Subic Bay gaining ground in sports tourism

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Roberto V. Garcia expressed optimism for the future of sports tourism in this free port, after it successfully hosted another international triathlon on Sunday.

Garcia said the first Century Tuna 5i50 Triathlon, which drew more than 600 foreign and Filipino triathletes, will carry the torch for Subic in the international sporting circuit for the next three years.

“We are surely gaining ground as far as sports tourism is concerned,” Garcia said in after the inaugural run. “We’re very proud to have hosted this event, and we have a lot of foreign and local athletes, all of whom were very happy about the unique and challenging course,” he said.

The Century Tuna 5i50 Triathlon was the first 5i50 distance event sanctioned by the World Triathlon Corp. or WTC in Southeast Asia. It was composed of a 1.5-kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer bike, and a 10-kilometer run that took participants along the most scenic routes in this free port.

Garcia said the SBMA has signed a contract with Sunrise Events, Inc. for the staging of the event until 2014.

“So we look forward to a bigger field next year, and as far as our sports tourism program is concerned, we will continue to promote triathlons, marathons, biking events and all other sports events which have chosen Subic Bay as their venue,” he added.

In last Sunday’s races, Australian triathlon veteran David Dellow emerged as the first 5i50 Subic Bay champion after finishing with a time of 2 hours, 3 minutes and 02 seconds. Dellow was also the champion in Ironman Cairns 2012 held on June 3, and was 5th placer at the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship 2012 in Melbourne last March 24.

Following close behind Dellow was three-time Olympic Triathlon qualifier Csaba Kuttor of Hungary, with total time of 2:03:27. Kuttor finished eighth place in the 2012 5i50 in Klagenfurt, Austria.

In third place was Australian Xterra elite Ben Allen with 2:04:43, while Canadian Mathieu O’Halloran finished fourth with 2:05:23. Allen won first place in the 2012 Xterra Asian Triple Crown and first place at the 2012 Xterra Philippines, while O’Halloran finished first place in the Pico De Loro Triathlon 2012, first place in the Zambales Beach Games Triathlon in 2011, and first place at the Bantayan Beach Games Triathlon.

Another Australian, Belinda Granger, ruled the women’s category, clocking 2:22:35 overall.

Meanwhile, the relay category was led by the Wetshop Tri Team, which recorded an aggregate time of 02:16:27. Team Wetshop Para-Tri clocked 02:31:30 for a second finish, while Meralco Lightspeed Team 1 finished third with 02:32:35.

A total of 619 participants, including 45 relay teams of three members each, joined the race which totalled 51.50-kilometer triathlon distance.

The Subic Bay sports event also drew international professional triathletes like Canadian Ali Fitch, British Jacki Slack, and Justin Granger, as well as Filipino celebrities like Senator Pia Cayetano, TV hosts Kim Atienza and Drew Arellano, actor Matteo Guidicelli, and news anchor Raffy Tima.

Organizer Alaska Milk Corp. president and CEO Fred Uytengsu said the Olympic-distance triathlon race will be held here annually until 2014 and will be organized by Sunrise Events, Inc., the company behind Ironman 70.3 Philippines. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia raises the hand of Australian Belinda Granger, winner in women’s division of the First Century Tuna 5159 Triathlon held at the Subic Bay Freeport last Sunday.

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Maritime logistics confab set in Subic this August

A conference highlighting the Subic Bay Freeport Zone’s attractions as an investment and logistics hub and as gateway to Asia’s expanding market will be held here on August 23-24 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

The Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit is expected to attract more than 300 investors, shippers, and logistics and supply chain executives and will look at the advantages of Subic as a vital investment area for shipping and logistics companies.

Themed “Subic Bay: Asia’s Emerging Logistics and Investments Hub,” the conference is being organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority in cooperation with the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), which operates Subic’s New Container Terminal (NCT 1 & 2).

Organizers said prominent local and international speakers will be invited to give updates on projects and initiatives at the port complex, as well as provide insights on regional trade developments and their implications for the transport and logistics sectors.

There will also be discussions on the attractiveness of Subic Bay as a transshipment port and investment center, the synergy between Subic and Clark, trade facilitation initiatives by the Bureau of Customs in Subic, and the greater push to raise productivity and efficiency at the Subic container terminals.

The conference is also expected to tackle the impact of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus China free trade agreement and best practices among ASEAN seaport operators.

The Subic Bay Freeport, which rose from the former US Naval Base, is now being developed by the SBMA as a prime maritime logistics and services hub.

The upcoming conference is being supported by the Philippine Maritime Industry Authority, Association of International Shipping Lines, Maritime Law Association of the Philippines, Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council, Philippine Exporters Confederation, and the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, with Australia-based Baird Publications as media partner.

