A helicopter dropping confetti from the air and tugboats giving water salute highlighted the opening of the month-long celebration for the 25th founding anniversary of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority on Monday.

Led by senior officials of the agency, the program officially started with a flag-raising ceremony that was followed by a motorcade from the SBMA administration building to the Harbor Point Ayala Mall where a job fair and a regional oratorical competition were held.

PHOTOS: (clockwise from left) SBMA officials led by Directors Tomas Lahom III, Stefani Saño and Julius Escalona lead the raising of the Philippine flag at the kick-off of the SBMA 25th Anniversary celebration on Monday, Nov. 6., Tugboats execute a water salute near the Alava Pier during the kick-off of the SBMA 25th Anniversary celebration on Monday, Nov. 6, SBMA vehicles and a motorbike group join a motorcade during the kick-off of the SBMA 25th Anniversary celebration on Monday, Nov. 6.

In his message during the opening program, SBMA Director Tomas Lahom III noted that the dream of transforming the former US Naval Base into a bustling free port like Singapore and Hong Kong has not yet been fully realized.

“Fortunately, the SBMA now has a chairman and administrator in the person of Atty. Wilma Eisma whose vision is that the agency can reach its target by the year 2022,” Lahom added. “So, perhaps, we should now aim to do in five years what we have thus failed to do in 25 years — the full development of Subic Bay.”

Meanwhile, SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Operations and 25th Anniversary Committee Chairperson Marcelino Sanqui said the theme “SBMA @25 Celebrating the Past, Forging the Nation’s Future” was chosen for the occasion in recognition of the historical role that the Subic agency has played in the economic growth of the country.

Sanqui pointed out that Subic literally rose from the ashes of the Mount Pinatubo eruption and the subsequent pullout of the US Navy in 1991 to become the premier free port in the country, and a model for military base conversion in the world. “If only for this, the SBMA has a very rich history worth remembering,” he added.

Under the month-long celebration, the SBMA has scheduled various events on the following dates: Nov. 11, 5:30 a.m. onwards — Color Run, Zumba Party, Water Salute (Waterfront Road); PAF Static Aircraft Display (Subic Bay International Airport);

Nov. 18, 7:30 a.m. onwards — SBMA LED Brass Band Exhibition, Games (Remy Field); SBMA’s Got Talent (Subic Gym); and Lighting of Christmas Tree (Boardwalk Event Center); Nov. 24, 8:00 a.m. onwards — Ecumenical Mass, Awarding of Pioneer Investors and Employees, Air Show, Water Salute (Bldg. 229/Waterfront Road); PMMA Silent Drill, PAF Band Drill (Mini Golf Open Field); Opening of Photo Exhibit and Memorabilia Display, Unveiling of New Museum (Harbor Point Ayala Malls); Float and Foot Parade (Waterfront Road); and Tribute to Volunteers, Fireworks Display (Volunteers Shrine).

Meanwhile, on Nov. 24 to 26, there will be the Subic Bay Grand Sale at the Remy Field and all tourism establishments in the Freeport, which shall also be the venue for the nighttime Entertainment Bazaar and Food Festival. The participating hotels, restaurants, theme parks, and shops will offer discounted prices on products and services, with booths offering items from Subic locators and the surrounding communities.

The SBMA will also sponsor a music festival with the country’s top DJs performing at the Remy Field for two nights.

The anniversary program will be capped by the Subic Pride Parade at 3:00 p.m. on Nov. 26 from the Magsaysay Gate to the Boardwalk Event Center.

Source: subicnewslink.blogspot.com

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — A United States (US) missile destroyer with at least 310 personnel has recently docked in this freeport as advanced security for US President Donald Trump who is set to visit the country next week.

by:Franco G. Regala

Photo by: wikipedia.com

Sources from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s (SBMA’s) Law Enforcement Department said the USS Arleigh Burke arrived and docked at Alava Pier in Subic last Tuesday, ahead of Trump’s visit for a meeting among 10 Southeast Asian defense ministers with counterparts from eight other countries, including the US, Russia and China.

Source: Manila Bulletin

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There will be window hours for trucks during the truck ban imposed by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) at the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from Clark to Balintawak, and also along EDSA from Balintawak to Magallanes.

By Chito A. Chavez

promdino.blogspot.com

Emmanuel Miro of the Technical Working Group on Traffic Management said trucks carrying perishable items will now be allowed from 12:01 A.M. to 4:00 A.M. from November 13 to 15.

Earlier, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee on Security, Peace and Order, and Emergency Preparedness and Response (CSPOEPR) declared that all trucks and closed vans will be prohibited from traversing the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from Clark to Balintawak from November 12 to 15 to ensure the smooth flow of traffic for the delegates to the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit.

Aside from SCTEX and NLEX, all heavy vehicles are also barred from traversing EDSA from Balintawak to Magallanes during the same period, according to which is composed of 21 member agencies.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) and CSPOEPR chairperson Catalino S. Cuy added that from November 11 to 15, motorists should expect intermittent traffic stops in the following designated ASEAN lanes in the Makati area: Arnaiz Avenue, Makati Avenue, Parkway Drive, and along EDSA in the Makati area.

