SUBIC. The cruise ship World Dream docks for the third time this year at the Alava Wharf in the Subic Bay Freeport arrives on Wednesday, January 16. (Ric Sapnu)

THE Subic Bay Freeport expects to cement its reputation further as the newest cruise ship destination and top anchor tourist attraction in the country after six vessel have arrived here this month.

Subic welcomed for the third time this year the cruise ship World Dream, the flagship of the Chinese premium brand Dream Cruises owned by Genting Hong Kong that arrived here on Wednesday.

The ship is set to be back here on January 30 while another Subic regular, the Italian-flagged Costa Atlantica owned by Costa Crociere, has booked arrivals for January 15 and 29.

“Right now we’re experiencing a phenomenal influx of cruise ships, and this is really a strong start for Subic, which recorded 17 arrivals last year,” said Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma, who was among those who welcomed World Dream at the Alava Wharf here.

“We are very happy that our cruise ship program is really picking up, and this is just the start. By next month we hope to see more cruise ships coming in and some of them would be staying here in Subic overnight,” she added.

Jem Camba, manager of SBMA Tourism Department, said an average of 3,000 tourists disembark in Subic from each visiting cruise ship and then go on tours of various attractions in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City, Clark Freeport Zone, and the nearby provinces of Zambales and Bataan.

Among the favorite destinations of cruise ship passengers are the nature theme parks in Subic and historical places in Bataan and Pampanga, she said.

Last year, the Central Luzon Regional Development Council cited the SBMA for developing Subic into a premier cruise ship destination in the country and noted that cruise ship arrivals in Subic had generated more than P85 million worth of economic activity in the first eight months alone.

Chairman Eisma said she expects a better record this year because of Executive Order No. 72 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last December.

Calling it a “game-changer for Subic and Region III,” Eisma said EO 72 is expected to bring in more visitors because it eased the entry of foreign nationals via the Subic sea ports and extended them a visa-free stay of 14 days similar to those entering though the Subic airport.

“This arrangement is less complicated, and thus we foresee that the resulting ease of travel would make Subic Bay an even bigger tourist magnet and anchor destination in Central Luzon,” she added.

Eisma also said the new measure would encourage the development of more tourism establishments in nearby parts of Region 3, which could make use of Subic as anchor destination and gateway.

“The EO, as well as all the support measures we get from the national government, dovetails with our strategy to develop Subic into an anchor destination that will help catalyze inclusive growth in the region,” Eisma noted.

“Subic and its neighboring areas are now coming up with curated experiences that they can commonly sell to tourists, specifically cruise ship passengers, so this way they can complement each other’s’ strong points,” Eisma said.

Source: sunstar.com.ph

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Local officials of Masinloc town in Zambales have secured a loan for the construction of the municipality’s Sanitary Landfill and Water System Project.

According to Facebook post of the municipal government on Friday, Mayor Arsenia Lim led the signing of the contract with Landbank for the loan program.

Vice Mayor Dady Enciso and members of the Municipal Council witnessed the signing.

Department heads from the municipal government were present as well.

Early this month, Lim led the groundbreaking ceremony for the sanitary landfill project located at Km 10 Baloganon.

The landfill project will cost P60 million.

Source: centralluzon.politics.com.ph

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Photo Credit: tripsavvy.com

MANILA, Philippines — A security guard at Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga province has been commended for her honesty after she returned a wallet containing more than P182,000 in cash last January 1, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported Friday.

In a Facebook post, DOTr said aviation security personnel Lorna Briosa, 32, reportedly found the wallet on the floor of nearby light post on New Year’s Day. She then turned over the wallet, which was apparently left behind by a passenger at the airport’s greeter’s area, to airport operations officers.

The money was then listed as a lost and unclaimed item. No identification card or document was found inside the wallet, the DOTr said.

The management of the airport lauded Brinosa for her action.

“We commend the honesty of Ms. Brinosa as other persons of lesser character might have kept the cash since the wallet has no ID of the owner,” Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President Jaime Alberto Melo said in a statement.

Melo then assured the public that Clark Airport follows a strict policy of immediately handing over or returning lost or abandoned items to their rightful owners.

