SBMA retakes control of Grande Island due to lease violations

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has resumed possession of Grande Island after ending its lease agreement with GFTG Holdings Corporation.

SBMA officials said the move followed a decision by the authority’s board to terminate the contract after the company failed to fulfill agreed development commitments.

A pre-termination notice was issued earlier, giving the lessee a fixed period to vacate the property before enforcement measures were carried out.

The takeover was completed earlier this month after SBMA served a formal repossession notice and proceeded with implementation following the holiday period.

GFTG has since filed a request seeking the revival of its lease, which is now undergoing review by a board-level committee.

The island drew heightened public scrutiny last year after the arrest of several Chinese nationals accused of conducting unauthorized surveillance activities.

Investigators said the suspects allegedly used drones and electronic devices to gather images and data related to naval operations in Subic Bay.

Grande Island’s strategic location overlooking key maritime passages has since fueled security discussions, including proposals to place the area under tighter government control. (thechronicle.com)

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NBI, SBMA joint ops lead to arrest of Chinese nationals allegedly involved in kidnapping, illegal POGO

A joint enforcement operation between the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), and the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) was conducted against Chinese nationals at the Grande Island here on March 19, 2025.

 

Led by NBI Director Judge Jaime Santiago, the operation resulted to the arrest of six foreign nationals and two Filipino nationals, including Chinese national Qiu Feng, whose real name is Ye Tianwu (also known as Qing Feng).

 

Ye Tianwu was arrested for violations under Republic Act 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code, and RA 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

 

Aside from Ye Tianwu, Philippine authorities also apprehended Xu Xining; Ye Xiaocan; Su Anlong; and He Peng; along with Cambodian Ang Deck/Dick; and Filipinos Melvin Mañosa Aguillon, Jr. and Jeffrey Espiridion, who are employees of Ang Deck/Dick. The authorities recovered mutiple cellphones and laptops, one caliber 9mm firearm, and 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

 

Meanwhile, SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño lauded the efforts of the inter-agency group led by Director Santiago to apprehend suspects, and assured that “Subic Bay Freeport is NOT a safe haven for lawbreakers.”

 

The arrest exposes the unlawful nature, including suspected espionage and kidnapping activities related to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO), for which some foreign nationals are using Grande Island under the guise of private enterprises. Such activities, which may be part of larger criminal network operations, pose a serious threat to our national security.

 

The Department of National Defense (DND) confirmed the report, citing that the DENR looks forward to working with the concerned agencies, including the SBMA, in exploring the possibility of declaring Grande Island, along with nearby Chiquita Island, as military reservations.

 

“This will ultimately help secure the operations of the Subic Special Economic Zone including the Riviera Wharf and the Subic Bay International Airport, in consonance with the ongoing development of the naval operating base of the Philippine Navy to strengthen and maintain our strategic presence along our western seaboard.” (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA welcomes probe on Grande Island development deal

Directly addressing the reported call by an advocacy group for the Senate to investigate the alleged sell-out to Chinese investors of the Grande and Chiquita Islands here in Subic Bay, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it looks forward to such an official inquiry to resolve the long-drawn issue over the two tourism islands here.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said that the Subic agency would welcome any investigation over the falsely reported “sale” of the islands, which were leased in 2019 to a joint venture between GFTG Property Holdings Corp. and Sanya CEDF Sino-Philippine Tourism Investment Corp., as Chinese company.

“First of all, I would like to point out that Grande and Chiquita have not been sold—they are still the property of the Philippine government,” Eisma said. “But there is an investor-company renting the islands, and which has committed P180 million to build a five-star hotel, restaurant and recreational facilities on these properties.”

“If someone would want an investigation of the Grande Island investment project, then I say, by all means get on with it!” Eisma reacted on Thursday.  “In fact, we are highly encouraging this group calling for an official investigation so that this matter can be resolved once and for all,” Eisma added.

The SBMA chief noted that while the proposed project by the Chinese investor-company has been “in deep-freeze” after the SBMA objected to some of the development plans two years ago, “some people are maliciously using it as an example of ‘creeping Chinese invasion’ in the country.”