Interested parties may inquire on details of the Subic Bay Maritime Conference & Exhibit from event manager PortCalls at (632) 552-7072, 551-1775, 551-1972 or email info@subicmaritimeconference.com, info@portcalls.com. Regular updates will also be available at www.subicmaritimeconference.com or on Twitter @subicconference. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
A container ship unloads cargo at the New Container Terminal in the Subic Bay Freeport. A maritime trade conference to be held in Subic Bay in August will highlight the free port’s advantages as a maritime logistics hub and investment center.

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DTI Woos Taiwanese Electronics Firms, Formulates 5-Year Timetable Roadmap

MANILA -- The Department of Trade and Industry is crafting a five-year “Taiwan Roadmap” to attract electronics companies to relocate here as computer-maker Wistron Infocomm has substantially slowed down its manufacturing operation in Subic.

Trade and Industry for Trade and Investment Promotions Group Cristino L. Panlilio said that roadmap should highlight the Philippines’ competitiveness as a manufacturing location “We should be able to capture other electronics firms in Taiwan because of the rising cost in China,” Panlilio said adding the roadmap has a five-year timetable to bring in other Taiwanese firms.

Panlilio noted that Wistron, which used to manufacture most of its electronics products in Subic, has substantially reduced its operations as it relocated the bulk of its production in China because of competitiveness issues and the supply chain problem in the Philippines.

“Wistron is producing laptops only in Subic,” Panlilio said. It has reduced operations since the past three to four years.

Wistron Infocomm Philippines was the largest exporter in 2007 with freight on board (FOB) value of $448.7 million out of $971.7 million total Subic exports that year. In 2011, Wistron’s exports substantially declined to only $75.3 million.

But, Panlilio pointed out that the situation has reversed as cost in China has gone up substantially and some manufacturers like Taiwanese businesses are looking elsewhere. The Philippines is deemed gaining back its competitiveness as a manufacturing hub.

Panlilio said that Taiwanese could put up another economic zone although it has already an existing ecozone in Subic.

“Subic is always prepared to accommodate them,” he said.

In fact, he said, the 100 businessmen who joined in the one-day trade mission and business matching event yesterday at Dusit Hotel in Makati are going to visit Subic.(Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, Manila Bulletin)

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US nuclear-powered sub on ‘routine port call’ arrives in Subic

A nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine of the US Navy arrived here on Monday for what American officials called a “routine port call.”

USS Louisville (SSN 724), which is currently stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, belongs to the Los Angeles class of attack submarines that are considered the backbone of the American submarine force in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The 360-foot long, 6,900-ton ship is said to be armed with sophisticated MK48 torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

According to a statement from the US Embassy in Manila, the Louisville will be in port from June 25 to June 30 to replenish supplies and to give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation.

The visit also “highlights the strong historic, community and military connections between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines,” the embassy said.

The submarine’s arrival came 40 days after the USS North Carolina, another nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine of the next-generation Virginia class, docked in Subic amid tension between the Philippines and China over Scarborough Shoal, a resource-rich rocky outcropping some 130 nautical miles northwest of this free port.

According to the official US Navy web site, the Louisville’s mission is to “seek out and destroy enemy ships and submarines, and to protect our naval interests.”

Like 31 of the 51 Los Angeles types in the US Navy’s submarine fleet, the Louisville is equipped with 12 vertical US launch system tubes for firing Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. It also carries Harpoon anti-surface ship missiles with a range of 70 nautical miles (130 km) and has mine-laying capabilities.

As an attack submarine, the Louisville has received awards for its role in the Navy’s Middle East campaign. It reportedly carried out the first war patrol conducted by an American submarine since World War II as Operation: Desert Storm began in January 1991, and also earned the distinction of being the first to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in Iraq, as well as having fired the first war shot of Desert Storm.

The submarine again participated in Operation: Iraqi Freedom in 2003, launching 16 Tomahawk missiles from the Red Sea against targets in Iraq.

The US Embassy said the Louisville will not be open to any media activity during its stay at Subic Bay Freeport.

Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, Philippine Navy spokesman, said there was nothing unusual with the submarine’s presence in the country.

Its “diplomatic clearance is only for replenishment. [It has] no involvement with the Philippine Navy,” he added.

Tonsay said the Louisville applied for clearance to dock at Subic as early as May this year. (Henry Empeño, BusinessMirror)

PHOTO:
Crew of the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Louisville can be seen on top of its hull and conning tower, as it slides into Subic Bay Freeport on Monday. The US Navy ship is slated for a few days of resupply, and rest and recreation.

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Aussies click in Subic triathlon

Australians David Dellow and Belinda Granger showed they’re not just long-course race specialists as they topped the Olympic-distance Century Tuna 5i50 Triathlon Series Philippines in contrasting styles at the tough course here at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

The 33-year-old Dellow needed one burst of speed in the final three kilometers to overtake former three-time Olympian Csaba Kottur of Hungary and another Aussie Ben Allen to wrest his first victory in this 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run in over a decade.

