$300M convention resort, casino launched in Subic Freeport

Subic Sun Convention Resort and Casino, Inc., a $300-million integrated complex was launched on Thursday to further boost the tourism industry here. 

According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, Accor International Group is set to construct a world-class integrated leisure and convention center. 

 

“In a couple of years, the Ibis Styles and Mercure Hotels, which is affiliated with the Accor International Group, will be operating a world class integrated leisure and convention center in Subic Bay, which will be the very first integrated resort casino and hotel complex in the freeport,” Aliño said during the launch. 

 

A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Subic International Hotel, Bravo Building Compound, which would soon become the Subic Sun Convention Resort and Casino Inc. 

 

According to Subic Sun Convention Resort and Casino Inc. Chairman and President Pablo Edgardo T. Puyat, “The operations are anticipated to begin in 2025, following the commencement of our $300 million investment commitment.”

 

“Both the Ibis Styles Subic and Mercure Subic are in the company’s economy and midscale segments, respectively. Ibis Styles Subic is set to open in 2026 and is the first internationally branded hotel in Subic,” he said. Ibis Styles Subic will offer 175 rooms and will feature amenities such as a swimming pool, meeting space, and a gym.

 

Ibis Styles is an economy hotel brand focused on in-style stays while the Mercure is a French midscale hotel brand, with both brands owned by ACCOR International Group. The Ibis Styles and Mercure Hotels are just part of the initial phase of the project.

 

Mercure Subic, also set to open in 2026, will offer 250 rooms and be the second internationally branded hotel in the area. It is located adjacent to Ibis Styles Subic. 

 

Puyat added, “A world-class integrated leisure and convention center will be constructed in progressive phases, encompassing a six-hectare property that will feature an integrated resort casino complex and five-star resort hotels.”

 

He said that aside from the convention center/ exhibition hall, the area will also have duty-free shops, dormitels, carpark, hotel and recreation center, Americana complex, Americana seaside clubhouse, American country club and the New Dragon Restaurant. 

 

Meanwhile, Chairman Aliño also remarked that with the additional facilities inside the Freeport, more tourists will now have hotels to stay in, since hotels inside Subic Bay Freeport are fully-booked even months before the start of the peak season. “It provides them with an alternative lodging inside the Freeport,” he added.

 

Accor is a French multinational hospitality company that owns, manages and franchises hotels, resorts and vacation properties. It is the largest hospitality company in Europe, and the sixth largest hospitality company worldwide.

 

Accor operates 5,584 locations in over 110 countries. Its total capacity is approximately 821,518 rooms (end 2023). It owns and operates brands in many segments of hospitality: Luxury (Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel), premium (MGallery, Pullman, Swissôtel), midscale (Novotel, Mercure, Adagio), and economy (ibis, hotelF1). Accor also owns companies specialized in digital hospitality and event organization, such as onefinestay, D-Edge, ResDiary, John Paul, Potel & Chabot and Wojo.

 

The company is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, and is a constituent of the CAC Next 20 index on the Paris stock exchange. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA urges locators: ‘Connect, or go extinct!’

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has urged business locators here to invest more in technology to remain competitive, or simply be left behind.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said companies operating in the Subic Freeport have to strengthen their capacity to interconnect computing systems and application platforms because it is the key to meeting the growing demands in the local and international markets.

“We should always be on the cutting edge,” Eisma said. “Investors in Subic, especially, should try to keep up with the changing demands of their clients and the global market through faster transaction and real-time monitoring.”

“If they don’t think about connectivity, they’d go the way of the dinosaurs—they’ll be just as extinct as far as competition goes,” she added.

The SBMA official made this exhortation at the side lines of the first Information and Communications Technology Forum held recently at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), where the country’s telecommunications giants PLDT, Smart Communications, Converge ICT Solution, and Globe Telecom/Innové showed off their latest products and services.

Among the new offerings by PLDT and Smart Communications were applications on cloud computing and hosting, co-location, and managed security and network services.


On the other hand, Globe exhibited its “Shopify” platform and vehicle tracker, while Converge ICT displayed its pure fiber internet system.

Eisma said the need for speed and computing power, as well as for improved locator operations and customer experience, were the reasons why the SBMA, through its Business and Investment Department for Information and Communications Technology, organized the forum.

“Things have changed by leaps and bounds in the last 20 years,” Eisma said, recalling that when she first joined the SBMA as volunteer in 1992 they were all using pagers and the bulky black mobile phones.

“Back then we thought that was really cool, but who would have known 20 years ago that we will now be chatting on Facebook, or video-conferencing on the phone?” she added.

Eisma said that in these days when virtual interface is already possible, the application of technology has become so essential to doing business anywhere in the world.

“Clearly, connectivity is the only way to go—and this is true in the various growth capitals of the world, as well as in Subic. We should be forward-looking because that’s how we will survive the competition,” Eisma concluded. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma underscores the necessity of technology in doing business at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic Freeport eyes huge tourism ROI from 4-day Ad Summit

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) expects a huge bonanza for tourism establishments here with the hosting of the Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 on March 7 to 10at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said that with about 5,000 participants going to what is recognized as the country’s biggest advertising and marketing event, the four-day Ad Summit would provide substantial revenue to tourism-related establishments, as well as media mileage to Subic Bay.

“It’s the hotels and restaurants and theme parks that would benefit most from this forthcoming event in Subic, and I hope that they’d make the best out of it,” Eisma said.

“But as a whole, the Subic Bay Freeport would be a winner in terms of promotion and media exposure and that is the best ROI (return on investment) that we get out of this event,” she added.

Eisma said that the SBMA would receive some P8.7 million in direct and indirect benefits from hosting the four-day convention.

“This will be on top of the income to be made by business establishments in the Freeport, as well as accredited suppliers during the event. So the actual ROI is quite huge, overall,” she pointed out.

