At the Moment: Public Hearing on SB 1325 (Central Luzon Investment Corridor) introduced by Senator Richard Gordon at Formosa Hall, Subic Bay Development and Management Corporation (SBDMC). The Purpose of the Bill is to:

1. Promote entrepreneurship by generating investments therefore creating numerous jobs and business opportunities for the people

2. Optimize the connecting highways and railway in Central Luzon; seaports in Subic, Mariveles, Aurora, and Manila; airports in Subic, Clark, and Manila to serve as an investment corridor for Central Luzon and eventually, the whole country;

3. Encourage the Local Government Units (LGU) and the private sector to establish Special Economic Zones and provide incentives therefor by maximizing the creation of infrastructures resulting in numerous employment opportunities for the people.

4. Develop enterprise initiatives, encourage free trade, and foster national and local pride in the Local Government Units (LGU) and private sectors as collective stakeholders and pioneers for change in the development and integration of Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ), the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ), the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB), the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO) and other Special Economic Zones by adhering to the principle of global competitiveness that encourage business investments that are focused, fast, friendly, flexible, and forward-looking through the provision of tax and fiscal incentives to private sectors who relocate to the said areas. Furthermore, by providing additional benefits if the private sector involved initiates to build schools and universities, hospitals, and local groceries within the area;

5. To decongest Metro Manila by dispersing industries and populations to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ), the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ), the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB), the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO) and other Special Economic Zones which will improve the quality of life by developing sustainable communities where residents live nearby where they work and where institutions such as schools and universities, hospitals, utilities, among others are within close proximity;

6. To lessen dependency on the national government and in the end, make the Local Government Units (LGU), the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), the Aurora Province Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO), the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB), and other subsidiaries self-sustaining, income-generating, and revenue-contributing entities provided the LGUs concerned may actively join subject to their compliance with the Rules and Regulations which will thereafter be established.

7. Create sustainable industrial cities and communities that balances economic growth and expansion having regard to environmental protection and preservation taking into consideration the safe, orderly, convenient, and livable urban space for the people living within their areas of employment, thereby decongesting Metro Manila;

8. Prompt the Local Government Unit (LGU) Concerned to provide public and private financing to the private sectors who wish to relocate within the specified areas to stimulate pump-priming of investments with the end view of providing a better quality of life to all Filipinos.

This is another positive development not only for Subic Bay but Metro Manila and the entire Central Luzon.

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THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) at the Port of Subic presented Tuesday, March 13, the top 15 importers who contributed the bulk of the P1.86-billion revenues collected in January and February 2018.

BoC-Subic district collector Fidel Benigno Villanueva IV presented the top importers to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma after the flag ceremony today in front of SBMA Administration Building.

Awarded with certificates of appreciation were: PTT Phils. Corp., Cebu Air Inc., Microdragon Petroleum Inc., Masinloc Power Partners, Marubeni Phils. Inc., United Auctioneers Inc., RK3 International Trading, Petron Corp., Murami Subic Trading Corp., Nestle Phils. Inc. Warbucks Industries Corp., Phoenix Petroleum Phils., Fil-Oil Logistics Corp., High- Glory-Subic International, and Era 1 Petroleum Corp.

Named as top brokers for the months of January and February 2018 were Leah Sarvida, Donnalyn Dela Cruz, Danilo Francisco, Neil Jayson Marquez, Harold Biala, James Calunod, Allan Perry Portacio, Romeo Bonol, Alelie Lontoc, Arnold Cruz and Julius Imperio.

Villanueva also gave to SBMA chairperson Eisma a plaque of recognition signed by Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña for her continuous support to the bureau.

Eisma, for her part, expressed her appreciation for the support and help of the Customs bureau in combating smuggling in Subic.

“I really appreciate the support of the Bureau of Customs. I think in addition to the revenue that we [SBMA] and the BoC contribute to the national government, the more important matter is how to combat smuggling of contraband going to the Port of Subic,” Eisma said.

