Subic gym closed down for violating health safety protocols

A popular gym and fitness center here was temporarily closed down by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) early this week for violation of health protocols against the spread of the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

SBMA Deputy Administrator for Health and Safety Ronnie Yambao said the Victory Gym and Athletic Club was ordered to stop operations for two weeks as penalty for a first offense after a series of verified complaints showed gym customers not wearing face masks and not observing social distancing during workouts.

Under SBMA Board Resolution No. 20-11-1843, which imposed fines and penalties for violation of health protocols and standards against the spread of Covid-19, the agency would penalize business locators that neglect to implement measures on workplace prevention and control of Covid-19.

The penalty for first offense was temporary closure for two weeks. The second offense merited suspension of the Certificate of Registration and Tax Exemption (CRTE) for six months, while the third merited cancellation of CRTE.

The SBMA Board has also set fines for anyone caught not properly wearing a face mask in public places or violating maximum public health standards: P1,000 for first offense; P2,000 for second offense; and P5,000 for succeeding violations.

The same penalties applied to non-wearing of face shield in designated areas.

Victory Gym, which is located at the Subic Commercial and Light Industrial Park near Manila Avenue, is popular among local residents for its state-of-the-art facilities for weight training, as well as ancillary programs like Zumba and boxing.

However, Yambao said the SBMA has received information that some Victory Gym clients broke rules on wearing of face masks and face shields. Initially, the gym management reasoned out that their customers only removed face masks during picture-taking, but more anonymous reports sent to SBMA showed gym clients flouting the rules.

On March 18, the SBMA issued a show cause letter ordering the company to explain why it should not be penalized for the reported violations. Victory Gym responded on March 22, but the SBMA Public Health and Safety Department recommended on March 26 that it should be cited for first offense after an investigation and review of documents proved the company violated health protocols.

The SBMA served the order for temporary closure of the gym on April 5, and warned that another violation would result in the suspension of its CRTE.

Yambao said the gym management informed the SBMA that they will resume operations on April 22 upon compliance with the closure order and implementation of corrective measures.

Meanwhile, the SBMA also suspended face-to-face trainings and workshops among its departments to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace and in the community, especially with the recent emergence of more contagious virus strains.

A memo issued on Tuesday urged SBMA personnel to use Google Hangouts Meet, Zoom, Webex, or other online platforms for trainings and workshops instead of face-to-face interaction. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA allays stakeholders’ fears on new Subic Covid-19 isolation facility

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has allayed fears by stakeholders of this Freeport that the 500-bed mega isolation facility being prepared by the government at the former Cubi Hospital complex here might expose more local residents and workers to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, who visited the facility located in Subic’s Ilanin Forest East on Tuesday, defended the government project and said that the remote location of the facility, as well as strict health protocols observed in Subic, would ensure the safety of everyone.

“The number one assurance we can give them is this location, which is so far away from everybody else,” Eisma said in an interview at the project site. “I would like to emphasize that this hospital is in a fenced and gated compound and that it is virtually a self-contained community.”

“I am sure that the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) will take all the necessary steps to make sure that everybody who will be working here and will be confined here will be limited to the compound. And if there is a need to go out, they will be properly guarded, properly monitored,” she added.

Eisma also pointed out that Subic has one of the lowest numbers of Covid-19 cases in the country because of strict adherence to protocols despite the presence of a Covid-19 hospital, isolation facilities, and swabbing and testing centers in the Freeport.

She said that this was precisely why Subic has been chosen as an international crew-change hub, as well as a popular destination for events under the “bubble” set-up.

“I’m quite sure, by this time, we already know what to do,” Eisma said. “With what we have learned from the past and what we continue to learn, I can guarantee the community of Subic that we will do everything to make sure that not only is this place contained, but that this place will also service the needs of the community when the need arises,” she added.

“Initially, the plan is that only mild and asymptomatic patients will be brought here until the emergency room and the intensive care unit inside the facility will be up and running,” Eisma said.

The 500-bed mega isolation facility for Covid-19 patients in Subic is expected to be ready in early April, as the government sought to increase the number of quarantine and temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMF) and boost the country’s healthcare system capacity.

Last week, National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar Vivencio “Vince” Dizon said the Subic facility was developed as occupancy rate in government quarantine facilities for Covid-19 patients rose dangerously to 70 percent.

