PBBM to Aliño—take care of SBMA and its people

Newly installed Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose Aliño has vowed to take good care of the agency and its people.

This was his statement during a press briefing at the SBMA administration building on Monday. The Agency Chief shared that he was given the mandate by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to look into the needs of Subic Freeport stakeholders and help resolve problems of the business communities inside.

“The President also instructed me to steer Subic Bay Freeport to the next level, which means go forward. With the help of the Board of Directors, who are all very professional, I believe that we can achieve that goal hand-in-hand,” Aliño added.

Aliño replaced former Pandan, Antique Mayor Jonathan D. Tan as the chairman and administrator of the government owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) this month, with his promotion as the Senior Undersecretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The new chief took his oath of office before President Marcos on January 12 at Malacañan Palace.

“In my case, I am 73 years old, the legacy I want to leave is a good mark, all for the glory of God, country, and for SBMA, and for its people who have significantly helped me. I am also leaving this good mark for my family. I promised them that after my stint, regardless of time, hindi nila ako ikahihiya. For me its very important,” he said.

A devout Catholic with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the De La Salle University, Aliño was also the former chairman and president of the STAR Group of Companies which offers port operations services for bulk and break-bulk cargo with Subic Bay as one of its locations, Grain Terminal Services Inc and sister company Mega Subic Terminal Services Inc .

Aside from his achievements in port operations, Aliño was also involved in other business industries such as supply chain, power and energy, construction, industrial trading, entertainment and tourism.

The new SBMA head was also chairman of the Subic Bay Yacht Club from 2015 to 2018 and in 2023. He also remains active in civic and non-government organizations like the Marinducare Foundation, a group providing livelihood and civic assistance to poor communities in Marinduque, the hometown of Aliño’s parents. (MPD-SBMA)

Read More

Subic Bay Yacht Club's Christmas tree lighting ushers in Yuletide Season

Subic Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) has officially ushered in the Yuletide season with its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the SBYC front driveway.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Rolen C. Paulino and SBYC Commodore Eduardo Aliño spearheaded the ceremonial switching of the light.  

 

Paulino said that the lighting of the Christmas tree along the half-a-block long decorations in front of the SBYC is a Subic Bay Freeport (SBF) tradition to kick off the Yuletide season here, which the SBYC has been known for—making the biggest Christmas decorations in the entire SBF.

The lighting ceremony was also graced by SBYC Vice Commodore Ronnie Del Rosario, and was celebrated by Bishop Most Revered Bartolome Santos from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Iba, with hundreds of SBYC staff, guests, and tourists flocking the event.

The Olongapo City National High School Performing Arts sang Christmas carols during the event, as hundreds of on-lookers gathered at the façade of the SBYC.

 

This year, all departments of the SBYC presented their own Christmas decor concepts, ranging from the classic are the Nativity Scene, huge Santa Claus, a Winter Forest, a Christmas train coming out of large boxes adorned with polar bears, a snow globe with a life-sized Santa Claus, and a Frozen themed boat.

During his message, Paulino said that the only time people around the world observe ceasefires from conflicts is during the Christmas season. He said he is hopeful that everyone would forget their personal differences and become one with God during this season.

Meanwhile, Commodore Aliño expressed his gratitude to the chief executive for supporting the event, citing that the agency has always been on board and provides the necessary assistance in its endeavors, which helps in the promotion and development of companies inside the SBF.

The display, which is an annual project of SBYC employees, is supported by certain Freeport corporate sponsors, and is lighted up each day at 6:00 p.m.  This is also open for public viewing. (MPD-SBMA)

Read More

Subic jumpstarts Christmas season with Hawaiian-themed Christmas display

A Hawaiian-inspired Christmas display at the Subic Bay Yacht Club (SBYC), with a giant yellow pineapple forming the centerpiece, jumpstarted the Christmas season in this Freeport and provided a cheerful preview of the coming holidays despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, together with SBYC Commodore Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo, switched on the Christmas lights last Friday and toured the outdoor displays laid out along one block of Subic’s main thoroughfare, the Rizal Highway.

Aside from the two-story high pineapple, the lighted displays included a native-themed Nativity scene, stars, as well as Hawaiian tiki masks and palm trees.