According to the SBMA Tourism Department, the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As), which organizes Ad Summit, has committed around P7 million in media mileage to the SBMA for the upcoming event.

These include press releases and feature articles in print and online media; posters, flyers and banners for marketing and promotion; official television commercial and radio plugs; as well as exposure on social media.

Meanwhile, organizers would also have to pay the SBMA close to P1.2 million in SBECC utility fees and ad permits.

On the other hand, the Subic agency would earn an estimated P450,000 from the environment and tourism administrative fee (ETAF) charged by local hotels on their guests, and around P60,000 in ETAF from theme parks in the Freeport.

SBMA Tourism Department head Jem Camba said that some delegates to the summit bring along family members, who would visit parks and resorts in Subic and patronize local restaurants and shops in the Subic Bay and Olongapo City area.

Camba said organizers are charging each delegate P19,000 for Ad Summit inclusions like entrance to plenary sessions and talks, officially-sponsored meals, shuttle service within the summit venues, and admission to the awards night, parties and special events.

“However, this fee won’t cover hotel accommodation and breakfast, so this is where local businesses would earn from,” she explained.

Subic will be hosting Ad Summit Pilipinas for the third time since the biennial advertising and marketing convention organized by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As) debuted here in May 2014. The upcoming event is themed “DIY Your ROI,” as the advertising industry takes a closer look at the various impacts of creative work.

Organizers predicted that the Ad Summit will be a jampacked event, as they assembled a panel of speakers who will focus on new paradigms and innovative creative solutions to effect financial, as well as social, impact.

The Ad Summit will also feature the Creative Guild’s Kidlat Awards, which the group is promoting to be the country’s most prestigious creative advertising competition. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

The Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, venue of Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018

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Subic Freeport to host Ad Summit 2018

The country’s biggest annual advertising convention will return here next month with the staging of the 2018 Ad Summit Pilipinas on March 7 to 10 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).

Atty. Wilma T. Eisma, chairman and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Tuesday with officials of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As) for the holding of said event here for the third time.

Eisma said the return of Ad Summit Pilipinas to this premier free port “again shows just how much the Subic Bay Freeport has become the top-of-mind location for the biggest event in local advertising industry.”

She noted that the 4As convention had historically brought a record-number of visitors to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Under the signed MOA, SBMA will provide the venue and manpower needed in staging Ad Summit Pilipinas, with the agency’s Tourism, Media Production, and Law Enforcement departments providing key support to the organizers.

Eisma said that with an expected 5,000 delegates coming from various sectors, the Ad Summit “is set to further push tourism figures in Subic this summer.”

“And we will be ready for this,” she added, pointing out that Freeport establishments could accommodate the expected number of delegates, as well as their families who might want to tour the Subic Bay Freeport Zone at the same time.

Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 overall chair Norman Agatep said this year’s event will be themed “DIY Your ROI,” with the original meaning of Return of Investment creatively repurposed into topics like “Return on Ideas”, “Return on Innovation” and “Return on Impact.”

He added that organizers already have a full line-up of speakers for the four-day event, who are expected to wow the crowd with lectures on new paradigms and innovative creative solutions.

“We are gathering some of the most brilliant minds in the world to enlighten attendees on how best to measure brand success in the fast-evolving marketing communication industry,” Agatep said.

“Monetary profit is no longer the only relevant metric today,” he added. “It’s time to DIY your ROI.”

Ad Summit participants are also expected to watch for the Kidlat Awards, which are given out by the Creative Guild of the Philippines.

Fast on its way to becoming the most prestigious creative advertising competition in the country, Kidlat recognizes campaigns and efforts that perfectly bring themes such as “DIY Your ROI” into reality. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma (second from right) signs an agreement for the staging of the 2018 Ad Summit Pilipinas in the Subic Bay Freeport with (from left): 4As President Sue Ann Nolido, Ad Summit 2018 Chairman Norman Agatep, and 4As Philippines Chairman Bong Pacia. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Gordon bats for Central Luzon investment corridor

Senator Richard Gordon has called on the Subic Bay Freeport business community to support his proposal to establish an investment corridor in Central Luzon that will encourage more business and livelihood activities and spur further development in the area.

Speaking during the North Luzon Business Conference here last week, Gordon said he has filed Senate Bill No. 1325, or “An Act Creating the Regional Investment and Infrastructure Corporation of Central Luzon,” to facilitate the creation of an investment corridor in the region.

The senator explained that the proposed Regional Investment and Infrastructure Corporation (RIIC) aims to attract more foreign investors by way of providing for a road network system that will interconnect airports and seaports in Luzon.

He added that the proposed legislation will provide tax incentives for companies and will utilize the area to help ease the traffic currently weighing down the Metro Manila area. This will further ease the congestion of the seaports and airports in Manila, he said.

Gordon, who served as the first chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), also pointed out that Central Luzon is the only region in the country that has three airports like New York, referring to Manila, Clark and Subic.

“Central Luzon also has three seaports—Subic, Mariveles and Manila, and four if we include Batangas— which are complemented by a network of highways,” said Gordon.

He said the country needs to optimize the use of its infrastructures and pointed out that the Central Luzon area is connected by major highways: the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), and the Olongapo-Gapan Highway.

Aside from having these facilities, Central Luzon is also connected to various industrial zones managd by the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

In response, business leaders from the Metro Olongapo Chamber of Commerce Inc. (MOCCI), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and other business groups attending the conference pledged their support to Gordon’s bill.

Gordon’s bill had earlier found resonance during the Philippine Investment Promotion Plan (PIPP) Investment Roadshow to Taiwan, when SBMA Administrator & CEO Wilma Eisma urged businessmen in Taipei and Taichung City to consider the so-called Central Luzon Manufacturing and Logistics Zone (CMLZ) as a prime investment destination.

