Former Olongapo mayor Paulino takes over as SBMA chairman

A new head of agency took over the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) today after being appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday.

Former Olongapo City mayor Rolen Paulino Jr., one of the historic SBMA volunteers who propelled the Subic Bay Freeport’s economic miracle in 1992, became the eighth SBMA chairman and administrator, replacing Wilma T. Eisma who resigned on Tuesday.

Paulino took his oath of office in Malacañang before Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea also on Tuesday.

The new SBMA chief is expected to usher in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone into normalcy in face of the waning Covid-19 pandemic.

In his first day at work, Paulino met with department managers of the Subic agency, as well as officials of the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce—marking his priority as the sustainability of business operations here.

“We need to chart a new course for Subic post-pandemic,” Paulino said on Wednesday. “As we all know, the Covid-19 health crisis also made a deep impact on business and productivity in this Freeport, so a lot of corrective measures need to be in place.” 

“I intend to tap the cooperation and support of all stakeholders in the Freeport and in the surrounding communities so that we can attract more business, employ more people, and make full economic recovery as soon as possible,” he added.

He added that he would pursue an inclusive policy so that SBMA programs and facilities would benefit more residents in nearby communities.

Paulino on Wednesday asked the SBMA board of directors to cancel the entrance fee to Remy Field, a popular sports venue here, so that residents, especially athletes and health enthusiasts, can use it freely. The SBMA previously charged an entrance fee of P20 for the upkeep of the facility.

“’Yung konting paglalaro ng mga bata, h’wag na nating singilin pa. Maliit na halaga ang entrance fee, kumpara sa mararamdaman nila na sa kanila ang Subic Bay Freeport,” Paulino said.

Paulino was first elected mayor of Olongapo City in 2013 and later on won another two successive terms. His son Rolen Jr., who is the incumbent mayor, succeeded him in 2019. (MPD-SBMA)

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Statement of Atty. Wilma T. Eisma on her resignation as SBMA Chairman & Administrator

 

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SBMA posts historic P387-M income in January

Boosted by a resurging seaport trade, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recorded an income of P387 million last January, the highest monthly revenue ever recorded in the Subic agency’s almost 30 years of history.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the operating revenue posted in January 2022 was higher by 92 million, or 31%, compared to that in the same period last year.

The highest monthly revenue previously recorded by the SBMA was P358 million in “pre-pandemic” June 2019. The other record highs were P343 million in December 2021; P337 million in October 2020; P324 million in October 2018; and P298 million in July 2017.

This record-breaking income in January, Eisma said, was accompanied by other positive indicators: an 11% increase in operating expense that was higher by P10 million; a 41% growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); and a 20% increase in net income before tax with subsidy, which at P222 million was higher by P38 million.

Eisma pointed out that SBMA’s seaport operations alone contributed P221.4 million, with P91.62 million from cargo charges; P75.32 million in SBMA share from terminal income; P34.17 million in leases and rentals; and P12.28 million in vessel charges.

“We are hoping that this January record will be a foretaste of what’s to come in the succeeding months, as we ease down into normalcy with the waning Covid-19 pandemic,” said Eisma.

The SBMA, she added, “has really set its sights higher this year, especially with seaborne trade, after realizing an actual increase in container cargo traffic even at the height of the pandemic in 2021.”

According to a profit and loss statement from the SBMA Financial Planning and Budget Department, other than the P221 million from seaport operations, the agency’s January 2022 revenue of P387 million was enhanced by P111 million in land and building leases; P28 million in regulatory income; P8 million in housing leases; P6 million in airport operations; P.67 million in tourism collections; and P12 million in miscellaneous income.

Although land and building leases suffered a 1.8% decrease from its 2020 level of P113 million, it still contributed P64.73 million in land leases and P45.98 million in building leases this year, said SBMA budget officer Edith Marzal.

The slight decline in land and building leases was easily offset by a 65% increase in seaport income, a 35% rise in housing leases, and a 20% growth in miscellaneous income, Marzal added. 

She also said that SBMA airport operations income likewise showed a 6% increase in January 2022 compared to last year’s record, while regulatory fees grew by 8%, and tourism income by 48%.

Meanwhile, the SBMA reported an aggregate 11% increase in its expense accounts with P67 million in manpower payroll services; P12 million in debt servicing; P10 million in occupancy costs; P1 million in repair and maintenance; P.07 million in advertising and promotion; and P14 million in various services.

