.com.ph/6-star-cruise-ship-diverted-to-subic-port/

19 November 2015

Savchenko grabs solo lead; Laylo top Pinoy contender in Subic chess challenge

RUSSIAN Grandmaster Boris Savchenko put a brake to Ukraine GM Vitaly Sivuk’s five-game winning run, hacking out a 35-move win using an unusual line of the Queen’s Pawn Game to vault into the solo lead after four rounds in the Philippine Sports Commission-Puregold International Chess Challenge at the Peninsular Hotel in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The No. 8 seed Savchenko earlier defeated reigning national champion GM Richard Bitoon in the third round to set up the clash against the newly-minted Philippine International Chess Championship titlist.

Filipino GM Darwin Laylo, meanwhile, stayed a half-point behind the solo leader with 3.5 points with a win and a draw in the two previous rounds.

The 18th seed Laylo downed International Master Oliver Dimakiling in the third round and split the point with Torre in the fourth.

The draw dropped Torre to 3.0 points in the company of fellow Pinoys IM Joel Pimentel and Dimakiling, Sivuk, Russian GMs Mikhail Mozharov and Anton Demchenko, GM Shanglei Lu of China and GM Chakkravarthy Deepan of India.

Mozharov, the no. 7 seed, and Pimentel agreed to a draw after 57 moves of a King’s Indian Fianchetto, Demchenko defeated GM Tigran Kotanjian of Armernia in 42 pushes of a King’s Indian Classical, Lu dealt Bitoon his second straight loss, while Deepan trounced Filipino IM Emmanuel Senador in 54 moves of a Sicilian Moria Gambit.

Trailing behind with 2.5 points are Kotanjian, IM Abhimanyu Puranik and GM Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna of India, GM Chen Lin of China and GM Duc Hoa Nguyen of Vietnam.

In the Challenger Division of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, Puregold, Burlington Socks and Marc Ventures and Mining and Development Corp., eight players, led by top seed Franz Robert Grafil, share the lead with three points each after three rounds.

Also in the Challenger Division, nine-year-old Mark Jay Bacojo upset sixth-seed Samson Lim Jr. in huge upset at the first round.

Bacojo, from Pasig, i the youngest competitor is outranked by the veteran Lim by at least 600 Elo rating points. (People's Tonight)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (sitting left) poses with Russian GM  Anton Demchenko at the opening of the Philippine Sports Commission-Puregold International Chess Challenge in Subic Bay along with other world-class chess masters. (People's Tonight)

http://www.journal.com.ph/sports/other-sports/savchenko-grabs-solo-lead-laylo-top-pinoy-contender

18 November 2015

Vios Cup 2 drivers rev up for Subic final clash

The Vios Cup Season 2 gears up for an explosive finish with 50 racers all primed up for the final leg of the track-hopping circuit on Nov. 28-29 at the Subic Bay International Airport.

Eight celebrity racers will join the 42 individual drivers battling it out for top honors in the Sporting, Promotional and Celebrity class categories of the event put up by Toyota Motor Philippines.

The official qualifying race is set from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. with the Toyota Car Club Track Day from 10 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and the race proper from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. The awards rites will start at 6 p.m.

“This final race in Subic will be the widest and longest out-of-circuit track that the Vios Cup will ever see. Creating a racetrack at the famed Subic Bay International Airport definitely puts an edge to this motorsports event,” said Toyota Motor Philippines president Michinoby Sugata. “I personally look forward to this fourth and final leg because aside from it being an all-new track which will really bring out the best in our racers, we now have a total of 50 racers present making this undeniably more exciting.”

Motorsports fans and spectators will also be treated to waku-doki experience and a day-long show driving prowess from celebrity racing pioneers, including reigning Vios Cup champion DJ Sam YG, Phoemela Baranda, Derek Ramsey, and Jasmine Curtis.

The 2015 Vios Cup is held in partnership with Bridgestone and Rota, supported by Motul, TRD, Brembo, Denso, AVT, OMP and Tuason Racing. (Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/sports/2015/11/18/1523182/vios-cup-2-drivers-rev-subic-final-clash

16 November 2015

Subic marks 100,000th TEU with unloaded cargo from Kaohsiung

Subic’s New Container Terminal 2 (NCT2) registered its 100,000th twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) cargo container last Saturday, marking a milestone in maritime business in this Freeport.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, who was on hand to witness the unloading, said the event only manifested the growing number of port users already transporting their goods through the Port of Subic after it became an extension facility of the Port of Manila.

“This only shows that our efforts to make Subic the most competitive port in Luzon are all reaching fruition,” Garcia said, as he congratulated officials of the Subic Bay International Container Terminal (SBITC), which operates the NCT2.

Garcia said that in August this year, the Port of Subic already recorded 83,000 containers, a number that was almost double the 43,000 recorded for the same period last year.

“As we reached the 100,000-mark this month, we again reached another milestone,” he added.

Garcia said that that SBMA has been successful so far in marketing Subic as the only port in Luzon that has a one-stop shop.

SBMA’s hosting of two maritime summits, the formation of a Maritime Technical Group, and the agency’s aggressive maritime business marketing program “certainly helped a lot in this undertaking,” he also said.

Garcia said the one-stop-shop facility inside Subic’s container terminal has been very well appreciated by brokers from Manila and Northern and Central Luzon because all the necessary documentation “stops” could be accomplished within the shop.

“If your papers are in order, you can finish processing in just 30 minutes or an hour,” he said.

SBITC general manager Roberto Locsin said the 100,000th container was unloaded from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, by Wan Hai Lines for delivery to United Auctioneers, Inc., a heavy equipment trader in the Subic Bay Freeport.

“We never selected it. It was luckily scheduled to unload,” Locsin said.

As this happened, Chairman Garcia also noted that the SBMA is expanding its seaport, and “is pushing very hard to increase cargo volume here to decongest Manila Port.”

The SBMA official also noted that Subic is the only port in the western seaboard that still has the capacity to accommodate more containers, as the Batangas port is already 100% full.

“Before you could unload in Batangas or even in Manila, you’d be forced to wait for three to four days. In Subic, you can enter anytime, unload anytime and process your cargo anytime” he said. “We now have seven shipping lines coming to Subic on a regular basis,” he added.

Subic, as well as Batangas, became an extension port because of congestion in Manila.

Subic now has seven shipping lines unloading and taking in cargo on a regular basis after President Aquino signed Executive Order 172 that designated Subic as an alternative port to Manila. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (middle, left) receives from SBITC general manager Roberto Locsin a copy of documents marking the arrival of the 100,000th TEU at the New Container Terminal 2 in Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

Ukrainian GM stuns top seed, wins int'l chess fest in Subic

GRANDMASTER Vitaly Sivuk of Ukraine racked up his third straight win – and his biggest in the tournament – to emerge as the undisputed champion in the 2015 Philippine International Chess Championship after the 10th and final round Saturday at the Subic Bay Peninsular Hotel in Subic Bay Freeport.

Sivuk, the no. 11 seed, stunned top seed and erstwhile solo leader GM Abijheet Gupta of India after 42 moves of a Gruenfeld Defense to bring his total to seven points and take home the top prize of $5,000.

In all, the 23-year-old Ukranian tallied seven points on five wins, four draws and a loss, which came against GM Anton Demchenko of Russia in the 6th round.

Four other players – Demchenko, fellow GM Anton Shomoev, Chinese GM and 5th seed Shanglei Lu of China and GM Chakkravarthy Deepan of India had a chance to forge a tie for the overall lead but their games all ended in draw, with Lu splitting the point with Demchenko and Deepan settleing for a draw with Shomoev.

The four dropped into a seven-way tie with Gupta and final-round winners GM Narayanan Sinulduth Lyna of India and Russian GM Boris Savchenko with 6.5 points each.