Eisma said that the CMLZ, which is composed of Clark Freeport, Subic Bay Freeport, and the Freeport Area of Bataan, has strategic location, ample space for manufacturing, developed infrastructure support, and generous tax and fiscal incentives.

Moreover, the area has ample supply of talented and skilled labor, service utilities for industries and businesses, secured corridor without traffic congestion, and enviable live-work-play environment, Eisma added.

Eisma also said that Central Luzon is perfect for targeted key industries like electronics, automotive parts and aerospace products for Clark; shipbuilding and maritime industries, including cruise ships for Subic; and high-end garments manufacturing for Bataan. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO: 

Sen. Richard Gordon explains his bill proposing for the creation of the Central Luzon Regional Investment and Infrastructure Corporation during a business forum in the Subic Bay Freeport (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic Freeport to host country’s biggest advertising confab

The country’s premier Freeport will host Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018, which will mark the return for the third time here of the biggest learning event in advertising and marketing industry in the country.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Wilma T. Eisma and Norman Agatep, chairman of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As), recently signed a memorandum of agreement for the holding of the conference at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center here on March 7 to 10next year.

Organized by 4As, Ad Summit Pilipinas is a biennial gathering of industry professionals that highlights discussions by some of the best in the world of advertising and marketing today, and also showcases a trade exhibit featuring cutting-edge business ideas, industry trends, and state-of-the-art technologies.

“It means a lot for us this vote of confidence from 4As and the organizing committee,” said Atty. Ramon Agregado, who is SBMA senior deputy administrator for support services.

He added that the decision of organizer to bring back Ad Summit Pilipinas to Subic shows a strong partnership between Ad Summit Pilipinas and SBMA. “We guarantee that we will work twice as hard to make the third edition of the Ad Summit a great success,” Agregado remarked.

With the theme “DIY Your ROI” (or do-it-yourself your return of investment), Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 is said to challenge current mindsets on the way marketing campaigns are being evaluated. It will also explore new ways of determining brand success beyond the return of investment (ROI).

“What we hope to accomplish in Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 is to open our eyes and minds to see the different ROIs that can helps us sharpen our measure of returns for our brands,” said over-all event chairperson Norman Agatep.

The event aims to examine ROIs through the lens of clever customization, where a brand’s performance is measured against objectives that go beyond commercial success and cross over to such returns as brand love, behavioral change, social good, environmental impact, and pop culture influence.

“The world has changed today; it is not only the opportunity of measuring money, as there are lots of forms of return of investment to consider,” Agatep explained.

“If we look at a hammer, we only see a nail. But if we look closer, we will see ideas or innovations, or influence. Return of investment could be redefined as return of insights, return of intelligence or return of impact,” he noted.

As a convention tradition, Ad Summit Pilipinas will also be home to Creative Guild’s Kidlat Awards, which is intended to establish “Kidlat” as the most prestigious advertising competition in the Philippines, honoring some of the country’s enduring luminaries and most creative and excellently-crafted campaigns.

“These are all in line with our mission to nurture a marketing communication environment that redefines creative excellence that’s in tune with an ever-restless and evolving industry,” Agatep added. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Administrator & CEO Wilma T. Eisma and 4As Chairman Norman Agatep sign a memorandum of agreement for the holding of Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in March next year. Witnessing the signing are SBMA Director Stefani Saño (right of photo) and members of the Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 working committee. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Traders share best practices with entrepreneurs in Subic Freeport forum

“Don’t prove me wrong, prove me right! Can you deliver?” This was the challenge sounded by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Assistant Secretary Blesila Lantayona at the opening here on Wednesday of the agency’s “Kapatid, Mentor Me Program” session some 200 local entrepreneurs.

The program, held at the Subic Bay Travelers Hotel, tapped speakers from among some of the highly successful entrepreneurs in the country today and aimed to help micro and medium enterprises grow and attain sustainability.

According to Lantayona, from 70 to 80 percent of small to medium businesses have a short life span due to insufficient knowledge among owners on how to manage the business. The mentoring project, she added, seeks to help small and medium enterprises in Zambales and Olongapo City penetrate markets more stably and consistently.

During the forum, Paul Anthony de Guzman from the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurs and CEO of Go Negosyo, reminded participants that all entrepreneurs, big and small, should live by the vision of “Kapatid, angat lahat!”

He stressed that all entrepreneurs must lift and encourage one another, allowing small companies to benefit from and with their bigger counterparts.

Tokyo Tempura CEO Jorge Noel Y. Wieneke III, meanwhile, shared the origins of his entrepreneurial mindset and impressed upon the audience the need for an attitude of gratitude, all the while introducing his listeners to the “power” within them.

Wieneke said his business-centric mentality that originated from his infatuation with a childhood toy, which caused him to inadvertently find ways to make money through odd jobs. The same determination, risk-taking, passion and outgoingness carried into his adulthood and birthed his business, Potato Corner, which he had built with close friends and family.

The businessman would later on receive an award for sharing his insights on how to attain success.

Meanwhile, Business Mentors Inc. president Wilfredo Victor Arcilla contended that while overseas Filipino workers are recognized for their contribution to the Philippine economy through remittances, entrepreneurs play a bigger role in nation-building.

“The money OFWs collectively generated, if these were divided among the individuals OFWS, would still be a paltry amount. The OFWs weren’t going to change the Philippines; only enterprises will,” he concluded.

Asec Lantayona also urged the entrepreneurs of small and medium businesses and enterprises not to underestimate themselves, pointing out that their businesses “provide a whopping 62 percent of the jobs in the Philippines.”

She also cited the success of their mentees from Tacloban who had collectively generated P14 million after only five months of using a business model formulated under the DTI’s Mentor Me Program.

