THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it has put in place significant measures to improve locator services in the Subic Bay Freeport in line with President Duterte’s directive for agencies to simplify business procedures and expedite transactions.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said among the measures already implemented by the Subic agency are extending the validity of business permits from one to three years, and establishing one-stop shops to automate the processing of permit renewals.

“We have operationalized these measures last year, which was also the time when President Duterte approved Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018,” Eisma pointed out.

“In fact, we established the One-Stop Shop Business Processing Center (OSSBPC) in February 2018 and then released the first batch of the three-year Certificates of Registration and Tax Exemption (CRTEs) in June last year. RA 11032 was approved in May,” she said.

“Then following the issuance this July of the implementing rules and regulations for RA 11032, we formed our anti-red tape unit with key officials as members, and also created three technical working groups to oversee compliance with the law,” she added.

The SBMA official cited these initiatives in the wake of a report that some businessmen were urging the Subic agency to “adhere to the ‘ease of doing business’ law”.

As quoted in the September 19 report of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Subic Coastal Development Corp. (SCDC), developer of the Moonbay Marina commercial area, claimed that securing business permits in Subic like the CRTE “could take an excessive amount of time” that some locators “have gone without this important document for months for unclear reasons.”

Another investor, Alex Dayrit of Brighterday Subic Ltd. Inc. (BSLI), which operates the All Hands beach resort, was quoted as saying that “there is no such thing as ease of doing business in the Subic Freeport.” He also described the SBMA’s collection policy as “punitive rather than corrective.”

Meanwhile, Robert Gonzaga, president of the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium Inc. (SBMEI), operator of the Ocean Adventure marine park, remarked that with its regulatory powers, the SBMA “can either be a catalyst or disruptor of economic development”.

He added that SBMA should toe President Duterte’s order “to help move our country forward.”

“Now where are these coming from?” Eisma reacted. “What could be their agenda when we have been initiating business-friendly measures and adopting best practices to improve locator services?”

“Could it be that because these locators have pending contractual issues with the SBMA, they are now trying to coerce the agency through the media? Why don’t they sit down with us and talk?” she asked.

SBMA records indicate that both the SCDC and the SBMEI have been taken to task by the SBMA for failing to comply with their development commitments for the areas they occupied. This was a violation of their respective lease contracts with the SBMA.

In the case of the SBMEI, the company also failed to settle billings of at least P6.8 million; had undertaken illegal reclamation and construction; and made unauthorized closure of public roads. It also violated contractual obligations by subleasing properties without SBMA consent, Eisma said.

On the other hand, BLSI was contesting SBMA’s computation of the firm’s lease obligations. But, Eisma said all these “could be settled on the negotiating table, not through media exposure.”

“It appears that their complaints have nothing to do with RA 11032, because ease of doing business does not mean you can continue defrauding the government. We cannot let that happen,” the SBMA official said.

“The directive from President Duterte was clear: we should not let the oligarchs prevail. They have abused the system long enough; we should not let them win,” Eisma said.

Source: Sunstar

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From a steak retail outlet restaurant in the ’90s, distinguished by its globally sourced products, Meat Plus Cafe? at Subic Freeport Zone has become one of the must-visit food destinations for tourists and locals alike. The original spot was slowly but steadily followed by a branch on Roxas Highway, Clark Freeport. And while it took 25 years, Meat Plus Cafe?’s expansion has finally reached Manila with the opening of its third location at SM Mall of Asia. The new 90-seater Manila branch is brightly lit and faces the bay. It exudes a modern casual dining experience. The design caters exclusively to the new market, which the two older branches have yet to adopt.

“At that time, Subic was the hottest place to be. It was a weekend destination, and a lot of young people were volunteering under Dick Gordon,” coowner Bambi Meer said. After getting out of college, Bambi, together with family friends—the Tenchavez, Tanjangco, and Santos families—established the steak restaurant in 1993.

“We started in retail. It was Meat Plus and Toys Plus in one building,” Meer said. “All we wanted was a place where people could come for the shopping and stay for the food…When the Duty-Free privilege was abolished during [President] Ramos’ term, we decided to start a restaurant and serve meals in a proper dining atmosphere.”

Twenty-five years later, the 30-seater Subic branch has grown into a 250-seater that serves a variety of affordable US-certified steaks such as Rib Eye, Topsirloin, New York, and Sirloin to travelers in need of a pit stop, and to diners who journey to eat there.

For first-timers, Bambi recommends the bestsellers, Oven Roasted Belly with Rice, and US BBQ Short Ribs. Burger lovers can have a fill, too, of juicy offerings like the Cheese Burger, and the Meat Plus Burger, a double serving of patties grilled to perfection. There’s also a Sea Burger.