The single biggest item in SBMA expenses was manpower cost for regular employees, which stood at P64.7 million, followed by contractual services at P14 million. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA bullish over Subic seaborne trade with MSC maiden call

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is expecting a stronger position in regional seaborne trade this year following the maiden port call here last Wednesday of the shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), as well as the revived port visit of the Taiwanese shipping line Wan Hai.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the weekly port calls here of MSC, the world’s largest shipping company in terms of capacity, will further boost Subic’s trade capacity, which already generated US$1.58 billion in imports and US$1.03 billion in exports last year.

“My dream for the Subic Bay Freeport is for it to be among the top 50 biggest ports like Shanghai or Singapore. The fact that MSC, which is now the world’s largest container shipping line, chose Subic to be in its trade route not only gives Subic access to the world and vice versa, but also brings us one more step closer to that goal,” Eisma said.

She added that this year, the SBMA aims to generate an import value of US$1.77 billion and export value of US$1.42 billion, as the global economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic begin easing down.

MSC, which operates in all major ports in the world, began its Subic schedule to expand its Seahorse Service loop in Southeast Asia with the voyage of the MSC Sotiria III to Subic on Feb. 23. The 2,475-TEU container ship arrived at Subic’s New Container Terminal after a swing to the port of Manila on Feb. 21.

The maiden port call was attended by MSC general manager Pankaj Patki, SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Operations Ronnie Yambao, Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) CEO Justin C. Tolentino, and representatives of various shipping and logistics agencies and clientele.

Patki said the MSC Seahorse Service trade loop will call on Subic on a weekly basis with three container ships on rotation to provide comprehensive port coverage within Asia.

“MSC feels that there is a huge potential for growth, and we would like to cater to customers in this region who currently have had to travel all the way to Manila to load their cargoes,” Patki said, adding that more ship calls in Subic will be established in the near future.

The MSC Seahorse Service trade loop includes Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, Manila, Subic, Kaohsiung, Vung Tau and then back to Tanjung Pelepas. Singapore and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia both serve as major transshipment hubs for the Swiss shipping line and connect the rest of the Asian trade loop to Western and European trade services.

SBMA’s Yambao, meanwhile, pointed out that MSC is the 25th shipping line to service the port of Subic.

“This is an important milestone for Subic Bay and the shipping industry in general because it is an opportunity for the Freeport to be known globally in terms of logistics capability,” he said.

Yambao added the MSC is expected to service the needs of business locators not only in Subic, but also in Clark, Bataan and the rest of the economic zones in north Luzon.

MSC’s arrival came after the return of Wan Hai Lines, a Taiwanese company which previously cancelled its port rotation here due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It recently reopened its Subic Express Service (SES) route that includes Shekou, Subic, Batangas, Manila, Cebu, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Hong Kong.

The port of Subic currently has a container cargo capacity to 600,000 TEUs and also caters to different types of cargo like grain, dry bulk, and oil and petroleum.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 2021 report indicated the “predominance of Asia as a leading maritime freight area.” It said that in 2020, Asian ports loaded around 4.4 billion tons of goods, or over 41.3% of total goods loaded in ports worldwide, and received 7.0 billion tons, or 65.5% of total goods discharged worldwide. (MPD-SBMA)

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Subic spurs investor interests in Dubai trade mission

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has successfully pushed the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as a sustainable and competitive business and industrial center in the Philippines during a recent trade mission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

As a result, Subic has sparked strong investor interest in the fields of cargo logistics, renewable energy, aviation, vaccine manufacturing, and compliance solutions during business meetings held in the emirate city of Dubai on February 9 to 14, said SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma in a report to President Duterte.

Among the groups that Eisma discussed business potentials in Subic with are the Abu Dhabi Ports, a logistics operator and manager of industrial zones and ports in the UAE, and the Philippine Business Council of Dubai and Northern Emirates, which promotes cooperation among business communities in Dubai, the Northern Emirates and the Philippines.

Eisma also offered the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) as an alternative hub for the UAE flag-carrier Emirates during a meeting with Orhan Abbas, the firm’s senior vice president for the Far East. “This might increase the number of commercial flights from Dubai to the Philippines and from the Philippines to Dubai,” she added.

During the Dubai sojourn, Eisma likewise attended the Philippine Country Business Briefing headed by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on Feb. 11, and participated the following day in the Philippine National Day, which was attended by thousands of Filipinos in Dubai.

“We have high hopes that Subic got the attention of major industry members in the UAE, especially with the endorsement we received from the Philippine Business Council of Dubai and the Northern Emirates,” Eisma said on Tuesday.

SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Operations Ronnie Yambao, who joined Eisma in Dubai, said the Subic team briefed businessmen and venture capitalists on trade opportunities in Subic during the weeklong mission and promoted it as a premier investment destination in the Southeast Asian Region.

