Another US submarine to dock in Subic

A submarine of the Los Angeles class design, USS Olympia (SSN 717), will arrive in Subic Bay Thursday for a routine port call, the United States embassy said in a statement. The US Embassy said that the port visit highlights the strong historic, community, and military connections between the US and the Philippines. This visit will allow the ship to replenish supplies as well as give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation. The USS Olympia SSN 717 set sail in February 1986 to her home in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She is the second United...

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US aviation firm sees big growth in air ambulance

An American aviation company sees good growth prospects for the air ambulance service it started last July in Subic. It just brought in a second aircraft for the air 911 service. The Philippines, according to Scotty Watson, Carejet Assist program director, is central to the company’s service in Asian countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Vietnam and Guam. Watson said they intend to cash in on a vast pool of clients in Asia-Pacific and in...

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Foresters urged to be vigilant

Stressing the need to protect the remaining forests in the country, Society of Filipino Foresters, Inc. (SFFI) national council president Renato De Rueda urged fellow foresters to be vigilant in performing their duty as guardians of the environment. De Rueda issued this challenge during the recent “National Summit Conference on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade”, which was held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center here to mark the 64th founding anniversary of the SFFI. De Rueda said that forests need to be protected from...

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US Navy & Smart in reforestation efforts in Subic

Military servicemen joined Smart Communications, Inc. and its sister-firm Tollways Management Corp. in their reforestation efforts in Subic Bay as part of the US Navy’s community service. The volunteer-sailors from USS Hawaii and USS Frank Cable were on a routine port visit in the Philippines recently. Chief Select Jonathan Palmer said this was the first tree-planting activity that the Navy servicemen participated in as a group. “Most of...

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RP and US Marines set for Phiblex 2013 in Subic Freeport

The RP-US Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2013 will formally begin on October 8 in this free port to further enhance the strong defense partnership between the Philippines and the United States. According to 1Lt. Cherry Tindog, director of the Marine Corps Public Affairs Office, the exercise will give primacy to effective interoperability on humanitarian assistance and disaster response and relief preparedness, maritime security, and community development. PHIBLEX is conducted annually to serve as a venue for joint and combined training...

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Subic-BOC Tops Target By P141M

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) based here led all eight of the country’s ports in posting a surplus in collection of more than P141 million. It collected P683.79 million – way above its target of P562 million for August. BOC-Subic’s District Collector Carmelita Talusan said the surplus in the target collection is a great start for the Port of Subic since it shows that the Customs officials and workers here are on the right track. Other ports that surpassed their collection targets for August of this year are the Port of Iloilo...

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Altas eye joint 3rd vs Pirates

Perpetual Help takes on ousted Lyceum today, seeking to catch Letran at third and post a one-game lead over fifth running Jose Rizal University even as Mapua fights for dear life against San Beda in the 88th NCAA men’s basketball tournament, which goes to Subic Bay for the league’s second out-of-town games. The Altas are out to bounce back from a sorry 71-74 defeat to the Cardinals last week that dropped them to fourth spot with a 9-6 (win-loss) record, a shade behind Letran (10-6) but just ahead of Jose Rizal (9-7). A win in their 6 p.m. duel...

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Seniors form walkers club in Subic Freeport

Health-conscious senior citizens in this free port have formed a walkers club here in cooperation with a popular commercial facility, which has agreed to accommodate the daily exercise activities of the newly-formed group. The “Subic Bay Six o’clock Habit Club,” which was organized by Atty. Severo M. Pastor, manager of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) labor department, has requested the use of the promenade area of Ayala Mall’s Harbor...

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Officials cite gov’t employees’ role in Subic Freeport CSC rites

Officials from various local government units and national agencies acclaimed the role of civil servants in nation building, as government employees from Zambales and Olongapo City met here in the Freeport recently for the 112th anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service. The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) hosted the festivities here, as hundreds of government workers joined a fun walk in the early morning of September 15, and then participated...

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ADB: ‘Philippines must take right road to inclusive growth’

The Philippines needs to ensure that economic development be felt by the masses, said an economic expert during the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Economic Forum held here in the Freeport on September 4 at the Lighthouse Marina Resort. Norio Usui, ADB senior country economist, said that in order to fully enjoy the economic growth that the country is experiencing, key policy challenges should be discussed so that the Philippines can embark on a sustainable...

