SBF locator to return idle properties to SBMA

The Philippine Guarantee Corporation (PhilGuarantee) is set to return to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) a total of 22.6 hectares of idle properties as part of a settlement agreement between both parties.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Jonathan D. Tan and PhilGuarantee President and CEO Albert Pascual signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) and Deed of Dacion en pago at the SBMA boardroom on Thursday.

According to the Chairman, PhilGuarantee is set to turn over the leasehold rights of 14.6-hectare of the El Kabayo Stables, 2.4 hectares of the Times Square Complex, and 5.6 hectares of the Triboa Bay Lots, which amount to ₱2,777,650,836.01.  

Tan said that the agreement is in partial consideration or settlement of the company’s outstanding obligations as since October 27, 2020.

“I have been tasked by President Marcos to revive the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. There are so many facilities and land areas that have been left alone and are rotting away. I believe that the SBMA should get back these leased facilities and repurpose them for other companies to invest upon,” he cited.

The company came into possession of the aforementioned land properties from the Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC) after it merged with Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency (PhilEXIM), which was later renamed PhilGuarantee.

In 2004, through a foreclosure and subsequent Compromise Agreement, HGC acquired these land properties from the Financial Building Corporation (FBC). These properties were developed by the FBC through land leases with the SBMA in preparation for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leader’s Summit held here in 1996.

HGC was able to dispose of all of the properties acquired from the FBC except for the properties being turned over. The company failed to dispose of the properties due to unpaid rental arrears of the said properties.

“From the period of 2007 to 2018, these three properties steadily deteriorated and rental arrears piled up, exceeding P3-billion,” Tan said.

On September 24, 2018, the SBMA issued a Notice of Default on PhilGuarantee for the pre-termination and repossession of the Subic properties should the company fail to settle its rental arrears. The company offered the assignment/ dacion to the SBMA of the three properties with a valuation of P3.291 billion.

“The SBMA counter-offered with a valuation of P2.263 billion, but both parties later settled for P2,777,650,836.01,” Tan said.

“Since the dacion is insufficient to settle all of PhilGuarantee’s obligations, the SBMA and the company have agreed to submit to arbitration the remaining arrears amounting to P375 million. And to help PhilGuarantee to cover its losses, the SBMA will give the company a share in the rental revenue generated by the agency when it is able to lease out the properties to third parties,” he added.

The company sought the help of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) on the agreement, wherein the OGCC stated that PhilGuarantee needs the authorization of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the matter.

COA issued Decision No. 2022-489 dated December 5, 2022, which PhilGuarantee received only last April 26, 2023.

The COA ruling stated, “Wherefore, the request of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Philippine Guarantee Corporation for this Commission’s authority to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement and Deed of Dacion en pago, is hereby GRANTED.” (MPD-SBMA)

Read More

Subic Freeport gears up for tourism month

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is enjoining the public to visit the Subic Bay Freeport in September to enjoy a month-long celebration that features the unique sounds and colors of Subic Bay.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said the Subic agency has lined up various activities showcasing the best of the region’s most visited tourism destination in line with this year’s theme, “Tourism for All, Promoting Universal Accessibility” of the National Tourism Month.

Garcia said that next month’s celebration will highlight the sound of entertainment and excitement unique to Subic, as well as the colors that invigorate the sights and adventures that visitors and locals enjoy in the Freeport.

“This will not be another ordinary month in Subic. We have prepared various tourism-related competitions, which will give you a chance to win prizes, or you can simply enjoy your stay in the Freeport as spectators,” he continued.

SBMA Tourism Department head Mary Jamelle Camba added that the month-long tourism celebration here will officially kick off on September 5 with a motorcade, followed by a trade and photo exhibit, and a job fair.

The month-long trade and photo exhibits, which will be held at the Harbor Point Mall, will feature photographs taken from favorite tourist destinations in Subic, as well as various produce from Zambales and Bataan.

Meanwhile, the two-day job fair to be organized by the SBMA Labor Department will make available at least a thousand jobs to applicants. This will be held at the Subic Gym on September 5 and 6.

The celebration will also feature youth and sports-oriented events like the TRAP Aquathlon Championships at the Remy Field and the Subic Bay Ultimate Community Frisbee Tournament at the Remy Field on September 4; the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) Basketball Tournament at the Subic Gym on September 8 and 17; and the SBMA Body Painting Contest on September 30.

The Subic celebration will also include exciting competitions like the Central Luzon-wide Professionals Flair-tending/Bartending Competitions on September 13; the Tourism Quiz Challenge in the Subic Got Talent- School Category on September 15; and the Subic Got Talent- Open Category on September 22, all at the Harbor Point Activity Center here.

The SBMA has also scheduled the Subic Bay Freeport Familiarization Tour, a free rolling tour around selected tourist attractions and parks for SBMA employees and students on September 7, 14, and 21; and for persons with disability on September 28.

SBMA officials are also inviting the public to take a glimpse of unique offerings from other provinces in the region through a special Central Luzon Province Show and the launching of the Festival of Festivals,which will cap the Subic celebration on September 9 and 30, respectively, at Harbor Point.

The Department of Tourism (DoT) regional office has named Subic Bay Freeport as the most visited tourist destination in Central Luzon since 2013, based on reports submitted by accommodation establishments in all the seven provinces and three economic zones in the region.

Subic was also named “Number 1 Tourist Destination in Region III” for two consecutive years and continues to live up to its title as “Premier Convention Capital of Central Luzon,” which the DoT bestowed in 2012.