“As much as that group, the Pinoy Action for Governance and the Environment (PAGE), says it has had enough of intrusions into our country’s exclusive economic zone, I would say that the SBMA, too, has had enough of speculation over the nature of this tourism project here,” Eisma said.

From the viewpoint of the SBMA, which is one of the country’s top investment promotion agencies, the Grande Island development project is a legitimate investment proposal in a Philippine special economic zone where 100% foreign ownership of business enterprises is allowed.

The SBMA Business and Investment Group said the Grande Island development project started in July 2000 with Silver Dragon Cruises Inc. (SDCI) entering into a lease agreement with the SBMA to rehabilitate Pier 684 on Grande Island and operate a ferry service within Subic Bay.

In June 2002, SDCI entered into a Lease and Development Agreement (LDA) with the SBMA to develop Grande and Chiquita Islands, but soon assigned its leasehold rights to GFTG Holdings Corporation in September 2002.

The SBMA said that over the years, it has approved various amendments to the agreement with GFTG, including escalation of revenue shares, extended leasehold period, special provision for developing and marketing housing units, and changes in ownership of what has become GFTG Property Holdings Corp.

Eisma said the biggest change in GFTG occurred in January 2019 when it brought in Sanya CEDF as its biggest shareholder, with 79.99% ownership of the firm. However, in May 2019, the SBMA Board of Directors withdrew its consent to the change in the control and ownership of GFTG, noting that the changes were made without its approval, thus violating the LDA between SBMA and GFTG.

At that time, the SBMA also noted that the Sanya-controlled GFTG had proposed to build 80 ultra-high end housing units over the water along the coastline of Grande and Chiquita islands. This, Eisma pointed out, was not allowed due to Constitutional limits giving the use and enjoyment of archipelagic waters exclusively to Filipino citizens.

Eisma said that ever since 2019, the Grande project has been in a limbo—for the SBMA, as well as for the investor. “The company continues paying rent for the property, but no new development has taken place—which is sad because Grande is Subic’s tourism jewel and it’s just going to waste,” she stressed.

Eisma added that if there may be some security concern over Grande Island because of its strategic location, then this is the best time to bring out and resolve the issue. “We welcome the call for a Senate investigation, but let me add that let’s take it very seriously. I hope the call was made not only for the purpose of grandstanding,” she added. (MPD-SBMA)

 PHOTOS:

The Grande and Chiquita Islands on Subic Bay; part of the existing resort project 

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SBMA: Chinese project for Subic islands on hold

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has already placed on hold a proposal by a Chinese-owned company to develop and operate two strategically located islands at the mouth of Subic Bay.

Reacting to reports that Chinese investors are targeting strategic islands in the country, including Grande and Chiquita Islands on Subic Bay, SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said on Monday that a project covering the islands had been on standstill since May due to unresolved issues.

“It’s true that a group of Chinese investors wanted to take effective control of the islands to further develop them as tourism destinations, but we saw some problems about the proposed activities,” Eisma said.

She said that Sanya CEDF Sino-Philippine Investment Corp., which recently gained majority shares in the company holding lease and development rights over the two islands, had proposed to put up 80 ultra-high end housing units perched on water along the coastline of Grande Island up to Chiquita Island.

“This cannot be allowed because the Constitution limits the use and enjoyment of archipelagic waters exclusively to Filipino citizens,” Eisma pointed out.

“Moreover, Executive Order No. 65, or the 11th Regular Foreign Investment Negative List, prohibited the presence of any foreign equity in the utilization of marine resources in archipelagic waters,” she added.

Eisma also said that there had been previous changes in the corporate control or ownership of the GFTG Property Holdings Corp., which holds the current lease over Grande and Chiquita, which were made without the consent of the SBMA.

“These violated the Lease and Development Agreements that GFTG had signed with SBMA,” she said. Eisma said that because of these issues, the SBMA Board had passed a resolution on May 19, 2019 that withdrew consent to the change in control and ownership of GFTG.

The Board also noted the need for “further coordination between the SBMA and the Department of Finance with respect to this change in the control/ownership of GFTG, including the payment of appropriate taxes for the transfer of shares of GFTG.”

