The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) reaffirmed on Wednesday their partnership as global gateways to boost development in the Central Luzon region and to propel national economic growth.

Speaking during the CIAC 2017 Roadshow here, SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma and CIAC President and CEO Alex Cauguiran expressed their continuing commitment to work hand-in-hand towards regional growth and outlined their vision for a more effective partnership.

CIAC President Alex Cauguiran (right) and SBMA Chief Marketing Executive Ronnie Yambao give “thumbs up” signs to show unity between the Subic and Clark free ports in undertaking their joint development roles for the Central Luzon region.

“President Duterte has always emphasized that he wants to connect Clark and Subic free ports in order to turn Central Luzon into a major logistics hub,” Eisma said in a message read by SBMA Chief Marketing Executive Ronnie Yambao. “And this is how it really should be.”

“As world-class gateways, Clark International Airport and the Port of Subic can and should serve as the twin turbo-engine of growth for Central Luzon, a super duo – if I may call it – that can help alleviate urban blights like vehicular traffic and port congestion in Metro Manila,” Eisma added.

Eisma also pointed out that by coordinating the operations of Clark airport and Subic seaport, CIAC and the SBMA can serve the needs of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMs), as well as large manufacturing industries in the region; spur growth in tourism and the MSMEs and big industries through the efficient movement of people, goods, and services to and from Central Luzon and other parts of the country; and create more employment and livelihood opportunities in the region.

“So as you can probably surmise, our only option is to work effectively, efficiently, and harmoniously together if we are to support and fulfill the President’s agenda for Subic and Clark,” Eisma added.

For his part, Cauguiran emphasized the need for a common development platform between Clark and Subic, as well as the nearby communities, so that they may fulfill their roles in the national development agenda.

“We are promoting not only Clark, but also Subic Bay and the provinces of Bataan and Zambales,” Cauguiran said, adding that this is in line with the vision of President Duterte to decentralize development and disperse growth to different regions in the country.

Cauguiran, who served as member of the Philippine panel that negotiated air service agreement with other countries in the world, said that as early as six years ago, he was already batting to maximize the use of the airports in Clark and Subic because the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila was already overloaded.

“I said that we should open other airports,” Cauguiran recalled saying. “We should make (the Clark and Subic) airports night-rated, give them entitlement, develop their terminal, and develop their runway.”

“And I believe that the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) has entitlement to develop and fully utilize its airport because I always make sure that what will be put in the proposal will include not only Clark but Subic and other airports outside NAIA,” he added.

The Subic Bay Freeport and the Clark Freeport are now considered the prime catalysts of economic progress in Central Luzon and the biggest generators of livelihood opportunities for residents of communities devastated by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 and the subsequent withdrawal of US military forces the following year from the former Subic Naval Base and Clark Airforce Base.

Because of this, Eisma likewise stressed that Subic and Clark “are not competitors, but members of the same national team.”

“As separate entities, we are no doubt expected to accomplish a lot, but together we are also expected to do much, much more,” the SBMA official said.

First Published: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

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The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has placed the entire Subic Bay Freeport Zone on heightened security alert on Friday (June 2) to protect workers, business locators and residents and to ensure an atmosphere of safety in the area.

SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma said the security alert has been implemented “only as a precautionary measure to ensure everyone’s safety.”

The entire Subic Bay Freeport Zone on heightened security, as a precautionary measure to ensure everyone’s safety.

With this, she said the SBMA has placed members of its SWAT Team at the Freeport gates, and augmented by personnel from the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police (PNP-SAF).

“At this stage, and taking into consideration what has been happening in certain parts of the country in recent days, we have to make certain that Subic remains safe as there is a large concentration of people here, including a lot of foreigners,” Eisma explained.

“We cannot err on the side of caution. We now have SWAT and SAF teams, but mainly to show everyone that we are ready for any eventuality. These officers are there to ensure public safety,” she added.

At the same time Eisma asked public cooperation in the enforcement of stricter security measures.

She also called on all stakeholders in the Subic Bay area to be vigilant and to help Subic authorities ensure a peaceful atmosphere that is conducive to business.

“Subic is our home, so let us help one another in keeping it safe for everyone. As always, we need your malasakit so that we may continue to make Subic a better place for everybody,” Eisma also said.

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Wilma T. Eisma has called for “cooperation in the enforcement of stricter security measures” after placing this Freeport on “highest alert” on Friday, even as President Rodrigo R. Duterte is set to visit today (Sunday).

President Rodrigo Duterte at Subic Bay. Image from PIA Gitnang Luzon / Facebook

“The declaration of red alert is a simple precautionary measure to ensure the safety and security of our investors, residents, employees, and our kababayans,” Eisma said in a texted message to Subic Bay News.

This came after the arrest here on Tuesday (May 30) of three (3) suspects in the bombing on May 6, 2017 of the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila that claimed two (2) lives and injured several others.

The SBMA LED has identified those arrested as Pakistani national Aamir Shahad Khan, 38, owner of a trading company operating here in the Subic Freeport, his employees Halid C. Macatuno, 39, and Jo Anne M. Palmiano.

According to Eisma, the arrest was “the result of close coordination and operation with my office, SBMA LED (Law Enforcement Dept.), led by CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), (which has been) going on for weeks.”