Lantayona said the DTI plans to extend the program into more easily accessible territory with web seminars, or webinars.

The mentoring session carried well into the afternoon with Arcilla lecturing on current marketing trends, followed by inspirational success stories from local entrepreneurs led by James Lee, chairman of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council of Olongapo. (MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] Tokyo Tempura CEO Jorge Noel Y. Wieneke III shares his passion for business with entrepreneurs during a session of the DTI’s Mentor Me Program in the Subic Bay Freeport.

[2] (DTI) Assistant Secretary Blesila A. Lantayona (3rd from right) urges entrepreneurs to aim for sustainable business by learning about best practices from successful businessmen.

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Importance of environment in tourism stressed in Subic forum

Senator Cynthia Villar and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Wilma Eisma both expounded on the importance of protecting the environment to sustain the growth of the tourism industry in the country, as the three-day 2017 Subic Ecotourism Festival opened here on Monday at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

The two women leaders told festival participants that tourism cannot be sustained without caring for the environment, and that sustainable development needs commitment from the people.

According to Villar, protection of the environment is at the heart of sustainable tourism. Without environmental preservation and protection, tourism is not sustainable.

She cited her project, the Las Piñas-Zapote River Rehabilitation Program, which gave birth to several livelihood projects where water lilies, plastics and other used materials that clogged rivers were turned into handicrafts pieces and even furniture.

Meanwhile, SBMA Administrator Eisma recalled how the more than 8,000 volunteers of the Subic Bay Freeport cleaned up and safeguarded the former Subic Naval Base after the US Navy left in 1992.

Calling them heroes of local ecotourism, Eisma said the volunteers showed their “malasakit” (caring) and “kusang-loob” (initiative) without being paid for their work, thus helping in transforming Subic into what it is today.

She said that malasakit and kusang-loob are the benchmark of ecotourism in Subic Freeport. Like when you put your foot forward without expecting any in return, because at the end of the day, this is your home.

The 2017 Subic Ecotourism Festival was organized by Subic International School for Sustainable Tourism headed by Dr. Mina Gabor, in celebration of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
Clockwise from top: [1] Dr. Mina Gabor, president of the Subic-based International School of Sustainable Tourism, sounds a native gong to formally open the 2017 Ecotourism Festival at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center; [2] SBMA Administrator Wilma T. Eisma welcomes participants to the 2017 Ecotourism Festival; [3] SBMA Administrator Wilma T. Eisma chats with Senator Cynthia Villar during the opening of the 2017 Ecotourism Festival at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA welcomes hosting of int’l ecotourism meet in Subic

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has welcomed the scheduled staging here of the Subic Ecotourism Festival, which will bring together a powerhouse cast of international experts in the field of ecotourism to discuss global best practices.

SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma said the festival is slated on May 29 to June 1 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center under the aegis of the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) and the Department of Tourism.

“We’re very much delighted in hosting this event, because we take pride in the Subic Bay Freeport being one of the few remaining places with very high biodiversity in the country today,” Eisma said.

“We will be happy to share with the participants in this forum the challenges and successes that we have experienced in the field of ecotourism since Subic was established as a free port in 1992,” she added.

According to ISST president Mina Gabor, the event will be biggest of its kind in the country as it will bring together the leaders of the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) and its regional subsidiary, the Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN).

“The event will be a rare opportunity for delegates to learn from and network with the best practitioners in the industry,” said Gabor, a former Tourism Secretary who pushed ecotourism during her tenure, making it a byword in the industry years later.

“Given the fact that the Philippines’ tourism industry is driven largely by its natural attractions, it is important to balance economic benefit, conservation and respect for local communities which the GEN board members are greatly recognized for,” she added.

The festival has been scheduled here in line with the declaration by the United Nations World Tourism Organization of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

The event will gather together ecotourism experts like Glenn Jampol and Tony Charters, GEN chair and vice-chair respectively, and general board members Robert Holmes of Australia, Hitesh Mehta of Kenya, Masaru Takayama of Japan, Nabil Tarazi of Jordan, and Albert Teo of Malaysia.

Other foreign speakers are Lizzie Corke of Conservation Ecology Center Australia, Paul Niederer of ASSOB International, Tan Thi Su of Sapa O'Chau (Vietnam), Imtiaz Muqbil of Travel Impact Newswire, Kaetwa Muangasame of Mahidol University International College, Greg Duffel of Bond Asian Ventures Limited, Ary Suhandi of Indecon Indonesia, and Randy Durband of Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Meanwhile, local speakers will include DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau director Teresa Mundita Lim, National Commission on Culture and the Arts-School of Living Traditions executive director Rico Pableo Jr., National Commission on Indigenous Peoples socioeconomic and special affairs director Marie Grace Pascua, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity executive director Roberto Oliva, Cebu provincial tourism officer Boboi Costas, Philippine Airlines SVP for operations Ismael Augusto Gozon, and El Nido Resorts head of sustainability Mariglo Laririt.

Gabor said the event is designed for government policy-makers, infrastructure development executives, tourism, travel and hospitality professionals, and faculty and students. Festival participants also conduct a case study for the development of an ecotourism project in the Subic Bay Freeport area.

The Subic Bay Freeport, which sits on a large portion of the Subic Forest and Watershed Reserve, is touted to be one of the few places in the Philippines with high biodiversity. It has a total of 745 plant species belonging to 429 genera and 122 families, and a total of 122 wildlife vertebrates from 99 genera and 57 families.

The Subic Freeport is also home to several rare animals that include seven bird species like the Philippine Fairy Bluebird (Irena cyanogaster), two mammal species like the Striped Shrew Rat (Chrotomys minbdorensis), one reptile specie, and two amphibian species. (HEE/AMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS (clockwise):

[1] Sailboats romp on fresh breeze at the Subic Bay Freeport, a leading eco-tourism destination in the country today, which will host the 2017 Subic Ecotourism Festival on May 29-June 1.

