Photo Credits to spot.ph

Excellent news for anyone who embraces whimsy as a way of life: Unicorn Island is real, and you can actually go there. Part of the giant floating playground known as the Inflatable Island, Unicorn Island is in the Philippines; it’s located on the Subic Bay in the Zambales province. And now that I know it exists, I have never wanted to visit anywhere else this much in my life.

The Inflatable Island is a relatively new attraction; it first opened at the beginning of April 2017 (that is, just about a year ago), billing itself as “the biggest floating playground in Asia.” At the time, it covered 3,400 square meters (about square feet 36,597), or an area roughly the size of eight basketball courts placed next to each other. As you might imagine, there was plenty to do spread out across that space; the main map included 15 inflatable, floating obstacles ranging from a wobbly bridge to a “human launcher” (yes, really), all connected with pathways made from more inflatables.

Now, though, Inflatable Island covers over 4,100 square meters, or around 44,132 square feet — all thanks to the Unicorn Island expansion. In addition to all the obstacles that already existed on the main Inflatable Island, Unicorn Island, which just opened, adds another six obstacles to the list: Baba’s Super Slide, Slippery Slopes, the Rainbow Walk, Mini Jump and Fly, Climby the Seaunicorn (which looks kind of like a giant inflatable narwhal) and the Wavy Dinosaur. It’s located in the northeast quadrant of the playground, separate from the main Inflatable Island, but easily swimmable from it. Unicorn Island is also a little closer to the shore, as you can see in this image from Instagrammer Daryll Sallan.

Source: daryllcs/Instagram

For the curious, here’s an aerial view of all the inflatables:

Source: inflatableisland/Instagram

The big blue thing to the left of the Rainbow Walk is something called the “Floating Cinema.” I’m not sure exactly what’s showing on the screen, but to be honest, that’s kind of secondary. I’m still too busy marveling at the fact that there is a FLOATING CINEMA OFF THE COAST OF A PLACE CALLED UNICORN ISLAND.

Lest you worry that the obstacles on Inflatable Island aren’t challenging enough to make it worth it… well, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Indeed, when blogger and vlogger Aileen Adalid visited the place with her friends shortly after it opened, she found that the original map was actually too difficult for her to complete. She said she still had loads of fun, though — and I suspect that Unicorn Island’s smaller scale might make it a little friendlier for the less athletically inclined. (Me. I’m talking about me.)

The Bali Lounge, by the way, is no longer the rainbow-hued hangout spot it was when Inflatable Island first opened; now it’s the Pink Bali Lounge. The concept is still the same — it’s a place to relax on the beach and grab some food and drinks (no outside food or beverages are allowed, so here’s where you go if you get peckish while you’re exploring Inflatable Island) — but the lounge chairs and umbrellas are all decked out in shades of pink, purple, and fuchsia instead of in all the colors of the rainbow. Between the décor in the lounge and the general unicorn theme, Inflatable Island is really leaning into the millennial demographic right now:

Source: inflatableisland/Instagram

Want to visit Inflatable Island? Good news: Once you get to the Philippines, it’s pretty affordable. As of this writing, prices range from P499, or about $9.50, for a one-hour slot to P899, or a little over $17, for a full day; you can also get discounts for full-day, half-day, and two-hour passes if you book online in advance. Additionally, beach-only passes are available for people with disabilities, senior citizens, and/or 30 percent of your party (so, if you’re a group of three and none of you have disabilities or qualify as a senior citizen, one of you can get a beach-only pass if that’s your jam) — although not that, according to the Inflatable Island FAQ, beach passes aren’t a guarantee; they “can get sold out at anytime,” apparently.

Since Inflatable Island is located right off the shore, the water doesn’t go terribly deep; it ranges for four feet to 15 feet, though, so life vests are required, and it’s recommended that anyone who wants to visit knows how to swim. There are life guards on duty at all times, though, and life jackets are provided for the island itself, paddle boarding, and other water activities (although not for the swimming beach).

Source: inflatableisland/Instagram

Source: inflatableisland/Instagram

There are, of course, a few stipulations for use, according to the Inflatable Island FAQ: You’ve got to be at least three feet tall to explore the Inflatable Island; kids between three and four feet tall require a 1:1 kid-to-adult ratio; and you can’t wear any jewelry, clothing with zippers or buttons, or other sharp items while you’re bouncing along. (Nothing kills an island made of inflatables like a puncture from an errant earring.) Other than that, though, you can wear just about anything; swimsuits are the obvious choice, although Inflatable Island recommends donning rash guards and swim leggings as well. When you’re on the shore, you can wear whatever you like.

Source: inflatableisland/Instagram

Aileen Adalid has plenty of info on how to get there, where to stay, and other useful travel tips for visitors to the Inflatable Island; additionally, Inflatable Island’s own website has just about everything you need to know on it (including the fact that you can have a birthday party there if you want to). If you go, I just have one request: Take me with you!

Source: www.bustle.com

Continue Reading

Various shipping lines and logistics companies have selected Subic Freeport Zone as one of the gateways into the Philippines in large part due to Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC)’s efficient management of New Container Terminals (NCT) 1&2 in the Subic Freeport Zone.