On Feb. 9, Eisma’s team had a productive meeting with Suchit Kapoor, business director of the Abu Dhabi Ports Company, and Dogus Durhan, business manager of the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, and discussed cargo expansion, integrated technology, and a business model design through partnership.

Next, Eisma met with Jon Salazar, founder and president of Gazelle Wind Power, a Dublin-based producer of hybrid floating offshore wind platform, for a possible project to drive Subic’s renewable energy program.

Eisma then went on to talk with Stephan Thomas, senior director and CFO of Group 42 (G42), an artificial intelligence and cloud computing company with interests in healthcare, finance, oil and gas, aviation, and hospitality. G42 was looking for partners for a joint venture to manufacture and distribute Covid-19 vaccines in the Philippine and the Southeast Asian region.

Following that, the SBMA team met with Angeline Rivera, sales and marketing manager of Prime Group, a leading quality and compliance solutions provider in Asia, Middle East and Africa. Rivera said their company is considering Subic for its expansion program.

Lastly, Eisma coordinated promotion of the Subic Bay Freeport in the UAE with Prof. Gau G. Raganit, chairman of the Philippine Business Council of Dubai and Northern Emirates, which promotes trade among business communities in Dubai, the Northern Emirates and the Philippines. (MPD-SBMA)

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PAL ends repatriation flights via Subic Freeport

After almost nine months of flying home overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other returning Filipinos via this free port, the Philippine Air Lines (PAL) landed its last “Bayanihan” repatriation flight here on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

The last flight into Subic consisted of 77 passengers from Koror City in Palau, an archipelago of islands southeast of the Philippines with a substantial population of Filipino contract workers.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the government’s repatriation flights to Subic Bay was stopped after aviation authorities increased the capacity of inbound international passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) when Covid-19 restrictions were eased.

“So, there’s no more need for PAL to reroute OFW flights via Subic. It is a bittersweet moment for us because PAL’s repatriation flights here somewhat revived our airport operations and brought much- needed income to Subic hotels during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Eisma said on Tuesday.

“Still, the lifting of passenger capacity limit at the NAIA is a sign that we are going back to normal and this is most welcome,” she added.

Eisma said that at the height of the government OFW repatriation program, Subic was connected to 10 cities and major destinations in the Indo-Pacific area. These are Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia; Bahrain; Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE; Doha in Qatar; Macau, Palau, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Diego Garcia.

She added that the use of Subic as an alternate port of since July last year has resulted in increased international aircraft and passenger movements, as well as improved income for the Subic airport.

According to Zharrex Santos, manager of the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA), PAL has made a total of 82 repatriation flights here since July when the SBIA was made an alternative hub under a government program to facilitate the return of OFWs during the Covid-19 pandemic. These did not include nine flights diverted to the nearby Clark Airport due to inclement weather.

With the 82 Bayanihan flights, a total of 20,522 passengers were processed through the Subic airport, then brought to Subic hotels for mandatory quarantine.

As of Feb. 6, the SBIA has generated more than P4.2 million in direct income from the PAL repatriation flights, Santos said.

Meanwhile, PAL consultant Charlie Yu expressed his gratitude to the SBMA, Bureau of Immigration (BOI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard, Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA), and the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) for handling the repatriation program via the Subic airport.

He also thanked quarantine hotels and other tourism stakeholders in the Subic Freeport for their support and service to the inbound OFWs and other returning Filipinos who flew home through Subic. (MPD-SBMA)

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Subic Freeport Covid-19 cases drop to zero

The number of active Covid-19 cases in this special economic zone plunged to zero on Wednesday, February 9, after surging for three weeks in January when health authorities confirmed nationwide transmission of the Omicron variant.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said there was not any new case of Covid-19 here since then for both Subic Freeport residents and transient workers or guests, although two active cases remained among SBMA employees.

“This is a good sign. It looks like the Omicron surge has peaked last month, and that our vaccination program is really helping to arrest local infection,” Eisma said.

“Still, there is no reason to put our guards down. We must continue observing health protocols because this is the surest way out of the pandemic,” she added.

Data released by the SBMA on Wednesday showed that 39 residents of the Subic Bay Freeport, 14 transient workers, and 27 SBMA employees recently recovered from Covid-19 infection after quarantine and treatment, leading to the lowest case record in more than a month.

Said recovered residents tested positive between January 19 and February 1, while the recovered guest workers were infected between January 23 and January 21.

The SBMA employees, meanwhile, tested positive between January 23 and 31. The SBMA continues to monitor cases among its employees and reports on them even when these properly fall under the care of local government units where the employees reside, Eisma explained.