[2] Long-tailed macaque monkeys play at a housing area in the Subic Bay Freeport, a leading eco-tourism destination in the country today, which will host the 2017 Subic Ecotourism Festival on May 29-June 1.

[3] Fruit bats roost on trees at the Subic Bay Freeport, a leading eco-tourism destination in the country today, which will host the 2017 Subic Ecotourism Festival on May 29-June 1.

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Subic Bay now 4th leading Philippine destination - DOT

Subic Bay is now the fourth most popular tourism destination in the Philippines.

Department of Tourism Region III Director Ronaldo P. Tiotuico announced in a press statement that the Subic Bay Freeport and the rest of Zambales soared to the fourth slot among the top ten destinations throughout the country, bested only by Cebu, Davao and Camarines Sur.

Tiotuico said the Subic Bay Freeport made big strides by hosting some 1.67 million domestic and foreign visitors in 2015, thus marking a 28-percent increase in the number of visitors from 1.265 million in 2014.

The DOT official also cited the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as instrumental in developing Subic as a major tourist destination in Central Luzon.

“Such a success is attributed to the collective determination of the entire manpower complement of the SBMA under the leadership of Chairman Roberto Garcia,” Tiotuico said.

SBMA Chairman Garcia welcomed the development, pointing out that Subic gained significant attention after it was first recognized by the DOT as the number one tourist destination in Central Luzon in 2013.

“This only validates Subic’s attractiveness not only as top tourist destination, but also as the convention capital of Central Luzon – titles bestowed upon Subic by the DOT,” Garcia said.

Mary Jamelle Camba, SBMA Tourism Department manager, said Subic has become a favorite location for watersports tourism and nature-related activities.

She also said the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) has become a prominent venue for international events and conferences as it has a capacity of 10,000 seats.

Camba added that the Subic Bay Freeport can now accommodate a bigger number of visitors, as it currently boasts of 44 hotels with a total of 3,244 rooms.

The SBMA Tourism Department recently participated in the Asia Cruise Destination Forum in Jeju, South Korea to promote Subic Bay to the world tourism community as an emerging pivotal hub for international cruise tourism.

In the same statement, Tiotuico made a fearless forecast that Subic may just become the number one destination in the future, as the full transformation of Clark International Airport as a major hub for both international and domestic airlines may also benefit Subic tourism.

“Subic is just a 45-minute drive from Clark. DOT Region III has always recommended the partnering of Clark and Subic as one great holistic destination, the two being connected by a world-class seamless freeway called SCTEx,” Tiotuico explained.

Tiotuico also described Subic Bay as a well-preserved eco-tourism destination, with triple-canopied rainforests and mangroves, mountain trails and indigenous culture, nature-based theme parks and bird-watching sites.

Among the rest of the top ten destinations in 2015 were Boracay, Albay/Legazpi City, Metro Manila, Clark/Pampanga, Laguna and Benguet/Baguio City. (RBB/MPD-SBMA)

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Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary holds 32nd National Convention in Subic Freeport

Around 1,200 members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) trooped to Subic Bay Freeport for the 32nd National Convention of the country’s sole uniformed volunteer organization, with no less than the Philippine president as the guest of honor.

The event, which likewise hosted the very first PCGA Exhibit, was organized by the group’s prime district, the Coast Guard Auxiliary District National Capital Region-Central Luzon (CGADNCR-CL) headed by its Director, Commodore Salvador G. Tiangco Jr.

The PCGA NACON was graced by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Rear Admiral William Melad, Coast Guard District NCR-CL Commander and PCG Deputy Commandant Commodore Athello Ibañez and Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar. It is attended by some of the PCG leaders, District Commanders, and their Auxiliary counterparts.

The Convention is a yearly event of Coast Guard Auxiliaries that gather its members from all 12 districts all over the country. It serves as an annual forum for its members to review the previous year’s performance and further develop strategies aimed at helping the PCG accomplish its mission in promoting safety of life and properties at sea, and protecting the marine environment.

During the two-day event from May 27-28, the National Auxiliary Management Office (NAMO) updates its members on the latest developments and guidelines regarding its four functional areas – the Maritime Safety (MARSAF), Maritime Search and Rescue (MARSAR), Marine Environmental Protection (MAREP), and Community Relations (COMREL).

Aside from providing the participants the opportunity to meet and connect with fellow PCGA members from other districts, the NACON’s highlight was the turn-over of leadership and management to the new National Director.

The PCGA is currently headed by businessman, Vice Admiral Valentin B. Prieto Jr. assisted by his two deputies Rear Admiral Hilarion Dimagiba and Rear Admiral Geronimo Reyes.

At present, there are about 8,000 PCGA members around the country most of whom have floating and air assets. Many of its members are experts in fields of services that are useful to the PCG in meeting its mission requirements as a multi-mission maritime agency. (PCGA)

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2131464520975/philippine-coast-guard-auxiliary-holds-32nd-national-convention-in-subic

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LOOK: Scenes from Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016 in Subic Bay

[1] SBMA Director and Chief Operating Officer Joven Reyes (center) joins Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino (third from right) in cutting the ribbon to formally open the Ad Summit Pilipinas Trade and Exhibit area at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center on Wednesday(March 9). Joining them are (from left): 4As Chairman Norman Agatep, SBMA Directors Cynthia Paulino and Raul Marcelo, and Ad Summit Pilipinas Over-all Chairman Alex Syfu.

[2] Subic Bay Freeport's radio station DWSB 89.5 FM joins exhibitors broadcasting live at Ad Summit's Tradex. Delegates and Guests play games and enjoy freebies from trade exhibitors.

[3] John Arcilla as Heneral Luna enters the stage to lead the Philippine National Anthem.