BUSY PORT – Hauling trucks and reach stackers move some of the container vans in Subic Bay Freeport at the New Container Terminal-1 in Subic Bay Freeport.

MCC Transport, a Singapore-based cargo-shipping specialist for the Maersk Group, the largest container ship and supply vessel operator in the world, utilized SBITC terminals in December 2014 to increase its presence in the Central and Northern Luzon market. MCC Transport provides feeder services for a wide range of regional and global beneficial cargo owners and manages all Intra-Asia containerized cargo for the Maersk Group.

“Since our partnership began, SBITC has become one of the key drivers in expanding our footprint in the Philippine market. The terminal is an excellent alternative gateway to Manila, and through a flexible approach and deep commercial understanding of SBITC’s management, we see positive developments in our efforts to boost volumes into and out of Subic,” said MCC in the Philippines.

Hong Kong-based SITC International Holdings Co., Ltd., another leading shipping logistics company in the intra-Asia area have also expanded and included the Subic Freeport Zone as a gateway due to SBITC’s efficiency and quality in their cargo and container handling services.

SITC Container Lines stated that SBITC contributed to the company’s success in tapping the Filipino market by opening opportunities for their clients from Northern Luzon to lessen costs in delivering products to their target market. SITC shipped a significant volume of cargo last year and is now looking to expand its trade route this year in order to connect North and Central Luzon clients in Subic to major markets in Asia.

On the other hand, Taiwanese container transportation and shipping company Evergreen Line, has also partnered with SBITC in April last year. Since its partnership, the shipping company is looking to continue its engagement with SBITC.

“We are now focused on targeting our VIP clients to use Subic port and are also working on the second sling in Subic in 2018,” said Evergreen Shipping Agency Philippines Corporation.

SBITC strategically serves the industries within the Freeport zone as well as Northern and Central Luzon. Subic Bay Freeport Zone continues to be the ideal port in the business centers of Pampanga, Bataan, Clark and Tarlac and has now included inter-island Philippine barge service to connect customers from Palawan to Mindanao to the Visayas with a convenient transshipment port that has access to the rest of the world.

“We are committed to providing quality services to our partners and maintaining their trust. We want to help them reach potential customers in Northern and Central Luzon. SBITC is more than willing to work hand in hand with our partners in helping their clients tap the Filipino market,” said Roberto Locsin, SBITC president.

Aside from managing NCT 1&2, SBITC offers cargo handling services for TEU and 40-foot equivalent unit (FEU) container vans, as well as 45-foot boxes for full container load and specialized cargo. It also offers a One-Stop Shop (OSS) to facilitate the completion of all required documentation with the SBMA Seaport Authority and Subic BOC under one convenient location inside the terminal so that businesses can easily complete their transactions all within the Freeport Zone.

SBITC, an ICTSI company, is a common-user, multi-purpose terminal, providing on and off-dock marine port cargo and container handling services. It is a leader in global port management due to its fast, reliable, and cost-efficient system implemented to its ports in the Subic Freeport Area.

Source: business.mb.com.ph

Continue Reading

ROYAL Australian Navy’s HMAS ships Anzac, Toowoomba and Success have just completed concurrent port visits to Malaysia and the Philippines, as part of a three-month southeast Asia deployment.

SUCCESSFUL EXERCISE: Leading Seaman Maritime Logistics Gemma Stratton, Support Phoebe Evans, Electronics Technician William Gilbert and Electronic Technician James Durrington prepare to come alongside Subic Bay during deployment.

During the port visit to Subic Bay, Anzac and Success conducted a logistic resupply, as well as local engagements with the armed forces of the Philippines and government dignitaries. This was Anzac and Success’ first port visit together during the deployment.

In Kota Kinabalu, Toowoomba conducted an official function with Malaysian armed forces and local officials before participating in a passage exercise with the Royal Malaysian Navy on departure from the port.

Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral David Johnston said the visits provided an opportunity to strengthen military ties with the armed forces of Malaysia and the Philippines.

“Our enduring military-tomilitary engagement activities contribute to security and stability in the region,” Vice Admiral Johnston said.

“We have long-standing relationships with the armed forces of Malaysia and the Philippines, and these visits provide a great opportunity to build new friendships.”

HMAS ships Anzac, Toowoomba and Success will participate in a series of exercises with nations in the region, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua

New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.

‘‘ OUR ENDURING MILITARY-TO-MILITARY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES CONTRIBUTE TO SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE REGION.

DAVID JOHNSTON

First Published: The Queensland Times
Source: PressReader.com

Continue Reading

Last Saturday April 14, 2018 was the date set on the calendar for car enthusiasts from all over central Luzon, the eagerly awaited 2018 Subic bay Auto Show was upon us, held at Harbor Point in Subic Bay’s Freeport Zone with those present all competing for the Best of Show award and numerous recognitions in their respective categories.