“The net effect is that the company’s proposal for Grande and Chiquita did not progress, and the project is currently non-operational,” Eisma said.

Information from the SBMA Business and Investment Group indicated that the Grande and Chiquita islands had been leased to various investor groups since 2002. The development plan for the islands included the establishment of hotel accommodations, restaurant, and recreational facilities, as well as the operation of boat service to and from Grande Island.

GFTG had initially committed an investment of P180 million to construct a 3-storey five-star hotel, build a marina parking area, and upgrade recreational facilities on Grande.

In April this year, GFTG brought in Sanya after supposedly signing a deal for partnership at the sidelines of President Duterte’s visit to Beijing for the Belt and Road Initiative Forum.

However, the agreement gave effective control of the project to Sanya, which gained 80% of the shares. Hua Huang Yang, a Chinese investor who joined GFTG as partner in 2012, retained 20% from his previous share of 30%.

The thrust of the new majority shareholders “apparently changed the complexity of the Grande development project,” Eisma noted. As of now, the SBMA is looking for some suitable company that could take over the development of the two islands to help bolster Subic’s tourism program, Eisma added. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

Grande Island, formerly Fort Wint during the US Naval Base heydays, and the nearby Chiquita Island strategically sit at the entrance of Subic Bay.

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Subic divers clean up bay in ‘Scubasurero Festival’

Scuba divers from the Subic Bay area conducted volunteer community work on Saturday to clean Subic Bay under the “Dive Heroes Festival-Scubasurero” event, bringing into the shore more than 50 kilos of various wastes that have found their way into the water.

The annual “Scubasurero,” which is a play on scuba and basurero, the Filipino word for garbage collector, enlists the help of volunteers in cleaning Subic Bay, particularly the area in the vicinity of Grande Island.

Around 200 volunteers, along with 50 certified divers, participated in the clean-up drive organized by the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium, Inc. (SBMEI), operator of the Ocean Adventure marine park and Camayan Beach Resort, and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Scuba-diving groups such as the Subic Bay Dive Association, Arizona, Boardwalk Dive Center, Johann's, Deep Blue Scuba and Wow Shark contributed their personnel and resources for the event.

Under “Scubasurero”, volunteers working on the shoreline collected a total of 7 kilos of nets, 9 kilos of ropes, 10 kilos of plastic, 3 kilos of styropor packaging, 1.5 kilos of plastic bottle, and 5 kilos of plastic.

Meanwhile, the underwater team of divers hauled in 6 kilos of rubber slippers, 5 kilos of plastic, and 11 kilos of bottle after some 40 minutes of dive in 14-meter deep waters at the Camayan reef area, and near Grande Island.

SBMA Chairperson and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, who graced the activity to encourage the participants, thanked everyone involved in the event and emphasized their invaluable role in environment protection.

“We only have one home and this is our home. What you are trying to do here is a testament to what I am trying to say. I hope you'll continue to do it," Eisma said.

The SBMA chief added that she would like to join the next “Scubasurero” event. "Hopefully, next time I'll join you. I'll go back to diving again," she said.

The “Scubasurero” event was held in celebration of the third anniversary of SBMEI’s Camayan Divers PADI Five Star Dive Resort. The clean-up activity was spearheaded by the Camayan divers in cooperation with Project AWARE and the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force.

Camayan Divers officer-in-charge Juanito Soriano also announced after the clean-up that his group will donate P10,000 to Project AWARE, a global network of scuba divers and water enthusiasts who seek to promote protection of the world's water resources.

“Together, there's a lot we can accomplish,” Soriano said, dedicating the “Scubasurero” event to Project AWARE. “We are giving divers a chance to extend their passion for the care of the environment," he added. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] Divers prepare to board a motorized boat that will ferry them to their designated dive sites to collect underwater trash during the “Dive Heroes Festival-Scubasurero” at the Subic Bay Freeport on Dec. 2. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] A couple snorkel near the shore to look for underwater trash while volunteer divers prepare for a dive in deeper waters during the “Dive Heroes Festival-Scubasurero” at the Subic Bay Freeport on Dec. 2. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Pinoy Aquaman and triathlon legend conquer Subic Bay

INGEMAR Macarine, also known as the Pinoy Aquaman, completed his 20th successful open-water swim when he and his partner, legendary Filipino triathlete Frank Lacson, conquered the 10.38-kilometer stretch of Subic Bay Sunday morning.