Dizon said the new quarantine and temporary treatment and monitoring facility could accommodate asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic Covid-19 patients and allow hospitals to attend to those with medium to severe symptoms. 

Subic’s Covid-19 isolation facility will use 11 out of some 20 buildings in the former Cubi Hospital complex that also recently housed The Manila Times College Subic (TMTCS) campus. The facilities in the 12-hectare complex include a 100-bed hospital that served as the U.S. Navy’s Pacific regional medical center from 1977 to 1983.

The Department of Health (DOH), along with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), is now renovating the hospital and some adjoining buildings, including those that will serve as quarters for medical personnel and other support staff.

Once the Subic isolation facility is ready for occupancy, the DOH will be running the operations while the OCD will be managing security and logistics, Eisma said. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma visits the 500-bed Cubi isolation facility on Tuesday with Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) President Benjamin Antonio III (in pink long-sleeved shirt), Manila Times College of Subic Vice President for Operations Ryan Tulio (in blue shirt), and DPWH Zambales 2^nd District Project Engineer Karen Gail C. Miguel.

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Eisma: Subic to maximize opportunities in ‘new normal’

While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to bring about economic slowdown and affect growth areas like the Subic Bay Freeport, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will make best use of the evolving local and global economic situation, said SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma.

“We will capitalize on opportunities under the new normal and find new ways to handle new problems,” Eisma said on Monday when asked about agency plans for this year.

“While we foresee more difficulties ahead, as it appears Covid-19 won’t be eradicated anytime soon, our development program for Subic Freeport is intact, operational, and we are moving on,” she added.

In her recent State of the Freeport Address (SOFA), Eisma identified challenges Subic faces this year: the continuing Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting weakened financial position of the SBMA; effects of Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Law on businesses here; and the proposed cancellation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that may adversely SBMA revenue.

However, she said the SBMA will meet problems head on through well-laid out plans. “If we can’t change the direction of the wind, we can always adjust our sails to favor the ship and continue with our journey,” the SBMA chief said. “Chance always favors those who are prepared.”

Under it 10-Point Development Agenda, Eisma said the SBMA will undertake the following:

• Policy Reforms and Good Governance: Update policies, guidelines, and best practices, and solidify partnership with relevant sectors in the fight against Covid-19; intensify campaign against corruption, illegal drugs, smuggling, and illicit trade; lobby for laws that would provide broader revenue base.

• Sustainable Development: Pursue better environmental management systems and health and safety standards; develop alternative water sources, and improve sewage and septic facilities; identify new revenue-generating measures.

• Safety and Security: Come up with better monitoring and surveillance systems, upgrade perimeter security, and update hardware for law enforcement and fire protection; strengthen partnership with PNP, PDEA, NBI and other agencies and intensify drive for a drug-free Freeport.

• Community Engagement: Strengthen cooperation projects, including anti-Covid 19 programs, with local government units and stakeholder groups; initiate more community-oriented projects, town-hall meetings, and other interaction.

• Locator Service Excellence: Further cut red-tape, streamline processes, and promote better access for investors; further support locators with economic relief measures; enhance Subic appeal to business.

• Subic Bay Freeport as Gateway: Upgrade facilities for air and sea ports, and set up modernization and marketing programs; support government initiatives in establishing better linkages with nearby economic zones and markets.

• FDIs and MSMEs: Developing new areas for industrial and commercial use; encourage pioneering investments to open up new industry sectors and shift to newer business models; closely work with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to give access and opportunities to micro, small and medium enterprises.

• Tourism Star: Establish Subic as the must-go destination for sports, pageants, conferences and other events under the “bubble” concept; promote Subic as the capital for theme parks, triathlon, sailing, and the next cruise ship playground; capitalize on domestic tourism to revive local businesses.

• Build, Build, Build: Replace decades-old roads, bridges, drainages and other public facilities; support government initiatives to improve the viability of Subic as a special economic zone and growth center; and

• Freeport Expansion: Develop a new Subic masterplan with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and study reclamation as strategy to address limited land spaces; develop Tipo and Redondo areas for industrial and commercial uses; work with neighboring LGU’s to identify and develop expansion areas. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] A cargo ship docks at/steams out of the Subic port: SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma says the Subic Freeport will capitalize on trade opportunities under the “new normal” 

[2] SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma lays down the SBMA action plan for 2021 during her State of the Freeport Address

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SBMA health frontliners get vaccinated vs Covid-19

A total of 78 personnel from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Public Health and Safety Group (SBMA-PHSG) got inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine on Thursday, March 25.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the mass vaccination was made possible through the assistance of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Olongapo City Health Office.

