SBMA girds for Earth Day Festival

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is girding for a four-day, adventure-packed festival on April 28 to May 1 to celebrate the natural attractions that tourists visiting the Subic Freeport have fallen in love with.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the event, dubbed as Subic Earth Day Festival, will treat visitors to shows and concerts, exhibits and contests that all have environmental themes — "Earth" for the first day, "Wind" for the second, "Fire" for the third, and "Water" for the fourth.

"This is the first time that we are going to hold such a big event in connection with the global Earth Day celebration this April 24," he said.

Ameth de la Llana, manager of the SBMA Ecology Center, which is organizing the event, said the Subic Earth Day Festival will start on April 28 with a motorcade around the Freeport and Olongapo City.

"From thereon, we will open exhibit booths on native craft, products from Zambales and Bataan, as well as an eco-adventure and marine conservation at Subic’s Boardwalk Park, followed by photo exhibits at the Admiral’s Guesthouse and a garden show at the nearby Tappan Park," De la Llana said.

Capping the first day is an ethnic dance contest and a film showing at the Boardwalk.

The second day, according to De la Llana, will feature sports and wellness demonstration at the Boardwalk, the adventure-filled Legendary Adventure Race, an archery exhibition by winners of the recent Southeast Asian Games, a workshop on kite-flying by the Kite Association of the Philippines, and the Universal Combat Reality Championship.

Afternoon events will include a skateboard exhibition, and fun kite-flying and body-painting contests.

The day’s events will end with the "Earth Day Jam" concert at Boardwalk Park.

The third day, meanwhile, will start with a mural painting activity at the Boardwalk area, and a pet show organized by the Philippine Pitbull Club-Olongapo at Tappan Park.

Afternoon events will include a demonstration of techniques in brushfire prevention, bamboo cooking by Aeta jungle survival experts, and junk art by artist-comedian Tado and other members of the Dakila Artists’ Group.

Another concert will be held on the night of April 30 featuring local bands with the special participation of Tado and other Dakila artists.

On the fourth day, De la Llana said there will be a beach and Subic Bay clean-up to be participated in by employees of SBMA, business locators and local governments and students of various schools in the Freeport.

There will also be a banca race and other activities under the Labor "Fun Day" program.

Capping the last day of the festival will be an awards night and a grand fireworks display at the Boardwalk Park.