The calm seas helped Macarine and Lacson as they made their way though the waters of Subic Bay with ease when they started their swim around 6 a.m.

According to Macarine, the sea was perfect unlike his previous swims, where the sea was rough. But he said he and Lacson still had difficulties because they were swimming against the current. Still, they managed to finish their task in a faster time.

They completed their swim from Grande Island in Bataan to Barrio Barreto in Olongapo City in Zambales in three hours and 47 minutes.

It was actually a double celebration for Macarine as it was also his son’s birthday.

This open-water swim of Macarine and Lacson was for a charitable cause. It was done for the benefit of the Bicycle Friendly Philippines, a group that helps families that lost loved ones due to cycling accidents.

The swim also served as part of Macarine’s preparations for his attempt to conquer the English Channel from London to France, spanning a distance of 35 km, this August. (Glendale G. Rosal, Cebu Daily News)

PHOTO:

Pinoy Aquaman Ingemar Macarine and Frank "the legend" Lacson traversing Subic Bay from Grande Island to Bo. Barretto in Olongapo City. (photos from Macarine's FB page)

http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/88463/88463

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Subic Grande Island Resort conducts underwater clean-up

Grande Island Resort, one of Subic Freeport's leading tourism players, recently held an underwater and coastal clean-up in the waters of Subic Bay as part of the international observance of Earth Day.

The volunteer divers were able to haul some 30 kilograms of non-biodegradable waste materials composed mostly of plastic wrappers.

Miss Subic Bay Tourism first runner-up Martina McKinsey also joined the volunteer divers in the recent clean-up as part of the pageant’s environmental advocacy.

According to Grande Island managing partner Thomas Garcia, who led the underwater clean-up, the resort conducts periodic clean-up of the beaches up to neighboring Chiquita Island.

He said that the resort’s diving program will incorporate clean-up of the seabed to maintain the balance of the island's marine ecosystem, which is one of the best in Subic Bay.

The island resort also plans to enhance underwater diversity by setting up a viable artificial reef system. Subic Bay is one of the dive sites closest to Metro Manila and is known for World War II shipwrecks and pockets of coral gardens.

Garcia noted that Grande Island's environmental and recreational activities will form part of its corporate social responsibility.

Formerly known as Fort Wint, a naval fortification during the American Occupation, Grande Island Resort is situated some kilometers off the Freeport at the mouth of Subic Bay. It offers a wide array of water sports and outdoor adventure activities such as horseback-riding, trekking, mountain biking and zip line.


PHOTOS:
[1] A volunteer diver holds a sackful of garbage collected from the bottom of the sea near Grande Island in the Subic Bay Freeport during an underwater clean-up.

[2] Volunteer divers, along with Miss Subic Bay Tourism first runner-up Martina McKinsey, show their collection of non-biodegradable waste materials hauled from the bottom of the sea during an underwater clean-up around Grande Island, a popular resort in Subic Bay Freeport.

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Corregidor, Grande Island as Ebola quarantine areas?

Corregidor and Grande Island in Subic Bay are possible quarantine areas if and when a returning overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from countries at risk is found to have been infected by the deadly Ebola virus.

“The government has got to provide the necessary quarantine areas if there is any infected person who is able to enter the Philippines from Ebola-affected countries in West Africa,” Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon told Manila Bulletin in an interview Wednesday. Gordon, however, did not cite reasons these two areas are good Ebola quarantine areas.

According to Gordon, the Red Cross is ready and willing to provide the necessary support to health workers and help implement safety protocols.

“The Red Cross can come in already,” he said. “The bigger job will be when these people come back and they are infected. We have to be prepared to handle that.”

As far as the Red Cross is concerned, Gordon said they have to train their staff and volunteers, buy the equipment as well and train their people how to handle these.