“It’s been a while since I last did short course races, maybe 10 years because I’ve been focusing my energy on doing long-course races,” said Dellow, whose long list of victories included Ironman Champion Cairns 2012.

“It’s two different sports really but I’m glad I won here, it’s unforgettable experience competing over here,” he added.

Dellow reached the finish line in two hours, three minutes, three seconds. Kuttor, who competed in the triathlon in Athens, Sydney and Beijing Olympics, was second in 2:03.27 while Allen was third in 2:04.43.

Granger, who topped the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 in Camsur last year, ruled the women’s pro side in 2:22.35, or a whopping five minutes ahead of second placer Ali Fitch of Canada (2:27.47).

“It’s always special for me competing here in the Philippines and winning makes it more special,” said the 41-year-old Granger, whose other notable triumphs were the 2012 Geelong Long Course and 2011 Ironman 70.3 Japan.

Charming Jacqui Slack, the women’s division leader of the European Xterra Off-Road Triathlon series who admits to be in a serious relationship with Allen, bucked a couple of flat tires by emerging with the fastest sprint run. She finished third in 2:52.33.

The day, however, belonged to a 20-year-old Olongapo City native and a relay team consisting of a one-legged swimmer, one-foot cyclist and one-armed runner.

John Leerams Chicano, representing local-based Tri-Monkey team, stole the thunder from the favorites by emerging the best Filipino finisher in 2:11.35, that is also good for fifth overall behind Dellow, Kuttor, Allen and Matthieu O’Halloran, who wound up fourth in 2:05.23.

“I’m not really surprised to win because I’ve been training hard for this race,” said Chicano, a member of the national youth team, in Filipino. “I’m just happy that I beat some of the favorites, I will never forget this.”

Among the victims of Chicano were top Filipino triathletes Neil Catiil of LBC Solutions (2:16.04) and Arland Macasieb (2:19.46).



Representing coach Vince Garcia’s Wetshop Para-Tri Team, tanker Arnel Aba, who swam with just a left leg, cyclist Godfrey Taberna, who rode despite having a right club foot, and runner Isidro Vildosola came through with a ride to remember, finishing second among 23 teams in the team relay.

The only other team to beat Aba, Taberna and Vildosola was Wetshop’s other team headed by three-time Tour champion Santy Barnachea.

“We just want to prove that disability is not a hindrance if you will just believe in yourself,” said the 26-year-old Alba, who has already collected five gold medals in the Southeast Asian Para-Games.

Alaska’s TBB team, which consisted of four pros and six locals, also made heads turn and was spearheaded by 16-year-old Banjo Norte who wound up 12th overall in 2:26.54.

Monica Torres, who is busy preaching the sport online, won the local female elite section in 2:36.33, barely edging former Phl No. 1 LC Langit, who came in second in 2:36.33 despite getting his rear tire busted at the start of the bike part of the event.

The event is being presented by Century Tuna and sponsored by Alaska Milk, Gatorade, David’s Salon, 2XU, Timex, Intercare, Oakley, SBMA, with The Philippine STAR and Multisport Magazine as media partners.

For updates, you may visit its website at www.5i50philippines.com.

5i50 Notes: A lot of celebrities both from showbiz and politics joined the race, including Senator Pia Cayetano, Kuya Kim Atienza, Erwan Heussaff, Drew Arellano, Ernie Lopez and organizer Fred Uytengsu ... Aussie Ben Allen and Brit Jacqui Slack built their love affair in the triathlon circuit and are going steady for a year now. Coincidentally, they both finished third in the pro section ... Mattieu O’Halloran has given up his chance to play for Canada to represent the country but his plan to get naturalized didn’t push through. He did it for love, particularly Joyette Jopson, whom he has been with for almost four years now. (Joey Villar, Philippine Star)

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$450M deal ends Hanjin’s order drought

HANJIN Heavy Industries & Construction (HHIC)-Phil, the local unit of the Korean shipbuilding giant, has won an order to build 10 mid-size container ships worth $450 million at its Subic shipyard, the first bid won by the company since last year.

HHIC-Phil’s Subic Shipyard said it signed a contract with European shipowners to build the ships, which will be capable of carrying 5,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of container.

This is the first bid won by the company since last year as the debt crisis in Europe and budget problems in the United States, the world’s two biggest export markets, led to weak global trade that softened demand for shipping.

Shipowners have had to idle capacity or cancel newbuilding orders as freight rates fell to record lows in the past two years amid the demand slowdown, worsened by soaring oil prices and oversupply as vessels previously ordered were delivered.

