Royal Canadian Navy in Subic Bay Freeport for goodwill visit

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) docked at the Rivera Wharf in this premier Freeport Thursday (Sept. 14) for a goodwill visit as part of Canada’s defense engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Jonathan D. Tan, together with Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines David Bruce Hartman, welcomed the ship and its crew.

His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ottawa (FFH 341), a Halifax-class frigate of the Royal Canadian Navy will be here until September 19.

According to Ambassador Hartman, HMCS Ottawa is the first of the three Canadian ships to visit the Philippines this month.

“The arrival of HMCS Ottawa is a demonstration of the close and growing relationship between Canada and the Philippines, and of Canada’s commitment to stability and security in Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region,” Hartman said.

The official added, that as maritime nations, Canada and the Philippines share a common interest in upholding a rules-based international order and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Hartman also disclosed that during HMCS Ottawa’s visit to Subic Bay, a full program will be executed including professional development opportunities with the Philippine Navy, community outreach, and local engagements including a fun run and an exchange of the ship’s cooks. Port visits are ideal occasions for our sailors, soldiers, and aviators to explore and strengthen the deep connection that Canadians have with the Indo-Pacific through its people.

Commander Samuel Patchell, Commanding Officer of HMCS Ottawa, said, “Through our ongoing engagements in the Indo-Pacific, the Royal Canadian Navy is reinforcing partnerships with navies from across the region. I look forward to working closely with the Philippine Navy throughout our visit to Subic Bay in pursuit of our shared goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

HMCS Ottawa continues the tradition of RCN ships visiting the Philippines, after HMCS Vancouver’s successful visit last year. HMCS Ottawa has been deployed since August, and Subic Bay is its second port visit. Throughout the last quarter of 2023, HMCS Ottawa will conduct forward naval presence operations, cooperative deployments and participate in international naval exercises with partner nations.

“These activities build interoperability between Navies, while reaffirming our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Patchell added.

Meanwhile, a second Canadian vessel, the MV Asterix, an auxiliary supply vessel leased to the RCN, will also arrive in Subic Bay on Saturday, September 16.  The Asterix has been in and out of the region since March, 2023 to provide replenishment and resupply services to RCN ships.  The Asterix supports RCN vessels with capabilities in at-sea oiler replenishment, aviation support, medical and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, among others. 

Also, a third Canadian ship, HMCS Vancouver, will arrive in Manila at the end of the month. 

HMCS Ottawa, together with an embarked air detachment operating a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, has 250 highly trained and professional sailors, soldiers, and aviators. It is one of twelve Halifax-class frigates of the RCN. The ship is equipped with extensive anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare weapons and sensors to complement their substantial anti-air warfare defenses. The combination of these weapon and sensor systems, coupled with state-of-the-art damage control and machinery control systems, makes these frigates one of the most advanced warship designs in the world.

The ship’s namesake is the City of Ottawa, the capital of Canada, where approximately 15,000 Filipinos and Filipino-Canadians reside. (MPD-SBMA)

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Subic to host first Spartan Trifecta Race in Southeast Asia

Another historic first will happen here next month when Subic hosts the country’s first Trifecta Weekend for Spartan Race, the most popular obstacle course race (OCR) in the world today, at the Camayan Beach Resort on September 15-16.

Race Director Michael Reyes said in a press conference here on Wednesday that this will be the first Trifecta event in the whole of Southeast Asia where all three medals can be earned in one weekend.

“This particular Trifecta Weekend will serve as the grand finale for the Southeast Asian Championship Series and will be offering the only Spartan Beast race in the SEA Series,” Reyes said.

“We are expecting around 5,000 athletes to participate in the event since the reception we got in the last three events was phenomenal. We estimate around 7,000 finishers in the Philippines with 99.99 percent finish rate,” he added.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Wilma T. Eisma said in the same briefing that the Spartan Race would add to the already large number of prestigious sporting events being held in Subic, including the first full Ironman that was held here in July.

“Subic has been hailed last year as the best sports tourism destination in Asia, and now with the Spartan Race we’re cementing this free port’s reputation as the endurance sports capital, too,” she added.

