Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority is being eyed as a cruise ship destination.
This was according to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Senior Marketing Executive for Seaport and Airport Ronnie Yambao during Monday’s media forum dubbed News @ Hues sponsored by the Pampanga Press Club (PPC) and Park Inn by Radisson Clark.
Yambao said Subic ”has it all” to become a hub port for cruise ships, as the Freeport already has a cruise ship line, airport, attraction, security, infrastructure and ability to accommodate tourists.
Aside from these, the Port of Subic Bay has a capacity to handle 600,000 twenty-footer equivalent unit containers (TEUs), the SBMA executive said. The port has a total of 12 piers and wharves, and three terminals.
Yambao added that SBMA can accommodate atleast five cruise ships a day, as they are promoting inter-island destination from Manila-Subic-Boracay.
The SBMA is currently coordinating with international shipping lines to include Subic as part of the cruise ship itinerary and loops, he furthered.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is also promoting an inter island cruise using Subic as its jump point.
“Subic Bay Freeport” is the theme-park capital of the Philippines because of the numerous attractions – the Zoobic Safari, Ocean Adventure, Treetop Adventure, Jest Camp Adventure and Bird Park, Funtastic Subic Adventure Park and others,” Yambao said.
“Recently we were able to talk with a cruise line and patuloy po namin na tina-try na maging home port for cruise ship and Subic Freeport. Two years ago ito pong MV Spirit of Adventure ay nagdaong sa Subic. Hindi po naging regular sapagkat nagkaroon ng destination schedule na pina-finalize bago maging regular,” Yambao said,
SBMA is coordinating with the tourism department to make Subic a cruise playground, he added.
“Yun pong hub port ng isang cruise liner ay isa pong dream namin yan dahil po sa napakaganda naming facilities. Sa kabuuan meron na po kaming na accommodate na apat o limang cruise ship. Kaya lamang po ay kailangan paigtingin yung promotion para dito, in cooperation with the Department of Tourism. Ang DOT ay may programa para sa cruise tourism,” Yambao said.