SBMA doctors, nurses, medical technicians and other frontline health workers were on the DOH’s priority list for vaccination as they are exposed to Covid-19 risks because of their job, Eisma said.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without the DOH placing our frontliners on the priority list and we thank Health Secretary Duque and Region 3-DOH Dir. Cesar Casion for that. We also thank Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. as it is the Olongapo City Health Office that administered the shots,” Eisma added.

She added that Paulino had also offered to include Freeport residents in the city’s vaccination program, as the Subic Bay Freeport is not under any local government unit.

“I am so happy that we are taking a whole community approach to the Covid-19 problem and I’m certain that when neighbors band together, they can do things better and faster,” the SBMA chief also said.

Meanwhile, Eisma said that the SBMA is preparing for a mass vaccination program for stakeholders in the Subic Bay Freeport in partnership with the DOH, the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC), and the SBMA Employees Welfare Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SBMA-EWMPC).

“We’re covering all possible access points to get hold of vaccines for workers and business locators, as well as residents in the Freeport and SBMA employees and their families,” Eisma revealed.

“We are in touch with the Philippine Red Cross to help us procure vaccines, and we’re also eyeing this tie-up between the SBFCC and a pharmaceutical outfit to help us realize a mass vaccination program here in Subic,” she added.

In her recent State of the Freeport Address (SOFA), Eisma underscored the agency’s fight against Covid-19 as an important factor in the continuing economic growth in Subic, pointing out that “proactive measures to fight Covid-19 gave us the resilience to be able to bounce back” after the economic slowdown.

The mass vaccination program, she said, is a crucial component of the SBMA’s anti-Covid battle along with mass testing and strict implementation of health protocols.

Subic business locators, meanwhile, have given the SBMA excellent scores for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic since March last year, citing the agency’s strict implementation of safety protocols that allowed businesses to continue operation amid the health crisis. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

SBMA frontline health workers receive their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Thursday in Olongapo City

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Eisma: MPBL hosting boosts Subic’s ‘safe haven’ claim

The successful conclusion of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) championship games here at the Subic Gym on Sunday has further cemented Subic’s claim to fame as a safe destination for sports events under the “bubble” concept.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the MPBL finals is the latest crowning glory in Subic’s bid to be an exclusive safe haven amid the continuing Covid-19 pandemic.

“We’re proud to say that the bubble held until the last game of the MPBL finals. And that’s because we are firm here in Subic in observing health protocols laid down by the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases),” Eisma said.

“The Freeport community has taken painstaking effort to keep Subic safe, knowing it’s necessary for the nation’s economic rebound, and this determination is now paying off for everyone,” she added.

Prior to this, Subic also hosted the 2021 Gatorade-PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup organized by Philippine Super Liga (PSL) under a similar sports bubble that required participants to be housed in dedicated accommodation facilities and monitored by health personnel.

Under the sports bubble, spectators were not allowed in the playing area, and players and technical crew were prohibited from interacting with the public. The games were livestreamed over online video platforms.

MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said the bubble championship games in Subic ended without any hitch, despite initial problems when some players of the Basilan team tested positive before the semifinals. The whole team was not allowed to enter the Subic bubble.

But Duremdes pointed out that “no one was tested positive inside the bubble.”

The championship games ended on March 21 with Davao Occidental Tigers-Cocolife winning the 2019-2020 MPBL Lakan Cup by defeating defending champions San Juan Knights-Go For Gold 89-88 in an overtime.

With the 2019-2020 MPBL championship ended, Eisma said Subic looks forward to its return for the league’s regular season subject to the approval of the IATF. She added the SBMA is also negotiating with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation for a similar bubble tournament here.

Apart from sports events, Subic’s reputation as a safe haven has made it an international crew-change hub for mariners, and a center for corporate jet maintenance in Southeast Asia.