The DOTr said CIA accommodates around 11,500 passengers daily and registers an average of 726 domestic and international flights weekly.

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

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A Social Weather Stations poll commissioned by environmental group Greenpeace reveals that 65 percent of Filipinos believe they are reckless in garbage disposal.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 16) — A new Social Weather Stations poll commissioned by environmental group Greenpeace found that most Filipino voters will opt for 2019 election candidates who will ban single-use plastics.

In the survey conducted in the third quarter of 2018, 73 percent of respondents said they would likely vote for a candidate who supports a law banning groceries, public markets, fast food chains and other establishments from giving out or using non-biodegradable plastic bags.

The same survey revealed that 82 percent of respondents will vote for candidates who will advocate strict implementation of solid waste management laws.

Majorities across all demographics would probably elect candidates advocating the environmental issues, the poll revealed.

It also revealed that 65 percent of Filipinos believe people are reckless in garbage disposal. Thirty-five percent of the survey respondents said there is inadequate waste management and infrastructure in the country, while 27 percent believe firms are producing more plastic products.

The poll also revealed that 69 percent of Filipinos believe the public should be more responsible in reducing plastic pollution in the country. Another 39 percent said plastic-producing firms should be responsible.

The survey was conducted on September 15 to 23 among 1,500 Filipino adults.

Source: cnnphilippines.com

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File photos show the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction-Philippines’ shipbuilding facility at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (inset) and workers posing next to a newly completed vessel.

MANILA, Philippines — Concerned about saving thousands of Filipino jobs, President Duterte is open to a government takeover of the Subic Bay shipbuilding facilities of the bankrupt Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday.

He revealed Duterte’s position during the plenary deliberations on the proposed P183-billion budget for the Department of National Defense, in reaction to Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri’s calling the Hanjin debacle a “golden opportunity” for the DND to operate the South Korean giant’s shipbuilding facilities and save thousands of jobs.

While expressing sympathy for Hanjin over its financial woes, Lorenzana said he found interesting Navy chief Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad’s idea of government taking over and managing the company’s shipyard so the country can build its own vessels.

“I brought this idea to the President last night and he is very receptive to the idea,” Lorenzana told senators.

Hanjin, the biggest foreign investor in the Subic Bay Freeport, declared bankruptcy last Jan. 8. The firm owes about $430 million to five of the country’s biggest banks, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Land Bank of the Philippines, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Corp., Bank of the Philippine Islands and Banco de Oro Universal Bank.

The defense chief said the matter was also discussed with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who expressed concern over how local banks would be able to recoup their investments in Hanjin.

Zubiri suggested the government take a majority stake in a private minority directly involved in the operations of the shipyard.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson suggested that a portion of the P75-billion alleged insertion in the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget this year be realigned to pay off the debts and later bid out a stake with private partners.

“What if the Philippine government will just take over Hanjin and bid out to possible partners, private entities? This will mean potential income for the government,” said Lacson, who also moved to have the Senate constitute itself into a committee of the whole to discuss the issue while tackling the DND’s budget.

He maintained that Hanjin’s plight would have far-reaching implications for Filipinos, ranging from security to economic and even social concerns.

In his proposal, Lacson said the Philippine government would continue to have income while the Philippine Navy may have a new facility.

He added appropriate agencies can hold consultations with the National Economic and Development Authority regarding partnerships between the government and a private entity.

But while the President and some of his officials are open to a government takeover of Hanjin’s Subic shipbuilding facilities, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the plan has to be thoroughly studied, as it would involve a “major shift” in the role of government.

“The role of government is to provide defense, national security and peace and order. It is not the role (of the government) to do the direct production of whatever they use,” Diokno said on the sidelines of the commissioning of two new fast patrol boats acquired from France for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The commissioning was held at the PCG headquarters on Roxas Boulevard.

“Can you imagine the military producing their own ships? That is a major decision, we have to discuss it,” he added. “I want to see the complete proposal.”

“That is still a suggestion,” Diokno said, referring to Lorenzana’s plan. “We have to go over the financials… I want to see the complete proposal.”

Source: philstar.com

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