[4] Celebrated film director Jose Javier Reyes takes the stage for his inspirational talk as one of the speakers of the summit.

[5] The dabarkads of top-rated noontime variety Eat Bulaga hosting a dinner show for Ad Summit delegates.

[6] Maine Mendoza, famed 'Yayadub' of Eat Bulaga's 'Kalye Serye' performs onstage as Ad Summit delegates raise their cellphones to take videos and photos.

photo credits: AMD, RBB, DJBB/MPD-SBMA; Ad Summit PH Facebook page

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It's Time to Play at Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016!

Come Out and Play with the country’s marketing communications industry as the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As) sets the stage to unleash our creativity, indulge our imagination, and introduce us to new playmates through Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016, happening from March 9-12 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Joining the event are business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan; award-winning director Jose Javier Reyes; AQKA Shanghai’s executive creative Director Eric Cruz; Opera Mediaworks managing director Vikas Gulati; leadership expert Tom Oliver; TBWA\Hakuhodo’s creative director Takahiro Hosoda; Hakuhodo Kettle’s creative director Kazuaki Hashida; Fox International’s VP for Ad Sales Yamini Ashish; APAC digital director for Havas Worldwide Todd Martin; Google SEA and India’s vice president and managing director Rajan Anandan; Mullen Lowe Group’s president of Creative Council Jose Miguel Sokoloff; Coca-Cola Phils. Integrated Marketing Communications director Jesus Ferreira; and Twitter's VP for online sales for Asia Pacific and Latin America Aliza Knox.

A panel of popular YouTube Influencers will also be assembled to discuss the topic of “Building brands through content.” Panelists include Mikey Bustos (Entertainment), Jako De Leon (Travel), and Say Tioco Artillero (Beauty).

This is the second time that the 4As is partnering with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to mount Ad summit Pilipinas. With its fun and progressive environment, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is said to be a fitting site for this creative event.

“We are proud to be hosting the Ad Summit Pilipinas in Subic, for the second time. We invite you to experience the sights and sounds that Subic has to offer, and we hope that you will enjoy your stay here,” said Roberto Garcia, SBMA Chairman and Administrator.

‘Play’ More

Another Ad Summit activity to look forward to is the staging of the "Kidlat Awards" of the Creative Guild of the Philippines, intended to institutionalize "Kidlat” as the country's most prestigious creative advertising competition. Expected to receive top honors are the most creative marketing communication materials harvested over the last year.

For an interactive expo experience, participants may also visit the Ad Summit Pilipinas Tradex 2016, where over 2,000 professionals from brands, media, agencies, and suppliers are expected to gather to showcase industry trends and business ideas, and build marketing relationships with delegates. More than 60 booths will be on hand to promote products and services, display brands, demonstrate state of the art technologies and equipment, and market test new product lines in a one-stop-shop marketplace.

All these are made possible by Ad Summit Pilipinas, which is presented by: PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. Major sponsors include: Manila Broadcasting Company; ABS-CBN Corporation; Radio Mindanao Network; Eat Bulaga/TAPE (Phils.), Inc.; TV5/CIGNAL, and The Philippine Star.

Minor Sponsors are AXN, Petron, Havas Ortega, OPERA Mediaworks, Adobo Magazine, Brand New Media, Kitkat, Ford Phils., Pioneer Insurance, Kopiko 78, Coca-Cola, Jollibee, and Philippine Daily Inquirer. Partners are Devant TV, AdRover, Royal Duty Free, Rainforest Natural Mineral Water, Destileria Limtuaco, Inquirer Mobile, Rappler, Max’s Group, Krispy Kreme, and Loudbox Studios.

For more information, visit facebook.com/AdSummitPH and follow twitter.com/@ADSummitPH and @adsummitpilipinas on Instagram.

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SBMA to spend P21 million for SBECC renovation

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is spending around P21 million to complete the renovation of the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) here in time for the conduct of the 2016 Ad Summit Pilipinas next week.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, who personally guided the media in a tour of the facility on Friday, said the SBECC repair is the most important project that SBMA is completing to date as it gears up for the influx of visitors during the summer season.

“There were some feedback last year that SBECC facilities like comfort rooms and meeting rooms fell short of expectations of a world-class convention and exhibition center, so we’re making sure that SBECC is now up to standards,” Garcia said.

Garcia pointed out during the tour that the finishing touches being in the SBECC building, as well as the landscaping outside, make it feel like a top-notch hotel, a distinction that could bring in more customers. “As you can see, we’re still doing some renovation, but already there is a convention going on. A lot of companies have been inquiring on when they can use the facility,” he added.

The SBECC, which will host the Ad Summit for the second consecutive staging, is regarded as the crown jewel that earned for Subic the honor of being the “Premier Convention Capital of Central Luzon” in 2012.

Along with the popular nature-theme parks here, as well as the seaside hotels and shopping centers, SBECC was also instrumental in Subic’s recognition by the Department of Tourism as the No. 1 Tourist Destination in Region 3 for the past two consecutive years.

Garcia said that in order to keep Subic’s titles, the SBMA has already implemented major face-lift projects in most tourism facilities and infrastructures here “to make sure that Subic Bay Freeport would be ready for the big volume of tourists arriving during summer, especially this Holy Week.”

Referring to reports from the SBMA Tourism Department, Garcia said that tourist arrivals in Subic reached 7.3 million in 2015, an increase of 14 percent over the 6.4-million record in 2014.

He also noted that tourists who actually stayed overnight or for several days in Subic reached 1.43 million in 2015, or 21-percent higher than the 1.18 million recorded in 2014.

Garcia added that the SBMA is now refurbishing all the road features in Subic, and placing police and travelers-assistance outposts in strategic areas, in time for the summer season.