Eisma said the SBMA will further leverage Subic’s safe environment as today’s must-go destination for sports, pageants, conferences and other events under the bubble concept. (30)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma joins MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes (right) and other sports officials in presenting the 2019-2020 MPBL Lakan Cup at the Subic Gym on March 21.

[2] Members of the Davao Occidental Tigers-Cocolife team celebrate after winning the 2019-2020 MPBL Lakan Cup at the Subic Gym on March 21.

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Curfew, other restrictions back in Subic Bay Freeport

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Monday reimposed curfew in the Subic Bay Freeport and reverted to previous entry and mobility restrictions to help curb the resurge of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infections.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the curfew hours in the Subic Freeport will be from 12 midnight to 5:00 in the morning effective March 22 until April 4.

She added that personnel travelling to and from work in the Freeport during curfew hours would be required to show SBMA-issued gate passes and company ID cards to be allowed movement in the zone.

Cargo deliveries, on the other hand, will be unimpeded at all times in Subic, although their crew would be required to strictly observe health safety protocols like wearing of face mask and face shield.

Eisma also said the SBMA has determined that persons from the “NCR Plus bubble” will be allowed into Subic only for business purposes, and should show email confirmation of appointment in the Freeport.

“Those from NCR Plus who would stay in Subic for more than 24 hours will be required to show negative RT-PCR test results with a validity of 24 hours, while persons from MGCQ (modified general community quarantine) areas who would stay here for 4 days and 3 nights or beyond will also be required to undergo RT-PCR test,” Eisma also clarified.

The NCR Plus bubble includes the National Capital Region and the five neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite.

The SBMA chief likewise said they would strictly enforce restrictions set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) under Resolution No. 96 that those below 15 years and over 65 years of age, as well as those pregnant or with comorbidities, will not be allowed outside of their residences except for food, work, or exercise.

The SBMA also barred children below 3 years old from Subic beaches, prohibited consumption of alcoholic drinks in public areas, and temporarily banned picnicking at public spaces like the Waterfront, Boardwalk Park, Malawaan Park, and the San Bernardino Road.

In an announcement last Sunday, Eisma also reminded Subic stakeholders to stay home and suspend non-essential travel in view of the “alarming resurgence of the COVID-19 virus and the growing number of new positive cases in the country.”

The SBMA had recorded since last year 50 confirmed Covid-19 cases among Freeport residents, 32 among guests and transient workers, and 30 among SBMA employees, with just six active cases in the three groups as the moment.

“While the Subic Bay Freeport Zones remains to be one of the urban communities in the country with the least number of cases, we have to take more pro-active measures to protect our ourselves, our family, our livelihood, and the bigger community we live in. We cannot afford another lockdown, so we must do all we can to prevent it,” Eisma pointed out.

She said that to help minimize risks among SBMA employees while continuing to provide services to the public, the SBMA also reverted to alternating teams among its personnel who would man the offices during the two-week period.

“Prudence is always the better part of valor. And with prudence, we ensure our own protection and those of our loved ones and the Subic community. Just as important, we also guarantee that economic activities in Subic continue for all our sake,” Eisma also said. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA law enforcers checking for ID cards and permits among motorists (file photo)

[2] A security guard enforces social distancing among mall-goers in the Subic Bay Freeport (file photo)

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Subic firms give SBMA excellent rating for Covid-19 response

Subic business locators have given the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) superior grades for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic since March last year, citing its strict implementation of safety protocols that allowed businesses to continue operation amid the health crisis.

In a series of interview for last week’s State of the Freeport Address (SOFA) by SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, Subic firms gave the agency from 8 to 10 points for its Covid-19 response.

David Reyes, a public relations strategist for the utility firm SubicWater, said he would give SBMA an 8 rating “because SBMA did things very well, relative to other neighboring areas.” He added that one of the things that a lot of locators appreciate about the SBMA was its “effort to adjust to improve.”

Santiago Detal Jr., customer service manager at Subic’s high-end eyewear maker Lindberg, also gave SBMA an 8 mark, pointing out that there were not that many Covid-19 cases in the Freeport. “Not having many cases meant that the SBMA did what needed to be done during the pandemic,” he said.

“Actually, I will rate it as 9 because they really handled it well, especially the protocols during the ECQ,” said Marvin Gangano, HR supervisor for Datian Subic Shoes, Inc., one of the biggest employers in the Subic Freeport today. He pointed out that strict border restrictions in Subic resulted in fewer cases.