The display is an annual project of SBYC employees, with support from some corporate sponsors in the Freeport.

During the switching-on ceremony, Eisma expressed hopes for a better holiday season celebration this year, pointing out that the continuous vaccine rollout by the Department of Health (DOH) in partnership with the SBMA had resulted in more Freeport workers and residents being vaccinated.

“I am very, very happy to note that Covid has not stopped us from observing this tradition, which has always ushered the Christmas season here in Subic. And this is a very, very good sign because it points us to one direction—and that is, to try to get back to what normal is,” Eisma said.

Arroyo, meanwhile, stressed that the intention of the displays is to lift the spirits despite the pandemic.

“For us, the lighting of the Christmas tree in Subic, specifically the Subic Bay Yacht Club, has been an uplifting experience spiritually because it connotes the coming of the Christmas season,” Arroyo said. “During this season, we are reminded of God’s glory. And we need it more than ever due to Covid.”

Arroyo also thanked Eisma for her leadership and for the SBMA’s Covid response, and for getting workers vaccinated so that business may go on as usual.

The Subic Bay Yacht Club Christmas displays are lighted each day at 6:00 p.m. and are open for public viewing.  (MPD-SBMA)

Read More

Subic Bay Yacht Club launches new boutique casino

The recent launch of the Subic Bay Yacht Club’s new boutique casino has appeared to help increase the already surging Philippine gambling industry.

The club, located along the Philippines coastline in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, had a soft opening date for quite some time, but that date was finally achieved with the launch of the new facility on November 11.

The casino is the showpiece of the newly renovated club. This renovation came at a cost of PHP500 million ($10 million) and was built with the full intention of targeting Asia’s growing boating and yachting enthusiasts.

In a statement, Manuel Antonio Sequeria stated, “Subic is a safe haven in the boating world, and we have mega-yachts coming in on a weekly and monthly basis to use Subic Bay as their base.” Sequeria is the CEO and President of Volare Grandezza, one of the firms that partners with Subic Bay in the casino operations.

The club was designed to specifically entice yachtsmen and boat enthusiasts from across the region. Sequeria explained that “We have everything from Russian mega-yachts measuring 200 meters and above to mega-ships coming in from China – the smallest being 3,800 people and the biggest 5,200 guests, which is a huge market.”

The purpose of the club was to actually act as a lure for people to the casino. He explained that the development of the boutique casino was specifically designed with the idea of building a club that would cater to this community. This makes this only the second yacht club in the world to also have a casino as part of its development, joining Hobart Australia.

The boutique casino is an impressive structure. It opened on Monday with eight tables and 169 slot machines when doors opened. However, it is expected that the number of gaming tables will increase to 43 by December 1. Gaming tables will include such standards as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, paigow, and pontoon.

The in-house junket operations are expected to begin operations in January of next year. There are plans to increase the facilities in the region, appealing to international junket operators from across the Asian theater.

Besides gambling, there are a number of features that should draw boatsmen to the area. This includes sensational fishing, a 2000 meter beach, and extremely clean and unpolluted waters. “The growing market in Asia of people boating, yachting, will bring people here,” Sequeira explained to Inside Asian Gaming. (Ad Miral, calvinayre.com)

https://calvinayre.com/2019/11/15/casino/subic-bay-yacht-club-launches-new-boutique-casino/

Read More

Subic Bay Yacht Club Christmas Display (photos)

Crowds gather at the Subic Bay Yacht Club frontage after Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma “Amy” T. Eisma switched on the SBYC Christmas Trees display on Tuesday night.

The lights display, which has a carnival theme this year, is an annual holiday project of SBYC employees with the support of some sponsors.

Crowds gather at the Subic Bay Yacht Club frontage after Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma “Amy” T. Eisma switched on the SBYC Christmas Trees display on Tuesday night.

MPD-SBMA

Read More

Rolex China Sea Race 2016: Black Baza takes IRC Overall

Anthony Root and Steve Manning's Ker42 Black Baza triumphs in the grueling 565 nautical mile race to Subic Bay at the 2016 Rolex China Sea Race, lifting the trophy for corrected time on IRC handicap, with Alive posting a second overall to go with her record of breaking Line Honours effort.