Dr. Solomon Jacalne, who heads the SBMA Public Health and Safety Department (PHSD), said the surge in Covid-19 cases here was consistent with Department of Health (DOH) findings that community transmission of the highly-infectious Omicron variant began in the second week of January.

“According to the DOH, 80% of the cases now are caused by the Omicron variant,” Jacalne said. “Again, this was consistent with our monitoring reports that those infected in Subic either travelled outside of the Freeport, or had some visitors coming in during the holidays,” he added.

PHSD monitoring indicated that the active cases began rising on January 1 when six Subic residents tested positive of the virus. By January 9, 36 residents were infected, and by January 18 a total of 78 active cases was recorded.

Among transient workers, meanwhile, the tally climbed from zero cases in January 1, to nine cases on January 9, and 17 cases on January 18.

Fortunately, most of those who fell ill only had mild symptoms and only four patients were admitted to the hospital, Jacalne said.

The cases began to taper off in the last week of January, dropping to only 27 active cases among residents as of January 28. At the same time, there were just 11 active cases among transient workers, and six among SBMA employees.

The total confirmed Covid-19 cases in Subic now stand at 421 for residents, 175 for transients, and 233 for SBMA employees. Meanwhile, the SBMA has recorded a total of 417 recoveries for Freeport residents, 171 for transients, and 224 for SBMA employees.

Despite the continuing downtrend, Jacalne also said that Subic stakeholders still need to continue with strict health protocols, and do only essential travel. “We cannot yet say that we’re at the end of a surge,” he added.

The SBMA, in partnership with the DOH, continues to roll out vaccines to residents, including those from outside the Freeport zone, with priority given to senior citizens for both basic and booster shots. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA records P3.47-Billion operating revenue

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) registered a revenue of P3.47 billion last year, capping the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic with an 8% growth in income and other major accomplishments in key performance areas.

In her 2021 annual report to President Duterte, SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said that “while a few indicators remain impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the general trend is upward where the SBMA was able to accelerate growth and surpass its performance in the previous year.”

Foremost among the top performances Eisma told the President about was the operating revenue of the agency, which stood at P3.47 billion for the period ending December 2021. This was P270M or 8% higher compared to revenue in the same period in 2020, she added.

Eisma pointed out that most of the SBMA revenue came from leases and port operations, with land and building leases growing by 2% and contributing P1.38 billion, and seaport operations growing by 14% and generating P1.37 billion.

She also reported that the agency’s regulatory income increased by 11% and provided P408 million in revenue, while airport operations grew by 26% and contributed P79 million.

The SBMA chief likewise provided positive reports in investment and employment generation, tourism, imports and exports.

She said the SBMA recorded a total of 142,177 Subic Bay Freeport workers as of December 31, showing an employment increase of 2.31% from 138,966 workers in 2020. SBFZ business locators, meanwhile, numbered 1,737 SBFZ as of December 31, “continuing a slight upward trend since 2019,” Eisma said.

She added that new investments, including expansions, totaled P17.29 billion, higher than the 2020 record by P15.74 billion, or 1,011%. The 2021 record even topped the pre-pandemic 2019 level by P8.05 billion, or 87%, with the bulk comprised by a P15-billion commitment from a business locator, which proposed to develop the SBFZ marshalling yard.

Meanwhile, Eisma said that the pandemic-hit tourism industry in Subic “is recovering and has recorded a total of 7.3 million same-day visitors in 2021.” This was also higher than the 2020 record by 2.18 million or 42%, but still lower than the 2019 record by 2.2 million or 23%.

In terms of trade, Eisma said the Subic Bay Freeport “defied the negative impact of the pandemic by recording a total of US$1.58 billion import value in 2021, which was 49.53% higher than the 2020 import value of US$1.12 billion.”

On the other hand, Subic’s export value reached a total of US$1.37 billion, which was 32.42% higher than the 2020 export value of US$1.03 billion. Both import and export values respectively exceeded the 2019 pre-pandemic records by 8.12% and 6.73%, Eisma added.

At the same time, Chairman Eisma reported to President Duterte that the Subic Bay International Airport, which was tapped by the Department of Transportation last year to accommodate “Bayanihan” flights has recorded a total of 53 flights as of December 31, bringing home a total of 14,312 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and returning overseas Filipinos, and generating P3.17 million in direct revenues for the SBMA.

Eisma likewise reported that the SBMA’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout, which was a joint project with the Department of Health, has resulted in the administration of 22,251 vaccine doses as of the end of 2021.