Sinulduth Lyna, who had 5.5 points going into the final round, turned back Filipino GM Joey Antonio in 31 moves of an Anti-Nimzo Indian, while Savchenko defeated International Master Chen Lin of China after 36 moves of a Mieses Variation of the Scandinavian.

Lin and no. 3 seed GM Pavel Smirnov of Russia, who beat compatriot GM Vladimir Belous in 34 moves of a Benko Gambit Accepted, dropped into a two-way tie with six points each.

International Master Rolando Nolte and 17-year-old NM Jerad Docena, meanwhile, emerged as the top Filipino finishers in the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Puregold, Asian United Bank and Burlington Socks. Marc Ventures Holdings, Inc. and Marc Ventures Mining and Development Corporation.

Nolte drew his final round against GM Eugene Torre after 21 moves of the Knights Variation of the Indian Game, while Docena outsteadied IM Abhimanyu Puranik of India in 67 moves of a King’s Indian Attack to end up with similar 5.5 points in tie with no. 2 seed GM Alexander Zubov of Ukraine and GM Mikhail Mozharov of Russia.

A half point behind is a large group of five-pointers composed of GM Vladimir Belous of Russia, GM Doc Hoa Nguyen of Vietnam, Torre, GM Joey Antonio, reigning national champion GM Richard Bitoon, IM Paulo Bersamina and GM Tigran Kotanjian of Armenia.

Woman International Master Janelle Mae Frayna duplicated her feat last year after emerging as the best Filipina female player after finishing with four points.

In the Challenger Division, WFM Shania Mae Mendoza and Lennon Hart Salgados ended up tied with seven points after nine rounds, but Mendoza earned the title via the tiebreak.

Mendoza downed Christopher Diaz in 33 moves of a Nimzowitsch Defense, while Salgados halved the point against Paul Robert Evangelista in a Slav Defense, Exchange variation.

The second tournament, PSC/PUREGOLD International Chess Challenge reels off Saturday, at the same venue.

PHOTO:
GRANDMASTER Vitaly Sivuk of Ukraine

14 November 2015

LOOK: Prepping for Subic Volunteers Day

Filipino ground maintenance workers clean-up the Volunteers Park in Subic Bay Freeport in preparation for commemoration of the US military bases pull-out on November 24.

The park is dedicated to Subic volunteers, mostly women from near-by Olongapo City and Zambales province, who took the initiative to protect the military base from looters after the American withdrawal due to Mt. Pinatubo devastation and rejection of the Philippine Senate on the continuation of the bases treaty.

The Subic volunteers were also instrumental during the Philippine hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) in 1996 as they act as human barriers against militant groups trying to stage protests in Subic. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

Filipino, Taiwanese firms to build e-vehicles in Subic Freeport

Ropali Corporation, one of the top motorcycle dealers in the Philippines, and TECO Electric and Machinery Co., Ltd., a Taiwan-based company that develops and manufactures electric motors, introduced on Tuesday environment-friendly vehicles at its plant site in this Freeport.

In a simple launching ceremony, ROTECO, the company name for Ropali and TECO Corporation, unveiled to the public the electric tricycle or the E-Trike and the four-wheeled electric jeepney or the E-Jeepney.

TECO Chairman Chao Kai Liu said that the electric vehicles​ will​ provide the riding public with opportunities to replace second-hand diesel jeepneys ​that​ emit dirty smoke and consume much fuel.

“By bringing out green and smart mobility, we can raise the quality of public transport in the Philippines and at the same time​,​ help reduce carbon emission and dumping of used oil in our environment​,​ which cause climate change,” Liu said.

Ropali President Roberto Alingog​ on ​his part said that ROTECO’s main objective is to introduce innovation in the transport sector by creating battery-powered E-vehicles that do not emit smoke or make noise.

“It is our advocacy to drive social entrepreneurship by giving back to the people clean air and a ​clean living environment,” Alingog said.

Production of electric vehicles is expected to commence on the first of January next year, he added.

The ROTECO launching ceremony was graced by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino, and Zambales Vice-Governor Ramon Lacbain II.

Chairman Garcia lauded the project, pointing out that it dovetails with the SBMA’s commitment to protect and preserve the environment, especially ​within​ the Freeport.

“We have successfully implemented the no-plastic policy in all establishments, and initiated programs for rain​forest and coastal protection as part of our commitment to help protect the environment,” said Garcia. “This project is another big step in that direction.”

He added that Subic will soon become a center for renewable energy, as the largest solar farm facility in Asia has started construction to produce cheap electricity for Freeport locators.

ROTECO officials said the electric vehicles provide various advantages. The four-passenger plus driver E-Trike, for instance, assures high cruising range of 80 kilometers for every battery life.

It also features heavy duty front forks, leaf-spring suspension and flat- and ladder-type chassis to give the spacious trike stability and maneuverability.

For the E-Jeepney, the vehicle has ​a ​side entrance and a rear emergency exit to​ provide​ passengers with​ safe and easy entry and exit.

With ​a​ water resistant and powerful 12-kilowatt electric motor, the E-Jeepney is able to produce 140 Nm of torque and guarantee a 20% climbing ability. It can accommodate 20 passengers and can travel 80 kilometers per newly-charged batteries.

Both the E-Trike and E-Jeepney capitalize on five premium qualities: safety, power, efficiency, comfort, ​and stability (SPECS). (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] TECO Chairman Chao Kai Liu discusses the advantages of the E-Jeepney with SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia during the launching of the e-vehicles project of ROTECO in Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino tries driving the E-Jeepney with Ropali President Roberto Alingog as passenger, as SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia looks on during the launching of the e-vehicles project of ROTECO in Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[3] The E-Jeepney, which is designed to provide green and smart mobility, is launched by ROTECO at Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

13 November 2015

‘Use Subic for canceled flights’

Flights canceled due to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit can use the airport in Subic.

Richard Gordon, a former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman, made the proposal yesterday in a post in his Twitter account @DickGordonDG.

Subic airport was used when the freeport hosted the APEC summit in 1996, Gordon said.

Twenty-four heads of economies attended the meeting at the time, he added.

Federal Express also used the airport for several years, Gordon said.

“We built Subic airport,” he said.

“APEC ’96 used it. Fedex landed 18 cargo jets there for several years. Why don’t we use it today for APEC canceled flights?”

As of October 30, a total of 1,364 flights have been canceled to give way to the arrival of APEC delegates.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has issued notices to airmen (NOTAM) setting certain restrictions on aircraft at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from November 17 to 20.

NOTAM B3227/15 restricts general aviation aircraft operations within 40-nautical mile radius of NAIA covering the vicinity of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) effective 6 a.m. of November 17 to 7 p.m. of November 20.

General aviation aircraft operations outside the 40-nautical mile radius of NAIA shall be limited to local operations, excluding Clark and Subic International Airports.

Training aircraft of flying schools are restricted to operate only outside the 40-nautical mile radius.

“Exemptions are Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) related operations with approval from APEC National Organizing Council (NOC) and duly coordinated with CAAP Operations and Rescue Coordination Center (ORCC) and aircraft on emergency mission,” CAAP said.

It also imposed the No-Fly Zone within two nautical miles from coordinates (PICC) due to special operations effective on November 17, 10 a.m. to November 20, 7 p.m.

Takeoff and landing of aircraft on runway 31 were also prohibited and no landing would be implemented on runway 13 during those dates. (Sheila Crisostomo, with Louise Maureen Simeon, Rudy Santos, Philippine Star)

PHOTO:
Subic airport was used when the freeport hosted the APEC summit in 1996, Richard Gordon said.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/11/13/1521346/use-subic-canceled-flights

LOOK: Subic Aeta Woodcarver

Aeta tribesman Joel Baclay works on a wood carving outside a souvenir shack in Subic Bay Freeport. Baclay sells the Navy-inspired carvings to visiting US Navy servicemen whenever American ships dock at the Port of Subic Ba​y for routine port stops, as well as rest and resupply. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)


Lin ties Gupta for lead, Nolte stuns GM in Round 5 of Subic chessfest

Top seed GM Abhijeet Gupta of India defeated co-leader GM Anton Demchenko of Russia to grab solo lead after the fifth round of the Philippine International Chess Championships held at the Subic Bay Peninsular Hotel in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Gupta, with a rating of 2633, went on to beat Demchenko (2592) in a seemingly drawish Sicilian game in 105 moves, Demchenko overlooked a saving move in time scramble and lost after a forced exchange of his Rook for a queening Pawn and a Bishop. Gupta has 4.5 points in 5 games of play.

