SBMA CITES SUBIC’S INTERMODAL NETWORK BY LAND, SEA AND AIR
by Vic V. VIZCOCHO, Jr.
THE Subic Bay Freeport Zone has a “unique” advantage in having both an airport and a seaport at the same time, according to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Sr. Deputy Administrator (SDA) Ronnie R. Yambao.
“The SBMA, as an enabler of free trade and commerce, is ready to offer its airport and port facilities as a logistics supply chain solution for the distribution of aquamarine and agricultural commodities locally and abroad,” Yambao said, “its intermodal network by land, sea and air is a game changer that will accelerate growth in the logistics sector.”
SDA Yambao made the remarks on Tuesday at Subic’s Mansion Garden Hotel during the Philippine Aquamarine and Agriculture Development Concession Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signing ceremony that aims to put up a “state of the art” Logistics Hub in the Freeport.
(contributed photo by Felix Visey)
The project, touted to generate trading worth some $420 M annually when launched, would bring Japan’s Tokushima Auction Market and its marketing arm Global Trade Venture (GTV) Company Ltd. to Subic.
GTV/TAM President and CEO Yoshihisa Arai and Japan Medicinal Association (JMA) Chairman Dr. Kazuo Hara led the signing MoA signing along with lawyer Manuel B. Quijano, President of Magbukun Agri-venture Inc., Ayta Chieftain Berlina Rostum and Subic Indigenous People Assistance Group (SIPAG) Acting President Aurelio Pineda.
Amin Javadi, Iran’s Ambassador to the Philippines graced the MoA signing with his presence along with senior Japanese consultants Kazuo Sato and Nobayasu Sugimoto.
“By bringing in this group that will not only be investors but will be joint venture partners of SBMA that will allow huge trading volumes,” Quijano said in the press conference that followed.
A day before, GTV/TAM had just consummated a similar MoA with the officials of the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) and Asia Pacific Precision Agriculture Group (ASPAC AG) in Davao City. (VVV)
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