“Subic has everything,” Chairman Garcia said. “We have the facilities and the access by land, by water,and by air. And of course, we have year-round activities to make your stay in Subic memorable.”

“We invite you now to see the upcoming Tourism Month activities here and experience for yourself why people say that ‘It’s more fun-tastic in Subic’,” Garcia added. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
Some of the popular tourism attractions in the Subic Bay Freeport:
[1] Magaul Bird Park
[2] Malawaan Fishing and Picnic Area
[3] El Kabayo Riding Stables
(AMD/MPD-SBMA)

Read More

Bat population down; SBMA, Subic locators to the rescue

With the dwindling number of the biggest flying bats roosting here, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and locators inside this premier Freeport are doing everything they can to protect this species from habitat loss.

SBMA Chairman Robert Garcia said that the agency plans to conduct a bat-count on the population roosting at the Cubi area. He added that the count is currently at around 10,000 to 12,000 and hopes to further increase the number through a study of their roosting habits.

The ecology center of the SBMA has made studies on the number of bats that used to count to hundreds of thousands. They said that the bats used to roost to a higher location nearer to where they are now, beside the road near the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA).

Considered as one of the biggest species of bats, these fruit bats or flying foxes have lived inside the Freeport Zone even before it was a US naval base. The number of these majestic flying foxes has dwindled since most of them have found other roosting areas in adjacent provinces or have been hunted for their meat.

Meanwhile, the non-government agency Wildlife In Need (WIN) recently held a fundraising event at the El Kabayo Stables. The fundraising event hoped to boost funds for the preservation of the animals here.

One of these animal species are the fruit bats. According to WIN President Gail Laule, they plan to conduct their own study of these animals and find out how to raise the number back to more than a hundred thousand.

Dubbed as “Unbridled at El Kabayo,” the fundraising event enjoined numerous locators inside the Freeport to donate money to provide food, shelter and medical care for the animals here. The agency also has a rescue center that helps animals who are injured and in need of medical care.

Laule said that the proceeds made from the event would also help these rescued animals, bringing them back to health and reintroducing them back to the wilderness. “Last year, we raised enough money to do some critical renovations of our macaque (monkey) enclosure so that they have a more comfortable home,” she added.

The event featured a horse riding and jumping exhibition, a parade of rescued animals, educational information of what the agency do, and other fun activities for the attendees.

With the number of tourists frequenting Subic Bay Freeport and the number of companies investing, it is really no wonder that most of the wildlife here are being disturbed and in desperate need of attention. The vast fauna of this Freeport is really one of the reasons why people visit Subic Bay. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

PHOTO:
THIS SIDE UP — Considered one of the biggest bats in the world, these fruit bats characteristically hang upside down their cages after being rescued and treated for various injuries and infections. The bats were presented during the ‘Unbridled at El Kabayo’ fund-raising event at Subic Bay Freeport recently to raise awareness and support for rescued animals under the care of the Wildlife in Need (WIN) rescue facility. (Jonas Reyes)

http://www.mb.com.ph/bat-population-down-sbma-subic-locators-to-the-rescue/#YJqLbDbLp0Jc4WW7.99

Read More

WIN holds fundraising for rescued animals in Subic

A fundraising event was held in this premier Freeport on Saturday to help support animals that were rescued by the Wildlife In Need (WIN) Foundation, a non-profit organization that operates a wildlife rescue center here.

Dubbed as “Unbridled at El Kabayo,” the fundraising event aims to get financial assistance from Freeport residents and visitors to help provide food for the 21 horses at the El Kabayo riding stables here and maintain the area in tip-top shape.

The event, which also served to re-launch the operation of the riding stables, showcased a quadrille by El Kabayo cowboys, a bull whipping demo, a show-and-tell of rescued animals by WIN, an Aeta cultural show, a horse jump exhibition, line dancing, barrel race, and other outdoor activities.

According to Ocean Adventure CEO Gail Laule, all the proceeds from the rides and other activities during the fundraising would go to the care of horses at the El Kabayo stables, which offer horse rides to paying tourists.

“We (WIN) have formed a great partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to provide care for the horses here while giving a great experience to tourists,” Laule said.

SBMA Chairman Robert Garcia, meanwhile, said that he was glad that the El Kabayo stables, which is one of the establishments synonymous with the Subic Bay Freeport, is still in operation.

He noted that during the early years of the Subic Bay Freeport, the El Kabayo stables were used to house the horses that were used during SBMA parades by former SBMA chairs like Senator Richard Gordon and Congressman Felicito Payumo.

The area used to be a commercial tourist destination, but is now under the WIN Foundation, which entered into an agreement with the El Kabayo stables in 2008 for the care of the 21 horse there.

In 2011, WIN signed a memorandum of agreement with the SBMA to take over the complete management of the horses and operations of the stables. Today, the stables offer horseback riding, riding lessons and educational programs to support the care of the horses.

WIN is a non-profit organization focusing on wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, the campaign against the wildlife pet trade, and community education. WIN operates and has headquarters at its Wildlife Rescue Center in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The WIN Rescue Center provides care and housing for sick, injured, and confiscated wildlife. Many of the animals that come to WIN were rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade. The majority of animals are successfully rehabilitated and returned to the wild.

However, for animals that have lost the ability to live on their own, WIN provides a permanent home for them at the Rescue Center.(JRR/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
The cowboys of the El Kabayo riding stables in the Subic Bay Freeport show off the horses during the “Unbridled at El Kabayo” fundraising event on Saturday. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

Read More