In solo second with 4 points is International Master Lin Chen who upset Russian GM Vladimir Belous in 50 moves of an English Opening, Anglo-Slav variation. Six players followed him with 3.5 points: GM Demchenko, second seed GM Alexander Zubov of Ukraine, GM Vitaly Sivuk (Ukraine), GM Anton Shomoev (Russia), GM Lu Shanglei (China) and GM Chakkravarthy Deepan of India.

But the day belongs to International Master Rolando Nolte who upset GM Mikhail Mozharov of Russia in 50 moves of a Spanish Game (Ruy Lopez) and National Master Roel Abelgas who also upset International Master Sean Winshand Cuhendi of Indonesia in 47 moves of an Indian Game, Kingside Fianchetto. GM Joey Antonio drew his game with Battle of the Masters Champion GM Richard Bitoon in a Nimzo-Indian Defense Classical Variation. IM Nolte and NM Abelgas have 3 points while GM Antonio and GM Bitoon have 2.5.

In the Challenger division, four players are tied for the lead with 3.5 points after four rounds: Kevin Mirano, Jeth Romy Morado, Lennon Hart Salgados and WFM Shania Mae Mendoza. Mirano drew with WFM Mendoza in 37 moves of a French Defense, Salgados won against John Estrada Salcedo in 48 moves of a Pirc Defense Classical system and Morado demolished Paul Robert Evangelista also in a Classical Pirc in 26 moves. Below them with 3 points are Seniors champion Verth Alora, John Marvin Miciano, Ferdinand Aviles, Jan Francis Mirano and Christopher Diaz.

The tournament is the first of two tournaments being organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and supported financially by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) headed by its Chairman, the Honorable Ricardo R. Garcia in cooperation with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) headed by its President, the Honorable Jose S. Cojuangco, Jr.

PHOTO:
From left: GM Abhijeet Gupta, India; International Master Lin Chen, China; and International Master Rolando Nolte, Philippines

12 November 2015

Russian, Indian GMs in three-way tie at Int'l Chess tilt in Subic

Three players remain unbeaten after the second round of the Philippine International Chess Championships held at the Subic Bay Peninsular Hotel in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Russian grandmasters Anton Demchenko and Anton Shomoev and International Master Sunilduth Lyna Narayanan of India defeated their respective rivals to show the way in the second round of the tournament which has an averaged rating of 2434. Demchenko, one the champions in last year’s version of this twin events, stopped the Sicilian Scheveningen Keres Attack of Grandmaster Chakkravarthy Deepan of India in 60 moves while GM Shomoev beat our very own GM Eugene Torre in 79 moves of an Open Ruy Lopez as International Master Narayanan upset GM Lu Shanglei of China in 37 moves of a QGA.

The tournament is the first of two tournaments being organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and supported financially by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) headed by its Chairman, the Honorable Ricardo R. Garcia in cooperation with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) headed by its President, the Honorable Jose S. Cojuangco, Jr.

The other erstwhile leaders after the first round were held to draws by determined opponents starting with top seed grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta of India, who was held to a draw by International Master Lin Chen of China in 42 moves of a King’s Indian Saemisch, second seed GM Alexander Zuvob of Ukraine drew with fellow GM Vitaly Sivuk also of Ukraine in 33 moves of a Slav Defense Exchange, third seed GM Pavel Smirnov of Russia also drew his game with GM Nguyen Doc Hua of Vietnam in 33 moves of a Gruenfeld Exchange, GM Mikhail Mozharov drew with GM Joey Antonio in a Caro Kann Advance variation, 6th seed GM Vladimir Belous of Russia beat GM Tigran Kotanjian of Armenia in 28 moves of an English Opening. They are bunched in second place with 1.5 points.

PHOTO:
(from left) GRANDMASTERS Anton Demchenko and Anton Shomoev of Russia, and Narayanan Sunilduth Layna of India

08 November 2015

Subic to host 2 big int’l chess tilts

BARELY two weeks after holding its national championship, the National Chess Federation of the Philippines this time goes international, as it hosts two international chess tournaments in the next two weeks at the Subic Bay Freeport.

First up is the Philippine International Chess Championship (Open and Challenger Divisions) which will be held starting Nov. 9 and will end Nov. 14.

This will be immediately followed by the Philippine Sports Commission-Puregold Chess Challenge (Open and Challenger Divisions) to be held Nov. 16 to 21.

Both tournaments will be held at the Subic Peninsular Hotel located inside the Freeport.

NCFP executive director GM Jayson Gonzales said he expects at least 15 full-pledged grandmasters from Europe and Asia to join the tournament who will pit wits against local talents led by newly-minted national champion GM Richard Bitoon.

Based on the tentative list in the NCFP website, the foreign contingent will be bannered by GMs Ivan Popov Ivan of Russia (Elo 2661), Alexander Zubov of Ukraine (2630), Abhijeet Gupta of India (2629), Pavel Smirnov of Russia (2617) Lu Shanglei of China, Anton Demchenko of Russia, Mikhail Mozharov, Boris Savchenko, Vladimir Belous and Antoni Shomoev, all Russia, Chen Lin of China and Tigran Kotanjian of Armenia.

“This tournament will give our young players a chance to improve their game and their ratings as well. This will also give our national and international masters, both men and women, to achieve their goals of making it to the next level,” Gonzales said.

Aside from Bitoon, also expected to see action in the twin tournaments are National Chess Championship runner-up GM Joey Antonio, third placer IM Haridas Pascua, last year's champion and Asia's first GM Eugene Torre and fellow GMs Oliver Barbosa, Mark Paragua and John Paul Gomez and several up-and-coming players led by Fide Master Joseph Mari Turqueza and Jerad Docena, IM Paulo Bersamina, among others.

The women's side will be bannered by WIM Janelle Mae Frayna, newly-crowned women's champion WFM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WFM Shania Mae Mendoza and WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego. (Peopleś Tonight)

http://www.journal.com.ph/sports/other-sports/subic-to-host-2-big-int-l-chess-tilts

07 November 2015

Metro Pacific officially takes over SCTEX

The Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) expects up to 9% growth in the annual vehicular traffic of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), as it formally takes over the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the country’s longest toll road.

State-run Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) on Thursday, November 5, officially turned over the O&M of SCTEX to the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led MNTC. The concessionaire shelled out an upfront payment of P3.5 billion ($74.60 million) for the contract.

"We do expect that the operations of SCTEX will be viable from the start. Actually, the traffic has been building up because of the long delay. Between 2009 and today, the traffic has increased to over 30,000 vehicles daily from below 8,000," Jose Ma Lim, president and CEO of MNTC’s parent firm Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), said on the sidelines of the ceremonial turnover in Pampanga.

Higher traffic

"With the higher traffic, the difficult years when the operations were not yet profitable has already been passed," Lim added.

According to the MPIC executive, his group is expecting 8% to 9% growth in annual vehicular traffic.

Average daily vehicular traffic along SCTEX has grown more than threefold to about 30,855 from 9,302 when the road started operations in 2008, BCDA said.

To recall, MNTC submitted revised proposals for the SCTEX deal after Malacañang suspended the company's July 2011 business and operating agreement with BCDA for the 94-kilometer toll road.

Malacañang approved MNTC’s proposal in November 2014, but decided to subject it to a "price challenge" to get "the highest upfront cash value."