HHIC said that despite the impact of the financial crisis in the West, the company moved to improve its management and performance, which paved way for the success of the bid.

“Based on recently dramatic improvements in cost-competitiveness, HHIC-Phil’s Subic Shipyard has finally been able to win this bid,” the shipbuilder said in a statement.

The company said it is also in negotiations with other shipowners, and expect “good news may come soon.”

An official from HHIC said currently mid-size vessel orders have been rare due to increasing demand for larger, more efficient vessels as shipping companies aim to cut costs in view of escalating fuel prices.

“Due to economic slowdown around the world, it has been difficult for us to win a new bid,” the official said.

“However, we have been eventually able to win (the $450 million order) thanks to superior cost-competitiveness, high quality and great reliability,” he said.

“Empowered by this success, we are going to keep promoting our sales activities,” he added.

HHIC-Phil said its latest contract involves building state-of-the-art container vessels adopting the eco-design technology. The ship dimensions are 255 meters in length, 37m in width and 22m in depth, and with a maximum speed of 21.5 knots.

Early in 2007, HHIC opened a skills development center in Subic Bay, Olongapo City, and began construction of a shipyard in the first quarter of the same year.

In July 2008, HHIC delivered the first vessel order made from the Subic shipyard.(Jennifer Ambanta, Malaya)

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Unique races await cyclists

THREE unique races await cyclists from different sports clubs when the 2nd Aboitiz Power Tour of Subic is held on July 7-8 at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Stage 1 is a 40-kilometer time trial that begins at Causeway Road stretching out to two turnaround points (at Subic International Raceway and at Argonaut Highway and back.)

Stage 2 will be a 45-minute plus 2 laps criterium race for female racers, Category 4 racers, and Category 3 racers.

Stage 3 of the event sponsored by Aboitiz Power, Unilab Active Health, Pocari Sweat, Timex, the 3rd District of Bohol, Crystal Clear Mineral Water, Subic Holiday Villas, Orbea, Corima and Bike King will be a 90-kilometer road race for female, Category 3 and Category 4 entries that will begin at 6 a.m.

Entry fee is pegged at P1,200 per stage. Interested parties may contact Bike

King by sending an email at raulm4@yahoo.com or calling tel. no. 856-3362. (Malaya)

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Subic ‘back to school’ outreach grooms Aeta pupils

A total of 155 pupils at the public elementary school in the remote village of Kanawan in Morong, Bataan, learned how to look best in school during a lecture on proper grooming and proper hygiene undertaken by volunteers from this free port.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority-Public Relations Department (SBMA-PRD) facilitated the Kanawan outreach project, which was undertaken by the team-up of the Lighthouse Marina Resort in Subic Freeport and international personal products manufacturer Johnson & Johnson.

The school children, most of whom belong to the Aeta tribe, were taught proper bathing, grooming and wellness through an audio- visual presentation by Johnson & Johnson. The firm also provided grooming products so that the children could apply what they have learned in the lecture.

Aside from the hygiene products, the children also received books, umbrellas, slippers, medicine and other personal items that the children would need for school.

In return, the Kanawan youngsters expressed their appreciation for the gifts by doing traditional Aeta song and dance numbers.

After the gift-giving activity, the adults also took time for a tree-planting activity at the back of the schoolhouse where they planted hardwood tree species like Lauan in the rich soil of the area.

Rolando Lazo, Johnson & Johnson supply chain director for Southeast Asia, remarked that not even the rainy weather could stop the Subic groups from undertaking the project. “Our visit here seeks to improve the lives of others with our products,” he said.

Sitio Kanawan is inhabited predominantly by members of the indigenous Aeta tribe, who have built their homes on the grassy plateaus and mountain slopes.

The community is located about eight kilometers from the Morong town proper and can be reached only by crossing a 30-meter long hanging bridge which spans the Batalan River. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Employees of Johnson & Johnson’s Supply Chain Division distribute hygiene products to around 150 Aeta students during a joint outreach program with the Lighthouse Marina Resort and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority at SitioKanawan in Morong, Bataan.

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Environment Impact: Subic Power Plant Undergoes Review

The $1.28-billion 600-MW Redondo coal fired power project in Subic Freeport is facing another review as stakeholders and experts call for a 're-scrutiny' of the power plant, approved during the previous SBMA Board, largely on environmental impact issues.

The review of the Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc., which is 50 percent owned by Meralco PowerGen Corp.

Aboitiz unit Therma Power Inc. and Taiwan Cogeneration Corp., was called after the completion of the Social Acceptability Process (SAP) conducted by the SBMA in December last year.

The power plant’s construction was scheduled to start in 2009 and the initial commercial operation of the first phase 300 mw was supposed to commence this year and the second phase of 300MW to start three years after the commercial operation of the first phase.

“Based on their analyses of the subject matter, the specialists recommended that the SBMA re-scrutinize the coalfired power plant project,” the SBMA’s final SAP report released recently said.

Based on the report, a revisit of the project, which was already approved by the former SBMA Board under the then administration of President Gloria Arroyo, is meant to effectively determine the impact on environment and health; ensure comprehensive impacts zone study; properly determine actual and potential cost; and, to ensure the project is coherent and compatible with SBMA's mandate, vision, mission and development plans, including its protected area management plan. (Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, Manila Bulletin)

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Subic ‘Independence Run’ to benefit Aeta children

Runners from communities around this free port literally ran the extra mile recently to raise funds for indigent Aeta children in the Subic Bay area.

This was made possible through a fun run dubbed as the “2nd Independence Run” held on June 12 in commemoration of the 114th Independence Day.

The event, which was organized by the Lincoln Lodge 34 of the Free and Accepted Masons in Olongapo City, was sanctioned by the Department of Education (DepEd) and supported by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Ayala Land’s Harbor Point mall here.

According to lead organizer Jordan Dizon, proceeds of the run will benefit some 200 Aeta children now under the care of the Saint Francis Learning Center School for the Aeta, a non-government organization run and operated by Franciscan sisters in Mangan-Vaca, Subic, Zambales.

He said that each peso raised from the registration fees in the fun run will be used to purchase school supplies and other necessities for the children in the Center.

“We expect that proceeds from this year’s event will surpass the P120,000 that we raised last year. This will be a big help to these children from various remote Aeta villages in Zambales and whose parents are so poor that they cannot afford to send them to school,” Dizon noted.

At the same time, Dizon lauded the DepEd for endorsing the event to public schools in the Olongapo City and Zambales, and also thanked the local police and the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) for sending participants.

“The remarkable support of the SBMA for the 2nd Independence Run has made the event bigger and more exciting for the participants, as well as for the spectators,” he also said, pointing out that the event drew a total of 1,570 runners.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, meanwhile, reiterated his agency’s commitment to help in the development of sports in the country by hosting sports events in this free port and assisting organizers in planning and implementing their events in Subic.

“As we gear up towards sports tourism in the Subic Bay Freeport, we also help develop discipline and good health, especially among the youth, and this is one contribution the SBMA is proud of,” he said.

Meanwhile, Olongapo City vice mayor and race director Rolen Paulino said the 2nd Independence Run was dominated by some of the best athletes in the country today.

Paulino said the winners in the 21-kilometer men’s division were Roveno Javier, first place, with a time of 1 hour, 23 minutes and 47 seconds; Ronny Rosete (1:25:14), second place; and Christian Denothia (1:33:03), third.

In the 21-kilometer women’s division, first place was won by Monica Torres (1:38:29); second, Karen Marie Bregger; and third, Jesselyn Morales (2:13:06).

On the other hand, the 10-kilonmeter men’s race was bagged by John Leerams Chicano, champion; Michael Abad, second; and Rogel Anajao, third. The women’s 10-kilometer run, meanwhile, went to Rinalyn Santos, first; Christine Levi Gaspas, second; and Jady Dine Cantores, third.

Those who led the 3-kilometer race for men were Alvin Dionisio, first place; Clyd Drefferd Supnet, second; and Florentino Navalta, Jr., third. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Participants in the 2nd Independence Run at the Subic Bay Freeport join to raise funds for Aeta school children.

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Women’s national team conducts basketball clinic in Subic Freeport

The Discovery Perlas ng Pilipinas national women’s basketball team conducted a three-day basketball clinic at the Subic Bay Gym on June 6-8 in an effort to promote the game among youngsters and develop better players among the youth.

The clinic was open for both boys and girls aged 15 and below, who wanted to learn the basics of the country’s most popular ball game.

Haydee Ong, head coach of Discovery Perlas, said the women’s team is making the rounds and conducting basketball clinics all over the country in the hope of finding future national players.

“We want to promote basketball and also women’s basketball. Pero para maiba naman, sa halip na ‘yung mga lalake ang magtuturo, babae naman,” she said.

“It’s also our own way of giving back something to the young basketball fans,” she added.

Hundreds of young basketball enthusiasts from Olongapo City and the Subic Bay area attended the clinic, grabbing at the chance to be mentored by members of a national team.

“Enjoy kami, at maraming natutunan, tulad ng defense at proper dribbling,” said Gabriel Dimaano, 12, who hurried to the Subic Gym right after classes at the St. Joseph’s High School in Olongapo.

Kid brother, Daniel, 11, admitted that the training was a little bit hard to a beginner like him, but he also enjoyed the clinic because it was fun.

While only a few girls joined the training, Ong said it was good enough that they were able to spread awareness regarding women’s basketball.

