SBMA to release P81.3-M LGU share for 2nd sem 2013

Staying true to its commitment to “spur development” in neighboring areas, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will be releasing a total of P81.3 million in revenue shares to local government units (LGUs) in communities adjacent to and affected by the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the funds will be made available starting the first week of February.

The total amount to be released consists of P73.82 million, which is the net amount due for the current period, and P7.48 million, which serves as refund of the 10 percent retention withheld in the second semester of 2011.

The LGU shares to be released are part of the five percent corporate taxes paid by Subic Bay Freeport-registered enterprises from July to December 2013. Two percent of this is being paid directly to the SBMA treasury, while the other three percent is remitted to the national treasury through the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The direct payment scheme was implemented by the SBMA starting August 2010 to ensure the prompt release of LGU shares.

In the scheduled release, Olongapo City will receive the biggest share of P19.76 million, while Subic, Zambales will get P12.06 million; Dinalupihan, Bataan, P10.2 million; San Marcelino, Zambales, P9.84 million; Hermosa, Bataan, P8.3 million; San Antonio, Zambales, P7.17 million; Morong, Bataan, P7.03 million; and Castillejos, Zambales, P6.94 million.

The LGU shares, Garcia said, are intended to support developments projects in the recipient communities, specifically for health, education, peace and order, and livelihood generation programs.

The LGU share is determined according to the following criteria: 50 percent population, 25 percent land area, and 25 equal sharing.

Garcia said the SBMA is intent on helping neighbor LGUs attain a faster pace of development by providing regular and timely assistance.

“The SBMA continues to implement an intense marketing strategy to attract new investments, because aside from the jobs it will create for the residents, it will also generate revenue shares for the local government units,” Garcia explained.

Garcia also said that the SBMA is now eyeing to attract investors to the San Antonio Economic Development Area in Zambales. This is after the San Antonio municipal government converted a 10,000-hectare area in the municipality for development into an additional secured area of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA welcomes new board member

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) board of directors last Friday welcomed its newest member, Cynthia Co Paulino, as Olongapo City representative.

SBMA chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia introduced Paulino to the rest of the board members during the 256th regular meeting of the SBMA’s policy-making body.

Garcia said that with Paulino in the SBMA board, both the Subic Bay Freeport and its next-door neighbor Olongapo will benefit from closer coordination between the SBMA and the city government, especially in undertaking joint projects for the mutual benefit of the Subic Bay community and the city.

“I believe things will work out better for the two agencies now. We welcome this development, and we look forward to a successful team-up between the SBMA and Olongapo City,” Garcia said.

In October last year, Garcia and Olongapo City mayor Rolen Paulino discussed matters such as river clean-up, the night market, job fair and the perimeter fence that concern the local community.

Garcia added that with an Olongapo representative in the board, local concerns will be addressed immediately.

Paulino, who is the wife of Olongapo Mayor Rolen Paulino, replaced Anne Marie Gordon, the wife of former Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr., who resigned from the SBMA board early last year upon filing her candidacy for the 2013 mayoralty race.

Paulino who holds a degree in accountancy from Columban College in Olongapo is a native of Subic, Zambales. She has four children with Mayor Paulino.

Olongapo, which is a highly urbanized city with a population of more than 221,000 as of 2010, is among the communities adjacent to and affected by the operations of the Subic Bay Freeport.

It receives a little more than 24 percent of the total LGU share given regularly by SBMA to the eight affected communities. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic tourism prospects for 2014 ‘very positive’

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is expecting another “record-breaking year” in tourism this year, as it intends to ride on last year’s accomplishments and whip up greater momentum with bigger events and more attractions this year.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Roberto Garcia said in a recent report to tourism stakeholders here that Subic faces a “very positive” period this year because of increasing tourist arrivals brought about by the hosting of more sports events, as well as meetings and conventions, in the free port.

“We have been gaining much ground in tourism in the past three years, and in 2014 we intend to do better as we host several major events here in Subic,” Garcia said.

“We have the product—the Subic Bay Freeport, and we just need to get it out there so that we can maintain, if not surpass, the big numbers we attained in 2013,” he added.

According to figures released by the SBMA last week, there was a 20-percent increase in sports-oriented events staged in the Subic Bay Freeport in 2013.

These major events included the Subic Bay to Boracay Race on February 16, the Commodore’s Cup Regatta from April 2 to 6, the Asian Triathlon Championship and the TRAP National Triathlon Championship from April 26 to 29, the Century Tuna 5i50 Triathlon on June 23, the Safeguard 5i50 Triathlon on October 6 and the Subic Duathlon Open Championships on December 1.

Garcia said the unprecedented 134-percent increase in the number of participants joining sports events here has made Subic Bay “arguably the sports tourism capital of the Philippines.”

He added that Subic also hosted several meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) events in 2013, leading to a 52-percent increase in participants as of September, compared to the level of participation as of September 2012.

“Visitor, tourist and hotel guest arrivals have all increased respectively by 8.3 percent, 0.86 percent and 0.89 percent as of October 2013, as compared to levels as of October 2012,” Garcia also said in his report.

Garcia also said aside from aggressively promoting Subic Bay as a must-see tourist destination, the SBMA had undertaken regular projects to protect and enhance the natural environment of the free port, which is Subic’s core tourism product.

Among the measures SBMA had taken for the environment in 2013 was the full implementation of a “no plastics” policy in January, regular beach and river clean-up projects in coordination with neighbor-communities, and the holding of a water summit to ensure adequate clean water supply in the area.

To provide more momentum to SBMA’s tourism initiative for 2014, the agency had booked major events like the 1st Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show, which opened here on Tuesday.

Subic will also be the venue of the Ad Summit Pilipinas 2014 scheduled from May 7 to 11, and is eyeing to host the International Table Tennis World Championships this year, Garcia said.

The “Drive Tourism” event, which will last until Sunday, February 2, is a joint project of the Department of Tourism and the Automobile Association Philippines.

The Ad Summit Pilipinas, which is touted to rock the core of the country’s advertising industry, is organized by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines. (Henry Empeno, Business Mirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/economy/26699-subic-tourism-prospects-for-2014-very-positive

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Subic to host ‘Drive Tourism’ conference

Consistent with Subic’s image as a popular drive-in destination for tourists, this free port will be the venue for the Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show slated on January 29 to February 2 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

The five-day conference will feature discussions and presentations on the latest innovations in the automobile industry, road safety, mobility, motorsports, as well as travel and tourism from both local and international specialists.

Capping the event are the Auto and Travel Show, which will begin on January 31, and the International Kite Festival on February 2.

For this project, the Automobile Association Philippines, the country’s largest auto club with over 50,000 members, and the National Auto Club have teamed up with the Department of Tourism and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Organizers said the event will be graced by Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) president Jean Todt and Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr.

Drive tourism, where people take leisure trips in their own vehicles or hired vehicles, is a rapidly growing sector of the tourism market both here and abroad.

The event supports the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 with the objective to save five million lives and prevent 50 million road injuries through the theme, "Saving Lives, Saving Costs, and Saving the Planet."

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the “Drive Tourism” conference will be the first major conference to be held in this free port this year.

Another big event slated this year is the Ad Summit Pilipinas 2014, which will be held on May 7-11. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Country’s biggest literary fest set in Subic Freeport

Top literary writers from all over the country will converge in this free port on February 24-26 for “Taboan 2014,” the biggest literary festival in the country that will be held in line with the celebration of the National Arts Month (NAM).

Billed as “Wind and Waves, Wars and Words,” the three-day festival is a landmark project of the National Committee on Literary Arts of the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA).

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia expressed gratitude to the NCCA for bringing to Subic Bay the biggest literary event in the country.

“This will not only showcase the beauty of Filipino literary arts, but also the well-preserved natural beauty of Subic Bay for all Filipino and foreign visitors to see,” Garcia said.

Festival director Dr. Juliet Mallari said that top literary writers and enthusiasts, as well as teachers and students from various regions, are expected to join forums, lectures, book fairs, literary readings, performances, arts and crafts exhibits, and cultural tours during the event.

Mallari noted that the festival will also serve as a venue to encourage local writers in Zambales to group themselves together and revive literature in the province.

“We can help them to form a group with the objective to revive literature in Zambales. And soon they could present stage plays, Zambaleña dances in events like this,” she said.

Meanwhile, NCCA chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. said that also in celebration of the NAM, the Philippine Arts Festival has taken the theme “Art on the Edge” to focus on the healing capacity of the arts.

He explained that art is some kind of power that heals the suffering of those affected by calamities—be they man-made or natural—such as those in the coastal communities in the Visayas that were recently hit by typhoon Yolanda.

“In Tacloban and other areas in Visayas, people have received very little help to survive each day. But by using art, like singing, dancing and others, as tool, we can help people ‘on the edge’ to recover from crises or calamities,” De Leon said.

He also noted that when arts of various forms were to be put in the same “boat” and nurtured, they could contribute to economic development by influencing the tourism industry in the area.

He noted that Zambales, for one, has much artistic and creative assets that can be turned into income- generating projects, boost the tourism industry and create jobs.

Among the products of creative arts here are the bows and arrows that native Aytas are selling, and the famous jungle survival demonstrations of the Aytas in the Subic Freeport Zone.

“PAF 2014 promises to be an exhilarating celebration of the arts with workshops, exhibitions, forums, performances, and many other events participated in by numerous artists,” de Leon said. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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K-Swiss Subic International Triathlon is its biggest ever

THE 2014 K-Swiss ITU Subic International Triathlon, slated April 26 and 27 at Subic Bay Freeport, is set to be the biggest edition ever as it enters its third decade.

Secretary general Mon Marchan of the organizing Triathlon Association of the Philippines said stakes will be higher as the event serves as a 5-in-1 affair, laced by its lofty status as one of the legs of the Asia Cup series.

Marchan is joined by in the local organizing committee by Sarita Zafra, Ting Joson, and Anton Tangan.

As an Asia Cup series leg, SUBIT stakes ITU points for local and international elite athletes, who are bidding to improve their World and Asian rankings. Adding to the international flavor of the SUBIT is the second Asian Paratriathlon Championships, whose inaugural event was held in conjunction with SUBIT.

The SUBIT, sponsored by Century Tuna, Asian Center for Insulation Phil., Gatorade, SPEEDO, Standard Insurance, David’s Salon, SBMA and Green Triathlon, will also serve as a National Age-Group Championships, Inter-Club Competition and National Triathlon Tryouts.

The winners of the male and female age-group categories will receive from TRAP an all-expenses-paid participation in one of the tourneys of the Asia Cup series this year as incentive.

The Inter-club competition within the SUBIT event will stake the National Triathlon Club Championship trophy to the winning squad.

SUBIT will also serve as a tryout event for berths in the national pool and the national team that will compete in various international triathlon events, including the Incheon Asian Games and the Asian Beach Games in Phuket. (Randy Caluag, Manila Bulletin)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/27/k-swiss-subic-international-marathon-is-its-biggest-ever/

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Ad land enters “Age of Enlightenment” with Ad Summit Pilipinas

The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As) has just revealed the theme and overall look of the much-anticipated first-ever Ad Summit Pilipinas 2014 scheduled this May in Subic Bay Freeport.

A colorful rendition of the All-Seeing Eye, an ancient symbol for secret knowledge, made by creative AOR DDB Philippines serves as the logo for the summit with the theme “Age of Enlightenment.”

In much the same way with the intellectual revolution in Europe in the 1700s, Ad Summit Chair and Publicis CEO Matec Villanueva said that the advertising industry is craving for fresh, bold and socially-relevant ideas – a hunger that only the industry’s most respected gurus can satisfy.

The 4As is currently finalizing the speakers for the five-day event to be held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center from 7 – 11 May. Asked who are on the list, Villanueva shared with Marketing that experts from digital and big global media networks were invited.

Ad Summit Pilipinas will also now become the new home of the Creative Guild’s Kidlat Awards, which is currently being pushed as the country’s most prestigious creative advertising competition.

The event is believed to be the successor to the AdCongress of the Advertising Board of the Philippines. The 23rd Ad Congress was originally set for November 2013 in Davao City.

AdBoard chair Bienvenido Niles Jr. cancelled the event last July, citing lack of internal support primarily from the exit of its biggest members. KBP has left the Adboard in 2005 which PANA and the 4As followed in November 2012 and February 2013, respectively.

Before 2013 ended, the Media Specialists Association of the Philippines (MSAP) and the the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association (IMMAP) also followed suit.

Registration forms for delagates are available at the official Ad Summit website, official Facebook fanpage and through the 4As secretariat at 8134397 and 8931205 or 4asp@pldtdsl.net. (Oliver Bayani, marketing-interactive.com)

PHOTO:
SBMA deputy administrator for business, investment and tourism Reuel John Kabigting (3rd from left) join officers of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As) during the press launch of Ad Summit Pilipinas 2014, which shall be staged on May 7 to 11, 2014 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center. With him are (from left) 4As chairman Alex Syfu, Ad Summit chair Matec Villanueva, and 4As president Norman Agatep.

http://www.marketing-interactive.com/ad-land-enters-age-enlightenment-ad-summit-pilipinas/

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RP Energy launches project to protect Subic Bay ecology

The Manila Electric Co.-led Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. power consortium (RP Energy), proponent of a 600-megawatt coal-fired thermal power plant in this free port, has launched a project supporting local initiatives to protect Subic Bay.

Victor Chan, the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) officer, said that RP Energy recently conducted a two-day seminar-workshop on marine environmental laws and best practices in coastal marine management.

Chan said that despite Subic Bay’s importance to both the local fishing and tourism industry, residents here believe the bay is already suffering from over-exploitation, tourism pressure, marine pollution and destructive fishing practices.

He said that with its “Protect the Bay” initiative, RP Energy wants to help ensure the sustainability of Subic Bay by supporting the local government unit’s rehabilitation and protection efforts, as well as the local enforcement of environmental policies.

“Citizen’s participation through vigilance is crucial for the success of these efforts since the surrounding communities are also the ones directly affected by pollution in the bay,” he added.

Chan said RP Energy organized the seminar-workshop under its “Katuwang Natin sa Buhay” CSR program and in partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the College of Human Ecology of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, the Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (SB-IFARMC), and the international non-profit organization Blacksmith Institute.

The Blacksmith Institute, an organization founded in 1999 to help solve pollution problems in developing countries, has reportedly completed more than 50 clean-up projects in 21 countries.

Restituto del Rosario, chairman of the SB-IFARMC, said the fishing communities around the bay would be among those who will benefit from the project.

Thanking RP Energy for the initiative, del Rosario added that local fishermen welcome the support from the company: “Nakakatuwang isipin na ang RP Energy ay aming katuwang sa pangangalaga sa Subic Bay sapagkat ito ay karugtong na ng aming buhay.”

Meanwhile, SBMA Public Relations Department Head Armie Llamas said that the “Protect the Bay” project would also boost Subic’s tourism program and help push other stakeholders in the Subic Bay Freeport to join in protecting local marine resources.

Chan said that aside from conducting the seminar-workshop, RP Energy is looking at other activities that will be organized under the initiative.

These include the establishment of mangrove forests along the bay, the expansion of RP Energy’s giant clam farm, and the launch of Task Force Subic Bay monitoring group that will be composed of various community stakeholders. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/regions/26423-rp-energy-launches-project-to-protect-subic-bay-ecology

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SBMA earned P1.07 billion in 2013

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), which manages the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, continues to improve its financial performance, keeping its financial books in the black for the second year straight, recording more than P1 billion in net income, and increasing the level of investments by eightfold last year.

In a preliminary accomplishment report released last week, the agency said that as of November 2013, it has raked in a total of P1.85 billion in revenue, which represents a 25-percent increase over the P1.48-billion total recorded in November 2012.

This, minus expenses and taxes, left the SBMA with P1.078 billion in net income, a 100-percent increase over the P538-million net income in November 2012 that came after a P1.2-billion loss in 2011.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said his administration delivered the financial turnaround beginning 2012 when it drastically reduced operating expenses that resulted in a 91-percent increase in earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation.

“2013 was another banner year for the SBMA—particularly as to financial performance, investment promotion and other key performance areas,” the SBMA report said.

“We are pleased to report that based on the numbers as of November 2013 and as projected, the financial performance of the SBMA continued to improve substantially and investments significantly exceeded 2012 levels,” the report added.

The SBMA added in its report that its actual 2013 revenue and net income broke the agency’s all-time record because figures posted as of November 2013 “are actually higher than levels for the entire year of 2012.”

The report said the administration’s sound fiscal management was further proven by the fact that the agency paid all three foreign loan amortizations for 2013 and managed to secure approval by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last December 16 for the restructuring of SBMA’s $27-million loan.

The restructuring is expected to reduce interest expense and allow the agency to invest in badly needed infrastructure, thus strengthening further the fiscal position of the Subic authority.

“These strides in the financial stability and viability of SBMA complements the substantial 8.9 percent increase in Bureau of Internal Revenue collections from roughly P1.278 billion in 2012 to approximately P1.392 billion in 2013, and the country-wide best Bureau of Customs collection of approximately P10.840 billion in 2013, a staggering 71-percent increase from roughly P6.329 billion in 2012,” the SBMA said.

Meanwhile, in terms of investment promotion the SBMA reported that its actual performance has exceeded 2013 projections.

“By the end of 2012, the agency predicted that investment promotion in 2013 would increase fivefold. The agency did not increase investments in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone fivefold in 2013—it increased investments eightfold,” the SBMA said in its report.

It added that from the P3-billion year-end record in 2012, fresh investment commitments in tourism, export industries and other businesses increased to more than P24 billion by the end of the third quarter of 2013.

To further enhance investment promotion and revenue generation in the Subic Bay Freeport, the SBMA also said it has negotiated for the expansion of the free port in neighboring communities.

The additional areas for development included 650 hectares in the municipality of Subic, which is ideal for shipbuilding and ship repair, and 10,000 hectares in San Antonio, Zambales, which is ideal for tourism and resort development. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/economy/26361-sbma-earned-p1-07-billion-in-2013

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All systems go for Subic International Marathon 2014

It's all systems go for the 2014 Subic International Marathon this weekend (January 25)at the Remy Field in this Freeport.

This event features a spectacular 42-kilometer scenic course confined within boundaries of the Subic Bay Freeport Complex.

Corollary events are a 21-km half-marathon and a 10-km distance run. Secondary events include a 5-km and 3-km fun run.

The Subic International Marathon is a joint venture between eXtribe and SIM Foundation, which is headed by retired Philippine National Police General Samson Tucay.

First staged in 2005, the event was primarily intended to be part of the graduation rites of a special school for members of the national police.

Since then it has gained popularity as an annual running event with the local running community and then into the mainstream running community of other metropolitan areas.

Fate has worked its way and eXtribe eventually found itself at the helm of the technical working group of the event.

The partnership initially materialized in the 2011 staging of the race. It was eventually firmed up in 2012 and continues to be strenghtened into 2013 and beyond.

The event's slogan, "run for fun and transformation", embodies the overall ideals and advocacy of the venture. (RBB/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.active.com/olongapo-city-zambales/running/subic-international-marathon-2014

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Subic’s Grande Island Resort delivers gifts to Samar town

More than a thousand kilometers of road travel did not dampen the enthusiasm of the 17 workers from a tourism facility here when they journeyed for five days to bring joy to children in the typhoon-ravaged coastal town of Hernani in Eastern Samar.

Hernani, a fifth-class municipality of more than 8,000 people, was among the communities hardest-hit by Typhoon Yolanda when its storm surge flattened coastal areas in Eastern Visayas last November 9. The tragedy claimed a total of 57 lives in Hernani.

To help cheer up the typhoon victims, Grande Island Resort (GIR), an upscale tourist destination in Subic Bay, which is operated and managed by GFTG Property Holdings Corporation, dispatched three vans to transport food, school supplies, toys and emergency items for its feeding and gift-giving activity last week.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Roberto Garcia said that a number of business locators in Subic sent their donations via the Philippine Red Cross or shipped them directly to beneficiaries, but it was only Grande Island Resort that personally delivered its donations to the victims.

“We take note of the generosity of the Grande Island management and staff who volunteered to deliver their gifts personally. It was a very long and exhausting trip, but they made it happen,” the SBMA official said.

Dubbed as “3G (Grande Gift Giving) Campaign,” the mission was led by Cristina Garcia, vice president for administration and operations of GFTG, in coordination with Dr. Socorro Ponferrada of Hernani and Fr. Francisco Corado, the parish priest of the Our Lady of Seven Dolors Parish.

Some of the staff-volunteers trace their roots to Samar and Leyte and wanted to personally lend a helping hand to the children in their hometowns. Among them were Karisha Cinco, a nurse by profession and Garcia’s executive assistant who is from Catbalogan, Samar; GIR kitchen manager Alex Berin, and Harvey Ico whose parents are from Barugo, Leyte.

“It is part of the GIR's corporate social responsibility to give back to the needy the blessings that we received the whole year round,” Garcia explained. “We hope that in our little way, we could help boost the morale of residents and give the children of this town a feeling of new hope.”

The convoy from Subic traveled for five days, covering more than 1,200 kilometers by land from the GIR Terminal in Subic Bay Freeport to Matnog, Sorsogon, and then from Allen, Western Samar, to Catbalogan and Borongan until it reached Hernani.

Members of the convoy, composed of 17 Grande Island personnel and two media officers from the SBMA, merely stopped awhile at roadside eateries to eat and freshen up in rest rooms. The rest of the journey was spent inside the vehicles where the travelers also slept.

“The discomfort, almost sleepless nights, and exhaustion that we experienced are nothing compared to the suffering, trauma and agony that the residents, specially the children, are having now,” Garcia said during the trip.

In Hernani, the group was warmly welcomed by residents led by Fr. Corado and Dr. Ponferrada.

“It is very important that the children feel that they are loved, even by those kuyas and ates from faraway places like Subic,” Fr. Corado told the group.

“Your gifts will somehow bring back the joy to these children who are still traumatized by the loss of some of their friends during the typhoon,” he added.

In a brief walk around Hernani, the group witnessed how the typhoon and storm surge leveled to the ground hundreds of houses, school buildings, market, library, and other public and private structures. Roads were destroyed, and potable drinking water became scarce.

Before heading back home to Subic, Garcia left ten sacks of rice, emergency lanterns, and a battery-operated public announcement system. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
Dayanan (standing), admin assistant at the Grande Island Resort in the Subic Bay Freeport, initiates games for more than 250 children during a gift-giving activity in Hernani, Eastern Samar. Hernani was among the communities hardest-hit by typhoon Yolanda last year.

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Taboan 2014 to take place at Subic Freeport Zone

Top writers will once again gather in the country’s biggest literary festival, “Taboan,” at the Subic Freeport Zone on February 24-26 in line with the National Arts Month (NAM). This is organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Billed “Winds and Waves, Wars and Words,” the 2014 Taboan (a Visayan word meaning “marketplace”) is the landmark project of the National Committee on Literary Arts of NCCA's Subcommission on the Arts headed by Priscilla Macansantos for the Philippine Arts Festival (PAF). The festival director is Juliet Mallari.

This will gather writers, teachers and students for forums, lectures, a book fair, literary reading, performances, arts and crafts exhibits, cultural tours, other satellite projects, and an awards ceremony for outstanding writers from the regions.

The Philippines celebrates NAM during February since the signing of Presidential Proclamation 683 in 1991. As the country’s main agency for the arts and culture, the NCCA, headed by its chairman Felipe de Leon, Jr., leads in celebrating NAM with the Philippine Arts Festival.

For 2014, PAF has taken the theme "Art on the Edge,” highlighting the advancements achieved in different art forms, the innovations, the modern evolution of art, and the artistic creations in the peripheries.

Spearheaded by the NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts, PAF consists of the flagship projects of the seven committees of the subcommission—architecture, cinema, dance, literature, music, theater, and the visual arts. It aims to highlight the artistic talent and brilliance of the Filipino people. Initially centering around the National Capital Region, PAF activities will be held all over the country in order to reach as many people as possible.

With private and government agencies as partners, PAF 2014 promises to be an exhilarating celebration of the arts with workshops, exhibitions, forums, performances, and many other events participated in by numerous artists. (NCCA-PAIO)

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Tourism confab set

EXPLORE THE Philippines' countryside charm and cultural gems through driving at the first Asia Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show scheduled at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center on Jan. 29 to Feb. 2.

A first of its kind in the country, the five-day confab and expo is presented by the Department of Tourism (DoT) and Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP), the National Auto Club and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Keynoting the event are Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. and Jean Todt, president of the Paris-based Federation Internationale d'Automobile (FIA), the world's largest group of car clubs and motorsports associations with over 200 member organizations in 132 countries.

Other invited speakers are the transport ministers of Sri Lanka, Malaysia and New Zealand, and the tourism ministers of Nepal, Maldives, Palau, Bhutan and Thailand, Automobile Association of Upper India President TK Malhotra and flA Region 2 President Ross Heron, as well as representatives from the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

The conference will serve as the market launch of the DoT's Drive Tourism program in coordination with AAP which aims to consolidate the components of all tourism-oriented road and driving activities.

"Drive Tourism is where participants move through a tourism highway or road network that allows them to see diverse attractions on the road and experience the local way of life," says Secretary Jimenez.

He added that the pioneering event will include presentations on the latest innovations in the automobile industry, road safety, mobility, motorsports, travel and tourism from both local and international specialists during the conference and exhibition.

He said that AAP has been undertaking caravans in various provinces to boost domestic tourism and provide income opportunities in the countryside.

Unlike seat-in-coach tours; allows participants to tailor fit itineraries based on their preferences, such as culture and heritage, water sports or culinary adventure for a complete travel experience.

The conference will also see the groundbreaking of the Subic Children's Road Safety Park, which will serve as an educational stage to teach the culture of road safety and discipline among children.

The first of its kind in the country, it will serve as the model of similar projects envisioned to be set up in every region.

With the theme, "Saving Lives, Saving Costs, and Saving the Planet," the event supports the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 with the objective to save five million lives and prevent 50 million road injuries.

After the conference proper, the Auto and Travel Show runs from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 which will feature super deals in automobiles, accessories, tour packages, travel essentials, Filipino regional cuisine and recreational activities at the Children's Fun plaza rides.

For more information, visit www.aaptraveI.com/drivetourism or call 5510025, 5510014. (BusinessWorld)

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Santiago, Breen top Subic triathlon race

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines’ student Mervin Rendel Santiago and Aileen Breen opened the 2014 triathlon season with a bang as they emerged the fastest triathletes among the age-groupers who saw action in yesterday’s kickoff leg of the 2014 National Age Group Triathlon series held at Dungaree Beach in the Subic Bay Freeport.

The 21-year-old Santiago, who last November topped the Anvaya Cove Invitational Triathlon, atoned for his poor showing in the swim leg with big finishes in the bike and run leg to win line honor in the male division at two hours, 13 minutes and 56 seconds.

“This is a good way to start the triathlon year. I knew I will be left behind in the swim, but I also knew that my strength is in the biking and running and I was confident I will be able to catch up with the early leaders,” said Santiago, a graduating student taking up Bachelor in Physical Education, who won the gold medal in the 20-24 age class.

Not to be outdone was Breen, who showed that she has recovered from a fractured right shoulder by becoming the fastest lady triathlete at 2:49:40 to claim the gold medal in the 35-39 bracket.

“I’ve been injured for six weeks, but it’s getting back now. It’s a good start to train again and I love competing in the NAGT because it’s a well-organized race,” said Breen.

The one-day race was organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines, in cooperation with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and supported by the SBMA Tourism Department, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Inc., Gatorade, Standard Insurance, Green Triathlon, Lifestyle Subic Bay and Philippine Sports Commission.

Other winners in the standard distance (1.5 Km swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run) among the men were Juan Gabriel Velasco (25-29), Jet Ramos (30-34), Jessie Jay Calara (35-39), Hiroshi Takei (40-44), Keita Hasegawa (45-49), and Joey Andaya (50-54) while Chloe Jane Ong (25-29), Richelle Hizon (30-34) and Elaine Andaya (40-over) in the women.

A total of 200 triathletes saw action in the event, with members of the national teams showing their stuff to jump-start their preparation for international tournaments this year, including the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea. (Manila Standard Today)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/20/santiago-breen-top-national-age-group-triathlon/

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Subic resort launches 'green villages' project for 'Yolanda' victims

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — A resort-hotel here that advocates environmental sustainability has launched a long-term environment-friendly resettlement program for victims of the Supertyphoon Yolanda tragedy in Eastern Visayas.

Clyde Chua, chairman of The Lighthouse Marina Resort in this free port, said the company has established Project HOPE (Helping Others Progress and Excel), which involves creating eco-friendly resettlement villages to encourage victim-communities to come together and promote green living.

“Through this program, we hope that each family will have the opportunity to rebuild their lives at a more suitable area compared to cramped tent cities like the ones they have set up for Yolanda evacuees in Manila,” Chua said. He said the eco-friendly resettlement houses require very little skill to assemble, and the villages created may even serve as tourism destinations that may provide added livelihood to evacuee-residents.

“This project will not only help the victims of typhoon Yolanda and prepare a disaster management plan, but at the same time encourage people to recognize that the root of this problem is also related to the way humans have exploited the planet,” Chua said.

The businessman said the long-term vision of the project is to develop a disaster-rehabilitation program in Zambales, which is strategically located, that may be used to assist other areas in the country in times of calamities.

Employees of The Lighthouse Marina Resort unveiled Project HOPE through a fund-raising program during the New Year countdown at The Lighthouse beachfront, in cooperation with artists from Casa San Miguel in San Antonio, Zambales.

In the program, renowned violinist Coke Bolipata and the Pundaquit Virtuosi performed an original composition entitled “Deluge” that was dedicated to the victims of Yolanda. The song was written, arranged and composed by Marc Tan, a graduate of the University of the Philippines’s College of Music and also a manager at The Lighthouse Marina. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/regions/25974-subic-resort-launches-green-villages-project-for-yolanda-victims

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FIA president coming to PH

Jean Todt, the recently reelected president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Ferrari Formula One team director when Michael Schumacher won the world driver’s championship seven years in a row, is coming to the Philippines to be the keynote speaker of the first Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show scheduled for January 29 to February 2 at the Subic Bay Freeport.

The Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show is a joint project of the Department of Tourism and the Automobile Association Philippines, the country’s largest auto club with over 50,000 members.

AAP is the only Philippine member of the FIA, the Paris-based governing body for all four-wheel motorsport worldwide and the federation of 227 national motoring and sporting organizations in 132 countries.

“We look forward to welcoming Jean Todt,” AAP president Augusto Lagman said.“We could not have thought of a better way to jump-start the very first Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Travel and Auto Show than having him as keynote speaker. While ushering in the new year, we hope this event revives interest in local tourism and revs up tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Todt was elected to a second term as president of the FIA just last month. Before joining Ferrari, he was the motorsport director of the PSA Citroen Peugeot Group.

The event’s theme is “Saving Lives, Saving Costs, and Saving the Planet” and supports the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 that aims to save five million lives worldwide by reducing the number of road crashes.

All those involved in road safety and travel are enjoined to attend the conference and exhibition.

Aside from FIA Region 2 (Asia-Pacific) President Ross Heron who will provide an update on the region’s workplan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety, the other speakers include India’s Road Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes and Sri Lanka’s Transport Minister Kumara Welgama who will speak on innovative and sustainable programs for road safety. (Malaya Business Insight)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/special-features/fia-president-coming-ph

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Enough staple for Central Luzon in 2014 -- NFA Region 3

CABANATUAN CITY -- The National Food Authority in Central Luzon yesterday gave assurances of enough supply of rice for this year with the arrival earlier this month of the region’s imported rice allocation at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) port.

In a statement, NFA Region 3 said around 500,000 bags (25,000 MT) of Vietnam rice arrived last week via the vessel MV Voge Fiesta while another vessel, MV Vinh Phuoc, will arrive later this month, carrying some 225,000 bags (11,250 MT) of Vietnam rice.

Of the total volume, Region 2 will be allocated 200,000 bags while the provinces of Central Luzon will get the 525,000 bags, it said.

According to NFA-Region 3 Director Amadeo De Guzman, the imported rice from Vietnam is part of the 500,000 metric tons additional imported rice sought by the agency through the government-to-government import scheme.

The Vietnam rice is meant to augment the current rice stocks which were badly affected due to the successive calamities that hit the country in 2013.

De Guzman added that the rice importation along with the planned aggressive palay procurement of the agency will build enough rice stocks to address the region’s rice consumption for this year.

He further stressed that the agency’s rice stocks are all of highest quality because they regularly conduct monitoring of their stocks based on the required regulations and standards. (Steve A. Gosuico, Journal)

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/provincial/65156-enough-staple-for-central-luzon-in-2014-nfa-region-3

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Ad Summit Pilipinas all set for Subic in 2014

It's all systems go for Ad Summit Pilipinas, the much-awaited event that is set to rock the country's advertising and marketing industry in 2014.

Organized by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4A's), the summit will take place from May 7 to 11 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Ad Summit Chairman Matec Villanueva says the summit will gather marketers and advertising practitioners in the Philippines through a "professionally managed and efficiently ran event with clockwork precision."

"We are definitely bringing 'rock star' speakers, global luminaries who are iconic, brilliant and whose work transcends national boundaries. We are rolling the red carpet for the finest," Villanueva added.

The 4A's is set to officially reveal in January the overall summit theme.

One special event that is certain to happen at the Ad Summit, however, is the staging of the Kidlat Awards of; the Creative Guild of the Philippines.

"We intend to institutionalize Kidlat as the country's most prestigious creative advertising competition," Villanueva said.

With five months left before Ad Summit Pilipinas 2014, the 4A's is now focusing on creating intelligent programming and effective event management to ensure high-level understanding and participation of attendees throughout the convention duration.

"We are bent not to overload programs so attendees can manage their time well and register 100 percent attendance in every session. We don't want to see morning sessions not filled up because people stayed late the night before," Villanueva revealed.

Interested participants may email the 4A's secretariat 4asp@pldtdsl.net to avail themselves of early bird rates. They may also check its official Facebook page at faceb0ok.com/AdSummitPH and follow it on Twitter at #ADSuinmitPH. (BusinessMirror)

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Subic collections up

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Bureau of Customs registered revenue collections of P11.2 billion in 2013, up 77 percent from P6.3.billion in 2012, driven by strong duties and tax take.

Port of Subic District collector Arnulfo Marcos said tax collections in the last quarter of 2013 rose 110 percent to P3.30 billion from P1.57 billion year-on-year.

Marcos said the P11.2-billion collections 2013 exceeded the Freeport’s target of P6.15 billion by 83 percent.

He said July registered the highest monthly tax collection with P1.02 billion, or up 220 percent from P321 million on year, followed by December with P1.10 billion, up 149 percent from P442 million on year.

Marcos attributed the increased collections to the reforms institutionalized by his predecessors at the Port of Subic and the recent reconfiguration program and reshuffle of key frontline officials. (Cecille Garcia, Manila Standard)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/01/10/subic-collections-up/

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Jessica Sanchez visits Subic

Filipino-American singing sensation Jessica Sanchez (middle) meets with SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia after visiting tourism attractions in the Subic Bay Freeport with her family over the weekend. Sanchez, who was runner-up on the 11th season of the reality show American Idol, traces her roots to nearby Samal, Bataan, the hometown of her mother Edita. (AED/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA to beef up disaster preparedness after Yolanda tragedy

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is all set to expand its existing disaster risk-reduction and management (DRRM) organization, as well as upgrade its emergency preparedness and response plan, in order to be able to handle Yolanda-like disaster scenarios.

SBMA DRRM officer Vicente Tolentino said this course of action was reached after SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia instructed disaster-management experts here to re-assess and re-evaluate the agency’s preparedness and response capacity in the wake of the Typhoon Yolanda tragedy in Eastern Visayas.

The assessment was made recently by the Subic Bay Disaster Risk-Reduction and Management Committee (SDRRMC), which is composed of representatives from various SBMA departments, government agencies, and other auxiliary groups in the Subic Freeport.

“The consensus is that there is a need to modify or upgrade the SBMA Disaster and Emergency Prepared and Response Plan, which was drafted in 2001, because some or most of its procedures, systems and protocols are already outdated,” Tolentino said.

“The new benchmark now in disaster and emergency preparedness and response planning is Typhoon Yolanda. We would like to see a level of preparedness and response capacity that can ensure our safety should a super typhoon like Yolanda hit the free port,” Tolentino added.

During the SDRRMC’s assessment and evaluation session, it was noted that while national and local government preparations were in place even before Yolanda hit the country, no one had anticipated the destructive effects of a Signal Number 4 typhoon, the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane.

The committee also observed that communications systems broke down at impact areas, thus bogging down crucial government action.

Tolentino said that the two observations stressed the need for the SBMA to give importance to an information and education campaign on disaster preparedness for workers and residents in the Subic Freeport area, as well as to ensure a secure network of frequency-based radio communications units.

Roderic Grueso, deputy chief of the SDRRMC Operations Center, also said that in the wake of the Yolanda tragedy, Filipinos should change their perspective about typhoons, which commonly visit the Philippines during the rainy season.