For Catherine Stewart, HR and IT manager for Philippine Coastal Storage & Pipeline Corp., the SBMA deserved a grade of 9.5 for handling the Covid-19 challenge “very smartly.”

“It has not been intimidated by anyone, (including) people forcing their authorities over SBMA,” Stewart observed. “It has been confident that it has been following the guidelines of the government, so it has stood its ground to implement what is necessary to protect everyone here.”  

PTT Philippines Trading Corp. president and CEO Danny Alavado, meanwhile, gave the SBMA a perfect score for handling the pandemic. “I think they were able to manage the Covid cases inside the Freeport Zone. There are some pocket outbreaks, but they really did a good job. For me it’s a 10,” he said.

In her report about the state of the Subic Freeport last week, SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma recalled that the Covid-19 pandemic “practically crippled Subic’s emerging cruise tourism business” and began to impact the local economy more after a nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 17, 2020.

But even before the lockdown, Eisma said the SBMA was already on top of the situation. As early as January last year, she said the SBMA issued a public health bulletin to warn Subic stakeholders of a viral pneumonia and also formed a task force to plan the agency’s pandemic response.

Among the measures taken by the SBMA to fight Covid-19 were strict implementation of border controls, temperature scanning at Freeport gates and buildings, and regular disinfection of facilities. It also established isolation facilities, and put up a Covid-19 testing center with the Philippine Red Cross.

On the other hand, the SBMA boosted business in Subic amid the pandemic by coming up with a series of relief measures to help companies weather the economic slowdown. It also came up with various online platforms to allow business transactions with the SBMA to continue.

“Let me assure everybody that the SBMA will come out of the Covid-19 pandemic wizened and experienced and more capable in steering the Subic Bay Freeport Zone into a better tomorrow,” Eisma said in her SOFA last Thursday.

As of now, Eisma said the SBMA is teaming up with the private sector for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines for SBMA employees, as well as Subic residents and workers of business locators. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma and Senator Richard Gordon announce the operation of  the SBMA-PRC Covid Laboratory Testing Center in Subic last year.

[2] SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma inspects the implementation of safety protocols at a shop in the Subic Bay Freeport.

[3] SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma at the SBMA Covid-19 swabbing center.

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State of the Freeport: SBMA reports P3.2-B earnings, 69 new projects despite Covid-19 pandemic

While the Covid-19 pandemic derailed global economic growth, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) reported continuing growth in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in 2020, including P3.2 billion in operating revenue, 69 new investments and expansion projects worth a total of P1.55 billion, and exports of $1.03 billion.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, in her State of the Freeport Address (SOFA) that was streamed online on Thursday, attributed Subic’s remarkable growth last year to sound economic fundamentals and strict adherence to government health protocols.

The SOFA presentation, an annual project of the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC), was held virtually this year and broadcast over social media—the first time in 14 years of the group’s existence.

Eisma said that while Covid-19 crippled Subic’s emerging economic niche of cruise tourism, “Subic survived for the most part.”

“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic did not completely erode the solid business foundation we built over the years. Our sound policies gave us the toughness to weather the storm, while proactive measures to fight Covid-19 gave us the resilience to be able to bounce back after some beatings,” Eisma said in the SOFA.

The SBMA chief then proudly ticked off positive figures recorded in 2020 by the Subic agency in its key measures. Among them are: P3.2 billion in operating revenue and P1.51 billion in operating expense; P9.2 billion in cash and investments; P6.3 billion in other assets; P30.73 million in contribution to the National Treasury; P278 million in remittances to local government units (LGU’s); P131 million in income tax remittance; and P990 million in dividends.

Eisma also noted that the Port of Subic recorded stellar numbers with $1.12 billion in imports and $1.03 billion in exports. The Subic port also recorded 226,000 twenty-footer equivalent units (TEUs) of containerized cargo volume and 7.09 million metric tons of non-containerized cargo last year.

With these, the Port of Subic generated a total of $1.2 billion in revenues last year, while the Subic Bay International Airport earned a total of P62.9 million.

In the tourism sector, Eisma said Subic recorded 5.19 million in visitor arrivals and .29 million in tourist arrivals, while generating P8.48 million from actual tourism activities despite Covid-19 restrictions.