William Liu’s A40RC Seawolf has just finished and sits in 3rd Overall as well as 1st in IRC Racer 2, which means that their stated aim to “do better than last time (2014)” has well and truly been achieved.

Black Baza finished in the early hours of Saturday morning after just over 60 hours of racing, with crew member Wade Morgan enthusing about the previous 24 hours of racing, saying “we were coming in hot all the way, which was unexpected … we probably played the middle a little bit to the south and then we had good breeze so we managed to come straight in to the coast without having to do too much fancy work.”

Asked if the crew were happy if they had caught Alive on corrected time, Jono Rankine confirmed “Absolutely! We weren’t expecting that at all..” and adding that the high point of the race for the crew was surfing in to the coast at 20kts.

Jono Mahony of Zanzibar also enjoyed sailing down the Luzon coast at 18-20kts, noting that “we finished 8 hours quicker than when we won (IRC Overall) in 2012 even though we hit a sticky patch at the finish which allowed EFG Mandrake to sneak past us – but they do that all the time!”

All the finishers have noted their surprise at the excellent conditions once on open water, although Li Li revealed that Swan 82 UBOX considered retiring 180nm into the race as they had suffered damage to the head of the mainsail which seemed unfixable.

“The crew managed to come up with a solution …. to lash the head and stay in the race, although it limited the load they could put on it. The first night a problem with the foot of the number one cost a lot of time in really tough weather. It was a tough first day, half of the crew were sea sick and had been working hard on the boat leading into the race, so possibly had not had enough sleep.

On the positive side, UBOX finished the race and all the crew have taken it as a positive experience, as this race is practice for the team. The ultimate goal is the Rolex Sydney Hobart and, being realistic, we still have a lot of prep to do. It’s good and although we talk about all this damage, it has been a very positive experience for everybody.” (http://bit.ly/1TcgTV5)

PHOTOS:
Clockwise from upper left: Ker42 Black Baza; EFG Bank Mandrake; UBOX; Zanzibar; Standard Insurance Centennial; FreeFire. (Rolex-Daniel Forster, Rolex China Sea Race FB)

Read More

Off to Subic Bay: Centennial sets pace early in Rolex China Sea Race

HONG KONG – Thirty-three yachts, from small boats manned by couples to bigger catamarans navigated by as many as 22 sailed into the open seas yesterday in a misty, drizzling afternoon at the start of the 565 nautical mile Rolex China Sea Race to the imaginary finish line off the shores of Subic Bay.

The boats, 26 of them from Hong Kong and seven from other nationalities, including Filipino-owned Standard Insurance-Centennial, went to the Hong Kong Harbor at 12 noon to take their positions for the 1 p.m. starting gun, but the race was delayed several times as they waited for the winds.

When the winds finally blew outward, Standard Insurance-Centennial got the headstart, its decision to take the shoreline path giving it an initial lead of at least one kilometer heading to the open seas.

The race for line honors becomes anybody’s game, at least for the bigger yachts, as they head for the turbulent waters off Hong Kong. They were to navigate throughout the night and day on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

The race would be more technical and tactical as computer-equipped boats veer from the straight path from Hong Kong to Subic by heading to the upward wind several miles ahead to gather speed heading to the finish line.

The boats are expected to encounter rough sailing as they enter Philippine territory by Good Friday and Black Saturday but the bigger multi-hulls and catamarans manned by a maximum crew of 22 gunning for line honors are expected to gain the advantage and hit land ahead of the smaller ones by early Black Saturday morning.

The fastest regardless of the boat category wins the Rolex CSR line honors.

The smaller, lighter boats, with lighter masts and fewer crew members, will be gunning for top honors in the equally prestigious Rolex CSR handicap race category based on their corrected time.

Each boat is assigned a handicap based on its size and other factors, which will be used to determine the corrected time.

Jude Echauz, a former car rally driver who has been competing in the CSR for 20 years, is owner and skipper of Standard Insurance-Centennial, which won the 1998 Rolex CSR handicap race as Subic Centennial and the 2008 race under its new name as Standard Insurance-Centennial.

Echauz is again at the helm of the Standard Insurance-Centennial with a 17-man all-Filipino crew, majority of them members of the national team.