“We used to define major disasters as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes or tsunamis. But with our experience with Yolanda, we should no longer discount the potential of typhoons to bring massive destruction,” Grueso said.

Disaster-management experts here also said that as part of updating Subic’s emergency response plan, the needs and constraints in the acquisition and depreciation of equipment and other resources should be identified.

They added that an update in emergency plans is also in order due to significant changes in DRRM measures, such as the enactment in 2010 of Republic Act 10121, or the Act Strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, which shifted DRRM approach from reactive to proactive.

Tolentino said that the SDRRMC also concluded that since limitations in staff elements and task units hamper the dissemination and implementation of DRRM programs, the body should undergo extensive reorganization to involve other SBMA departments, and government and private groups in DRRM activities.

The body also resolved to strengthen its legal mandate, require members and auxiliary groups to designate action officers as points of contact, and to submit a list of existing and available resources to be integrated into the inventory of SDRRMC assets. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

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National triathlon set in Subic

A showcase of new talents of the Philippine triathlon and duathlon team will serve as the highlight of the opening leg of the 2014 National Age-Group Triathlon (NAGT) series which will start at sunrise on Jan. 19 at the Dungaree Beach, Subic Bay Freeport.

The new PHI team members composed of Jared Macalalad, Claire Adorna, Nestor Cagas, Vicky Deldeo, Justin Chiongbian, Baltazar Valencia and Nancy Papaya will compete against tough competitors in the special elite category which will determine their rankings as well as their preparations for this year’s Asian Games, Asian Beach Games and the Youth Olympic Games.

Also competing are national standouts like Nikko Huelgas, Jon Chicano, Km Mangrobang, Kevin Eijansantos, Robeno Javier, Pawee Fornea, Mirasol Abad and Magali Echauz.

The elites along with seasoned age-groupers will endure the Standard Distance 1.5 kilometer swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run course which will take them from Dungaree to Argonaut Highway (until Corregidor) and to Naval Mag in the freeport.

The event is sponsored by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Department, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Inc. (ACIP), Gatorade, Standard Insurance, Green Triathlon, Lifestyle Subic Bay and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

The age-groupers (20 and above) and the 16-19 participants will handle the Sprint Distance course (750 meter swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run) while teen participants aged 13 to 16-years-old will engage in the mini-sprint course of 350 M swim – 16 Km bike – 2.5 Km run). Lastly, a SuperTriKids aquathlon side-event
will be held for participants aged 9-10 years (200 M swim – 400 M run) and 11-12 years (350 M swim – 1.5 Km run).

At around 8:30 a.m., participants will be allowed to take their post-race meal followed by the event’s awarding ceremony at about 10 a.m. Medals and gift items will be award to the Top 3 Male and Top 3 Female winners of the different categories covering all distances. Meanwhile, race participants will be entitled to finishers’ medals and t-shirts.

Registration is ongoing until Jan. 12 with entry fees set at P3,500 for standard distance events, P3,000 for sprint distance, P2,500 for mini-sprint and P1,000 for STK aquathlon races. BIKEKING (Bonifacio High Street) and SPEEDO Concept Stores (Alabang, SM Megamall, The Podium, Glorietta 4 and Bonifacio High Street) are the registration centers.

For inquiries, interested parties may contact the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) via numbers 0915-6394233, 710- 8259, 399-6598, fax 809-3136 and email fabiedavid@yahoo.com and AFC_0412@yahoo.com. (Tempo)

http://sports.tempo.com.ph/2014/01/national-triathlon-set-in-subic/#.UstraNJDuGM

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Subic community continues to extend Holiday cheers to needy children

Members of the Subic Freeport community, along with business investors and civic organizations, continue to extend holiday cheers to children from indigent families in neighboring villages, as well as those hit by recent calamities.

On New Year’s Day, students of the Special Education for the Gifted (SPED-G) and their parents coordinated with the San Roque Parish Church in the free port for the SPED-G Gift-Giving Project held at the parish ground.

The project provided toys and snacks to more than 300 children.

Parent and Olongapo City councilor Jong Cortez said that the activity endeavors to bring happiness to children amid hardship and calamities that they experienced last year.

“This is also an opportunity for the students of SPED-G to share the blessings that their families enjoy with less fortunate kids of their age,” said Cortez.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) had also earlier spearheaded gift-giving activities through its Public Relations Department, aside from initiating a collection drive for relief goods sent to victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas.

On December 20, the SBMA-PRD conducted a gift-giving activity that benefited 200 children in an Aeta tribal community at Sitio Timak, Morong, Bataan.

Seven days later, the SBMA-PRD conducted a similar project for 300 kids at Barangay Asinan Proper in Subic, Zambales.

Meanwhile, Grande Island Resort, one of the more popular tourist destinations in Subic Bay, and operated by GFTG Property Holdings Corporation, will be conducting a feeding and gift-giving project in one of the communities hardest-hit by Typhoon Yolanda.

Karisha Cinco, Grande Island Resort executive assistant, said that the firm’s management and staff will undertake a feeding project and distribute toys to children in Hernani, Eastern Samar on the second week of the month. The project will be done in coordination with the Our Lady of Sorrows Parish there.

Hernani, Cinco noted, was one of the hardest-hit areas, yet has not received enough assistance.

“It is part of our corporate social responsibility,” Cinco said about the project, adding that Grande Island Resort is still accepting donations in any form to be added to toys and other children’s items collected to aid in the relief and recovery of children-victims in Hernani. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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