Eisma assured the President that the SBMA “is doing its best to be more competitive and maintain a business-friendly environment in the Freeport, as we continue to support all the programs of the government to ensure the well-being and safety of everyone in the Subic Bay Freeport.” (MPD-SBMA)

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Subic workforce grows to 142,177 in 2021

Despite some business difficulties during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of workers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone registered a continuing growth and reached a yearend total of 142,177 last year.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said Subic’s job generation effort was buoyed by new investments and expansions in the services and manufacturing sectors, which now respectively hire 72% and 15% of the current workforce in the Freeport.

Eisma said the 3,190 Subic-registered companies that now provide various services here employ a total of 102,540 workers, while 93 manufacturing firms have a total of 21,529 employees.

On the other hand, the 237 construction companies operating in Subic employ a total of 12,225 workers, while 112 companies engaged in shipbuilding and marine-related services hire a total of 5,884 workers.

 “It’s true that some of the companies here have closed or were forced to reduce their manpower complement because of the pandemic, but overall, the number of workers in Subic actually increased by 1.03% in 2020 and by 2.31% last year,” Eisma said.

“So, this means that Subic has been coping very well with the challenges posed by the current health crisis, and was finding new opportunities for businesses to survive and even prosper,” she added.

Eisma also pointed out that except for a .32% decrease in workforce count in 2009, the Subic Freeport has been riding an upward trend in job generation since 1999 when the total number of workers stood at 19,969.

“From there, our count continuously climbed to 55,875 in 2004; 88,450 in 2010; 112,653 in 2016; and finally, 142,177 in 2021,” Eisma said.

She added that even with the closure in 2019 of the Hanjin shipyard, which used to employ some 35,000 workers, Subic still registered a manpower increase of 1.37% that year.

“This was because job generation has been the top priority in Subic, as this was the reason for its being—to provide jobs, especially to those who lost theirs when the Subic Naval Base closed in 1992. And we’re proud that since then, Subic has been able to fulfill its mandate,” Eisma said.

According to SBMA Labor Department manager Melvin L. Varias, most of the workers employed in the Subic Freeport come from Olongapo City, which contributed a total of 62,201 or 43.75%, and Zambales, with 25,756 workers or 18.12% of the total.

Next is Bataan with 17,764 (12.49%); National Capital Region with 5,310 (3.73%); Pampanga, 4,388 (3.09%); Tarlac, 1,950 (1.37%); and other areas, 24,808 (17.45%).

Just last December, Varias said that a total of 2,062 workers were hired by Subic firms, mostly in the services (1,519) and manufacturing (494) sectors.

Varias said that as of December 2021, the Subic workforce is comprised of 101,113 male workers, or 71.12% of the total, and 41,064 females, or 28.88%.

He added that the biggest employers in Subic today are Datian Subic Shoes, Inc. with a total of 4,697 employees; Philippine Easepal Technology Ltd. Corp. with 2,766; EZ Set Tong Lung (Phils,) Metal Industry Co., 2,681; Sanyo Denki Phils. Inc., 1,375; and Exact Star Subic Bay Corp., 1,247 workers. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA gets tourism award for best pandemic practices

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has placed among the top 12 finalists in the award for “Best in Tourism Practice During the Pandemic” during the 22nd National Convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP).

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the Subic agency was recognized for its Covid-19 safety protocols that brought about a safe environment for “bubble” events in the Subic Bay Freeport in the past two years.

“This is only proof that the restrictions and safety standards that we practice like wearing masks, social distancing, disinfecting and most importantly the continuous vaccination of our stakeholders, are all working in ensuring the safety of our visitors,” Eisma said on Wednesday.

“Again, this only shows that our efforts in battling Covid-19 are paying off. Tourists and visitors feel safer to travel in Subic because we have kept our Covid cases low compared to other travel destinations,” she added.

Eisma also thanked ATOP and the Department of Tourism for recognizing the continuing efforts of the SBMA in keeping the Freeport safe not only tourists and visitors, but for business stakeholders as well.

The “Best in Tourism Practice During the Pandemic” award was given as a special category to highlight innovative tourism activities, as main or support operations to the safety of the community, during the times of Covid-19 pandemic. The SBMA competed for the award along with 32 other government agencies and local government units.

The tourism industry was considered the hardest-hit sector during the pandemic, thus necessitating resilient practices among stakeholders to sustain growth.

In the Subic Bay area, Eisma said the SBMA was the first to impose temperature scans at the onset of the pandemic, as well as strict entry protocols during lockdowns and high alert levels. Later on, it initiated a vaccination program for Freeport residents and workers to help keep Covid-19 infections at bay.