Holding a large car show is no easy task and hosting one outside metro Manila is even more of a challenge. With a history of being one of the most-awaited summer events in Subic Bay since 2010, the 9th Subic Bay Auto Show continues the excitement with super cars, sports cars, tuned cars, 4x4s, SUVs, rolling sound machines, and even monster trucks. Despite the obstacles and the hot summer heat, the annual Subic Bay Auto Show was still able to attract a huge crowd and lots of impressionable vehicles, the show attracted enthusiasts from neighboring provinces – with some coming all the way from Metro Manila all to share their love for cars and good vibes.

Photo Credits to www.autoindustriya.com

I did manage to get to talk briefly with the Chief organizer, Ron Requesto from Custom Mods & Moto and he told me that the idea behind the show was not only as a way for car enthusiasts to get together and show case their vehicles but also to promote Subic bay and the facilities here, such as the beaches, great hotels and other attractions. Great car shows don’t always have to be in Manila but there are other venues outside of the greater metro area.

Entries were judged on several different categories, including separate categories for motorcycles, with others being best in paint, best in Thailand look concept and many more. The best in show overall prize was a substantial 10,000 peso and second place overall taking home 3,000 peso, of course trophies were awarded to the winners and runners up in all categories. The show also had displays by vehicle manufactures and local businesses related to the auto industry, with car and motorcycle clubs also being represented.

One of the most popular vehicles on display was the Dub-Shop Monster Truck, one of only two of its type in the Philippines, with 2 years in the making and a total cost exceeding 7 million peso it certainly was impressive.

This monster truck started life as a Ford F150 truck that underwent major modifications, with the 66inch wheels and tyres that were custom made by NATS Performance in Davao, at a cost of 2 million pesos. Then along with 40inch coil over- shocks from Pro Fender in Thailand at a cool 450,000 and the transfer case from Monster Shock USA, at another 500,000 pesos, then add in front and rear hydraulic boosted steering also from the U.S. and you can see how fast things start to add up. The engine however is that of a standard stock F150 but with aftermarket Edelbrock headers and CAMS for extra torque, then to top it all off is the custom paint job by Dub Shop PRO. The team has a dedicated self-loading truck to move the monster around but the wheels and tyres have to come off to do so and then reinstalled when they finally arrive before the truck can be unloaded, a process that takes more than 3hrs to complete, the truck also has a twin also owned by DubShop PRO which is built form a Chevy Silverado making these two trucks the only one’s of their kind in the Philippines making them in constant demand by Motor show’s all over.

The motorcycles featured predominantly and proved to be very popular with those taking the time to visit the show, manufactures were represented with prizes for best in Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki along with overall best custom bike. There were certainly some unusual entries with one of the best being the modified 150 scooter that was more like a home entertainment center on wheels than a motorcycle.

Complete with massive boom box speakers, amplifiers, sub woofers and even a DVD player for the times you might get stuck in traffic. Massive custom mag wheels, modified exhaust system and custom paint job really make this machine stand out from the norm. Another popular entry with the crowd was the ACE Motorcycles Custom Scrambler, styled after the old British Scramble bikes of the 1970’s it had a 400cc motor the same as found in the old 1970’s Honda CB400’s, with a chopped down frame and a custom hand made exhaust system. For looks they added a hand made leather seat and leather cups around the old school speedo and tachometer dials, added custom front and rear pegs, bigger tyres, changed the battery to a gel battery to accommodate the new rear hoop and then threw in some LED lighting.

My personal favorites were the old school Volkswagen Kombi’s most of which were owned by local guy Daniel Todean originally Romanian born, lived in Canada but now call Subic Bay home. Locally known as ‘Dan the Van Man’ he has 9 VW Kombi vans in total, of which 4 were on display at this year’s show. They range from his first one an original 1959 split screen that he bought on eBay just 4 years ago and had it shipped from California.

To his crazy Porsche looking custom van the ‘BUSUBARU’ built form a total wreck and the chassis up, which has a WRX STI Engine and sports 300 horse power, has air suspension along with carbon fibre roof and bumpers and when finished will have a fully raiseable body like the ones you would find on a drag racing ‘Funny Car’. “I got this idea from a concept drawing I saw on the internet he told me” When I asked Dan why he loved Kombi vans so much he just smiled and said, “I honestly don’t know, I just do”, and if he thought he will stop collecting them, the answer was again “I Don’t know, I want to stop but who knows what I am going to see in the future, so I just don’t know”.

The show was a great success and I look forward to seeing it grow in the future, keep your calendar date open for the 2019 show which I am sure will be bigger and better than before and well worth making the effort to get along to.

Author: Stephen Whiting

Continue Reading

MANILA – Temperatures in Subic, Zambales reached 39.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the hottest so far this year, the state weather bureau said.

Temperatures across the country are expected to rise further as PAGASA declared the start of the dry season last week, with the end of the “Amihan” season that is characterized by cool winds, said weather observer Leni Ruiz.

Records showed that the temperature in Subic already rose to 38 degrees Celsius last Saturday, while the temperature in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan also reached 38.4 degrees Sunday.

In its Monday forecast, PAGASA said temperatures in Metro Manila could go as high as 34 degrees.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com

Continue Reading