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| COME TO SUBIC BY AIR --- PAYUMO | |||||||||||||||||
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JEN VELARMINO.philippine star SUBIC BAY FREEPORT- After more than a year's absence in the Freeport, Air Philippines Corp. (APC) has now re-opened its flight operations here through a simple re-launching ceremony held last Friday(December 16). Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Felicito Payumo told APC president Jose Antonio Gonzales that his administration will give them all the support that they need "because both SBMA and APC will benefit from the resumption of these flights." "The return of Air Philippines to Subic skies is welcomed not only by the residents and investors in Subic but by the local tour operators from Taipei, Malaysia and China," he said. "Subic is not just an industrial zone, it is fast-becoming a major tourist destination point for both local and international tourists. Air Philippines has shown its foresight, looking into the New Millennium and the role that Subic will play in the development of the country," the SBMA chair added. Gonzales for his part said that their return to Subic "shows good timing," as his firm is now ready for the coming holiday travel rush by adding more flights in many destinations nationwide. "We hope that our return augurs well for the future, we would like to be a part of Subic's efforts on becoming one of the major players as we enter the New Millennium," he said. According to company officials, APC has also re-launched its operations in Laoag "after a month's absence due to upgrading of services from turbo prop to jet engine." In Subic, APC will use a 107-seater Boeing 737 aircraft for its Subic- Manila run every Fridays and Sundays. "Weekend tourists can take the late afternoon Friday flight to Subic from Manila and enjoy the sights here before catching the flight back Sunday afternoon," SBMA trade & tourism deputy administrator Dennis Oliquino said. | ||||||||||||||||
| 6.8 EARTHQUAKE DESTORYS A 17TH CENTURY CHURCH | |||||||||||||||||
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ERNIE ESCONDE.manila times BALANGA, Bataan --- A Roman Catholic church built in the early 17th century by the Spaniards was heavily damaged by last Saturday's intensity 6.8 tremor (December 11) and was declared unsafe by local authorities. The walls of the Hermosa Catholic Cathedral, which is made of adobe, collapsed leaving the province oldest bell hanging even as some portions of another church, the St. Agustine Church in Iba, Zambales suffered huge cracks. The tremor struck at around 2 am Saturday morning and lasted for 26 seconds. This was the second strongest earthquake that hit Central Luzon since the July 1991. "Bumagsak ang kisame, natibag ang mga adobe at nag-crack din ang loob ng simbahan kaya nilagyan na namin ng permiter fence para hindi na pasukin ng tao," SPO1 Rommel Capuli of the Hermosa police station told newsmen after a site inspection of the Hermosa church. The Philipppine Institute of Volcanolgy and Seismology (Philvocs) said that the quake was centered 61 kilometers southwest of Lingayen, Pangasinan. All the national newspaper attributed 3 deaths including some 30 injuries to the early morning earthquake. Two people reportedly succumbed to heart attacks, namely; 60 year old Corazon Raquino of Infanta, Quezon, 59 year old Sonny Prospero of Manila while Maricel Ednalaga, 11, a resident died after a portion of her house fell on her while she was sleeping. Injured were; Michael Morados, 11; Samuel Streeter, 12 and younger brother Michael, 11; Michelle Boniel, 7 and Joseph Dragon, 11all of Sta, Cruz, Zambales. Others are Arnilira Abitner, 73; Dante Lachica, 30; Orly Sanchez, 22 and Resurreccion Garcia, all residents of Masinloc, Zambales; Lucena Mirador, 65; her son Raul, 19 and Saidamin Mustafa, 14 and Alex Burao, all of Iba, Zambales; Josefina Melano, 46, and daughter Mary Grace, 9, of Infanta, Pangasinan. (with a report from JOHN BAYARONG.manila bulletin) | ||||||||||||||||
| P110-M SMUGGLED TIRES, SEIZED IN SUBIC | |||||||||||||||||
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TONE BAYARONG.philippine post Olongapo City--- Some P110 million worth of smuggled goods were seized by agents of the Presidential Anti- Smuggling Task Force, Task Force Aduana and Bureau of Customs assigned at Subic Bay Freeport Zone yesterday morning (December 12). The twelve 40-foot container vans were temporarily stored at Bldg. 1027 at the former Naval Supply Depot located inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and was declared as undervalued by custom police. Authorities found brand new tires branded as Longmarch with size ranging from 8.25 by 20, 10 by 20 and 7.50 by 16 and assorted T-Shirt. Task Force Aduana is currently monitoring shipments being unloaded at Subic for possible smuggled items specially shipment coming from countries such as China, Pakistan and India. The goods originated from Pakistan and transhipped to India and China and later transferred on board MV American Presidents Line (APL). Col. Alexander Yano, chief of Task Force Aduana said that they are now looking for big time syndicates involved in the snuggling of sugar, garments, jewelry, tires and those operating in Central Luzon. Yano added that the shipments were put on hold and will be subject to a full investigation of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Task Force. As of present time, Task Force Aduana and officials of PASTF are currently opening the remaining containers and are looking into as to the identity of the smugglers. | ||||||||||||||||
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