“And even as a lot of sectors were ravaged by the economic downturn, the Subic Bay Freeport welcomed a total of 69 new investment projects,” Eisma also reported. She said the new projects were mostly in the fields of construction, health and wellness, logistics, and information and communication technology.  These new projects yielded total committed investments of P1.39 billion and 682 new jobs.

On the other hand, Eisma announced that existing Subic locators set up 11 expansion projects in 2020. These are in construction, leisure, real estate, logistics, and petroleum trading, and generated a total of P163 million in new investments, as well as 264 additional employment.

She added that despite job losses when some firms closed or cut back manpower during the pandemic, the new projects, particularly in manufacturing, still brought the total Subic Freeport workforce to 138,966 workers, the highest level since Subic Freeport was established in 1992.

“Our experience in the past months of the Covid-19 pandemic tells us that it really pays to keep safe, and that there’s a reason for following rules—not only for our personal physical health, not only for the protection of our loved ones and our community, but also for economic reasons,” Eisma also pointed out. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma announces continuing growth in the Subic Bay Freeport despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in her State of the Freeport Address.

[2] Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce President Benjamin Antonio III presents recognition to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma after her State of the Freeport Address.

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NOTICE TO INTERESTED PROPONENTS - MARSHALLING YARD DEVELOPMENT

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is now offering the Twelve-hectare Marshalling Yard located at the Subic Gateway District, Subic Bay Freeport Zone for lease and development.

Interested proponents are invited to attend an orientation seminar regarding the Marshalling Yard on March 30, 2021, 2:00 PM Philippine Time, via Google Meet.

Interested proponents may now email their attendance confirmation to osda.big@sbma.com (Office of the Senior Deputy Administrator for Business & Investment).

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Subic Freeport hosts ‘bubble’ MPBL championship

Just two weeks after successfully hosting the first beach volleyball battle in the country under a sports bubble set-up, this premier free port is now the venue for the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) playoffs that was stalled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The matches, which will decide the champion in the MPBL Chooks-to-Go Lakan Cup, started today (March 10) at the Subic Gym here with Makati Super Crunch fighting it out with defending champion San Juan Knights for the North division title.

Next week, Basilan Steel and Davao Occidental Tigers will collide for the South division crown, before the national finals start on March 18.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, who welcomed the participants at the Subic Gym, said the MPBL playoffs will further cement Subic’s claim to fame as the nation’s sports bubble capital.

“Subic Bay is out to prove that sports activities, which are essential for our physical and mental health, can still be done despite the limitations of Covid-19,” Eisma said.

“However, let us not forget that we are here because we were able to keep the Subic Bay Freeport safe. And this is not the time to rest,” she added, calling on participants to observe health protocols while in Subic.

Under the sports bubble concept, all the participants—the players, organizers, and technical crew—will have to pass an RT-PCR test, and will be allowed access only to the sports venue and their designated hotels.

Health protocols also forbid the participants from having any interaction with the public, as well as spectators from watching the games inside the venue.

The playoffs will be shown on Channel A2Z.

The MPBL games in Subic took off from the March 11, 2020 games when both the North and South divisions in the league were tied at 1-1.

Organizers said the games did not progress to the championship level since then after the Covid-19 pandemic forced a Luzon-wide lockdown on March 17, 2020.

On the other hand, it took a long time for Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to allow the games to resume because the MPBL, which was founded by Senator Manny Pacquiao, has an amateur status, organizers also said.

The Subic playoffs will determine the winners in the North and South divisions who will then battle in a best-of-five national finals for the MPBL Lakan Cup this season. (MPD-SBMA)

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Safety a priority in Subic ‘bubble’ volleyball tourney

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has stressed safety as top requirement in the ongoing 2021 Gatorade-PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup, a three-day competition that was the first to be held in the country under a “sports bubble” concept.

In welcoming participants and organizers to Subic at the opening of the tourney on Friday, SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma reminded everyone to strictly observe health protocols, as required by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), which approved the sports event.

“Please always remember that we are here today because we have kept Subic safe in these pandemic times. We have kept our Covid numbers low with the cooperation of our residents, workers and visitors,” Eisma pointed out.

“We intend to keep it this way,” she added.