For over 10 years, the 52-footer has been the only Filipino entry in the Rolex CSR, which is traditionally dominated by entries from the Royal Hong Kong Club and its three other clubs in the former Crown Colony.

Foreign teams in this year’s race include those from Japan, Australia, Russia, China and Singapore.

A member club from China, which has two entries this year, had indicated that boat construction is going at a fast pace in the Mainland and would expect more than half of the entries of the Rolex China Sea Race in the future to come from China.

Executives from Rolex, which has been the sponsor of Asia’s longest sea race since 1972, will be on hand to meet the winners and participants of the race on Saturday and Sunday. (Gerry Carpio, The Philippine Star)

PHOTOS:
[1] Thirty-three yachts sail off into the open seas in a misty, drizzling afternoon at the start of the 565 nautical mile Rolex China Sea Race to Subic Bay.

[2] Philippine bet Standard Insurance Centennial, with Jun Echaus at the helm, ahead of the pack.

[3] A Lion Dance for good luck was performed at the pontoon of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club before the race began.

(all photos from the Rolex China Sea Race Facebook page)

http://www.philstar.com:8080/sports/2016/03/24/1566214/centennial-sets-pace-early-rolex-csr

Read More

Hi Fi, Ragamuffin 90 take top honors in Rolex China Sea Race

For the second time in four years, Neil Pryde’s Welbourne 52 Hi Fi from Hong Kong has won the Rolex China Sea Race, Asia’s principal offshore event.

On Saturday morning, Hi Fi became the third boat to complete the 565-nm course from Hong Kong to Subic Bay, The Philippines following a dramatic tussle with a group of yachts, most notably Bryon Ehrhart’s TP52 Lucky from the United States. Pryde’s crew finished the race in 2 days, 21 hours, 47 minutes, enough on corrected time, with the chasing fleet becalmed, to seal overall victory.

“It was incredibly close racing,” enthused Pryde. “To be this close after so many miles is amazing. It was the same all the way down. We were never out of sight of the other boats so you could not relax one moment.”

During the final miles set against the mountainous, scenic and sunbaked approach to Subic Bay, little could separate the boats. “There were three 52-footers, ourselves, Lucky and Freefire (HKG) all neck and neck,” explained Pryde. “We were surging down the coast in good wind with an A3 spinnaker up reaching at 12 to 13 knots. It was incredibly exciting, boats kept changing positions because we had all been reading the same weather.”

With the finishing line in sight, the three crews were all seeking to make the winning tactical decision. “Lucky went around the rocks while we took the inside track. The trade off was whether there was more wind on the inside or outside,” admitted Pryde. While Lucky stole the advantage and beat Hi Fi on the water, the two minute margin was insufficient to defeat Pryde’s crew on handicap.

Pryde, a Hong Kong resident, first competed in the race in 1968 and this victory represents one of the most significant accomplishments of his illustrious sailing career. “It ranks as one of the more memorable victories we’ve had and we’ve won a lot of races,” said Pryde. “It means a lot to me, over the past few years I’ve not done a lot of sailing because I’ve had some health issues so to go out and still prove we can do it is a big thing for me personally. Yacht racing has been part of my life for sixty odd years. I’ve never cruised, I’ve always raced. It’s what I do.”

Australian Syd Fischer had taken line honours with his Maxi Ragamuffin 90 on Friday evening, finishing in a time of 57 hours, 31 minutes and 18 seconds.

By 18:00 local time on Sunday evening, 26 of the 34 competing yachts had completed the race and there had been only one retirement. (Scuttlebutt Sailing News)

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/04/20/hi-fi-ragamuffin-90-take-top-honors-rolex-china-sea-race/#prettyPhoto

Read More

2014 Commodore's Cup Regatta set on April 22 to 26

Big boats and ocean multihulls will set sail on April 22 to 26 to compete in this year's Commodore's Cup Regatta in Subic Bay.

The race is organised by the Saturday Afternoon Gentlemen Sailing (SAGS) Club, in conjunction with the Lighthouse Marina Resort, Watercraft Ventures, Inc. and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) under the auspices of the Philippine Sailing Association.