Meanwhile, tourism-related businesses are also making necessary renovations and upgrading their facilities, he added. (Henry Empeño, BusinessMirror)

PHOTO:
The Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) undergoing major renovations in time for Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016 (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/sbma-to-spend-p21-million-for-sbecc-renovation/

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Subic Freeport gears up for summer 2016 tourist season

Central Luzon’s most visited tourist destination is gearing up to keep everything hot — that is, sizzling hot for an exciting and enjoyable stay of tourists trooping here for summer vacation, especially during the Lenten season.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said the agency has already implemented major face-lift projects in most tourism facilities and infrastructures here in preparation for the usual surge of summer visitors.

“For the past weeks, maintenance and ground personnel have all been busy with various projects to make sure that Subic Bay Freeport would be ready for the big volume of tourists arriving during summer, especially this Holy Week,” Garcia said.

“And because Subic is becoming more and more of a hot item among travelers, we really have to make sure that the free port remains to be the best destination they’d always want to return to,” he added.

Referring to reports from the SBMA Tourism Department, Garcia said that tourist arrivals in Subic reached 7.3 million in 2015, an increase of 14 percent over the 6.4-million record in 2014.

He noted that tourists who actually stayed overnight or for several days in Subic reached 1.43 million in 2015, or 21 percent higher than the 1.18 million recorded in 2014.

The figures were based on reports from hotel operators in Subic, who noted that the occupancy rate also increased to 70 percent last year, the highest in the past four years.

“This is why there is a need to really work hard to maintain our status in the top list of the Department of Tourism-Region III (DoT-3). All of us should be ambassadors of tourism of the SBMA,” Garcia also told employees on Monday.

Subic was conferred the Number 1 Tourist Destination in Region 3 by the DoT-3 for the past two consecutive years, and was named as well as “Premier Convention Capital of Central Luzon” in 2012.

Garcia said that the SBMA is now refurbishing all the road features in Subic, and placing police and travelers assistance outposts in strategic areas in time for the summer season.

Meanwhile, tourism-related businesses are also making necessary renovations and upgrading their facilities, he added.

Garcia said the most important project that SBMA is completing today is the renovation of the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) in the amount of P21 million. This will be the venue of Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016, which will bring together the country’s top advertising and marketing practitioners here on March 9 to 12. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
Workers undertake repair and improvement projects at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, which will be the venue of Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016 on March 9-12. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016 all set in Subic Bay Freeport

The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As) is calling on the marketing industry to “come out boldly and play where no man has played before”, as it unveils the latest batch of speakers for Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016, to be held from March 9 to 12 at the Subic Bay Exhibition Convention Center (SBECC).

With the theme, “Come out and play” the biggest advertising and marketing convention in the country aims to inspire practitioners to progress fearlessly, as its invited industry icons prepare to participate as the Summit’s speakers.

“We have an amazing line-up awaiting Summit participants. Expect the unexpected,” said Ad Summit 2016 Chairman Alex Sayfu. “With our theme, we hope that the Summit allows to view all possibilities where there were none before. No obligations, just opportunities. Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016 will encourage this type of unbridled creativity to flourish,” he added.

Speakers participating in the event include business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan; award-winning director Jose Javier Reyes; AQKA Shanghai’s Eric Cruz; Vikas Gulati from Opera Mediaworks; leadership expert Tom Oliver; TBWA/Hakuhodo’s Takahiro Hosada; Hakuhodo Kettle’s Kazauki Hashida; Fox international’s Managing Director for South East Asia and head of Ad Sales Simeon Dawes; Regional Digital Director for APAC Havas Worldwide Todd Martin; Google South East Asia and India’s vice president and managing director Rajan Anandan; Mullen Lowe Group’s president of Creative Council Jose Miguel Socoloff; and Twitter’s marketing director of online sales for Asia Pacific and Latin America Aliza Knox.

This is the second time Ad Summit is partnering with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). With its fun and progressive environment, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is said to be a fitting site for this innovative and creative event.

“We are proud to be hosting the Ad Summit Pilipinas in Subic, for the second time, to boot. We invite you to experience the sights and sounds that Subic has to offer, and we hope that you will enjoy your stay here,” SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia said. (Dante M. Salvana, Headline Gitnang Luzon)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto V. Garcia (center) signs a memorandum of agreement with 4As Chairman Norman Agatep (left) and Ad Summit Pilipinas Chairman Alex Syfu for the conduct of the 2016 Ad Summit at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.headlinegl.com/ad-summit-pilipinas-2016-all-set-at-subic/

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Ad Summit 2016 in Subic Bay reveals first batch of speakers

The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As), organizer of Ad Summit Pilipinas (ASP)—the most prestigious event for the country’s marketing communication industry—has revealed its first batch of speakers for ASP 2016.

Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016, with its theme, “Come Out and Play,” promises to be a breeding ground for creative insights and an opportunity to discuss the most revolutionary advertising ideas emerging today. It is scheduled from March 9 to 11, 2016 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Among the first batch of experts confirmed to speak during the Summit are Google SEA and India’s vice president and managing director Rajan Anandan, and McCann’s global executive creative director John Mescall. Both were selected for their contributions to various aspects of marketing communication.

Google’s Rajan Anandan, who oversees the online giant’s operations in the region, is known in India as one of its most aggressive angel investors—putting money into various Internet, mobile, and software startups, which he believes can affect the most change in and around the country. Prior to his work with Google SEA and India, he held management positions in Microsoft and Dell.

McCann’s John Mescall, for his part, is the mastermind behind some of the most awarded campaigns in Australia, his home country, including the world-famous “Dumb Ways to Die” advertisements for Australian transport company Metro Trains. Before his position at McCann, Mescall was executive creative director and partner at SMART, one of the most successful and awarded independent advertising agencies in his country. He has done work for such companies like Adidas, ANZ Bank, Coca Cola, Ferrero, Levi’s, Mambo, McDonald’s, News Limited, Unilever, and Vodafone.