The contract required from MNTC a P3.5-billion ($74.60 million) upfront payment, inclusive of value-added tax. It is also required to share half of gross toll revenues with BCDA, as well as assume road operations and maintenance costs of SCTEX.

NLEX-SCTEX integration

For MNTC President and CEO Rodrigo Franco, the turnover "paves the way for the start of improvement of services on SCTEX," citing the integration of toll collection systems of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and SCTEX.

This is aimed at "removing toll barriers along NLEX and SCTEX so that instead of the current 5 stops motorists from Manila have to make to get to Subic, it will be reduced to just two,” Franco said.

With Japan’s assistance, BCDA spent P34.9 billion ($743.87 million) to build SCTEX, which opened in 2008. The 4-lane expressway cuts through Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac, and is directly linked to the NLEX, which is also operated by MNTC. (Chrisee Dela Paz, Rappler.com)

http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/208-infrastructure/111850-metro-pacific-sctex-official-takeover

05 November 2015

US Navy submarine USS Key West visits Subic Bay

SUBIC BAY, Philippines (NNS) -- The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) arrived in Subic Bay for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific, Nov. 4.

"I'm incredibly proud of the crew and what we've accomplished over the past couple of months," said Cmdr. John Thompson, Key West's commanding officer. "Their hard work to prepare for deployment was validated through a very successful execution. Now we have a new mission at hand - to represent the United States while enjoying the sights and experiences that the Philippines has to offer."

Master Chief Electronics Technician Eric Baker, chief of the boat aboard Key West, expressed similar sentiments.

"This has been a very busy year for Key West and these men have worked very hard," said Baker. "They are ready for this well-deserved port visit after a successful deployment and are eager to explore and take in the culture and sights of Subic Bay."

After more than a month at sea, the crew of Key West was very much looking forward to its first stop in Subic Bay.

Electronics Technician 3rd Class Zachary Cenit looked forward to reconnect with his family.

"I haven't seen my relatives in four years," said Cenit. "I can't wait to see them and eat and celebrate together."

Other Sailors, such as Electronics Technician 1st Class Joel Ignalla were just eager to return home.

"I was raised in San Pedro Laguna until I was 14," said Ignalla. "For me, the Philippines represent my childhood."

"I've heard a lot of great things about Subic Bay," said Sonar Technician 1st Class Robert Hatton. "I'm excited for the diving, especially the wrecks regarding our shared history between the United States and the Philippines."

A second-flight 688 submarine, Key West is outfitted with four MK 67 torpedo tubes and 12 Tomahawk cruise missile vertical launch tubes. The 360-foot, 6,900-ton vessel remains one of the stealthiest, most formidable submarines in the world. Key West is able to conduct anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (Lt. j.g. David Oh, USS Key West Public Affairs)

PHOTO
A tug boat helps position the US Navy submarine USS Key West while its crewmembers secure its moorings at the Alava Wharf after arrival in the Subic Bay Freeport for a routine port stop on Wednesday morning. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=91842

28 October 2015

UK-based company tapped for solar farm project in Subic Bay

A UNITED Kingdom-based solar energy company has been tapped as the engineering, procurement and management (EPM) provider for a 100-megawatt solar farm project in Subic Bay.

With the project, Proinso, a global leader in the photovoltaic industry, is looking to further increase its presence in the Asian market.

“The Subic Bay engagement is a complex project demanding a high level of capability support across many disciplines provided via our EPM program. Our EPM model is based on a collaborative approach working with local partners. This way, Proinso is able to deliver world class renewable assets and also invest in the development of a strong local industry,” Stuart Macfarlane, Proinso regional head for Asia Pacific, said in a statement yesterday.

Proinso is partnering with local firm Asiacrest Marketing Corp. for the Subic solar farm project, which is touted as the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Asiacrest Marketing President and CEO Lawrence Plata said the company will be Proinso’s exclusive distributor and country representative for the Philippine market.

“We are tapping experts from the UK, Spain and Australia to design and execute the project. These experts will also engage in a knowledge transfer program to develop the skills of our young and dynamic team of local engineers. We have more solar projects in the pipeline which we hope will help to speed up economic and social development,” Mr. Plata said in the same statement.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in Manila had worked closely with Proinso for its entry into the Philippine market.

UKTI International Trade Adviser David Taylor said the Subic Bay project is one of the biggest by a UK company in the Philippines this year.

“The UK is committed to action on climate change and Proinso is a great example of our business expertise in renewable energy and low carbon initiatives. A project of this scale will utilize the abundance of solar energy in the Philippines and help the country develop a cleaner energy mix,” British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad said.

Proinso has extensive experience in systems integration in grid-tied, off-grid, storage and diesel hybrid solutions across residential, commercial, industrial and utility applications.

The solar energy company said international markets account for 88% of its sales. It currently has offices in Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, USA, UK, Canada, China, Brazil, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Mexico and India. (CRAG, BusinessWorld)

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=uk-based-company-tapped-for-solar-farm-project-in-subic-bay-&id=117583

27 October 2015

Ship calls at Subic Port jump by 53% in September

Even more ships now call on the Port of Subic, as indicated by a 53 per cent buildup in its number of ship calls, as of end-September compared to the same month last year.

Living up to the promise of being an alternative port to Manila, the Subic Port saw a rise in the number of domestic and foreign vessels by 56 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively, for the month.

These vessels brought in a 10 per cent increase in gross registered tonnage (GRT), as domestic vessels mustered a substantial spread of 126 per cent in GRT and foreign ships, a modest gain of six (6) per cent.

“Our port likewise enjoyed a 55 per cent hike in revenues, from P63 million in September 2014 to P99 million last month,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia reported.

A major contributors to the Port’s revenue figures were port leases and rentals, which surged up by 126 per cent; and SBMA shares, which improved by 110 per cent, Garcia added.

Also contributing to this increase in revenues were cargo charges, which went up by 19 per cent; and processing fees and other charges, which expanded by 27 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively.

According to Garcia, the Subic Port also showed marked improvements in cargo volume at the end of September, as containerized cargo shipments swelled by 50 per cent in terms of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

“As of last month, we have already broken our 2014 yearend record of 77,000 TEUs,” Garcia disclosed, noting that total TEUs from January to September this year have already reached 93,757 TEUs.

Although transshipments went down from 65 TEUs in September 2014 to six (6) TEUs in September this year, this drop was compensated by a 51 per cent increment in import shipments and a 19 per cent upturn in export shipments, along with a 52 per cent and a 84 per cent growth in incoming empties and outgoing empties, respectively.

Similarly, non-containerized cargo volume registered a growth of 48 per cent in terms of metric tons (MTs) in September, as compared to the same month last year. These cargoes largely consisted of liquid bulk and petroleum shipments, which jumped by 99 per cent, followed by bulk and break bulk by 16 per cent, and heavy equipment, lo-lo, and ro-ro shipments by four (4) per cent.

Garcia attributes the port’s positive performance to several factors such as Subic’s one-stop shop, which is the only one of its kind in Luzon; SBMA’s port marketing programs, which includes two recent maritime summits; and the formation of a Maritime Technical Group.

“All these initiatives plus the fact that Subic Bay is the only port in the Philippines western seaboard that still has enough capacity to handle additional container volume have further sharpened our port’s competitive edge,” the top SBMA official explained. (KMF/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Containers unloaded at the New Container Terminal in Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

Benedicto keeps title in Tri United 3

UNILAB Active Health’s (ULAH) August Benedicto displayed perseverance and determination to retain his Tri United 3 title Sunday at the ACEA Resort inside the Subic Bay Freeport.

The event organized by Bike King headed by Raul Cuevas was the toughest series this year since its main contest covers roughly 113-kilometers in distance (1.9-k swim, 90-k bike, 21-k run).

