In coordination with the Olongapo City Government and Beach Boulevard Business Association (BBBA), Subic Bay Resorts Association (SUBRA) is all-set as lead organization for the celebration of the annual "Sibit-Sibit Festival" on April 23-25, 2009 at Barangay Barretto, this city.
The annual event in the city depicts its rich and colorful history. The term sibit-sibit is a word derived from the small banca used for fishing in the early times when Olongapo was still a fishing village.
The festival started as a barangay event of Barangay Barretto. Mayor James Gordon, Jr. elevated the festival into a city event because of its potential in promoting the city's tourism industry.
SBMA (Subic Metropolitan Authority) Administrator, Armand Arreza said that the National Competitiveness Council and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SBMA have proposed development of the Subic bay Freeport northwest of manila as a transshipment and logistics hub.
This shout to make Subic as mother port should hasten the implementation of the government's plans for Subic, since it is closer to most sea lanes that would be easy for mother ships used in transshipment to pass by Subic and pick up cargoes for direct delivery to destinations like Europe.
Marietta Payangi, a 25-year old Aeta, never had a chance to go to school. But now, things are different for her 5-year-old son, Ronnie. He goes to a small day-care center at the foot of Mount Malasimbu in the village of Bayan Bayanan in Dinalupihan, Bataan.
The day-care center functions as a pre-school and dormitory for Aeta children who attend a nearby public elementary school. It saves them from the long walk down the mountain, as well as the pain of discrimination.
TPLEX (Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway) project is set to start in April this year and expected to be completed in June, 2010.
Jesus Jacobe, project management head of the Private Infrastructure Development Corp. (PIBC) said that the 55.58- kilometer TPLEX will reduce travel time from Manila to Baguio by another two hours.
PIDC is the private contractor, while the DPWH-BOT-PMO (Department of Public Works and Highways Build- Operate- Transfer Project management Office) is the government agency implementing the project.
