Olongapo City students perform a dance number to welcome MV Costa Atlantica, an Italian-flagged cruise ship that docked in Subic Bay on March 6, 2018. Photo courtesy of SBMA

Stakeholders at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) are seeing a very vibrant future in terms of tourism growth with the regular arrival of international cruise ships scheduled at the freeport until the end of the year.

This after the Italian-flagged cruise ship MV Costa Atlantica returned to the Port of Subic on March 6, marking its second in a series of 13 trips in Subic that were scheduled until August this year.

Just a month ago, MV Costa Atlantica successfully had its maiden port call in Subic bringing 2,000 foreign tourists. In its latest visit, the cruise ship brought 2,500 tourists who patronized local products, mostly souvenirs.

The 85,619-ton, 292.56-meter cruise ship docked at Subic’s Alava Pier, treating passengers and crews for a one-day tour of the Freeport and Subic’s neighboring communities.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, who led employees and residents in welcoming the tourists, said the return of Costa Atlantica only manifests the capability of the SBMA to handle cruise ships and the vibrancy of local tourism.

“We have been dreaming of becoming the next cruise ship playground in Asia, and we can see that the dream is being realized right now,” Eisma said.

“We are hoping that this initiative by the SBMA to attract cruise ships would further boost the development of the Subic Freeport and the communities around it,” she added.

Most of the cruise ship passengers were taken by buses to various tourist destinations in the Freeport, including the Aeta indigenous park in Pamulaklakin, Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Safari.

Some of the passengers, meanwhile, preferred to walk around the Freeport area, and venturing as far as the souvenir shops and public market in Olongapo City.

SBMA Cruise Ship Committee chairman Marcelino Sanqui noted that while the Subic agency merely earns a pinch compared to what it spent to ensure that cruise ship passengers would have a safe and enjoyable stay in Subic, it makes sure that the businesses inside and around Subic gain profit from the ship arrivals.

“It is not our business to make profit from what we do; our mandate is to give business to our stakeholders,” said Sanqui, citing the beneficiaries as the local restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops and even vendors and taxi drivers.

“If one cruise ship passenger would spend just US$10 while in Subic, that would mean a total income for Subic of US$25,000 or P1.25 million for just one day,” he stressed.

Sanqui added that the SBMA is “helping our stakeholders to earn, and at the same time, we promote Subic as a new major destination for international cruise ships.”

“I strongly believe that we are on the right track,” he also said.

The Costa Atlantica, which is operated by the Italian company Costa Croceire, has 11 passenger decks elegantly adorned with Italian-inspired decors of arts and furniture. Each is named after a movie made by Italian movie director named Federico Fellini.

Other cruise ship companies that had already confirmed their schedule in Subic are MV Superstar Gemini, which will arrive here on March 13 and 21, and MV Glory of the Sea, which will dock here on March 31. Both are operated by Star Cruises/Genting Hongkong.

Two mammoth cruise ships operated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are also stated to arrive in Subic this year. These are the MS Ovation of the Seas, which will arrive on June 9, and MS Voyager of the Seas, which is set to arrive on August 26. /jpv

Source: Inquirer.net

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Pina-aalalahanan ng pamunuan ng Southern Police District (SPD) ang mga motorista na epektibo sa darating na March 15,2018 ipapatupad na ng Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) ang “No Contact Policy.”

Ibig sabihin wala ng traffic enforcer ang manghuhuli ng mga pasaway na driver sa kalye.

Lahat ng mga car registered vehicles na lumabag sa batas trapiko ay aabisuhan ng MMDA sa pamamagitan ng post mail at bibigyan ng limang araw para sagutin ang kanilang mga violations.

Sa pamamagitan na lamang ng CCTV camera imonitor ng MMDA ang mga paglabag.
At kapag hindi nakatanggap ang MMDA ng anumang tugon sa loob ng 10 araw, kanila na itong papatawan ng multa at makikita itro kapag mag renew ng kanilang car registration.

Sa mensahe na inilabas ni Southern Police District (SPD) Spokesperson PSupt. Jenny Tecson, pina-aalalahanan nito ang mga motorista na huwag kalimutan ang mga sumusunod:

1. Buckle up (this includes all passengers in the car – the CCTV camera is so accurate as to show if passengers are properly buckled up);
2. Maintain lanes for private vehicles (the yellow lanes will strictly be for buses and public utility vehicles) unless you are turning right;
3. Shift lanes only on broken lines (and never on solid lines, more so on double yellow lines);
4. Shift one lane at a time (shifting two lanes will be considered swerving);
5. Never be on the road on coding days (except, of course, at window times). Marikina and Taguig do not follow the coding scheme so you are free to drive around these two cities on weekdays; Makati and Las Piñas have no window times so don’t even attempt to go there on your coding day;
6. Never use the phone to call nor text while on the wheels (remember, the CCTV camera can detect this even in the dark). It is advised that you pull over if you have to text or call.

Source: Bombo Radyo Philippines

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Engr. Manzano passed the November 2017 civil engineering licensure exam on her first take.

Photo Source: gineersnow.com

Rarely do indigenous people get the chance to have formal college education. Opportunities for them to attend school are rare, and to be able to graduate is already the entire tribe’s pride.