Despite the intense heat, Benedicto kept pace with teammate Benjamin Rana and early leader Ben Regan in the swim before slowly pulling away in the bike and run to clock the best time at 4 hours and 48 minutes in the Elite Male category.

“I was behind a few competitors coming from the swim but I managed to overtake them,” Benedicto said.

Rana eventually lost steam down the stretch and finished third (5:07:23) behind CamSur Tri Team bet Billy Biag (5:04:16).
Meanwhile Katelyn Kearney was the lone Elite Female participant and went on to claim the title with her overall time of 7:17:15.

The effort put in by the triathletes in the event supported by ULAH, Enervon Activ, Active Health Carb Gel, Enervon HP, NLEX-SCTEX Cycling, Orbea, Saucony, WeatherPhilippines, TIMEX, Gardenia, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, Court Meridian Hotel and Suites and Oxford Hotel and Casino were rewarded with R10,000, R6,000 and R4,000 cash prizes.
The next race in the series – Tri United 4 – will be held at the Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga on November 22. (Tempo)

PHOTO:
Tri United 3 has attracted some 80 triathletes seeing action in the Subic Bay race.

http://sports.tempo.com.ph/2015/10/27/benedicto-keeps-title/

15 October 2015

Subic a role-model for promotion of IP rights and welfare

The initiatives of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in uplifting the living conditions of the indigenous people (IP) living within the Subic Bay Freeport has become a model for other economic zones hosting similar tribal communities.

Recently, the Ateneo De Zamboanga University (ADZU) invited SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia to the forum “From Zamboanga to Subic, In Search for Partnership” that aimed to pick up insights from the SBMA’s experiences with the Pastolan Ayta tribe with whom the agency had signed a joint management agreement (JMA) for the use and development of tribal lands.

The forum, which also sought to deepen understanding of the Zamboangueños on the two-fold issue of land use and land ownership between the Subanon tribe and the Zamboanga Economic Zone was held at the Garden Orchid Hotel in Zamboanga City.

ADZU director Loreta Sta. Teresa said the SBMA inputs will “concretize the writings and the experiences summarized in the book report” developed after conducting a study trip in Subic and Clark free ports.

The forum, Sta. Teresa added, “will be a venue to materialize what ADZU envisioned for a new Mindanao where multi-cultural communities live in peace and harmony.”

In his presentation, Chairman Garcia explained that with the signing of the JMA between the SBMA and the Pastolan Aytas, the indigenous tribe started collecting five percent (5%) of the gross income paid by the investors for rent of the land, starting May 12, 2009, the date when the Ayta’s certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT) was registered.

Above this, the SBMA also has started to give each Ayta family P20,000 annually, an amount which is increased further on the 6th, 11th, 16th, and 25th year. The agency also donates P100,000 each year for the fiesta and Christmas celebrations at the Pastolan Ayta village.

Garcia also said that able-bodied Aeta workers are given priority in any job hiring for the construction of the US$450-million solar and wind project located at a 20-hectare area near Pastolan.

He added that the SBMA also turned over the management of the Pamulaklakin Tribal Park to the Aytas after completing the transition period for management training.

The Aytas also benefited from SBMA community development assistance programs, the construction of two schoolrooms for high school, and the establishment of a community clinic with detailed medical personnel from the SBMA Dispensary.

Garcia said the SBMA initiated the establishment of the JMA in recognition of the Ambala Ayta tribe of Subic Bay’s CADT, which proves the tribe’s ownership of the more than 4,280 hectares of land covering the Kalayaan and the Binictican housing areas, the Apaliin and the Pamulaklakin forest areas, and the El Kabayo tourism area, among others.

The JMA and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were signed by the SBMA management and the Ambala Ayta tribal council in 2013.

The JMA upholds the rights of the Aytas to uplift the economic, cultural and social conditions of their tribe based on the programs being implemented by the government, and provide for a systematic management and development of the ancestral land, as indicated in the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan, while ensuring the promotion of Ayta rights.

National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Chairperson Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid had commented that the JMA between the SBMA and the Ambala Ayta could “serve as template for all agreements entered by all indigenous people with regards to the use of their ancestral lands by any investors and business group.”

Pastolan chieftain Conrado Frenilla, meanwhile, said the JMA has become the culmination of the tribe’s long-fought struggle to gain recognition for their indigenous heritage. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (extreme right) explains the agency’s joint management agreement with the Ayta tribe in the Subic Bay Freeport during a forum at the Ateneo De Zamboanga University. Also in photo are (from left): Atty. Jonathan Adaci, head of the NCIP Ancestral Domains Office; Martin Guinilac, president of Labuan-Patalon-Limpapa-Subanen indigenous cultural community; Salvador Lazaro, head of the Project Office for Special Concerns; and Bonifacio Tolentino, Ayta elder at the Ambala Pastolan village in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (AMD/MPD-SBMA, ABL/PRD-SBMA)

[2] SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (second from left) and Subic Ayta leader Bonifacio Tolentino receive tokens of appreciation from Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME, (right) founder of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement, at the culmination of a forum on cultural communities at the Ateneo De Zamboanga University. (AMD/MPD-SBMA, ABL/PRD-SBMA)

SCADC renews push for Clark, Subic expansion

The Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC) is pursuing plans to expand the areas of the neighboring Subic Bay and Clark free ports to attract more investors and help solve the problem of congestion in Metro Manila.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, who is also chairman of SCADC, said on Monday that council members have agreed to develop new industrial estates within the corridor between Subic and Clark.

“Accordingly, there are about 100,000 hectares of land suitable for development on both sides of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway [SCTEx],” Garcia said in a media briefing here.

“Initially, we’re looking for a 1,000-hectare pilot area. We’d allow Japanese or Korean investors to construct facilities there at their own expense to convince others that it’s beneficial to locate along the Subic-Clark corridor,” he added.

Garcia said that plans for the expansion of the Subic and Clark free ports have been in existence since the administration of former SBMA Chairman Felicito Payumo and former Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Rufo Colayco, but these did not push through.

The integrated development of Subic and Clark, as well as the vast corridor of flat lands between them, had been set as the objective of SCADC, which also seeks to harmonize programs and policies pertaining to Clark and Subic.

SCADC is composed of representatives from the BCDA, SBMA, Clark Development Corp., Department of Trade and Industry, Clark International Airport Corp. and, lately, North Luzon Railways Corp.

Subic, which has a total land area of 67,852 hectares, and Clark, which has 4,500 hectares, had since been developed into separate but complementary economic zones connected by the 94-kilometer SCTEx.

However, Subic, in particular, increasingly suffered from lack of space, as most of its mountainous territory is designated as a nature preserve and only less than 3,000 hectares have been put up for lease to business locators.

Garcia said that with the worsening traffic situation in Manila, as well as the diminishing space for industrial and commercial use in Subic, there is a need to find alternative investment sites to sustain economic growth.

“Foreign investors no longer find Manila attractive because of the traffic congestion,” Garcia pointed out. “But there’s no congestion, no truck ban and no flood in Clark and Subic.”

Garcia said it would be ideal for new investors to locate near Subic and Clark to make use of the distinct advantages the two free ports can offer.

“If investors need to deliver materials fast, there is Clark with its airport; and if they need to bring in heavy machinery, then there is the port of Subic,” he added. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/scadc-renews-push-for-clark-subic-expansion/

Subic Freeport, overall winner in Asia of Global Free Zones of the Year 2015 award

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) adds another feather to its cap of achievements in the management and administration of the country’s first free port.

After the agency’s record highs for three (3) consecutive years, SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia announced today that the Freeport garnered two (2) major awards in the recently concluded survey for the Global Free Zones of the Year 2015 awards: overall winner in Asia and overall winner in the sub-region of South and Southeast Asia.

The Subic Freeport also received commendations in the form of bespoke awards for infrastructure developments and reinvestment. “Some locations, which were particularly outstanding, were acknowledged with honorable mentions and bespoke awards,” Garcia explained.