During that period, rerouting will also be implemented along Sen. Jose W. Diokno Boulevard, Jalandoni, V. Sotto, Bukaneg, and A. Dela Rama in Pasay City while occasional traffic disruptions will be experienced along EDSA, Pasay Road, and Makati Avenue in Makati City. The same is also expected along EDSA in Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, and Quezon City.

Cuy also advised the public to plan their trips as the whole CCP Complex will be closed on the same dates after being designated as an ASEAN Delegates Zone.

“We urge the public to veer away from the said areas and take alternate routes to avoid being inconvenienced by the heavy traffic while the ASEAN Summit is ongoing,” he says.

The truck ban and rerouting scheme are part of the security preparations being carried out by the ASEAN CSPOEPR for a safe and peaceful ASEAN Summit.

Source: news.mb.com.ph

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Subic Bay Freeport – This premier Freeport was awarded as the Best Sports Tourism Destination of the Year during the 3rd Sports Industries Awards and Conference Asia (SPIA Asia) held in Bangkok, Thailand in November 7.

By Jonas Reyes

Photo by: CSM Asia Pacific/twitter: @CSM_APAC

With the tourism theme Funtastic Subic Bay, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) bagged the Gold award, followed by Visit Victoria which won the Silver award and Amazing Thailand that won bronze award during the Best Sports Tourism Destination of the Year category.

Touted as the “Triathlon Capital of the Philippines”, this premier Freeport has been known to hold top triathlon competitions such as the K-Swiss ITU, 5150 and Ironman 70.3.

And with plans to hold the first Full Ironman on June 3 next year, Subic cemented its reputation as the triathlon capital on the country.

“This is an accomplishment for Team Subic Bay since every stakeholder gave their full support and best service and performance every time we had a sporting event,” SBMA Tourism Manager Jem Camba said.

The manager was also thankful to the Department of Tourism – Central Luzon and to Philippine Tourism Director Ronnie Tiotuico who she said supported of the Freeport’s endeavor to become the sporting capital of the Philippines.

Aside from the prestigious award, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) also bagged the silver for the Best Sponsorship of a Sport, Team or Event.

In 2016, Subic Bay Freeport earned a ranking of 85.80 percent in the 2015 Ironman 70.3 APAC Overall Satisfaction Scores.

During that time, the race ranking was just a shy of .09 percent of global standards, pushing the ranking above the Asia-Pacific standard of 83.95 percent.

The 2015 Ironman 70.3 APAC Overall Satisfaction Scores placed Subic at number six among the best triathlon sites in the Asia Pacific Championship series back then.

Topping the list in 2016 is Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia with a satisfaction rating of 90.20 percent, followed by Western Sydney and Korea tying for the second place at 89 percent; Mandurah in Western Australia, third at 88.30 percent; Auckland, New Zealand, fourth at 88 percent and Busselton, Western Australia, fifth at 85.99 percent.

Subic Bay and Cairns in Queensland, Australia tied for sixth place with a rating of 85.80 percent—less than a point short of the global average of 85.89 percent.

Source: news.mb.com.ph

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Subic Bay Freeport – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is set to redevelop the master plan for the Redondo Peninsula after an agreement with a locator fell through, SBMA chairperson Wilma Eisma said.

By Jonas Reyes

photo by: IEX.nl

The locator proposed to construct an industrial estate along with a solar farm in the area.

Eisma said that the SBMA Board of Directors decided to take a step back and called for the development of a master plan for the entire Redondo Peninsula before opening it up again to investors.

“We’re basically back to square one, because the project proponent was not able to honor the commitments under its very own proposal,” Eisma said.

“The SBMA is still open to receiving proposals though, should these be consistent with the SBMA’s objective of developing Redondo into an industrial and maritime hub,” she added.

The SBMA Board of Directors had earlier revoked the lease and development agreement (LDA) with Dynamic Konstruk International Eco Builders Corp. (DKIEBC), invoking an automatic revocation clause under the agreement in case the proponent fails to meet its obligations.

Eisma said that despite several extensions given by SBMA, DKIEBC still failed to deliver the required advance rentals and security deposit, thus leaving the Subic agency with no other recourse but to revoke the contract.

According to SBMA records, Dynamic Konstruk initially proposed in May 2016 to develop 982 hectares of land at the Redondo Peninsula, which also hosts the Hanjin shipyard and the coal-fired thermal plant project of Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc.

Calling the project “Redondo 200MW Solar Farm and Eco Dynamic Industrial City”, DKIEBC said it will devote 400 hectares of the project site to a solar-power generation farm and 582 hectares to an industrial hub.

During negotiations for the project’s 50-year lease, however, it became apparent that DKIEBC, a certified “A” PCAB licensee, as well as its partners, lacked adequate experience in solar power generation.

Eisma said the SBMA Board required a P2.2-billion paid-up capital, and DKIEBC made a counter-offer to pay upfront the amount of P472 million, which is equivalent to 50 percent of its rental and security deposits.

“When DKIEBC also failed to honor this commitment, the project was considered revoked pursuant to a resolution of the SBMA Board,” Eisma added.

As of now, the SBMA has stopped dealing with the company on the aborted project.

It had also warned the public on reports that some parties are still seeking investors to fund the project despite official revocation by the agency.

“This is already a closed issue. Anybody seeking funds for the Redondo industrial city and solar farm project is probably doing some scam operation, so we urge everyone to beware,” Eisma concluded.

Source: news.mb.com.ph

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