“Ad Summit Pilipinas 2016 is going to be one big playground for all creative minds. If you are one of them, get ahead of the crowd by registering early to reserve your slot for the biggest gathering of marketers and advertisers in the country,” said ASP Chair Alex Syfu.

With this, Ad Summit has announced its Early Worm Rates with savings of up to 25 percent for participants who wish to register on or before October 31, 2015.

ASP is also offering a special Student’s Rate of P7,000.00, applicable only to the first 300 students or academe delegates who will register. Also available is a 10+1 student’s promo, which provides every 10 students who register, one free slot for their dean, professor, or school head.

Interested participants may register and reserve their slots at www.adsummit.ph . Regular rates will apply starting November 1, 2015.

http://www.adsummit.ph/archives-view.html

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FVR lauds Subic for effective tourism promotion, jobs creation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PHOTOS:

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

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

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DOT names Subic #1 CL tourist destination for 2nd time

This country’s premier free port was named as the region’s most visited tourist destination for the second time in a row.

Department of Tourism (DoT) regional director Ronaldo Tiotuico personally announced this on Monday as he graced the opening program organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in celebration of National Tourism Week.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the citation validates efforts by the Subic agency and its tourism stakeholders to “bring Subic to the next level.”

He said the SBMA has allotted some P800 million for capital expenditures this year. “And a huge chunk of this goes to the repair of service roads and drainage systems, improvement of parks and tourist facilities, as well as the renovation of the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center to ​make Subic a better place for a better experience,” Garcia added.

Tiotuico said that Subic obtained the highest number of local and foreign travelers in the entire Central Luzon region from 2013 to 2014 based on reports submitted by accommodation establishments in all the seven provinces and three economic zones in the region.

Tiotuico, who was the SBMA guest of honor for the Tourism Week launch, congratulated the officers and employees of SBMA for working hard to maintain the status of the Subic Freeport as the best tourist destination.

He also enjoined the SBMA and business locators in Subic to help push for the realization of the 2015 National Tourism Week theme of “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities”​.​

Reacting to recognition as Central Luzon’s tourism bestseller, Chairman Garcia noted that in just the first eight months of 2015, tourist arrivals in Subic Freeport has already registered at 4.3 million, growing by 30% over the arrivals in the same period last year.

He also said that Subic had also earned the distinction of being “Premier Convention Capital of Central Luzon” in 2012, a title that was also bestowed by the DoT.

Garcia added that he is confident that Subic would maintain the lead in attracting more tourists because of the natural and man-made attractions in the free port.

“Subic has everything,” said Garcia. “We have nature-themed parks, some of the best hotels, resorts​,​ and malls in this part of the country​;​ the place is accessible by land, sea and air​;​ and of course​,​ we have year-round activities to make tourists want to visit and stay in Subic.”

Garcia said that for the National Tourism Week celebration, SBMA has lined up full events like the Tourism Quiz Bee Challenge on Sept. 22; familiarization tour of theme parks every morning of the Tourism Week; and photo exhibits and lecture-discussions on various tourism topics (Sept. 22-23).

Other activities on schedule are bar​tending and flair-tending competitions (Sept. 23); body painting contest​,​ and street party (Sept. 25); 3rd IBP Fun Run (Sept. 26); and for the culminating event, an outreach program on Sept. 27 at the Subic Gym. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
[1] Jobseekers inquire about available positions and apply with Subic-registered companies during a jobs fair held on Monday at the Harbor Point Mall in the Subic Bay Freeport as part of the 2015 National Tourism Week celebration. The activity echoes the Tourism Week theme “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities.” (AED/MPD-SBMA)

[2] SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, flanked by photographers Jon Erick Dizon (left) and Dr. Dodi Dominado, opens the Wanderlust Travel Photography Exhibit at the Harbor Point Mall in the Subic Bay Freeport as part of the 2015 National Tourism Week celebration. With him are Region 3 Tourism Director Ronaldo Tiotuico (right, second row) and other event organizers. (AED/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic Bay tops CL destinations for 2 consecutive years

For two successive years, Subic Bay Freeport maintained its lead as the No. 1 tourist destination in the entire Central Luzon region, as visitor arrivals here breached the one-million mark in 2013 and 2014.

In a plaque from the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Region III, the Freeport was cited for having “consistently topped the list of most visited places in the region for two consecutive years.”

According to DOT regional director Ronaldo Tiotuico, Subic “obtained the highest number of regional travellers – both local and foreign – in the entire Central Luzon region from CY 2013-2014 based on reports submitted by accommodation establishments in all the seven (7) provinces and two (2) special economic zones in the region.”

“We are very much elated by this development. It speaks well not only of the efforts of our Tourism team and the rest of our agency, but also of the support and cooperation of our tourism stakeholders and the entire Freeport community,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia said.

Garcia added that aside from being the No. 1 destination in the region, Subic has continued to live up to its title as “Premier Convention Capital of Central Luzon”, which was bestowed by the DOT in 2012.

“The number of conventions here has grown by 150 per cent from 2013 to 2014, with a corresponding increase of 94 per cent in the number of participants for the same period,” he pointed out.

Subic also enjoyed the highest hotel occupancy rate in Central Luzon at 69 per cent last year, compared to the regional average of 62 per cent. Equally notable is the Freeport’s sustained growth as the country’s triathlon, sailing and theme park capital. (KMF/CorComm-SBMA)

PHOTO CAPTION
Subic Freeport - The No. 1 Destination in CL.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Roberto Garcia, with SBMA tourism manager Jem Camba, displays the citation recently received from DOT Region 3, recognizing Subic as the top destination in the entire Central Luzon region for two consecutive years. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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