“We used to charge one dollar to cook the meat purchased, grill it right away, and serve it on a paper plate with canned corn. A lot of people liked it,” Meer explained. “When we opened Meat Plus and chose the word ‘plus,’ it means that we would sell meat together with other items such as spaghetti and chicken. But the brand has been there for so long that we all have our different stories, and that’s the ‘plus.’ It is how you relate to the brand and create memorable experiences while inside the store.”

Following the success in Subic, the group of families established Meat Plus Specialists Phil., Inc. in 2000, and has since conceptualized three more American casual dining brands namely Kettle, Tender Bob’s, and Fireside.

“For us, the ‘plus’ side is whatever we put onto the plate. You’re not just serving food, you’re giving a little of yourself to the customer, whether you’re sweating it out in the kitchen or trying to make the food taste better. Every restaurant should imbibe that,” he added.

In the fourth quarter of the year, Meat Plus Cafe? is poised to open another branch at SM Baguio.

“What really made us decide to come in is Manila’s bustling food scene. But the challenge was keeping the price as it is because Subic has no value-dded tax,” Meer said. “We worked out a few deals with SM Malls in order to tweak the numbers, so we can still keep it competitive.”

Meat Plus Cafe is located at Level 1, North Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia. @meatpluscafe.

Source : Manila Bulletin

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OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines – The scenario was a terrorist takeover of a coastal district. The enemy had blocked all roads and access points. By land, the area was isolated, cut off from any help from the world outside.

But there was the sea, broad and open. Of course, the enemy was watching it, too, and in order to retake the district, the military needed to get its troops quickly and safely to shore without being bombarded by enemy fire.

On the horizon, the hulking BRP Davao Del Sur (LD 602), a landing dock ship, opened its well deck to release 4 tanks straight into the water. The tanks maneuvered into parallel positions as they headed to the shore.

Along the way, the tanks spewed off steam – a smokescreen – to make themselves less visible from the air.

In no time, the tanks were surfacing on the beach, splashing their way to land until they reached the turf. Coming to a full stop, the tanks’ hatches opened into platforms, releasing Marine troops who immediately went into formation to launch their assault on the enemy and retake the district.

This is a basic capability among militaries of coastal states – an amphibious assault – and the Philippine military has long known how to do it.

But on Saturday, September 21, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was, for the first time, able to demonstrate this capability using its own amphibious assault vehicles (AAV).

Whereas before, Filipino troops depended on joint exercises with foreign allies like the US for training in the use of AAVs, the 400 sailors, marines, and reservists who participated in Saturday’s drill said they felt proud and honored to have been the first to take the brand-new assets out for a spin.

The AFP recently acquired 8 AAVs from the South Korean defense manufacturer Hanwha Techwin at P300,000,000 each. The first 4 arrived in May, and the rest were delivered last August.

The AFP had amphibious assets before but they were dated and have long been decommissioned. They were not comparable to AAVs as they are known today. The 8 new AAVs are the military’s first state-of-the-art amphibious vessels.

Saturday’s exercises in Subic Bay, Olongapo City, which also included a helicopter airlift of casualties, were part of the third iteration of the “Dagat-Langit-Lupa” or DAGIT-PA joint exercises among the AFP’s 3 branches of service – the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The drills kicked off on Monday, September 16, and will run until Friday, September 27. Aside from the amphibious assault, the joint drills include an air/maritime interdiction operation in Palawan, an airfield seizure and urban terrain combat in Nueva Ecija, and a combined arms live fire exercise in Tarlac.

The drills will involve some 1,500 military personnel, including reservists. Saturday’s amphibious assault exercise included a total of around 400 marines, sailors, and reservists.

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Espinosa, commander of the Marine Amphibious Landing Force, said the exercise was significant and historic.

“This enhances our amphibious operations capability, because as a marine corps, that is part of our forte. Now, anywhere in the archipelago, if we’re told to go and occupy it, we are ready to go and fulfill that mission,” Espinosa told reporters in a mix of English and Filipino after the drill.

First Lieutenant Marever Evans Taghap, acting commanding officer of the 76th Marine Company that carried out the exercise, noted the importance of amphibious operations in responding to natural disasters.

“We are divided into islands. Maritime nation tayo. May mga area na maliliit, makikitid. ‘Yung mga AAV natin, kayang-kaya niyang pasukin ‘yung mga area na ‘yon para magbigay-tulong sa ating mga komunidad na nasasalanta ng bagyo or kahit ano mang mga kalamidad,” she said.

(We are divided into islands. We are a maritime nation. There are areas that are small, narrow. Our AAVs, they are very capable of accessing those areas to bring help to our communities affected by typhoons or any calamity.)

