2013 a productive year for Subic - SBMA chief

SUBIC BAY Freeport - Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Roberto Garcia announced several huge projects for Subic Bay Freeport this year.

Garcia said most of the negotiations with different investors done last year would be pushing through in 2013.

Resom Resort Co., Ltd project in Minanga, in Morong, Bataan was sidelined because of a land dispute but this year, but Garcia said it will pursue three major builds.

Garcia said the first will be a multi-million dollar luxury hotel at the former mini golf area along the famous waterfront road.

The second will be a hotel, casino and spa in Cubi and a golf course in Minanga in Morong, Bataan.

Resom will invest an estimated P600 million in the projects, Garcia said.

Ocean Nine, which was also side-tracked last year due to a legal problem will start to renovate the former Legenda Hotel.

“Included in their license which is expected to come out this week is for the operation and renovation of the former Legenda hotel and the El Centro Convention Center,” Garcia said.

“These two project will infuse $30 million,” he added.

Another company in the leisure industry which will be doing a project in Subic this year is Holiday Inn with an estimated investment of P1.8 billion.

The agency is also looking for an investor to lease out the current administration building along waterfront road.

The administration building is considered as a historic landmark in Subic to some because this building was the former command center of the United States Navy.

Talks are currently being held with companies into aircraft and maintenance service, he added.

“We are also talking to several Hong Kong companies who are considering to relocate operation in Subic.” Garcia said.

“One company we are talking to right now has 16 and the other one has 36 charter jets, if all goes well, the airport will be a busy place this year,” he said.

Vale, an iron ore transshipment company who brought around P60 million in revenues for Subic last year is looking at doubling its revenues this year, he said.

Subic’s port is also expected to be busy after Garcia said Purefood, San Miguel and another fertilizer firm expressed keen interest in it.

Black and Decker, a US-based powertool manufacturer, will also be setting up shop in Subic soon, Garcia said.

“With all this investments coming this year, we are confident that Subic will prosper this year and we hope that we can sustain all of this and add more,” he added.