$5 B conversion of SBMA as international park nixed

By Mar T. Supnad

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT-The proposed US$5 billion to convert the Subic Bay International Airport into an ambitious International theme park drew flak even as former Senator and SBMA founding chairman Richard Gordon described the proposal as “a high degree of mental slaught” if the government allows it.

Department of Tourism officials said the proposed conversion of SBMA into a theme park will pose derail plans of provinces around the port to integrate tourism promotion programs and take advantage of the existing world class sea ports and airports in the former American military bases.

Tourism officers of seven provinces in Central Luzon gathered on Friday at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center to map out plans in promoting the region as a major tourist destination by highlighting idyllic white sand beaches, heritage sites and colorful festivals.

Region 3 tourism director Ronaldo Tiotuico said the forum aims to gather tourism officers in 120 local government units in the region to discuss a unified strategy to promote Central Luzon as a major tourism hub.

He said the two freeport zones in Subic and Clark are major assets that will contribute to plans of promoting tourism in the seven provinces of the region-Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Tarlac and Bulacan.

Gordon told newsmen the administration will be committing “a high degree of mental slaughter” if it allows the plan to convert the Subic Bay international airport into an international theme park and recreation site.

Gordon, who also served as tourism secretary said global tourist destinations such as New York and San Francisco have many airports yet Palawan, now being promoted by the government needs an additional airport. He said the SBMA should not waste the US$40 million government funds used to rebuild and modernize the SBIA.

Gordon  criticized plans of current SBMA chairman Robert Garcia to push for a US$5 billion investment proposal that converts the freeport's 200 hectare prime real estate into a theme park with condominiums, malls and recreational facilities similar to Hongkong Disneyland and Singapore's Sentosa park.

“It’s very rare to have a world class airport and a seaport in one facility in our country. The government should instead develop it to decongest airports in Metro Manila and bring in more tourists and investors,” said Gordon in a telephone interview over the weekend.

Gordon lamented the plan to demolish the existing international airport in Subic “when the government cannot even operate fully an international airport in Manila”, referring perhaps to the terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

He said SBMA was a successful endeavor after the Americans left the bases and the province was badly damaged by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption.

“ The SBMA has been a successful convention facility which hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in 1996 and hosted global companies such as FedEx,” said Gordon, lamenting the fact that it has now been abandoned because officials there could not make use of the existing facilities there.

“ They want the easy way out all the time, if they cannot develop Subic using the existing facilities, then they should all leave,” said an outraged Gordon.

He said promoting tourist destinations require " an airport to draw tourists." Gordon, now head of the Philippine National Red Cross said he cannot understand why Subic, an already tourist haven with an airport will be removed of its major asset-the international airport.

Meanwhile, Tiotuico said measures to step up tourism promotions at the local level is in line with the mandate Republic Act 9593, known as National Tourism Development Plan that empower LGUs in planning, developing and marketing their respective tourist destinations.
           

" Local tourism officers have shared responsibility with the national tourism officials to map out tourism strategies as they are more knowledgeable of the natural and man-made assets in their provinces," said Tiotuico in an interview at the sidelines of the ATOCEL forum held at the SBMA.
           

In an interview, SBMA chairman Garcia said the US$5 billion investment proposal for SBMA conversion into a theme park is now at the economic cluster of the National Economic Development Administration (NEDA). The two years plan also awaits approval of President Aquino III.
           

The Subic Bay International Airport in the province of Zambales was used as a major facility of the American military bases. The SBIA is one of the international airports with International Aviation Safety certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration, International Air Transport Association and the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization.