Subic Bay Tourism Bureau

PAMPANGA, Philippines--The ongoing expansion of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark may prompt the conversion of the Subic Bay International Airport into a logistics and commercial area, according to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the agency was currently studying the possibility of permanently closing the airport and using it for otherpurposes.However, no final decision had been made on this.“We’re looking at the conversion of the airport (into a logistics and commercial area). With the developments at Clark, maintaining an airport at the Subic Freeport will not be feasible,” Arreza told reporters.He explained that for an airport the size of SBIA to at least break even, it needed to have 12-15 flights a day.“With the expansion of the Clark airport, it’s hard to imagine the Subic airport breaking even. It takes around P250 million a year to maintain the airport—P150 million for debt service and P80 million to P100 million for operational expenses,” he said.“When FedEx was still there, we were breaking even. Without FedEx, we are now losing money.”

 

 

US delivery giant Federal Express used Subic as its Asian hub for 14 years. However, it closed the Subic operations and transferred to Guangzhou, China in February last year.

About 800 direct and indirect workers lost their jobs due to the closure of FedEx in Subic.

The SBMA also lost some P150 million in annual revenue from leased airport facilities and daily aircraft landing fees.

Arreza said that even if there was no final decision yet on what to do with the airport, a number of investors had already expressed interest in how the area could be developed.

“The goal really is to eventually make Clark the country’s main airport. Subic could still be a subsidiary airport, but we’re still thinking about what to do with the airport,” he said.

The total area of Clark’s DMIA, at some 2,300 hectares, is around three times the size of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila.

Only a third of the total area is being utilized. Its two working runways, left by the United States Air Force, are long and big enough to accommodate wide-body aircraft.

The first phase of its expansion involved the construction of a P150-million passenger terminal that boosted annual capacity from 500,000 to two million passengers.

Kuwaiti firm Almal Investment Co. had proposed to develop the DMIA for $1.2 billion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines-- Fans of meteor showers might still be able to catch the annual Quandrantid meteor shower which is active this year from January 1 to 7.According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), skywatchers can train their eyes on the northeastern skies where the meteors are expected to radiate. To be exact, the meteors’ radiant would be located south of the Big Dipper.The agency said the meteors can be seen at the rate of at least 40 meteors per hour. The Quadrantid meteor shower hits the Earth’s atmosphere at the rate of about 40 kilometers per second. The showers are said to be incinerated dust apparently derived from the debris ejected by the near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH discovered in 2003.The Quadrantids are named after the now defunct constellation Quadrant Murales where the radiant was located during its discovery in 1835. Its alternative name, the Bootids refers to the modern constellation of Bootes where the shower appears to radiate.

 

 

 

 

During the preparations for the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress (21st PAC), disaster struck the country with Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng devastated many areas in Luzon, leaving the Advertising Cogress venue, Baguio City, inaccessible for a number of days. The organizers of the Ad Congress decided to look for an alternative venue since the strain of thousands of delegates and participants going to Baguio might weaken the infrastructure leading to nation’s summer and recreation capital. A new venue, Subic, Zambales, was selected and the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress found a new purpose, to dedicate the assembly to the victims of the Luzon calamities. Part of the proceeds of the 21st PAC will be donated to the Red Cross for rehabilitation efforts in Northern Luzon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines—No trees will be cut for any project inside the Subic Freeport, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Thursday.In a press conference, Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza also said his agency was taking control over environmental concerns in Subic.“There will be no tree-cutting in Subic. We need environmental accountability there and we are committed to protecting the trees,” he said.Atienza said the controversies “have put into question the ability of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to enforce environmental laws” inside the former US naval facility.In a statement, SBMA chief Armand Arreza said he respected the DENR decision to take over environmental concerns at the free port.“We also wish to reiterate that the SBMA remains committed to the protection of the environment and will seek the DENR’s reconsideration,” said Arreza.

 Source: Inquirer.net

 

 

He said the project should either be transferred to another site or should incorporate the trees.

On existing environmental compliance certificates, Atienza said the DENR will review all ECCs already issued by the SBMA.

A memorandum of agreement was signed in 2006 between the DENR and the SBMA granting powers to the SBMA to issue their own ECCs.

Last year, the South Korean-owned Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp., a shipbuilder, was assailed after it cut down to build one of its facilities.

In November, the Korean-owned firm that planned to build a $120-million casino hotel came under fire after its plan to cut down more than 300 trees was exposed.

The trees in both cases were part of areas in the former US naval facility considered as old-growth forests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump, 2 partners to invest over $1B in Subic.

The Trump Organization signed a memorandum of agreement with two of its partners, Korean firm Heung-A Property Group (HAPG) and Westgate Resorts Asia Ltd., for the construction of an integrated leisure, sports and entertainment facility.

“Our initial foray in the Subic Freeport zone signals the extreme confidence of various highly funded multinationals with respect to both the near and long- term economic and investment prospects in the Philippines,” Seung Guk Yang, chairman of Subic Neocove Corp. said.The billion dollar investment will be built in 457 hectare beachfront facility in Subic.Also expected to be competed first are the basic accommodations like the hotels, the school and the convention center.

Source: Philfaqs

LIVELIHOOD PRIORITY OF MAYOR BONG

The promotion of livelihood for Olongapeños is one of the projects that Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. focuses on as part of his “HELPS Program,” the letter "L" standing for Livelihood and labor.With the full support of First Lady and Zambales Vice Gov. Anne Marie Gordon, Mayor Bong Gordon wants to strengthen ‘self-employment’ and address both unemployment and underemployment, thus the creation of the Livelihood Cooperative Development Office (LCDO).The projects of the LCDO includes the ‘Gawang Gapo Product Exhibit’. ‘Gawang Gapo’ provides budding entrepreneurs the opportunity to display and sell their products at the lobby of the City Hall. In 2009, over sixty (60) exhibitors availed of the chance to showcase their products.Also, over one thousand (1,000) residents benefitted from the Livelihood Skills Training given by the LCDO like fish processing, fruit preserves making, herbal soap-making, balloon decorating, scented candle making, fashion accessories making and many others.

 

“Huwag lamang tayong umasa na maging empleyado sa mahabang panahon. Kailangan na tayo ang mag may-ari ng negosyo. “Kahit magsimula muna sa maliit na puhunan lamang,’’ Mayor Gordon said to the employees of the local government.

Meanwhile, First Lady Anne Marie Gordon herself directs and monitors the implementation of the livelihood and self-employment initiatives of Mayor Gordon to ensure success.

“Karaniwan sa mga dumadalo sa aming mga trainings ay ang mga maybahay, asawa ng mga OFWs at mga walang trabaho,” LCDO head Aileen Sanchez said. “Hindi lang basta skills ang itinuturo namin kundi pati mga tagubilin sa aspetong administrasyon, operational at pinansyal ng pagne-negosyo,” she said.

Apart from the skills seminars, the local government also assists Olongapeños coordinate with banks and other financial institutions for the capital they need to start up a business.

Mayor Gordon’s livelihood initiatives is expected to continue on through 2010 and thereafter.

 

 

 

 

 

  MANILA, Philippines—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard have signed an agreement that will bolster maritime safety within the Freeport, in a bid to encourage more investors to locate there.SBMA chair Feliciano Salonga called the agreement timely, considering that

more and more companies have been bringing their ships to Subic, instead of other ports in the country for repair and other services.The Subic Bay area is home to Korean shipbuilder Hanjin, as well as to the shi

p repair facilities of Subic Dock. The Philippine Shipping and Engineering Co. is also undergoing expansion in the area."We will deploy some of our vessels in Subic Bay to assist the SBMA in implementing maritime safety and humanitarian operations within and in contiguous areas of Subic Freeport,'' Coast Guard Commandant Wilfredo Tamayo said.

Source: Inquirer.net

 

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is clearly on the move to capture a larger share of the growing outbound tourist market worldwide with its aggressive tourism promotion program and the continuous development of tourism facilities in this free port.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said Subic's tourism thrust will be boosted further when the free port hosts the 8th Philippine Incentive Marketing Conference (PIMC) this April.

"This is an event institutionalized in 1994 by the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC), and the Movement of Incentive Travel Executives (MITE) to continually upgrade the standards and quality of services of existing tourism facilities and services in the country," explained Arreza.Figures from the SBMA Tourism Department indicate that the number of foreign and local tourists increased considerably over the last two years. Source: SubiwNewsLink

 

 

‘Water Bonsai’, ProudlyY “Gawang Gapo”

Source: SubicBayNews

Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. recently acknowledged before the city government officials and employees Edwin Dela Torre who    introduced to the city the ‘Water Bonsai Plant’ technology during the flag raising ceremony held at the Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Covered Court.

Dela Torre hails from General Santos in Mindanao and settled in Olongapo in 1989. Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. recently acknowledged before the city government officials and employees Edwin Dela Torre who    introduced to the city the ‘Water Bonsai Plant’ technology during the flag raising ceremony held at the Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Covered Court.

 

Dela Torre hails from General Santos in Mindanao and settled in Olongapo in 1989.


“Dati nag-aalaga lang ako, isa, dalawa, natutuwa lang ako na tingnan, nadiscover ko ito noong 2006 . Itong November ay nafeature nga itong Water Bonsai sa ‘Gawang Gapo’ ni Mayor Gordon,” Dela Torre said.

Dela Torre’s ‘Water Bonsai Plant’ was featured at the Gawang Gapo Booth of the city on November 17-21, 2008.

ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda featured Dela Torre’s product on December 4, 2008 where Dela Torre introduced the water bonsai plant to the viewers of the show with program hosts Donita Rose and Edu Manzano.

“Ang ‘Water Bonsai’ ay di lamang simpleng tanim, pwede rin itong gawing decorasyon sa bahay at panregalo sa mga kaibigan,” Dela Torre added.

“Ang kilalang ‘Bonsai Plant’ ay kalimitang tumutubo sa paso, ngunit itong ‘water bonsai’ ay nabubuhay sa pamamagitan ng ‘formulated mineral water’ , kahit hindi maarawan ay tutubo ito sa tubig lamang,” Dela Torre explained.