Eisma also said that the success of the volleyball tournament “will put Subic in the map as the bubble destination for sports and other events in the Philippines.”

The tournament marked the historic return of the Philippine Superliga (PSL) after 11 months of inactivity.

Organizers meanwhile said there was no reported case of coronavirus infection out of 56 players, coaches and league staff who joined the Subic volleyball bubble.

PSL president Ian Laurel said the PSL is honored to become the first non-professional volleyball tournament to restart its season after securing the IATF nod thorough Resolution 79 dated Oct. 15, 2020.

“We are very happy that volleyball is finally coming back, especially with the help of SBMA and IATF Region 3. Even if there’s a pandemic, with the help of the IATF and the LGU (local government unit), we were able to bring back the sport,” Laurel said.

“We can actually share the message to all leagues that they should not be discouraged. Our athletes should continue their training because there will come a time that tournaments would be allowed with the help of the IATF and the LGU.”

In the first day of the tournament at the Subic sand courts, Sta. Lucia and Abanse Negrense opened their respective campaigns on a high note as they crushed their respective foes. Bang Pineda and Jonah Sabete of Sta. Lucia B showed no sign of rust as they routed Ariane Alarcon and Christina Canares of Kennedy Solar Energy-PetroGazz, 21-10, 21-9, in the opening match of the tourney.

A few hours later, it was the tandem of DM Demontano and Jackie Estoquia of Sta. Lucia B that made its presence felt as they clobbered Jonah San Pedro and Javen Sabas of Toby’s Sports, 21-18, 21-13.

Also victorious was the duo of Alexa Polidario and Erjan Magdato of Abanse Negrense, which crushed Jennymar Senares and Kyla Gallego of F2 Logistics, 21-15, 21-12, to wrap up the morning battles of this competition.

Their counterparts, Jennifer Cosas and Gelimae Villanueva of Abanse Negros B, also pocketed an early victory after dominating Ella Viray and Theresa Ramas of United Auctioneers, Inc., 21-13, 21-12, in Pool B. (MPD-sBMA)

PHOTOS:

The Subic sand courts again saw action on Friday at the opening of the three-day 2021 Gatorade-PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup.

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Subic Freeport posts P1.22-billion new investments in 2020

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone still attracted new business projects last year, proving that opportunities abound even during challenging times in this competitive investment destination.

According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, a total of 63 new projects were put up by business locators here in 2020, mostly in the fields of construction, health and wellness, logistics, and information and communication technology (ICT).

Said projects yielded total commitment investments amounting to P1.22 billion, and generated a total of 682 new jobs.

On the other hand, expansion projects by existing business locators in the Subic Freeport totaled 16 in 2020, Eisma said. These are concentrated in construction, leisure, real estate, logistics, and petroleum trading.

The expansion projects generated a total of P163 million in new investments, as well as 264 additional employment.

“Apparently, there emerged some winners and some losers in Subic ever since the Covid-19 pandemic drastically changed how business is done globally. But the SBMA has done its best to help the businesses survive,” Eisma said.

She said that of the more than 3,300 companies operating in Subic when the pandemic broke out early last year, a total of 83 had since opted for non-renewal or pre-termination of their contracts with the SBMA.

“As of last month, there are still more than 200 companies that are not operating, including a few which are not yet allowed to operate under Covid-19 restrictions,” Eisma pointed out.

She said that most, or about 70 percent, of these are in the leisure industry, followed by manufacturing with 22 percent, and ICT at six percent.

As a result, a total of 8,129 workers were also affected by the business slowdown, she said. A total of 4,138 workers were put on forced leave; 2,265 were retrenched; and 3,642 entered into work arrangements with irregular work hours.

Eisma said that Subic had since gradually eased down on business restrictions, but with strict compliance of protocols laid down by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

She said that aside from giving business locators various economic relief assistance during the pandemic, the SBMA will continue to be proactive in managing the Covid-19 situation in the Subic Bay Freeport to further stimulate the local economy and generate better benefits for Freeport stakeholders. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma (center) joins the groundbreaking for a two-storey commercial building at the Subic Bay Gateway Park on Jan. 15 with (from right) Subic Bay Development Management Corp. president Willy Wang, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce president Benjamin Antonio, and Dinalupihan Mayor Ma. Angela Garcia. 

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