“Gusto namin siyempre na makahanap kami ng women players sa mga clinic. Kahit mga dalawa o tatlo para may ma-develop,” she said.

Ong added that the team has coordinated its clinic schedules with government units in order to gain support for the basketball clinic program.

“Nagkausap na kami ng mga local government unit katulad nung kay Governor Imee (Marcos) sa Ilocos, then sa Bacolod and Bataan, so hopefully this year makakatapos kami ng six or ten clinics,” she stated.

Ong said the Discovery Perlas team has been together for several years now, and has proudly represented the country in several international events. The team is also set to compete in an invitational tournament this November. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Members of the national women’s basketball team coach aspiring players on the basics of the game at the Subic Bay Freeport.

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SBMA to require permit to operate from locators

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will begin strictly enforcing on July 1 the requirement for all business locators in this free port to secure a permit to operate (PTO).

According to Stefani Saño, SBMA senior deputy administrator for business and investment development, the agency will require all locators to comply with this regulation in view of recent findings that some locators have begun operation when they have yet to comply with all the requirements.

“If you don’t have a permit to operate, you have no business operating in the Subic Bay Freeport. The rule is, you need to comply first,” Saño stressed.

“This new system is not only beneficial to the government; it is also for the protection and for the interest of private businesses here,” he added.

Saño explained that in the existing system, the Certificate of Registration and Tax Exemption (CRTE) given to new locators before they open their business is also being considered as PTO. However, as the CRTE does not spell out other requirements, like an environmental compliance certificate, the system allowed some businesses to go around these requirements.

“The new board of directors saw this flaw, so we would have to change the system and stress compliance first before operation,” he added.

Saño said the SBMA had conducted a public forum with the business community on May 31 in order to enlighten Subic Freeport locators about the new permitting system.

He added that the new business permit will be implemented by the SBMA in addition to the current regulatory requirements already in existence.

“If the businesses are compliant, the system is sustainable because there is order. This is the principle behind this,” Saño also said. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

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IN SUBIC, BAGUIO, CLARK; P5B power subsidy for mega projects

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) plans to continue a power subsidy plan for mega projects or those worth over $1 billion in Subic, Baguio and Clark.

Trade Undersecretary Cristino Panlilio said that P5 billion is being budgeted to replenish an old fund-industry competitive fund- started during the term of President Gloria Arroyo.

The subsidy can last for seven years. Panlilio said the electric power support scheme is now awaiting approval of Malacanang after it has gotten the endorsement of the economic cluster for appropriation in the budget.

He declined to identify the companies that would benefit from the plan nor the power rates they would be enjoying but previous reports had tagged Texas Instruments in Clark and Baguio, Hanjin Heavy Industries Philippines in Subic, Samsung through unit Phoenix Semiconductors in Clark, Intel Corp. and Mindanao Electronics Inc. as the initial beneficiaries of the reduced power scheme.

Despite this incentive, Intel chose to shift operations to Vietnam and closed its Cavite plant.

The subsidized power rate was P2.15 per kwh, which is about half the current cost to ordinary consumers and includes generation, transmission and distribution charges.

Generation charge was 20 to 30 percent cheaper.

Panlilio clarified that the new scheme being worked out is for just projects worth over a billion dollars and is separate from the one earlier forged by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) for reduced power rates for about 279 ecozone locators.

“It would be an adequate support for them to be competitive,” said Panlilio of the electric power support scheme.

The ICF was part of a commitment granted by the Arroyo government to the mega investors in Clark, Subic and Baguio ecozones. The support was contained in Executive Orders 701, 856 and 666 and expired in March 2011.

The scheme reportedly cost government P500 million annually because the locators were few and operations were small..

Korean firm Hanjin invested $2 billion for shipbuilding in Subic; Texas Instruments also invested $2 billion for its expansion project; Phoenix Semiconductor invested $500 million in Clark.

The ICF was used to support and incentivize qualified power intensive industries which contribute significantly to the economy.

The ICF was used to recover any financial impact that PSALM had to incur for the subsidy. (Irma Isip, Malaya)

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'VFA should govern use of former bases by US troops'

MANILA - American troops, warships and planes will use the former US military facilities in Subic and Clark temporarily on rotation basis and in accordance with the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the military said yesterday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the recent docking of nuclear-powered attack submarine USS North Carolina in Subic Bay is an example of this military-to-military arrangement.

“As long as they have coordinated and got clearance from the government and they comply with the VFA, we see no problem with that,” he said.

US troop presence on a temporary basis is expected to increase in Subic and in other areas in the country following US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s statement that they are increasing their military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Panetta declared that 60 percent of US warships would be redeployed in the region, a new US military strategy seen as an equalizer to the increasing Chinese naval might in the South China Sea.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta said the US warships and planes can use the former US naval base and its airfield on a temporary basis while in the country, provided that these visits have prior clearance from the government and are in conformity with the VFA.