“Many of the people who died from Ebola were not trained,” he pointed out. “Even if they have the protective equipment when they remove it they touch their face and they get sick. The mortality rate is going up also so we have to be prepared for that.”

Gordon stressed that nobody is adequately prepared for such a scenario.

“Even the United States is being surprised. They trained people still one of their people got sick,” Gordon pointed out. “In terms of training people to handle it you have to do that. The government, the Red Cross and other groups must have that.”

To prepare for the possibility of Ebola infection in the country, Gordon said he was recently in Geneva to learn about the disease and how to prevent any outbreak.

“I requested that we be trained here,” the former senator revealed. “Canada is coming here, IFRC is here, we are going to conduct training for that.” (Manila Bulletin via ph.news.yahoo.com)

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/corregidor-grande-island-ebola-quarantine-areas-195428926.html

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SBMA probes looting of historical shipwreck

ZAMBALES, Philippines – Officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) ordered an investigation into reports that there was massive looting of a historical shipwreck here, with the agency's own harbor patrol officers allegedly protecting the perpetrators.

SBMA Chair Roberto Garcia told reporters that the SBMA's Law Enforcement Department (LED) had called members of the harbor patrol unit who were manning the Subic diving site during the reported illegal salvage operations. They took place near the shoreline between Grande Island and Chiquita Island on March 19 and 20.

Subic, former host to a United States military base, is also the site of perhaps the biggest number of sunken Japanese ships since World War II – ranging from 10 to 25, according to various accounts. The local government has been promoting wreck diving to attract tourist.

Locals said the ship whose parts were reportedly taken by looters was said to be a "sister ship" of the San Quentin, a wooden gunboat that sank in 1898, and is the oldest known wreck in Subic.

"We are gathering statements [of these harbor patrols] for them to finally answer [the allegations]," Garcia said, adding that they would not spare anyone who would be found guilty.

According to him, SBMA has already tapped all concerned agencies, such as the Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Regional Maritime Unit here to help the agency stop the incidents of looting.

He said they are also urging the Subic divers to help them in solving this problem.

"We will coordinate with the Subic divers and work out an arrangement [to deal with this issue]," Garcia said.

On Monday, police filed charges against 5 men who were caught carrying out unauthorized salvage of vessels and wrecks.

The looting incident was reported by members of the Subic Bay Diving Association, headed by Scott Sharpe.

The suspected looters were identified as Danilo Casapao, 46; Junel Rivera, 31; Armando Salazar, 41; Manuel Casapao, 44; and Michael Eduarte, 37. All were from Barangay Mabayo, Morong, Bataan and remained at large. (Randy V. Datu, Rappler.com)

http://www.rappler.com/nation/54163-sbma-probes-historical-shipwreck-looting

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Looters may have first discovered shipwreck

Subic Bay’s diving community is aghast over what they claim is rampant looting in one of the unidentified and recently found shipwreck near the Grande Island.

The newly found shipwreck, some 200 meters from Grande Island’s shorelines, was being identified, measured and verified by the National Museum of the Philippines yesterday to confirm whether or not it is the sister vessel of Spanish Galleon San Quentin.

Five people from the town of Morong, Bataan were held this week PNP Maritime police on suspicion that they were looting the new found shipwreck but were later released due to lack of evidence.

The police filed charges against Manuel Casapao, Danilo Casapao, Michael Eduarte, Junel Rivera, and Armando Salazar for looting at the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Balanga City on Tuesday.

The police found equipment from the dive site such as compressors, hoses, barrels, and a diesel engine.

Meanwhile, divers from the National Museum of the Philippines gathered information of the newfound shipwreck and will file their report to the Ecology Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

According to Subic Bay Divers Association president Scott Sharpe, the find might be the oldest sunken shipwreck in Subic Bay.

He added that some divers discovered the looting on March 19, after they found looting equipment near the area.

There are more than 10 dive sites in Subic Bay that have mesmerized many scuba divers in the country. Shipwrecks such as Oryoku Maru, Seiun Maru, USS New York and El Capitan are some of the famous dive sites here. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/looters-may-have-first-discovered-shipwreck/

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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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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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