“In the course of implementing strict healthy safety practices, Subic became known as a safe haven for various sports events and conferences under the bubble concept,” Eisma pointed out.

“By placing premium on safety, we succeeded in attracting more business and find more opportunities to sustain the local economy,” she added.

SBMA records indicated that despite the ongoing pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions, the Subic Bay Freeport recorded an increase in same-day visitor arrivals by as much as 42% since the 2020 lockdown.

Tourist arrivals meanwhile increased by 141% while hotel occupancy almost doubled in number in 2021 compared to 2020 figures.

Eisma also credited the government’s crew-change and repatriation programs that made Subic a busy hub for the processing of incoming and outgoing seafarers, as well as overseas workers and other Filipinos arriving from abroad.

She said these programs saved the tourism industry in Subic amid pandemic travel restrictions. (MPD-SBMA)

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Subic ensures visitor safety with strict hotel protocols

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is now enforcing stricter safety protocols to ensure the health and safety of visitors to the Subic Bay Freeport amid the recent surge in Covid-19 infections.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said hotels and accommodation facilities here will now require guests to present negative results for Covid-19 antigen tests taken in the past 24 hours or RT-PCR tests released 48 hours prior to check-in.

The new requirement was made effective Monday, January 24, following Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines placing the surrounding areas of Zambales, Olongapo City, and Bataan under Alert Level 3 on January 6, Eisma said.

“While interzonal travel is allowed under Alert Level 3, we want to take the extra step in ensuring the health and safety of, not only our visitors in the Freeport, but also our local businesses, workers, and stakeholders,” Eisma said.

She added that the SBMA is also checking for vaccination cards among visitors entering the Freeport and required negative RT-PCR test results for the unvaccinated.  

Previous Alert Level 3 guidelines from the IATF did not require antigen or RT-PCR tests for interzonal travel except when required by establishments or event organizers. “However, because of the recent surge in Covid-19 infections, there is a need for us to enforce stricter measures for the sake of both visitors and locals, and to keep Subic businesses going,” Eisma stressed.

Recently, Olongapo City, which provides most of the workers in the Subic Bay Freeport, was named as one of the cities with the highest rate of Covid-19 infections. The Subic Freeport, meanwhile, logged 78 active cases for SBFZ residents and 17 for Freeport transient workers and guests as of January 18.

“This is why we have to be more vigilant, and why we should not relax our guard,” Eisma explained.

Along with the hotel requirements, the SBMA also reminded Subic business locators and stakeholders to report possible cases of Covid-19 to the SBMA Public Health and Safety Department, pointing out that failure to do so shall be grounds for the cancellation of their certificates of registration.

Eisma said that under Republic Act 11332, or the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act,” persons and entities who will not report Covid-19 cases or respond to Covid-19 health events may be fined from P20,000 to P50,000.

Business establishments in the Freeport were also required to announce to the public if they have been temporarily closed because of any recently confirmed Covid-19 case in their premises, she added.

Eisma said that both the SBMA and neighboring local government units have been increasing their target vaccinations and booster rollout to keep Covid-19 cases low and not overwhelm the healthcare system. “As the SBMA and neighbor-LGUs have proven well in the past, we are stronger together in every common undertaking,” she said.

She added that while the SBMA is not an LGU, it has initiated a vaccine drive primarily for Freeport employees, health workers, and residents. “At the end of the day, we can only beat Covid-19 if we practice malasakit and help each other,” she said.

The Subic chief also reminded the general public that while restrictions are in place, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is still very much open to everyone and will continue to be the premier business hub in this part of the country.

“As long as we follow the minimum health and safety standards like always wearing mask, keeping safe distance, frequent handwashing or disinfection, and, of course, getting vaccinated, we will get over this new surge as we have had before,” Eisma said. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA releases P140.6-M shares to neighbor LGUs

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) allocated a total of P140.6 million for the shares of local government units (LGUs) contiguous to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone during the second half of 2021.

SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma said these will be released to the eight neighboring LGUs next week.

The LGU shares are broken down as follows: P32,859,441.37 for Olongapo City; P21,145,468.61 for Subic, Zambales; P16,883,070.73 for San Marcelino, Zambales; P12,831,070.73 for Castillejos, Zambales; P11,968,060.18 for San Antonio, Zambales; P17,509,805.94 for Dinalupihan, Bataan; P15,003,180.96 for Hermosa, Bataan; and P12,402,469.66 for Morong, Bataan.