The SBMA official noted that the reputation of Subic is SBMA’s main commodity and not be branded as the smuggling center of the Philippines. “I really appreciate for the support and help that we get from the Bureau of Customs.” (Ric Sapnu)

Source: Sunstar

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Having visited Subic Bay last March 13, MS SuperStar Gemini is the second cruise ship to do so this year. Built in 1992 in St. Nazaire, France, SuperStar Gemini is currently owned and operated by Star Cruises.

With its top of the line equipment and luxurious facilities, Gemini offers a versatile cruise schedule. The onboard selection of recreation and dining options make the ship an ideal alternative to a more frenetic land holidays.

Ship Facts Gross Tonnage: 50,764grt

Length: 230m/754.59ft

Width: 29m/95.14ft

Average Cruising Speed (knots): 18kn

Maximum Cruising Speed (knots): 20kn

Number of Stabilizers: 2

Bow & Stern Thrusters: 2

Full Satellite Navigation System: 2

Number of Cabins: 765

Passenger Capacity (based on lower berths): 1,526

SuperStar Gemini is scheduled to return to the Freeport on March 21, 2018.

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Freeport will receive at least 20 cruise ship visits this year to cement its claim as the new cruise-ship playground in Asia.

According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma, five different cruise ships have so far scheduled a total of 19 visits to Subic from March to October this year.
More cruise ship arrivals by the yearend are being coordinated with shipping agencies that handle ship itineraries, she added.

Costa Atlantica’s second visit
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma and students from Olongapo City welcome passengers of the cruise ship MV Costa Atlantica (top photo) on March 6
“Clearly, Subic is marking a new milestone in terms of cruise ship arrival. This is not your usual once-in-a-blue-moon accidental port call; this is a surge— and a very welcome surge for the Freeport at that,” Eisma said, as SBMA officials and employees awaited the arrival of the Italian-flagged cruise ship Costa Atlantica on Tuesday for its second voyage here.

The 85,619-ton Costa Atlantica, which has a capacity of 2,114 passengers on top of its 897 crew, first arrived here on February 10 and returned barely a month later on March 6.

Eisma said its first visit became a litmus test for Subic, which is raring to redefine itself as a cruise ship destination after serving for decades as a port of call for US Navy warships and cargo vessels later on.

“Now, Subic is ready to offer the best tourism facilities and services for cruise ship passengers, and we are betting that our visitors would find their experiences here — as well as in the neighboring areas of Zambales and Bataan — most memorable,” she added.

A list of scheduled cruise ship visits to Subic from the SBMA Tourism Department indicated the arrival of six cruise ships this month. These are MV Costa Atlantica, which will dock on March 6 and 20; MV Glory Sea, which will arrive on March 31; and MV Superstar Gemini, on March 13 and 21.

MV Glory Sea, which is operated by Star Cruises/Genting of Hong Kong, has a passenger capacity of 838 on top of its 230 crew, while MV Superstar Gemini, also operated by Star Cruises/Genting, carries 1,750 passengers, aside from its crew of 700.

The SBMA schedule also showed that MV Costa Atlantica will return to Subic on April 3 and 17, May 1 and 22, June 5 and 19, July 3, 17 and 31, and August 14 and 28 for a total of 13 trips to Subic starting the month of March.

Two of the biggest cruise ships operated by the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) will be in Subic this year: MS Ovation of the Seas on June 9, and MS Voyager of the Seas on August 26.

Ovation of the Seas has a capacity of 4,905 passengers and 1,500 crew, while Voyager of the Seas has a capacity of 3,138 passengers and 1,181 crew.

Eisma earlier accompanied cruise ship officials in assessing tourism attractions and activities that would be included in the Subic itinerary for cruise ship passengers.

The approved activities include visits to major theme parks in the Subic Bay Freeport, mango-fruit picking at a farm in San Narciso, Zambales, and a tour of the famous heritage houses at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan.

Source: Manila Times

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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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