A global cruise vacation company that operates in more than 500 destinations on all the seven continents is now eyeing the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as a regular cruise itinerary for its growing Asian market.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Wilma Eisma said the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), which owns and operates three global brands, had sent its Vice President for New Business Development John Tercek to assess Subic’s readiness as a cruise ship destination.

Oasis of the Seas, one the cruise ships operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., is said to have revolutionized cruising because of its ground-breaking design that includes seven distinct neighborhoods.

“The Subic Freeport is now ready to meet the demands of the cruise tourism market, as we have been successful in this regard past when cruise ships like Clipper Odyssey, Spirit of Adventure, and the Hanseatic came to Subic,” Eisma said.

“But now we could be looking at a regular schedule by Royal Caribbean, so we’re really excited with this prospect,” she added.

Tercek, who was accompanied by officials of the Department of Tourism on his July 1-2 visit in Subic, said the RCCL is catering to 2 million Chinese cruise passengers per year and is now developing new market destinations.

“If ready, we are considering the Subic Freeport as one of the nearest stops from Southern China to help address the cruise market demand,” he added.

Tercek made an ocular inspection of Alava Wharf here and received a briefing from Eisma on the heritage and history of Subic as a former naval base and one of the most successful cases of military base conversion in the world. He was also updated on tourism business potentials in Subic, as well as neighboring communities in Central Luzon.

Tercek told Eisma during the visit that Subic has all the elements necessary for a cruise ship destination.

“I can see the potential of Subic Freeport as a conventional cruise ship destination,” he said. “But as we build bigger ships, you have to step up to address the demand.”

Tercek said if the port facilities are ready, the RCCL usually starts with five ship calls per year for a destination with 3,000 to 5,000 passengers each. In the case of Subic, where there is good weather from November to April, however, it will be possible to have from five up to 30 ship calls, he added.

Tercek, who has created shore-side infrastructure projects and ventures to support RCCL’s strategic growth objectives, likewise reminded SBMA and DOT officials that as the cruise industry starts to build bigger ships, “you have to prepare your port facilities to meet the market demand.”

He added that RCCL looks forward to supporting infrastructure development that will compliment cruise tourism development in Subic, just like what they did in Vietnam.

Tercek, who was a partner in a Wall Street real estate investment firm, now leads in the development and management of RCCL’s interests in ports and commercial facilities around the world and is in charge of determining the viability of the frim’s deployment in the region, as well as investment opportunities for cruise-related facilities and services.

As a global cruise vacation company, RCCL owns and operates three global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. It also has interests in the German brand TUI Cruises, the Spanish brand Pullmantur, and the SkySea cruises.

First Published: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

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Olongapo City— Alas 5:20 ng umaga nang makatanggap ng tawag ang BFP Olongapo tungkol sa isang sunog na sumiklab sa Caron St. Brgy West Bajac-Bajac, Olongapo City.

Ulat ni Lolito Ramada Go

Sa panayam ng SBC news kay BFP Chief Inspector Roy Quisto, napag-alamang dalawang residential property ang apektado ng naturang sunog na nagsimulang sumiklab sa isang bahay na pagmamay-ari ni G. Maria Yang. Kasama ring nadamay ang isang 9 units apartment structure na pagmamay-ari naman ng isang Fernando Julian. Sa paunang imbestigasyon lumalabas na gawa sa light material ang naturang mga kabahayan kaya’t mabilis na kumalat ang apoy. Gayunpaman mabilis din itong naapula ng pinagsamang pwersa ng mga pamatay-sunog mula sa BFP Olongapo, SBMA Fire Rescue at Sta. Rita Fire Rescue and Response Unit. Ala sais kinse nang maideklarang fire under control at alas sais kwarenta naman ng tuluyang ideklarang fire out ang naturang sunog.
Patuloy pa rin ang isinasagawang imbestigasyon ng mga otoridad upang matukoy ang pinagmulan ng sunog at ang tinatayang halaga ng pinsala. Wala namang napaulat na namatay o nasaktan sa naturang insidente.