What more if one, a woman at that, is able to pass an engineering board exam? And on her first take?

That’s what Ezel Joy Pablo Manzano had accomplished for her Aeta community. She was the reason of the recent celebration of the Amianan tribe, which was moved to the Iram settlement area near Olongapo City in the Philippines after the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption.

In an interview with GMA News, she proudly introduced herself as a passer of the November 2017 civil engineering board exam. She is one of the 6,075 who made it out of the 12,447 takers.

Engr. Manzano, who finished civil engineering in Ramon Magsaysay Technology University in Iba, Zambales, revealed that at one point during her review, she burst into tears because she could no longer understand what she was studying.

She was asked about tips for future board exam takers. Ezel Joy said that they should give it their all because the chance to take board exam only comes rarely.

Her journey to being a registered civil engineer was tough. She recalled that she had to quit school for one semester due to financial reasons.

This became her motivation to pass her board exam. And she also persevered to achieve the dream of her deceased father for her.

She said, “Pangarap ‘yun ng tatay ko, kaya ‘yun po talaga ang nagpu-push sa akin na i-pursue ‘yun. [It was my father’s dream for me, so I pushed myself to pursue this field.]”

Estrelita Manzano, Ezel Joy’s mother, witnessed her daughter’s struggles. She shared that even without the presence of her father, Ezel Joy still did what she could do best in terms of her academics.

Now that she is an engineer, Ezel Joy doesn’t forget those who have helped her along the way. She plans to pursue a career that will help her tribe in any way possible.

Source: gineersnow.com

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Earlier today, February 16, 2018 held at the library of Manila Club – Standard Insurance Chairman, Mr. Ernesto “Judes” Echauz and Subic Sailing Organizing Committee Chairman, Mr. Jesus “Jun” Avecilla announced that the Subic Bay to Boracay Race (SBBR) and the Boracay Cup Regatta (BCR) that is presented annually by Standard Insurance and twice nominated by Asia Pacific Boating as the Best Asian Regatta will be replaced this year by the Subic Bay around Verde Island Passage Race (SBVIPR) and the Subic Bay Cup Regatta (SBCR). The move to forego Boracay is an expression of support to the alarming environmental concerns in Boracay Island recently raised by no other than the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

“We are a responsible insurance company in the business of protecting clients from accidents including health related risks. We apologize for the inconvenience of those who have made prior arrangements for flights and hotel bookings in Boracay but we adhere to strict environmental compliance and therefore are restraint in exposing the regatta, its organizers and participants to health risks to be sailing in an unhealthy environment. We hope to be back next year or when Boracay pull its acts together and do something with its serious environmental problems” Mr Echauz said.

The SBVIPR is a 200-mile race, the same distance as the Subic Bay to Boracay, will start from Subic Bay down to Verde Passage around the Island and back to Subic Bay.

“This would be a more challenging race considering that on the way back to Subic this will be mostly a kite run” added Mr. Echauz.

“The race schedule remains the same from Feb 24 – Mar 2, 2018. While the sudden move has caught the participants of the SBBR and BCR surprise and made a few unhappy the majority understand and support the change,” Avecilla said.

Also, the Subic Bay Cup will launch the debut of the FarEast 28R boats that Standard Insurance recently acquired and donated to the Philippine Sailing Association (PSA) where six (6) local and foreign teams from Singapore, Taiwan and Japan will contest the title for the inaugural one design race. Fittingly the offshore race highlights Verde Island passage, the world center of marine biodiversity.

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By: Allan Macatuno, Julius N. Leonen

A US Los Angeles class attack submarine docked at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone on Thursday for a routine port visit.

The port call in Subic Bay was the ninth and last for the USS Bremerton (SSN 698), said Commander Travis Zettel, the submarine’s commanding officer.

“This is Bremerton’s ninth and final visit to Subic Bay in the ship’s 37 year history. My crew and I are looking forward to the opportunity to engage with the local community while simultaneously preparing the ship for the remainder of our deployment,” Zettel said.

An attack submarine, the USS Bremerton is more than 300 feet long and weighing more than 6,000 tons when submerged, Bremerton is capable of supporting a multitude of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and mine warfare, said a statement from the US Embassy in Manila.

The USS Bremerton is also the oldest commissioned submarine in the US Navy and is currently homeported in Pearl Harbor. Later this year, the submarine will move to its namesake city, Bremerton, Washington, where it will be decommissioned after nearly 40 years of naval service, the US Embassy in Manila added in its statement.

Zettel said the submarine’s visit highlights the “strong partnership” between the US and the Philippines, noting that it demonstrates the US Navy’s commitment to regional stability and maritime security.

The visit also gives the submarine’s crew of 150 sailors an opportunity to meet the local community in Subic, Zettel added.

“Bremerton’s arrival into Subic Bay means a lot to both my crew and the U.S. submarine force,” Zettel said in a statement issued by the US Embassy in Manila.

Zettel added that a number of the submarine’s sailors have families in the Philippines, and the port visit gave the crew the chance to better connect with their Filipino heritage.

“It really means a lot to me that I get the chance to visit a number of my family members again,” said Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Christopher Gapasin, who lived in the Philippines for six years and still has relatives in the area. /muf

Source: Inquirer.net

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