This year the Subic Commodore's Cup will include four days of racing for Flying Fifteens, dinghies, Hobie 16s and windsurfers simultanous with the Rolex China Sea Race fleet is en route Hong Kong-Philippines. Big Boats will take over for a further four days of racing in the sparkling environs of Subic Bay.

Organizers consider Subic Bay truly a first class spot for regatta, with its deep waters, airport, dockyards, and the presence of Subic Bay Yacht Club. Organisers hope that boats sailing in the Hong Kong to Subic Rolex China Sea Race will 'stay an extra day' and participate in the Commodore's Cup.

For more of this story: http://www.sail-world.com/Asia/Subic-Commodores-Cup-expands/120541

Read More

Subic hosts 109th SEIPI general assembly

Some 215 representatives from 83 companies in the semiconductor and electronics sector trooped here last Friday for the 109th general membership meeting of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) at the Subic Bay Yacht Club.

Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas and Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Lilia de Lima graced the event that brought the SEIPI general membership meeting in Subic for the first time.

In his address, Roxas stressed that the administration of President Aquino has been establishing a more conducive business environment for the industry, and added that he is very happy to see how SEIPI has grown through the years.

He also recalled his ties with the industry, noting the 12-year “engagement” he has had with SEIPI, which he described as “certainly longer than (the time) I’ve been married.”

“I just want to say how personally pleased I am to see familiar faces, to see how well you are doing, to see how united you still are, how much you’ve grown, your association and how relevant you continue to be to the economy for your individual entities and corporations, as well as for your employees and other stakeholders,” he said.

Roxas also explained how the government’s economic thrust, as presented in President Aquino's recent State of the Nation Address can help in the continuous growth of the semiconductor industry.

He likewise pointed out how plans to improve the education, agriculture and social sectors would have an effect on SEIPI member companies.

Likening the semiconductor industry to a ship that needs a better environment in order to function better, Roxas added, “No matter what you do, your ship will not ride higher unless the water level also rises. That water level really is the general societal environment in which we all live, work and play.”

“So by having a healthier population, by having more food and some less agitation for wage increases, by having a better educated population, the water level in effect rises, your ship rides higher, you’ll be able to do much better if these things have happened,” he further noted.

After his address, Roxas entertained some questions from SEIPI members during an open forum, while De Lima discussed investment trends in the country.

SEIPI is a non-stock, non-profit organization that was established in 1984. From 13 companies in its first year, SEIPI’s membership has grown to 246 as of March 2012.

The general membership consists of regular, associate, affiliate and honorary member-companies in the Philippines. Of the 246 members, 113 are Filipino-owned while 133 are foreign-owned companies. (FMD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas is welcomed by SBMA officials led by Chief Operating Officer Joven Reyes (extreme left of photo) upon his arrival at the Subic Bay International Airport to address the SEIPI general meeting at the Subic Bay Freeport. SBMA Director Ramon Sesdoyro and SBMA consultant Knette Fernando also welcomed Roxas.

Read More

Japanese developer may take over yacht club

ORIENT Pearl Entertainment and Management, Inc., a Japanese gaming company, is set to revive the Subic Bay Yacht Club into a “mini-Monaco” to increase membership and revenues.

Orient Pearl is said to have reached an agreement to initially acquire 25% of the club with lead creditor Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank), as a way to obtain management control.

Landbank heads a consortium of local banks that foreclosed 40% of the club led by the Triple-V group, when debt-bankrolled construction floundered during the regional financial crisis.

Orient Pearl Chairman Toshio Shimada, who already operates six casino-hotels in the country including the Majestic Networld Hotel on Roxas Boulevard in Manila, will add gaming as part of development plans for the Subic Bay Yacht Club.

However, the planned inclusion of gaming facilities is expected to be opposed by some club members.

It would be recalled that creditor banks of Triple-V had decided to take over the club shares pledged by restaurateur Victor “Vic-Vic” Villavicencio as collateral for P1 billion in loans from various financial institutions.

The P2-billion club was built in 1996 to become the premier yacht club in the Philippines. The facility has a huge swimming pool with imported sand from Australia.

The huge main clubhouse stands over 17,000 square meters of space with 39 guest club rooms. (R. Garcia, BusinessWorld)

Read More