First Published: Subic Broadcasting Corporation @ Facebook

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Isang malakas at mahabang hiyaw ng sirena ang naging hudyat ng pagsisimula ng national simultaneous earthquake drill na isinagawa sa Olongapo City Elementary School, noong Miyerkules ganap na alas dos ng hapon.

Ulat ni Lolito Ramada Go

Tinatayang umabot sa 3,000 mag-aaral mula sa nabanggit na paaralan ang nagsipag-duck cover and hold, bilang bahagi ng paghahanda sa sakuna ng lindol.
Ang naturang pagsasanay ay bahagi ng national simultaneous earthquake drill bilang obserbasyon sa National Disaster Resiliency month na isinasagawa tuwing buwan ng Hunyo.
Ayon kay G. Daniel Lacuata, school coordinator ng naturang programa, umabot lamang ng 3 mins 59 secs bago tuluyang ma-evacuate ng mga bata ang buong eskwelahan. Nasunod din lahat ng mga evacuation plans na tulong-tulong na inensayo ng mga guro at mag-aaral.
Samantala, pinuri naman ni G. Carlo Elepongga, Research and Planning Officer ng CDRRMO, ang naging disiplina ng mga bata at ang ipinakitang kasanayan ng mga guro.
Dagdag pa ni Elepongga, mahalagang maging handa ang lahat sa sakuna ng lindol, lalo pa’t nakaranas ang Olongapo at lalawigan ng Zambales ng serye ng mga pagyanig nitong mga nakaraang buwan.

First Published: Subic Broadcasting Corporation

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Sa ikatlong pagkakataon ay isinagawa ang taunang Arbor Day sa Subic Bay na dinaluhan ng mga volunteers na kinabibilangan ng mga SBMA employees, civil society groups at lokal na pamahalaan ng Olongapo nitong Biyernes ng Umaga, June 23.

Ulat ni Lolito Go

Ikatlong taon ng Arbor Day sa Subic Bay, dinagsa ng daan-daang volunteers

Ang taunang tree-planting activity ay nag-originate sa Nebraska USA at isinabatas sa Pilipinas sa bisa ng Republic Act 10176 o ang Arbor Day Act of 2012.
Nagsimula ang palatuntunan sa isang maikling programa sa harap ng Bldg 229 sa Waterfront Road na agad namang sinundan ng isang motorcade patungong reforestation site sa Mount Sta Rita, Subic Bay Freeport Zone kung saan mahigit sa 5,000 saplings at seedlings ng iba’t ibang uri ng puno ang tulong-tulong na itinanim.
Nakiisa rin sa selebrasyong ito ang mga stakeholder sa SBMA, mga estudyante at mga miyembro ng Philippine Coast Guard.
Ayon naman sa Social Development Division ng SBMA Ecology Center, umabot sa 920 katao ang naitalang dumalo sa nasabing aktibidad.
Lubos naman ang pasasalamat ni SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma sa lahat ng dumalo at inaasahan nyang taun-taon ay mas dadami pa ang bilang ng mga volunteer na may malasakit sa kalikasan.

First Published: Subic Broadcasting Corporation @ Facebook

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A BATAAN COURT has dealt a major blow to the efforts of disgruntled stockholder Scott N. Sharpe to access the millions of pesos in the depository banks of Subic Bay Marine & Exploratorium, Inc. (SBMEI), operator of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resort here in Subic Bay.

“The Urgent Omnibus Motion for: (1) Issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order; and (2) Writ of Preliminary Attachment are hereby DENIED,” said Judge Antonio Ray A. Ortiguera, presiding Judge of Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Bataan Branch 2, in rejecting the petition of the group of Sharpe.

“This is a victory not only for the real President & CEO Mr. Arthur D. Tai,” said Grace Espinosa, displaced manager of the SBMEI Human Resources Department (HRD), “it is also a victory for the some 300 employees who were displaced when the occupiers led by Sharpe forcibly took over SBMEI even without a court order or legal basis in February 2017.”