According to Garcia, the publication received a total of 76 entries from all over the world, which were individually studied by a panel of judges who then nominated their winning and runner-up locations in each region.

“Emerging as overall winner in Asia, as well as in South and Southeast Asia, is a significant indicator of Subic Freeport’s level of competitiveness among other zones in the region,” Garcia said.

Garcia added that the awards also underscore the Freeport’s attractiveness and potential as an investment site and validates the strategies that the Subic agency has been undertaken to spur the zone toward further growth.


The survey was conducted by the fDi Magazine, an 11-year old bi-monthly publication of The Financial Times, Ltd. of London, to acknowledge the most promising free zones across the world. Invited to join were free zones, government entities, and investment promotion bodies, which were asked to complete a short survey, detailing their zone’s attractiveness, facilities, and incentives offered to investors.

Survey questions included growth performance measures for 2013 and 2014; what multinational companies have chosen to locate in the zone and why; which tenants have chosen to undertake recent expansion of their presence in the zone; and what initiatives have been implemented to offered in the last 12 months to increase tenant numbers, including any special incentives, programmes, or facilities catering specifically to small medium enterprises or start-ups.

Also asked were infrastructure developments or facilities upgrades in the last 12 months, as well as major development plans to facilitate future expansion.

Wrapping up, the SBMA chairman pointed out, “These awards also mean that we’re on the right track and doing the right thing, and exerting our best effort as a team”. (KMF/CorComm-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia announces the “Global Free Zone of the Year” Award received by the Subic Bay Freeport Zone from fDi Magazine, a publication of the Financial Times of London. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

09 October 2015

SBMA launches e-bills, payment system for locators


The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently launched its electronic Billing and Payment System (e-BPS) to facilitate delivery of monthly statement of accounts (SOA) to locators and residents in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, and remittance of payment, initially through the electronic banking services of Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia said the SBMA e-BPS is the first such government system, and suggested other government agencies, particularly Clark Freeport Zone, and Freeport Area of Bataan, to consider adopting the same.

He said he expected the immediate deployment of the e-BPS Phase 2, which would include other payment transactions, including seaport charges and US-dollar denominated SBMA fees, and the remittance of payment through other BancNet member banks.

In lieu of the delivery of the monthly SOA, the SBMA will send email notification to locators and residents that their SOA has been posted online. With a hyperlink to the SBMA portal, locators and residents will be able to view their respective SOA, and authorize Landbank to electronically remit the payment of the outstanding amount from their account for credit to the SBMA account. Upon receipt of the electronic payment confirmation from Landbank, SBMA will update the e-BPS to reflect said statement.

The e-BPS is being implemented by the SBMA in collaboration with InterCommerce Network Services, Inc., a value-added service provider accredited by SBMA and other government trade regulatory agencies. (PortCalls.com)

PHOTO:
At the launching ceremony of e-BPS are SBMA officials led by Chairman Roberto V. Garcia (4th from left, seated) and lawyer Ramon O. Agregado (3rd from left, seated), along with LandBank representatives, Anthon C. Ferolino (left of Garcia), Vice-President, LandBank-Central Luzon Banking Group; Sylvia C. Lim (6th from left), Asst. Vice President of LandBank Subic Branch; Frank Lopez (extreme left, seated), President of Inter Commerce Network Services; Ninna Richelle H. Veran (6th from left, standing), Head of Cash Management Solutions Department and Paul Christian C. Cortez (9th from left, standing). (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.portcalls.com/sbma-launches-ebills-payment-system-locators/

08 October 2015

Royal Australian Navy ships in Subic Bay

Royal Australian Navy ships HMAS Arunta and HMAS Sirius are in Subic for a five-day visit, 7-11 October 2015. The short break from sea will give the ships’ companies an opportunity to continue their association with Filipino colleagues and experience Philippine culture and sights.

“Australia values the deepening engagement with the Philippine Navy,” said Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell, who welcomed the officers and crews of Arunta and Sirius at Subic, where the ships are docked. The Ambassador was accompanied by Defence Attaché Col Bruce Murray, AM.

Australia and the Philippines have a long-standing Defence Cooperation Program on counter-terrorism, maritime security and assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program. Recently, Australia gifted two operation-ready Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) from the Royal Australian Navy to help improve the Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) capacity of the Philippine armed forces.

The Royal Australian Navy played a vital part in the Australian Defence Force’s humanitarian efforts in the Philippines in 2013, carrying emergency supplies, water purifiers, generators, earth moving equipment and vehicles to areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

HMAS Arunta is an Anzac class frigate while HMAS Sirius is a fleet replenishment ship. The two ships have just completed successful exercises in the Indian Ocean.

HMAS Arunta is the second Royal Australian Navy ship to bear the name, and has historical ties to the Philippines. The first HMAS Arunta took part in the liberation of the Philippines in 1944, including pre-landing bombardments at Leyte Gulf and the Battle of Surigao Strait. In January 1945 the ship was suffered a near miss from a kamikaze at Lingayen Gulf. In July 1946 the first HMAS Arunta carried Commodore John Collins to Manila for the inauguration of the Philippine Republic.

The current HMAS Arunta has another link to the Philippines. Two Filipino-Australian sailors are currently serving as part of Arunta’s ship's company. Able Seaman Electronics Technician Aaron Scott and Able Seaman Boatswains Mate Matthew Parry will be taking some time off to visit with family in the Philippines.

“This deployment is especially important to me as I am able to visit the Philippines again, and I feel proud that my family will get to see me doing my job. It will also be a good opportunity to embrace, explore and remember what my background culture is all about,” Able Seaman Scott said.

This will be Able Seaman Parry’s first visit to the Philippines. "The port visit to the Philippines will be a great opportunity to meet family I have never met and to see what the culture and the lifestyle is like for my Mother and her family,” he said.

PHOTO:
HMAS Arunta and Sirius conduct a Replenishment at Sea while enroute to Subic Bay, Philippines

http://philippines.embassy.gov.au/mnla/MR151007.html

Hanjin Subic Bay Yard Achieves 70% of 2015 New Order Target

With relatively good performance due to no unfavorable factors of offshore plants, Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction (HHIC) is happy about the performance of its overseas Subic Bay shipyard.

HHIC’s Subic Bay shipyard in the Philippines, which has been operating for six years now, has achieved 70 percent of the 2015 new order target with the orders of large container ships. In contrast, HHIC’s Youngdo yard in Busan, which is considered the beginning of the company, has shown some 20 percent of the new order achievement rate.

According to industry sources on Oct. 6, HHIC’s Subic Bay shipyard won contracts worth US$1 billion (1.17 trillion won) as of the end of last month. Accordingly, it is expected to achieve the 2015 target of US$1.2 billion (1.4 trillion won) with ease. The Subic Bay shipyard has received orders to build three 20,000 TEU container ships for the first time this year and six 11,000 TEU vessels. Considering the fact that the shipyard obtained the US$56 million (653.52 billion won) contracts to build a total of six ships last year, it has won orders, which are nearly two times as much as last year, in the third quarter alone.

The strengths of the Subic Bay shipyard are a large site, 10 times that of the Youngdo yard, and cost competitiveness, with labor costs lower than China. With a floor space of 80,000 peyong (264,000 m2), the Youngdo yard cannot build vessels with more than 6,000 TEU. Therefore, building ships with more than 10,000 TEU, which fits with the current mega ship trend, is only possible in the Subic Bay shipyard, said a HHIC spokesperson.

The labor cost also stands at 400,000 won (US$343) a month per person. The figure is much lower than an average of 5 million won (US$4,284) in Korea or some 1 million won (US$857) in China. An official from HHIC said, “As an alternative of the Youngdo yard, the company has invested in the Subic Bay shipyard for about a decade to make it technologically competitive. All our hard work finally paid off.”