“They can come here provided they have prior coordination with the government,” he said. Azcueta said US troops, warships and fighter planes would be allowed access to their former naval base in Subic.

“That’s what we want... increase in exercises and interoperability,” he said.

However, Malacañang said US troops can only use Clark and Subic during joint military exercises.

Speaking to reporters, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said US warships will only be allowed to use naval and air facilities in Subic and in Clark during drills. American ships and submarines will be allowed to make port calls for refueling and supply replenishment, he added.

Due to the US shift to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific, more requests for port calls of US warships and aircrafts are expected, Lacierda said. (Jaime Laude with Delon Porcalla, The Philippine Star)

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Central Luzon holds search, rescue drill

MARIVELES — The Office of Civil Defense has sounded the alarm over 20 to 30 townspeople missing amid storm signal No. 2 over widespread flooding caused by overflowing rivers.

This is a drill in a mission set by OCD director Josefina Timoteo at the incident command post during the 4th Central Luzon annual Water Search and Rescue Simulation Exercises, dispatching 20 go-teams from different localities.

Responding to the call were teams from Provincial Government of Bataan; city government of Balanga, Bataan; Provincial Government of Pampanga; Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; Provincial Government of Tarlac; Provincial Government of Bulacan; local governments of Marilao, Calumpit, Sta. Maria, Pulilan, and San Jose Del Monte City of Bulacan; Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija; and city governments of Palayan and Cabanatuan City of Nueva Ecija.

“We want to institutionalize ICP so that every local disaster management team will know how to handle any emergency,” she said.

Rescuers equipped with rubber boats, life vests, and oxygen tanks flocked to municipal waters under the watch of Mayor Jesse Concepcion who hosted the exercises.

“People will have more confidence to the rescuers if they know they are well-trained,” he said. “The camaraderie among rescue teams in the region was also reinforced in the holding of WASAR”.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council activated the Incident Command Post which coordinated the operations.

Administrator Luis Gonzales said Mariveles paramedics in ambulances participated in the drill. (Butch Gunio, Manila Standard)

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Vale, SBMA launch Subic Bay iron ore transshipment operations

Brazil’s Vale Shipping Holdings Pte. Ltd. (VSH), along with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), formally launched a partnership for the transshipment of iron ore from this free port.

In a ceremony held at the Lighthouse Marina Resort here on June 1, VSH executives led by Jose Carlos Martins, executive officer for ferrous minerals operations, and officials of the SBMA led by Chairman and Administrator Roberto Garcia, announced the start of Vale’s transshipment business here.

VSH is an affiliate of Vale SA, the world’s largest producer of iron ore, which also controls the largest share of the seaborne market for iron ore.

The company will carry out iron ore transshipment operations from its Valemax mother vessel to be anchored in Subic Bay, and then supply ore to smaller daughter vessels or feeders, which are either Panamax or Capesize types.

The project is expected to boost Subic’s port revenues by up to P70 million in the first year of operations alone.

In his message during the project launch, Martins thanked the SBMA for its warm reception of the project and expressed hope that the partnership between his company and the SBMA would continue to grow and benefit both the Philippines and Brazil.

“The Philippines is growing now at almost the same pace with China, and the Philippines is emerging in the world economy,” Martins noted. “With this opportunity, now is our time — now is the time for countries like Brazil and the Philippines.”

Garcia, meanwhile, said that the Vale project will help thrust the Philippines forward in the maritime industry and stressed its importance to the SBMA.

“In our strategic plan, we were very dead-set in continuing to promote the maritime business, and the Vale project is an important pillar of our strategy to maximize the use of Subic Bay,” he said.

“We have a very good future here,” Garcia added, pointing out that the Philippines is in a current state of rapid development, having achieved a 6.4 per cent GDP growth rate this first quarter compared to 4 per cent last year. “And what is outstanding is the fact that it is the second highest growth rate in the region, second only to China,” he added.

For his part, SBMA director and treasurer Joven Reyes said that the agency is much honored that VSH had chosen Subic Bay as its major transshipment port.

“We hope even more that your business continues to move from success to success and that this partnership, which we are officially launching today, would lead to better and greater developments for Vale, Subic Bay, and of course our country down the road,” Reyes said.

The Vale project began in late 2010 when SBMA and Vale proposed a solution that matched Vale’s transshipment operations model with SBMA’s logistics business model.

Stefani Saño, SBMA senior deputy administrator for business and investment development, said that Vale needed to optimize its large-scale iron ore distribution and delivery system and the SBMA offered the bay as a suitable offshore location.

“This logistics model would allow Vale’s huge vessels to tranship the commodity with maximum efficiency in terms of time and cost, given the scale of operations required,” Saño added.