However, Eisma said she has been advised as of Thursday night that Khan, Macatuno and Palmiano have already been “released due to lack of evidence.”

Earlier, Police Director Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) National Capital Region (NCR), has said in a media briefing that there is no indication that the Quiapo blasts were “terrorists-related” nor connected to another explosion in Quiapo in April, also this year.

Nevertheless, Eisma raised the security status of the Subic Bay Freeport to “highest alert,” deploying the SBMA’s Special Weapons & Tactics (SWAT) personnel to man the gates, “augmented by PNP SAF (Special Action Forces)”

“Taking into consideration what has been happening in certain parts of the country in recent days, we have to make certain that Subic remains safe as there is a large concentration of people here, including a lot of foreigners,” Eisma explained.

“We cannot err on the side of caution,” she added.

Meanwhile, President Duterte will be arriving here this afternoon to tour the Japanese helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH-183) which will also arrive today with the guided missile destroyer JS Sazanami for a goodwill visit.

First Published: subicbaynews.net

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Senator Cynthia Villar and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Wilma Eisma both expounded on the importance of protecting the environment to sustain the growth of the tourism industry in the country, as the three-day 2017 Subic Ecotourism Festival opened here on Monday at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

The two women leaders told festival participants that tourism cannot be sustained without caring for the environment, and that sustainable development needs commitment from the people.

SBMA Administrator Wilma T. Eisma welcomes participants to the 2017 Ecotourism Festival at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

“At the heart of sustainable tourism is protection of the environment,” Villar, a long-time advocate of environmental protection, declared during the event.

“Tourism without environmental preservation and protection is not sustainable,” she added, citing her project, the Las Piñas-Zapote River Rehabilitation Program, which gave birth to several livelihood projects where water lilies, plastics and other used materials that clogged rivers were turned into handicrafts pieces and even furniture.

“Today, we are focusing our efforts in establishing the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat, and the Las Piñas Wetland Park as eco-tourism destinations,” Villar also said.

Meanwhile, SBMA Administrator Eisma recalled how the more than 8,000 volunteers of the Subic Bay Freeport cleaned up and safeguarded the former Subic Naval Base after the US Navy left in 1992.

Calling them heroes of local ecotourism, Eisma said the volunteers showed their “malasakit” (caring) and “kusang-loob” (initiative) without being paid for their work, thus helping in transforming Subic into what it is today.

“Malasakit and kusang-loob are the benchmark of ecotourism. You put your foot forward without expecting any in return, because at the end of the day, this is your home,” she added.

Eisma also stressed the importance of being responsible tourists, and of being aware of the negative impacts that tourists may bring to the places they visit.

“We can enjoy the place, but please be responsible. Ecotourism is all about sustainability and responsibility is sustainability,” she added.

The 2017 Subic Ecotourism Festival was organized by Subic International School for Sustainable Tourism headed by Dr. Mina Gabor, in celebration of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

With the theme “Ecotourism Driving Sustainability: ASEAN and Beyond”, the event brought together sought-after speakers from the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN), including chairperson Glen Jampol, as well as experts from Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN) and other top tourism icons and specialists from all over the globe.

The speakers who come from USA, Costa Rica, Jordan, Thailand, Australia Japan and other Asian nations were scheduled to speak on such topics as general tourism, architecture, and ecotourism site development.

Participants are also set to visit ecotourism sites in Subic and the Green Grand Canyon in Pampanga on the last day of the festival.

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Subic Bay Metropolitan (SBMA) Chairman Martin Diño warned crooked businessmen not to use the Subic Bay Freeport for their smuggling operation, adding that the Subic agency will not spare anyone in its campaign against corruption.

Diño issued the warning as he announced the seizure of a 10-wheeler truck (RNK 394) loaded with 36 units of used industrial sewing machine and other office equipment with an estimated total value of P2.65 million.

The cargo was declared as assorted scrap materials from the Subic Bay Apparel Corp., a company which has closed at the Naval Magazine area here. The cargo was declared as worth only P10,000.

Diño said that SBMA law enforcers and personnel of the Bureau of Customs (Port of Subic) stopped the cargo truck last Friday, May 19, after its driver Roel Taloban, 24, of New Cabalan, Olongapo City, failed to show a clearance from the Bureau of Customs (BoC).

Diño added that because of the incident, BoC CIIS Lt. Gino Minguilian asked Subic authorities to review the documents and CCTV footages of haulers exiting the Freeport gate at Tipo Road.

From these it was found that on May 11, 12 and 15, five other hauling trucks loaded with 109 heavy duty sewing machines, computers, office chairs, 300 rolls of fabric and other materials, have passed through Tipo Road. The cargoes were reportedly transported to the San Simon Industrial Park in Pampanga.

“We will know who were involved in this, where it passed, or whether this was happening regularly,” Diño also said. “This time we are sending a clear signal to all businessmen, as well as our people at the gate, that the SBMA is serious in stopping smuggling here.”

The SBMA official further said that he is consulting now with the agency lawyers to find ways on how to run after smugglers.

“Definitely, like what we are doing at the VACC (Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption), there will be heads rolling here,” he assured the media.

Meanwhile, Minguilian said that he has already relieved BoC personnel who were assigned in Tipo at the time when the trucks in question passed the Freeport gate.

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