Unlike the Subic Bay shipyard that has become stable, however, HHIC’s Youngdo yard seems unstable. The shipyard received US$69 million (805.23 billion won) orders for 15 vessels in 2013 when it resumed building ships. Last year, it saw a slightly better performance with 11 ships at US$77 million (898.59 billion won). However, the shipyard only won US$260 million (303.42 billion won) contracts for eight ships as of the end of Sept. this year. The cumulative figure is a mere 22 percent of the target of US$1.2 billion (1.4 trillion won). Of the eight ships, two ships are liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, while another two ships are 1,900 TEU ships, and the remaining four ships are special vessels.

Despite poor performance in the Youngdo yard, HHIC’s performance prospects in the third quarter are not dim. This is partly due to the favorable turn in the construction sector and the company’s efforts to reduce deficits.

According to data from FnGuide, a securities information service provider, sales and operating profits of HHIC in the third quarter are estimated at 666.2 billion won (US$570.87 million) and 14.9 billion won (US$12.77 million). Although sales decreased from the second quarter, operating profits turned positive. FnGuide expects that Hyundai Heavy Industries will post 26.1 billion won (US$22.37 million) in operating profits, while Samsung Heavy Industries will post 29.7 billion won (US$25.45 million. However, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering is expected to see losses of 35 billion won (US$3 million). In terms of operating profits, HHIC surpasses the nation’s big three shipbuilders. (Jung Min-hee, Business Korea)

PHOTO:
Subic Bay Shipyard, a subsidiary of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction in the Philippines.

http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/industry/12380-almost-there-hanjin-subic-bay-yard-achieves-70-2015-new-order-target

07 October 2015

FVR lauds Subic for effective tourism promotion, jobs creation

Former President Fidel V. Ramos lauded the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for effectively promoting tourism in the Subic Bay Freeport and providing jobs to thousands of residents in Central Luzon.

Ramos was in Subic with Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengson for the Global Youth Forum 2015 held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) on Thursday.

Addressing over 700 students and members of the academe from various colleges and universities, as well as representatives from tourism-related businesses and organizations in as far as South Cotabato and Zamboanga City, Ramos cited Subic’s role in job generation, pointing out that the Philippine tourism industry has already provided jobs to millions of Filipinos.

“Tourism is a business where people make profit and create jobs,” Ramos said.

He pointed out that tourism is now one of the world’s biggest industries and that by the year 2020, there will be about 1.6 billion people traveling around the world and spending about US$2-trillion.

Ramos also said that despite the high prices of commodities, people can be thankful that there are government agencies like the SBMA and the Department of Tourism (DoT), which provide people with means of livelihood.

For his part, Undersecretary Bengson said that the tourism industry is the largest income generator in the country, with about P275 billion last year in terms of income by providing one tourism-related job for every ten Filipinos.

Bengson then urged everyone to continue supporting the tourism industry by helping promote local tourism attractions on their network accounts like Facebook and Instagram.

“If one will post on Facebook or Instagram the beautiful places they visited, he or she will actually be promoting the places with 10 of his or her friends, who then will share the same to their friends and so on,” he said.

The forum was organized by the International School of Sustainable Tourism, DoT, Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines, and Agrea Agricultural System Intl., Inc. to create awareness among the youth of the many opportunities in the tourism industry, and to highlight lessons learned from successful tourism ventures and expose government workers to best practices and success stories.

The three-day activity featured five sessions that each focused on topics like “The Country’s Future- Getting Youth into Tourism Jobs”; “Sowers of Change- Education”; “Creating opportunities for Dialogue and Encounter- Social Media and IT”; “Economic Development in the Countryside versus Environmental Concerns”; and “Global Market for Local Talents- ASEAN Youth on the Move.”

Invited speakers included Efren Peñaflorida, the CNN Hero and founder of Kariton Foundation; Pocholo Gonzales, author and public speaker on youth culture, media and technology; and Durrie Hassan, executive director of Carlton Mansfield Ltd., Malaysia. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] Former President Fidel V. Ramos views pictures on display at the SBMA office with SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia during a visit to the Subic Bay Freeport recently. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] Former President Fidel V. Ramos listens intently during a briefing with SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia during a visit to the Subic Bay Freeport recently. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

05 October 2015

Philippines' Subic seen as investment-worthy for Taiwan

Taiwanese businessmen are coming back to Subic Bay again after a previous investment craze in the 1990s, as the Philippines is once more being seen as an ideal springboard for tapping into the promising Southeast Asian market.

With lingering economic challenges in Europe and only moderate growth in the United States and Japan, developing Asian countries have become a major driving force for the global economy in recent years.

In particular, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies seem to have brighter prospects because they are expected to transform into a single market and production base in the near future.

Jeff Lin (林繼武), president of Subic Bay Development Management Center Inc. (SBDMC), a joint venture between the local government authority and Taiwan's United Development Corp. (世華開發), told CNA that the ASEAN market looks promising in terms of its manufacturing sector and trade, thanks to the region's economic ties with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Lin suggested that Taiwanese businessmen should take advantage of the Philippines as a springboard to the ASEAN market, which has a population of 640 million and a combined gross domestic product of US$2.4 trillion.

In the Subic Bay Special Economic Zone (SBSEZ), there are no taxes for investors except for a 5 percent tax on gross income, which can help save costs for investors, Lin said. If at least 40 percent of the investors' products are manufactured locally, their products will be duty-free when sold in the ASEAN market, he added.

Roberto Garcia, chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, said in a recent press conference that the Subic Bay Special Economic Zone is expanding its scale to neighboring areas because of an increasing number of investors who need more industrial land.

The first-phase complex of the Subic Bay Gateway Park, operated by SBDMC, has almost reached its full capacity with more than 170 companies currently operating there, of which roughly 30 percent are from Taiwan.

Taiwanese investment in Subic Bay is estimated at US$700 million. (CNA)

(By Emerson Lim and Jeffrey Wu)

PHOTO:
SBDMC headquarters at the Subic Gateway Park

http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aeco/201510040008.aspx


01 October 2015

Container volume doubles at Port of Subic

Container shipments at the Port of Subic doubled as of August this year as Manila continues to experience massive port congestion.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto V. Garcia, in a press briefing, told reporters that as of August this year, container volume at the Port of Subic has already reached 83,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) compared to 43,000 TEUs for the same period last year.

This indicated a 93 percent increase, Garcia pointed out.

The SBMA official said efforts by the agency and partner locators to ensure ease in cargo processing at the Port of Subic, as well as other marketing initiatives, contributed to the rise in container volume here.

“We are the only port in Luzon that has a one-stop shop, and this gives us the competitive edge,” Garcia also explained. “They come to our container port, go to our one-stop shop where offices of the SBMA, Customs, and the Landbank are there all in one place, and in just a matter of 30 minutes, their papers are already processed.”

“The one-stop shop and our marketing programs such as the two recent maritime summits and the formation of a Maritime Technical Group, are all coming into play right now,“ Garcia added.

At the rate the Port of Subic is performing, Garcia said he expect shipping volume this year to double last year’s yearend record of 77,000 TEUs.

The SBMA chair also concurred with Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who said in a recent forum here that Subic is the answer to the current traffic congestion in Manila.

“Senator Marcos hasn’t been here for some time, but he was really impressed with Subic. We are really pushing very hard to increase the volume here to help decongest Manila,” Garcia said.

Subic Bay is the only port in the western seaboard of the Philippines that still has enough capacity to handle additional container volume.

Garcia said that unlike the Port of Batangas, which has now reached its full capacity, shippers can come to Subic any time.

Seven major shipping lines are now calling on the port of Subic on a regular basis. These include Maersk, APL, NYK, and SITC, among others. (RBB/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Container ships unloads cargo at the New Container Terminal in the Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

30 September 2015

Rising volumes push Manila, Subic to upgrade ports

HONG KONG — International Container Terminal Services Inc. is investing heavily in construction and port equipment to improve productivity that will be required to deal with rising container volumes expected through its Manila and Subic import gateways.

Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), the ICTSI flagship, has had a request to spend $107 million on expanding yard capacity approved by the Philippines Board of Investments, while Subic Bay International Container Terminal Corp. (SBITC) recently deployed three new reach stackers and 16 new Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors.
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Port equipment upgrades are being made by ICTSI, and six new rubber tired gantries have been ordered that may be deployed at either MICT or Subic terminals. This will be added to the three new reach stackers and 16 new Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors that SBITC commissioned recently.

There has been renewed interest in Subic port that played a large role during the congestion. At the height of the bottlenecks, an order from the government temporarily lifted cabotage restrictions on Subic and Batangas ports that allowed foreign carriers to be loaded or unloaded there if Manila was backed up. Now that the Philippines has scrapped the cabotage law, there is expected to be greater volumes flowing through the country’s smaller ports.

The cabotage reform will bring down the exorbitant costs of domestic shipping and improve efficiency as foreign carriers compete on an equal level with the few local players that have cornered the market, and it has received a warm welcome from the Philippine Ports Authority.

"The major gateways have long been capable of handling bigger ships and our secondary gateways are being improved to handle international vessels," said PPA general manager Juan Sta. Ana.

"They have been improving the capacity and capability of the Philippine ports in anticipation of the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community at the start of next year, and those measures somehow help the state-owned agency adjust easily to the amendments in the cabotage law,” he said.

Roberto Locsin, SBITC general manager, said terminal productivity and efficiencies will continue to improve as SBITC makes key investments in equipment and technology. “It is also part of our effort to persuade more customers to use Subic as it is logically the gateway for these regions (central and northern Luzon),” he said.

“The new equipment, along with the opening of a one-stop shop, will allow us to continue to deliver superior customer experience for our customers from the quay to the gate including brokers, forwarders, and truckers and ultimately, the cargo owner.”

The one-stop shop Locsin was referring to is a move to house the relevant customs and port authorities under one roof to revamp the often tedious documentation process and hasten the processing of import transactions. It allows the seamless flow of transactions as port users no longer have to travel to different areas around Subic to process documents.
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The MICT project will see the construction of Berth 7 in Manila’s North Harbor that will include a 300-metre wharf and back up area that when completed will be able to handle up to 2.5 million 20-foot containers.

A key part of the MICT project will be an expansion of yard space for storage of empty containers as ICTSI tries to resolve what was a significant part of the chronic port congestion that brought Manila to a standstill for most of last year.

The Philippines is a net importer of containerised goods with around 900,000 empty TEUs shipped out every year being handled by MICT. At one point during the congestion in Manila, 75,000 TEUs were waiting to be collected in the port.

Phase 1 of the Berth 7 yard development has been completed, adding four hectares of empty container depot that will be able to store up to 4,300 TEUs. An additional two hectares able to store more than 2,000 TEUs will be added by the end of the year.

The whole project is expected to be completed by 2017 and will complement the development of Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal, a dry port operated by ICTSI 36 miles south of Manila.

Laguna dry port’s phase 1 expansion will include extended and dedicated storage areas for loaded and empty containers, a runway for rubber-tired gantries (RTG), container care facilities, weigh bridges at the gates, an upgraded access road and a direct rail service to the sea port. The full project will effectively add 250,000 TEUs of capacity to MICT.

“Once everybody starts using Laguna dry port, we can expect even better productivity levels at MICT,” said Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI vice president and head of Asia-Pacific.

Philippine business and government officials appear to be at odds over whether Manila will experience a return of port congestion when container volumes increase ahead of the Christmas season.

Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras, who heads Task Force Pantalan that is charged with finding solutions to port bottlenecks, told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee this week there will be a smooth flow of goods with no congestion in and out of the country's ports for the upcoming Christmas season, when the volume of imported goods naturally increases.

"Everything is moving well. We don't expect problems in December," Almendras told the committee during a hearing at the legislature, according to online news portal InterAksyon.

However, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce had the opposite opinion. Local media quoted chamber president Alfredo Yao as saying port congestion might be inevitable during the last quarter because of a surge in container volumes.

“There should be tightening in the ports again because the truck ban is gone and it’s also the last quarter which is the peak season for importers,” Yao told reporters. “I hope not but there is that possibility.” Yao did concede that “it may not be as bad as last year.” (Greg Knowler, Senior Asia Editor, JOC.com)

PHOTO:
Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation has added 16 new Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors to its prime mover fleet ahead of an expected increase in container movement in the coming months.

full story: http://www.joc.com/port-news/rising-volumes-push-manila-and-subic-upgrade-ports_20150929.html

27 September 2015

Palace: DND talking to DBM on Subic airfield renovation plan

Malacañang on Sunday assured that the government is working to finish the improvement of the Subic Bay airfield.

"May regular na ugnayan ang Department of National Defense sa Department of Budget and Management upang masiguro na matapos sa takdang panahon ang pagpapahusay ng paliparan sa Subic," Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said over state-run radio dzRB.

He added that the government knows that the airfield is a valuable asset.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Roberto Garcia said the government should rush the renovation of the airfield.

Garcia said that by December, two of the 12 FA50 fighters purchased from South Korea will arrive.

He said the remaining jets will arrive next year.

The Philippine Air Force was has been allocated about 10 percent of the 200-hectare airport facilities to house 12 jets.

Garcia also expressed concern about the upcoming elections in May, citing the pre-election ban on military spending that may start March next year.

"That is my concern, if the military does not get funding for the repairs, the air and naval bases may be delayed," Garcia said.

A Reuters report said that according to an air force general, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press, the government had yet to respond to a request for 100 million pesos ($2.14 million) to refurbish Subic's airfield. (ALG, GMA News)

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/538568/news/nation/palace-dnd-talking-to-dbm-on-subic-airfield-renovation-plan

26 September 2015

Spending ban may delay repairs in Subic Bay for air support in West PH Sea

Subic Bay, Philippines - Plans to renovate an air base near Manila, enabling Philippine fighter jets to respond quickly to any Chinese moves in the disputed South China Sea, may face delays due to a spending ban before general elections, a senior official said on Friday.

New fighter jets and two frigates are to be stationed at the former U.S. naval facility in Subic Bay northwest of the capital from early next year, the first time the massive installation will have functioned as a military base in 23 years.

Subic Bay's deep-water harbor lies on the western side of the main Philippine island of Luzon, opposite the South China Sea, and is about 130 nautical miles (240 km) from Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop China seized control of in 2012.

China has built seven artificial islands on submerged shoals and outcrops in the area, which it says is part of its territory, and is believed to be constructing three airfields there.

Robert Garcia, chairman of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, - which is overseeing the conversion of the industrial and commercial complex - said the military had to move quickly to repair the base's airfield because a pre-election ban on military spending kicks in March.

The Philippines holds national elections in May.

"That is my concern, if the military does not get funding for the repairs, the air and naval bases may be delayed," Garcia said, adding that South Korea was due to deliver the first two fighters in early December.

An air force general, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the government had yet to respond to a request for 100 million pesos ($2.14 million) to refurbish Subic's airfield.

The Philippine Air Force has been allocated about 10 percent of the 200-hectare airport facilities to house a squadron of 12 FA50 light fighters for maritime security missions.

Once one of the biggest U.S. naval facilities in the world, Subic was shut in 1992 after the end of the Cold War.

"With the situation in the South China Sea right now, it looks like the presence of foreign troops will increase in coming months," Garcia said, adding that approval by the Supreme Court of a new military pact with the United States would change the situation. A ruling is expected next month. (Manuel Mogato, Reuters)

PHOTO:
Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in this still image from video taken by a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft provided by the United States Navy May 21, 2015. (Reuters/U.S. Navy)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/25/us-philippines-southchinasea-idUSKCN0RP1V520150925