The shares, which are sourced from the five-percent taxes paid by business locators in the Subic Bay Freeport, are meant to promote parallel development in communities near the Freeport and enhance LGU projects in tourism, infrastructure, education, peace and order, health, and livelihood generation.

Eisma said the new allocation is 18 percent smaller than the LGU shares released in August last year, which totaled P166.16 million, but surpassed by more than 12 percent the P123.1 million total distributed in February 2021.

The LGU shares for the first half of the year is released in August, while that for the second half is released in February the next year.

Eisma said, however, that the SBMA will do away with the usual check-releasing ceremony as a precaution in face of the recent surge of Covid-19 cases nationwide, including in local communities.

“For the first time, I won’t be releasing the checks personally because I want to avoid crowding in pursuit of health protocols that we are enforcing in the Subic Bay Freeport. So, we advise LGU representatives to please claim their checks at the SBMA Treasury instead,” Eisma said.

According to SBMA records, the Subic agency has now distributed a total of P2.83 billion in LGU shares since 2011 when the SBMA started releasing shares directly to the LGUs. Previously, the distribution of LGU shares were coursed through the National Treasury.

The LGU shares are computed according to population (50%), land area (25%), and equal sharing (25%).

The biggest LGU beneficiary ever since is Olongapo City, which received a total of P672.73 million since 2011. It is followed by Subic, Zambales with P427.35 million; Dinalupihan, P353.89 million; San Marcelino, P341.03 million; Hermosa, P293.12 million; Castillejos, P255.68 million; Morong, P246.28 million; and San Antonio, P245.6 million. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA now requires vaccination cards for Subic entry

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Monday began checking for vaccination cards among persons entering the Subic Bay Freeport to prevent further transmission of Covid-19 in the area and maintain the health and safety of stakeholders in this vital economic zone.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said this is just one of the stricter measures implemented by the Subic agency after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) placed Olongapo City, along with Zambales, Bataan and 11 other areas in the country, under Alert Level 3 late last week.

Under the new SBMA guidelines, interzonal travel and intrazonal movement are allowed in Subic upon presentation of vaccination certificate showing completed doses. Meanwhile, unvaccinated persons would have to show negative RT-PCR test results taken with 24 hours prior to arrival in Subic, Eisma said.

Subic, which boasted of zero Covid-19 cases among its residents until Christmas day, had reported a total of 36 active cases just after the holidays.

“The rate of increase—36 cases in just two weeks—is quite alarming, so in consonance with IATF resolutions, we have put in place stricter border controls and prohibited certain activities that could further spread the virus,” Eisma said on Monday.

“I have ordered our law enforcement officers to be thorough in checking for vaccination cards at the gates because we cannot afford another lockdown that would curtail business and industry in Subic. We have to be strict because we have to keep the local economy running, too,” she added.

Eisma said the SBMA has considered interzonal travel as high risk because eight of the recent Covid-19 cases in the Freeport involved residents who reported travel to Metro Manila, while five said having visited other areas outside of the Freeport.

She added that monitoring by the SBMA Public Health and Safety Department showed that these 13 travelers had, in turn, transmitted the virus to 12 close contacts. Still two others were infected after receiving visitors from outside Subic.

Eisma said that aside from requiring vaccination cards at the gates, the SBMA also limited the access of some public areas only to fully-vaccinated individuals. These include venues for meetings and social events, amusement parks and recreation venues, visitor or tourist attractions, venues for in-person religious gatherings, as well as restaurants, and gyms and personal care shops, which should all take in customers at 30% of their indoor capacity and 50% for outdoors.

Unvaccinated persons, however, may be allowed in supermarkets and groceries where 30% maximum capacity should be maintained, and inside malls but “only for the purpose of accessing essential goods and services,” the SBMA chief said.

At the same time, the SBMA allowed 70% maximum capacity for public transportation; 30% indoor capacity for face-to-face classes in higher schools; and 60% on-site capacity for government offices.

Meanwhile, the SBMA prohibited the operation of karaoke bars, indoor entertainment venues, kid amusement places, and venues for contact sports except in bubble-type setup.

Eisma said the Subic agency will enforce other measures that will arrest the current surge of Covid-19 cases in the greater Subic Bay area while encouraging stakeholders to get vaccinated for either basic doses or booster shots.

“We intend to contain this upsurge with vaccines and sound science behind basic safety protocols like masking, handwashing and social distancing,” Eisma added. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA earns P65.73M from crew-change program

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has generated a total of P65.73 million in income from participating in the government’s crew-change program that facilitated the safe and speedy travel of Filipino and foreign seafarers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the additional revenue was realized after 16 months of processing seafarers following the designation of the Subic Bay Freeport as a crew-change hub in September 2020.