The Spartan Race Trifecta Weekend is part of the South East Asia (SEA) Series Finale that will take place on September 15 and 16, holding three races in one epic weekend. The race will be held at the West Ilanin Forest area of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Reyes said the Subic Trifecta Weekend will comprise all three Spartan Races: Spartan Sprint, which is a six-kilometer long, 20-obstacle course; Spartan Super, a 13-km, 25-obstacle course; and the Spartan Beast, a 21-km, 30-obstacle course.

The Spartan Beast will be held on September 15, a Saturday, while the Spartan Sprint and Super categories will be held on September 16, a Sunday.

Reyes said Spartan racers from all over Southeast Asia will be coming to Subic Bay Freeport to gain a spot in the 2018 World Championship in Lake Tahoe.

He said the top ten male and female finishers from the elite category, the top five male and female racers in the 14-17, 18-24, and 50+ age groups, and the top ten male and female entrants in the 25-29, 30-39, and 40-49 age groups will earn their spots in the 2018 Asia Pacific Championships in Johor, Malaysia on December 2018.

Meanwhile, the top three finishers in both the elite and age group categories will qualify in the Regional Championship, as well as the World Championships in Lake Tahoe at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Ocean Adventure founder Scott Sharpe said the company plans to create a small obstacle course inside the Camayan Beach Resort here to give tourists a taste of the Spartan Race course.

The firm will also plan to create a fitness facility here based on the OCR model, he added. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma welcomes the holding of the Spartan Trifecta Race in the Subic Bay Freeport following the announcement of the event by Race Director Michael Reyes (middle) and SBMEI founder Scott Sharpe. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA employees urge Diño to respect Malacañang on Escolango

THE SBMA Employees Association (SEA) is urging Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Martin B. Diño to bury the hatchet and work hand-in-hand with OIC Administrator Randy B. Escolango.

“It’s the SBMA that suffers, including the employees, because of the dispute between Chairman Diño and OIC Administrator Escolango,” said Elmer L. Libo, president of the close to a thousand strong members of SEA.

“With Malacañang’s clarification that Atty. Escolango’s designation as OIC Administrator is still in full force and effect, we hope Chairman Diño will set aside his personal ambition and honor Malacañang’s decision like a gentleman,” Libo said.

Libo was speaking in reaction to the Office of the President’s Nov. 28, 2016 reiteration of Escolango’s Oct. 19, 2016 designation as OIC Administrator, in response to Diño’s letter Nov. 21, 2016 saying that despite his (Diño) appointment by President Duterte as Chairman only, he has also assumed the position of SBMA Administrator.

Diño just arrived from Korea, his fourth (4th) trip outside the Philippines in less than two (2) months since assuming office on Oct. 3, 2016. He is expected to be back on Dec. 8 but has cut short his trip to attend the agency's flag-raising ceremony Monday.

SBMA employees are witness to the almost weekly “tele-novela,” referring to Diño’s outbursts during flag ceremonies which began with a dressing down of Escolango, who did not react, in front of all present, after Escolango was designated as OIC Administrator.

When Escolango started to perform the duties of the Office of the Administrator, Diño always comes up with orders and memos nullifying his (Escolango) actions.

With the reiteration of his designation as OIC Administrator by the Office of the president, however, Escolango said he will no longer allow Diño to usurp the position of Administrator.

Escolango said Diño may have to face administrative and criminal charges for usurping the office to which he (Diño) has not been appointed to.

Escolango expressed his gratitude for the support and words of encouragement from SEA and the management personnel of SBMA. “I am humbled by the understanding and support of our managers and rank & file employees,” Escolango said, “We can understand each other, after all, we are the ones who worked together to bring SBMA out of the doldrums.”

In the past six (6) years, SBMA, under the stewardship of former Chairman & Administrator Roberto V. Garcia, grew from virtual bankruptcy to a healthy agency, raking in unprecedented, record-breaking revenues through sound management practices and innovations.

While losing billions of pesos in the past with no subsidy or budget support from the national government, SBMA now has some P4B in the bank and has already contributed hundreds of millions of pesos to the national coffers. (VVV)

PHOTO:
SBMA Employees Association (SEA) officers led by President Elmer L. Libo (4th frm R) during a courtesy call on SBMA OIC Administrator Randy B. Escolango (seated). SEA has expressed support for Escolango and called on Chairman Martin B. Diño to respect Malacañang's designation of Escolango so as not to further hamper the normal operations of SBMA. (FBphoto/ell)

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