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SBMA Board Studies Airport Conversion

An official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said the other day that the proposed $5-billion conversion of the Subic Bay International Airport into a world-class theme park is still being studied by the SBMA Board of Directors. SBMA Board Member Francis S. Garcia said they are still deliberating on the proposal because it would impact on the entire region, particularly programs aimed at boosting tourism in Central Luzon provinces. Earlier, the proposed conversion of the SBMA airport into a theme park drew flak from former senator...

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Customs sues Subic rice smugglers

The Bureau of Customs on Thursday charged before the Department of Justice six rice smugglers who figured in bringing into Subic contraband rice from Vietnam. Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon said that sued for violation of Sections 3601 and 3602, in relation to Sections 2503 and 2530 of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines were Jan Dexter Marfil, president of Masagana Import Export Inc., the consignee of the Vietnam rice shipment; board members Editha Arzola and Jeaneth Espeleta Vega, directors Gerardo Yaco Vega and...

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Foresters to draft national action plan for forestry

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The country’s top professional foresters converged at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center here on Wednesday for a three-day summit with the end in view of drafting a national action plan on the management and promotion of the country’s forest resources. The “National Summit Conference on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade,” according to a statement from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is expected to be a high-level meeting of local foresters from academe, the government and wood-based...

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Over 13,000 Join Coastal Cleanup

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Zambales -- More than 13,000 volunteers from various sectors here and in Olongapo City participated in the recent annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) along the 10 sites of the entire coast of Zambales. The coastal cleanup, organized by the Lighthouse Marina Resort is part of the international coastal cleanup effort organized by The Ocean Conservancy to protect the world's oceans from harmful debris making its way to coastlines from local beaches, waterways, and inland areas. “We started four years ago with around 600...

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Century Tuna duathlon up at Subic Freeport

MANILA - Top duathletes from Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Syria and Iran clash for honors in the Century Tuna ASTC Asian Duathlon Championships Nov. 25 at the Subic Bay Freeport. Records established during the 2006 Asian Duathlon Championships are expected to fall as a fast race course has been mapped out by ASTC (Asian Triathlon Confederation) technical committee chairman Ramon Marchan who led an ocular inspection of several roads and sites at the Freeport with TRAP officials Rick Reyes, Fabie...

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3 measures make Subic trade-friendly

Aside from infrastructures built near Subic Bay Port, there are three more reasons to do business at the Central Luzon port, Alberto D. Lina, former customs commissioner and now chairman of Air21, said. In his presentation at the recently held maritime conference at Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, Lina identified three major measures that the Bureau of Customs has taken to make Subic viable for business. “First is a non-intrusive container inspection system,” Lina said. Second is accession to the international convention on the simplification...

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Using Subic cuts costs saves time, says SBMA

Traders are most likely to benefit from using the Port of Subic as trucking costs as much as 20 percent lower, travel time is halved, and port fees are considerably cheaper, a Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority official said. Norberto J. Sosa, SBMA director, said in a presentation at a conference at the Subic Freeport that traders win north-bound business are the ones to benefit the most from using Subic port. He said, for example, the travel distance from Manila to Bataan is 123 kilometers, extremely far compared with the Subic-Bataan route,...

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SBMA signs cooperation agreement with Ulsan

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education (UMOE) in South Korea recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote understanding and cooperation between the two institutions. The UMOE is located in Ulsan Metropolitan City, which is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis and considered as the nation’s industrial powerhouse. The agreement, signed on August 30, primarily aims to develop...

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SBMA to save P12.5-M this year as it goes virtually paperless

Here’s one good news for the environment: The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has embraced a new culture of a virtually paperless office. And it saves big money, too. According to Marlo Zerrudo, officer in charge of the SBMA Information Technology Department, the Subic agency has introduced an in-house document management system that facilitates digital archiving and retrieval of office documents and forms. Dubbed as the Structured Archive and Retrieval System (SARS), which was jointly developed by Ed Michael Cruz and Jan Aries Gomez...

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SBMA task force to market Subic port

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) says it will create a task force specifically to market the facilities of the freeport to possible locators and port users. The task force, the composition of which is yet to be determined, will have to make its own strategy outside of the measures being undertaken by the private operators of SBMA’s New Container Terminal (NCT) 1 and 2. SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia, in his speech at the closing ceremony of the Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit recently, said that the task force is needed to...

