Subic Freeport gets ready for big “Ber” months tourist arrivals

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it allocated P40.6 million to fund various infrastructure projects in anticipation of the influx of tourists in the last quarter of the year.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia revealed that the agency is currently implementing various infrastructure projects that include repair of roads and bridges, improvement of drainage systems, park development, as well as installation of road signs to give the Subic Bay Freeport a fresh and snappy look.

“The projects are very necessary not only to impress tourists, but to communicate the underlying message of the SBMA’s good fiscal performance,” Garcia said.

In March this year, the Central Luzon Regional Development Council commended SBMA for successfully turning around its income generation performance from negative P.2 billion in 2006-2011 to positive P1.3 billion in 2014.

Garcia noted that since SBMA is continuously performing well for the past three years, “It is only well and good that some of the income will be used to upgrade our infrastructure to provide safer roads and parks for our residents and visitors.”

“If you have noticed, not a single road was flooded in the Freeport in the past rainy days. It is because of the improved drainage system we put in strategic locations,” he pointed out.

Garcia also mentioned that the bridge leading to the Freeport’s main gate, which connects the Freeport to Olongapo City’s Magsaysay Drive, will also undergo repair and will soon again be opened to motorists after almost a decade of closure due to weakened foundations.

The bridge was constructed during the early years of the American tenure of the former US Naval Base here.

Garcia also said that the Boardwalk Park, the Freeport’s popular family and cultural venue, will be redeveloped and made ready for the 25th anniversary celebration of the SBMA in November this year. The rehabilitation will include the construction of a bigger stage and the installation of a permanent projection screen there.

The Boardwalk Park in the Freeport is not only a landmark and favorite place for picnics and watching the scenic Subic sunset, but is also the preferred venue for outdoor events and cultural shows, musical concerts, and sports activities.

The annual New Year countdown that attracts thousands of residents from the Subic community, as well as visitors from as far as Metro Manila, also takes place at the Boardwalk Park. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)


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SUBIC ROAD REPAIR PROJECTS Workers undertake road improvement along the Rizal Highway in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced an infusion of P40 million for road repair and other infrastructure maintenance projects. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)