The AAVs were yet another installment of the years-long AFP Modernization Program aimed at giving the Philippines a credible defense posture amid security threats, particularly from China in the West Philippine Sea, and terrorists sneaking into the country through the Sulu Sea

Source: Rappler

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ZAMBALES — This season of relaxation and recreation brought about by the coming holidays, you are surely planning a trip that’s unforgettable and unique for family, friends, and loved ones.

Find this with Glamping at Zoomanity, or GlampZ, only at Zoobic Safari in Subic, Zambales.

Be amazed as you stay in one of our animal-themed rooms that have a private veranda, and a Butler to attend to your needs. It’s a way to enjoy the great outdoors without sacrificing comfort.

Going to the north from Manila is where the wild adventure happens. Meet the astounding exotic animals up close in Serpenatrium, Close Encounter, Tiger Safari Ride, Hip Hop Bay-A-Walk, and Croco Loco.

Check out the amazing collection of rodents and farm animals in Savannah, and then immerse in Aeta’s Trail and Animal Muzooeum.

Capture remarkable memories while enjoying over-the-top amenities.

Experience all of this for only P6,990 during weekday and P8,990 during weekend, good for four persons. This includes an exciting day tour at Zoobic Safari with sumptuous meals and a night at GlampZ.

Soon, the property will also offer GlampZ Vacation Club, an ultimate vacation program offering fantastic choices to its members in a wide variety of destinations across the country including Zoobic Safari in Subic, Zoocobia in Clark, Zoocolate Thrills in Bohol and Paradizoo in Cavite, and Residence Inn in Tagaytay.

Book a night at GlampZ via www.zoomanitypayment.com. Get exciting discounts and freebies by liking Zoomanity Group’s official Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/zoomanitygroup.

For more information, call 847-0413/899-9824/899-9828; text: 0927-5899696 or email zoomanityonline@gmail.com. Also visit www.zoomanity.com.ph.

Source: Philippine Star

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT: Citing a steady growth in investments in the first six months of this year, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said the number of workers here has increased to 135,000.

Figures released by the SBMA showed a slight increase in employment from 133,940 from January to June 2018 to 135,000 over the same period last year.

The figure achieved in the first six months of the year was a shade lower than the 135,690 total employment figure for 2018.

“By the end of this year, we are confident that we would again break this 2018 employment record,” SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma said.

The SBMA said the increase in the number of workers was achieved despite the closure of Hanjin in January.

The Korean Shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines Inc. used to be the single biggest employer here over the past 10 years, employing more than 23,000 workers at its peak of operations.

“We’re getting a steady increase in the number of new investments, as well as expansion projects, so we are also expecting a corresponding steady increase in the number of new jobs,” Eisma said.

Among the industries here, the service sector hired the biggest number with a total of 92,453 workers or 68.37 percent of the total workforce employed as of July this year.

There are at present 2,765 companies operating at the country’s first freeport.

The manufacturing sector accounted for 23,031 employees (17.03 percent) working for 88 companies here in the first half of this year.

Last year, there were 18,197 employees (13.59 percent) working for 85 companies in this category.

In the construction sector, 199 companies hired a total of 11,729 workers (8.67 percent) as of the first half of this year.

Last year, there were 10,868 employees (8.115 percent) working for 185 companies.

Eisma noted that the rehabilitation of various infrastructure facilities inside the freeport, including roads, had significantly increased the number of workers hired by construction companies here.

The number of employees working in shipbuilding and marine-related services, however, saw a 450-percent drop after Hanjin filed for bankruptcy last January.

SBMA data also showed that there are more male employees in the Subic workforce today, with a total of 91,190 (67.44 percent) compared to 44,034 females (32.56 percent).

But female workers appeared to be fast catching up considering that there were just 39,079 female workers (29.18 percent) in Subic last year, compared to 94,861 (70.82 percent) male workers.

Olongapo remained the biggest provider of manpower in the first half of 2019 with a total of 59,107 workers (43.71 percent) employed from the city.

The provinces of Zambales and Bataan follow with 28,855 (21.34 percent) and 18,501 (13.68 percent), respectively.

Four-thousand-six-hundred-forty-two (3.43 percent) came from the National Capital Region (Metro Manila), 3,574 (2.64 percent) from Pampanga and 1,679 (1.24 percent) from Tarlac.

Other areas contributed a total of 18,866 workers, or 13.95 percent.

Forty-five new investments and 21 expansion projects were approved by the agency in the first six months of this year and Eisma said the SBMA expects a continued growth in employment generation from these approved projects.

She added that these new investment commitments are worth more than P5 billion and are projected to generate close to 4,000 new jobs.

Source: Manila Times

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