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TO DRIVE GROWTH: Private sector pushes Subic port

The private sector is calling for better utilization of the Subic Bay Port to enhance growth of the local shipping industry and economy of Central Luzon that is served by the freeport. Ramon T. de Leon, chairman of the Pac-Atlantic Group, said during the recently concluded shipping industry conference in Subic that the private sector wants to improve utilization of the economic zone’s port not only to increase revenues but also to enhance its business potential. De Leon said better utilization of the port’s facilities will bring more opportunities...

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Another US sub docks in Subic; US spy plane joins coastal drill

Amid concerns over the frequent visits of United States naval assets in the country, another US submarine will dock today in Subic Bay for supposed routine port and goodwill visit, while a US Navy surveillance plane yesterday joined local security forces in an exercise aimed at safeguarding coastal areas in the strife-torn Mindanao. In an advisory, the US Embassy in Manila announced the arrival of USS Hawaii (SSN-776), a Virginia class submarine, on Subic Bay, Zambales, where another US Navy asset, USS Frank Cable, an LY Spear class submarine...

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Perpetual dominates NCAA beach volleyball in Subic Freeport

The University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) dominated the 84th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) beach volleyball events held here by winning two of the three championship bouts on September 2. UPHSD won the senior women’s title for the fourth straight time, as Norie Jane Diaz and April Anne Sartin defeated San Sebastian College’s Czarina Karen Berbano and Gretchen Soltones in two sets, 21-16 and 23-21. Meanwhile, Jay...

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LGUs get P57.4-million tax share from SBMA

Seven municipalities and a city adjacent to this premier free port received a total of P57.4 million in revenue shares as their portion in the taxes paid by Subic Bay Freeport-registered enterprises in the first half of this year. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia said that the shares given to local government units (LGUs) are intended to augment local resources and enable stakeholder communities to benefit from Freeport businesses by augmenting the funds of nearby LGUs for development projects in health, education,...

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US Navy submarine tender arrives in Subic Bay

An American warship that provides at-sea support to the US Navy’s attack submarines in the Pacific region arrived here on Monday, coinciding with the start of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 11-day swing of Southeast Asia to push for regional unity in face of increasing Chinese aggressiveness in the area. According to a statement from the United States Embassy in Manila, the USS Frank Cable (AS-40) docked in this free port “for a routine...

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Another SBMA employee to receive Pagasa Award

A community relations officer of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), who initiated several community development projects for fisher folk in the Subic Bay area, will be conferred the Pagasa Award in Malacañang this month. SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia proudly announced on Thursday that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has chosen SBMA employee Marilou Dungog as one of this year’s recipients of the Pagasa Award, which is given for outstanding...

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PNoy: ‘Philippines and Subic now open for business’

The Philippines, especially Subic, is now open for business, as the country begins to reap the fruits of good governance, according to President Benigno Aquino II. In a speech delivered by Maritime Industry Authority deputy administrator Nicasio Conti on behalf of the chief executive during the recent Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit here, President Aquino said that the country’s efforts in regaining the national dignity and the confidence of the world send a clear message that the Philippines is ready. “From weeding out corruption and...

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Passenger/cargo hub plans for Subic, Clark

Subic and Clark are poised for greater growth as over P100 billion worth of existing infrastructure and road projects and those still in the pipeline are designed to turn the two freeports into world-class passenger and cargo hubs. “The most relevant goal is to create a world-class passenger mobility and cargo distribution network,” Arsenio M. Balisacan, secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and NEDA director-general, said at the recently held Subic Bay Maritime Conference and Exhibit 2012. Balisacan said the Aquino administration envisions Subic...

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PHL, South Korea sign OSH agreement

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has signed an agreement with South Korea that seeks to ensure the safety and health of Filipino workers employed by Korean industrial companies in the country. The signing of the accord was seen as an offshoot of a series of industrial-related accidents involving Filipino workers employed by the Hanjin industrial shipyard at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone that led to the deaths of several workers. The agreement with the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency signed on August 25 seeks to improve the occupational...

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PH-Made Vessel Delivered To London

A bulk-carrier vessel worth $60 million was delivered by Korean shipbuilding company Hanjin Heavy Industry and Construction Co., Ltd.-Philippines (HHIC-Phil) to a British-Australian client during its naming ceremony held inside its facility in Redondo Peninsula in Subic Bay Freeport, Zambales. The “M/V RTM Cartier”, named after a French explorer and the second vessel purchased by Rio Tinto Shipping Ltd., measures 299.9 meters and weighs in 204,000 deadweight metric tons. On the ship’s send-off to its homeport is London in the United Kingdom (UK),...

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