A scene during the April 3, 2017 confrontation of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resorts employees belonging to the groups of embattled President & CEO Arthur D. Tai and disgruntled stockholder Scott N. Sharpe who initiated a “hostile” takeover of the facilities in February. The presence of PNP Special Action Forces (SAF) drew flak for “meddling” in an intra-corporate dispute, far from its mission and function of counter terrorism operations against local and international terrorist groups. (SubicBayNews file photo)

Presenting themselves as SBMEI, Sharpe alleged that he is chairman, president & chief executive officer (CEO), Gail Laule as treasurer and a certain Alfredo Alex S. Cruz as secretary, and asked the court in Civil Case no. 10643 to issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and Writ of Preliminary Attachment against the group of Tai.

Tai has not been able to function since Sharpe led a group of armed men in the forcible takeover of the theme park and resort, while he (Tai) was out of the country. Some 300 or so employees, around half of the workforce of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resort who remain loyal to Tai, have been displaced, served with notices of either suspension or termination.

Sharpe alleges that they have constituted a new SBMEI board of directors and officers but Tai, Dr. Robert Braun, Loida Candaliza and Danilo Teria continue to represent themselves as officers of SBMEI.

The Board, led by Dr. Braun, has issued a declaration on April 7, 2017 giving full support to, and recognition of, Tai as the lawful and real President & CEO of SBMEI, and at the same time slamming Sharpe for his “illegal” occupation of Ocean Adventure and Camayan Resort.

According to Court records, a General Information Sheet (GIS) has been filed on February 20, 2017 with the Security & Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that the members of the Board of Directors of SBMEI are Braun, as Chairman, with Tai, Darlene Goff and Susan Walker as Board members. Candaliza is Corporate Secretary, while Teria is Treasurer.

Candaliza, based on the SEC GIS, allegedly claims that “only she and the other defendants can transact on behalf of SBMEI” with the company’s depository banks, prompting the banks to freeze the accounts, thus, the prayer for a TRO against Tai & company “to enjoin them from interfering and intruding into the business affairs” of Sharpe’s group.

Cruz of Sharpe’s group, “testified that the depository banks have refused any withdrawals…” depriving the group of “its right to manage its business through its validly chosen representatives, forced to apply for Corporate Rehabilitation and its transactions with government agencies will be hampered.’

Court records show that Candaliza “testified in her defense that she was appointed as Corporate Secretary” on November 9, 2016 but has been “designated by the Board of Directors of SBMEI as Acting Corporate Secretary since June 3, 2016.”

She also said “she caused the preparation and signed the GIS on November 28, 2016 and had the same filed with the SEC on December 1, 2016. An amended GIS was filed on February 22, 2017. She also testified that the Voting Trust Agreements (VTA) in favor of defendant Tai is the subject of a pending case before the Regional Trial Court of Olongapo City.

The Court reiterated “its finding that the nature of the controversy is intra-corporate.”

Acting on Sharpe & company’s application for a temporary restraining order, the Court limited itself to determine whether or not “great or irreparable injury would result to the applicant” before the matter of the preliminary injunction can be heard.

The Court found the arguments for the issuance of a TRO insufficient.

On the issuance of a writ of preliminary attachment of the shares of stocks of Tai and Braun to cover the payment of Attorney’s fees, Judge Ortiguera said in his Order “that plaintiff has not presented any valid ground for the issuance of the writ.”

“Despite the long and tedious process, we still believe the justice system will eventually favor us,” Espinosa said, “being on the right side, we have no qualms that Mr. Tai and his hundreds of employees, will obtain justice. Eventually we will be back,” she added, “we have needs and we have families, too.”

The employees have also filed ongoing cases against Sharpe in the Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE) National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

Meanwhile, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is being criticised for its “inability to protect its locators from illegal moves by third parties.”

“It is an intra-corporate dispute but while ongoing, SBMA should continue to recognise the party which is legally on paper – the group of Mr. Tai,” said SBMEI Investor Relations Officer Wayne W. DeCamp III.

SBMA Administrator Wilma T. Eisma has said she intends to mediate between the contending parties and threatened to file an “interpleader” before the proper court to determine who has the right to remain and operate the SBMEI, its theme park and resort.

First Published: subicbaynews.net

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