The total income came from the P14.64 million that was earned from September to December 2020, and the P51.09 million that was collected in the 12 months last year.

Eisma pointed out this did not include income earned by local hotels and other tourism-related businesses that provided quarantine rooms and other services for the disembarked seamen.

“The P65.7-million income is an additional windfall that SBMA earned by banking on Subic’s strict enforcement of health safety protocols,” Eisma noted.

“And it was realized after Subic took the opportunity—despite initial disapproval by some neighboring LGUs—to provide much-needed service at a time when only a few ports wanted to take in seafarers because of the virus threat,” she added.

Eisma said that the SBMA decided favorably on the crew-change project because it would not only bring crewmen home to their families, but would also help unlock congestion in ports and reboot the global supply chain that has been heavily impacted by the pandemic.

According to the SBMA Seaport Department, a total of 254 crew-change operations were undertaken in Subic in the 16 months since September 2020. These involved 62 vessels in 2020 and 192 ships in 2021.

On the average, around 12 to 15 ships arrive in Subic each month for crew change, said Seaport general manager Jerome Martinez. But on busy times as many as 25 ships could call in Subic in a month, as they did in June last year, or even 33 as they did last November.

The ships arrive either to take in new on-signers to refresh the crew, or disembark off-signers who must go on vacation or visit their families.

Martinez said that in the last 16 months, the port of Subic was able to process a total of 2,001 on-signers, of which 1,931 were Filipinos and 70 were foreigners of various nationalities.

At the same time, a total of 1,927 off-signers came onshore through Subic. These included 1,743 Filipinos and 184 foreigners, Martinez said.

The seafarers arrived in all kinds of ships like the MT Dapeng Star, a liquified natural gas tanker which was the first vessel to call in Subic under the crew-change program; MV Mindoro, a Panama-flagged vehicles carrier; MT Jason, a chemical tanker from Marshall Islands; MT Euro Integrity, a Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker; MV Nine Eagle, a Panama-flagged livestock carrier; and CS Cable Retriever, a dredging and cable-laying ship based in Singapore.

Aside from Subic and the Manila South Harbor, the other designated crew-change hubs in the country are in the port of Batangas, Port of Cebu, Port Capinpin in Orion, Bataan and Port of Sasa in Davao.

Under the crew change program, disembarking seafarers have to quarantine in facilities designated under the One Stop Shop (OSS) for Seafarers until testing negative in RT-PCR Covid-19 test which is taken on the sixth day after arrival. (MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA conducts emergency exercises to ensure port security

Port stakeholders inside this premier special economic zone periodically conduct simulation exercises to test emergency response capability and plans, as well as further hone systems and procedures for various emergency scenario.

The latest was the Port Security Emergency Response Exercise at the New Container Terminal (NCT) to test procedures and contingency plans for security breach.

SBMA Seaport Department Safety Specialist Diego Aviles said the exercise was spearheaded by the SBMA and implemented with the Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC), which operates the container port.

The exercise was observed by the PNP Maritime Group 3, the Coast Guard Olongapo Substation, as well as representatives from the Leyte Port Facility, SRF Port Facility, SSTI Boton Port Facility, and PPC Boton Port Facility.

“The exercise is part of the goal of the SBMA Seaport Department to ensure port security,” Aviles said, pointing out that the program has four objectives that must be met: activate port security advisory committee (PSAC) in the Port of Subic; test the capabilities of emergency responders; test communications and coordination; and check resource availability and response.

The exercise scenario placed a moving craft that was sighted at the waters near the NCT. Whereupon the Subic Port Communications called the attention of the watercraft via radio communication for proper identification, but failed.

"As the craft reaches the NCT port, the Port Communications should alert the port facility safety officer (PFSO), including the SBMA Law Enforcement Department," Aviles said.

Aviles said that participants of the simulation exercise “passed with flying colors,” as all concerned offices put out the appropriate quick response to the security threat.

Early on, the SBMA and various stakeholders in the maritime sector also conducted an Oil Spill Simulation Exercise at the Boton Wharf to strengthen capabilities in emergency response.

Aviles said the exercise successfully tested the capabilities of the Boton port facility, as well as identify concerns and needed resources to sustain the oil spill response operation, activate the Seaport Emergency Response Team, and measure the deployment of the oil spill equipment and response time.

The SBMA Seaport Department said that at least nine shipping lines regularly make ship calls in the Subic, which also receives port visits by military ships from time to time. The increasing number of ship-calls due to growing container traffic here calls for top-notch port security procedures and emergency action plans, SBMA officials said. (MPD-SBMA)

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