Saño also said that apart from Vale, the SBMA is also trying to attract more logistics companies to invest in the Freeport. He said that at least two logistics companies engaged in different line of commodities for offshore-based distribution operations have expressed interest in locating at Subic Bay. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia welcomes Jose Carlos Martins, executive officer for ferrous minerals operations of the Vale Shipping Holdings Pte. Ltd. ( VSH), during the June 1 ceremonial launch of the Vale iron ore transshipment operations in Subic Bay. Looking on, at left, is SBMA chief operating officer Joven Reyes.

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US troops can use Clark, Subic bases

MANILA - American troops, warships and aircraft can once again use their former naval and air facilities in Subic, Zambales and in Clark Field in Pampanga as long as they have prior clearance from the Philippine government, a senior defense official said.

“They can come here provided they have prior coordination from the government,” Defense Undersecretary for defense affairs Honorio Azcueta told reporters after his meeting with Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Monday.

oming straight from the just-concluded three-day Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Dempsey was in the country the other day for a follow-up meeting with senior defense and military officials.

Azcueta pointed out that a shift of US security focus toward the Asia-Pacific region is expected to increase with more military engagements between the two long-time allies.

Earlier, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that the US is increasing the deployment of its naval presence in the region, without necessarily establishing permanent military bases in any country in the region.

Asked if US troops as well as their warships and fighter planes would be allowed access to their former naval base in Subic, Azcueta said yes.

“That’s what we want... increase in exercises and interoperability,” Azcueta said.

Aside from offering a safe haven for ships due to its secured location from cyclones, the former US naval base in Subic has an airfield that can accommodate civilian and military planes.

During the Vietnam war in the 1970s, Subic Naval Base, especially its airfield, was used by the US military as staging point of all its major air operations against the Vietcong.

However, in 1992 Subic Naval Base and the Clark Air Base in Pampanga, the two biggest US military bases outside mainland America, were shut down after the Philippine Senate rejected an extension of their presence in the country.

China wary of US AsiaPac plan

Meanwhile, China’s top newspapers expressed concern over the US plan, saying that such move might widen the rift between the two countries.

Although Panetta gave assurance that the plan was not aimed at containing China, whose fast-modernizing navy has kindled worries among its neighbors, the People’s Daily did not buy that.

“Opinion across the Asia-Pacific generally does not believe that the United States’ strategy of returning to the Asia-Pacific is not aimed at China; it’s there plain for all to see,” said a commentary in the paper, which reflects the current thinking in Beijing.

“The United States verbally denies it is containing China’s rise, but while establishing a new security array across the Asia-Pacific, it has invariably made China its target,” it said.

“This strategy is driven with contradictions and undoubtedly will magnify the complexities of Asia-Pacific security arrangements, and could even create schisms.”

The People’s Daily commentary was blunter than Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin, who responded to Panetta’s announcement by saying China hopes the United States will respect its regional interests, and by calling the Pentagon’s steps “out of keeping with the times.”

Beijing appears keen to avoid outright confrontation with the US, but the comments in state newspapers reflected persistent worries that Washington is bent on frustrating its emergence as a major power.

“After this new (US) military deployment and adjustment is completed, the intensity of US meddling in Asia-Pacific affairs will surely increase,” the Liberation Army Daily quoted a People’s Liberation Army researcher as saying.

“This trend will increase people’s fears about the United States using its military dominance to interfere in the sovereignty of the region’s countries,” said the researcher, Han Xudong, a professor at China’s National Defense University.

China is focused on ensuring stable conditions for a Communist Party leadership transition later this year that will see the appointment of a new president to succeed Hu Jintao.

Still, Beijing and Washington have repeatedly been in dispute over US arms sales to Taiwan, which China sees as an illegitimate breakaway from its control; and the South China Sea, where China confronts a mosaic of disputes over islands and seas also claimed by Southeast Asian nations.

The US has backed a multilateral approach to solving those territorial disputes, which Beijing has rejected as meddling. (Jaime Laude, The Philippine Star)

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Tourists' Food Haven In Subic

Aside from shipbuilding magnate Hanjin Heavy Industries, and Construction (HHIC), other factories, auction companies and catering services are now eyeing this premier Freeport for its tourism potential.

With the construction of Ayala Land's Harbor Point mall, more and more restaurants and bars are opening just within the Subic Bay Freeport's gates.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials said the Subic Free port has been a favorite destination for local and foreign tourists.

These tourists want to explore this Freeport while having a great time and seek good places to dine.

This is where food stores and restaurants come in, officials said.


They said that tourists who come into this premier Freeport will need a fine dining experience and places to hang out.

Restaurants such as Gerry's Grill, Lighthouse Marina's, Coco Lime and Meatplus are just a few of the best restaurants that tourists here frequent when they stay at Subic Bay Freeport.( Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

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