Sleepy in Subic

The road to Subic was paved with good intentions – and great expectations – never mind if traffic got a little tight in the boundary of Pampanga and Zambales. Still, we were lucky. It took us only three hours and a half to reach Subic. We left Manila at 9:30 Saturday morning and at 1:30 p.m., we were checking in at the sprawling Subic International Hotel, welcomed with a wide British smile by Michael R. Wilson, the manager (yes, he’s British).

"Enter through the backdoor of Subic," Universal Records lady boss Bella Tan reminded us two days earlier before she and companions went to Subic where she usually spends weekends (she’s recuperating from a recent major surgery). "It’s easier and faster that way."

So that’s what we told the driver of the 10-seater Pregio we rented for the trip. There were nine of us (the heavyweight driver included), comfortably tucked into three big rooms reserved for us by Bella and her husband, the amiable Mr. Jack Tan, who own the Subic International Hotel. It was Bella who had been inviting us – persistently, I should say – to spend a weekend in Subic, specifically at their hotel. At the last minute, scriptwriter and Marian devotee Baby Nebrida begged off because she had to attend a family gathering, and so did Ronald Constantino who had to cover the shooting of the Rudy Fernandez movie Diskarte (showing in next month’s Manila Filmfest) in Club Morocco, barely 20 minutes drive from Subic.

While we were wondering where the nearest Chow King outlet was, my cell phone rang. It was Bella, inviting us for lunch at the nearby (two corners away from the hotel) Golden Dragon Restaurant which, I swear, serves the best Chinese cuisine that part of Luzon. Burping our way back to our rooms, we assured Bella that, yes, we would take the Subic Bay cruise that she recommended later that afternoon.

We barely had 24 hours in Subic so we decided to enjoy every minute of it – my companions, I mean. I had been suffering from a lingering cold caused, according to my doctor (hi, Wilson Lim!), by a virus that loves to overstay in a human body, and I intended to spend those precious 24 hours nursing that damn cold in bed, ready to gulp down two pitcher-ful of hot water (no lemon, please, or my acidity would act up again) along with two sachets of powdered Chinese herbs which, Bella said, were effective for colds (they were, thanks Bella!).

I was wrong, of course – partly.

I was sleepy (in Subic), all right, but I couldn’t resist the cruise around Subic Bay. The ferry, equipped with spotlessly clean leather seats covered with white sheets, lifted anchor at 5 p.m. sharp. What a relaxing and romantic cruise it was, especially on the way back at dusk when assorted lights were starting to sparkle around Subic.

"It’s a pity you can’t take the Ocean Adventure," tsk-tsked Odette E. Aguilar, director of sales and marketing of the Subic International Hotel, who accompanied us on the hour-long cruise. "In that 45-minute adventure (admission prices are P400 for adults and P320 for children/senior citizens), you can actually swim with the whales. There’s a sea-lion show. It’s the first and only open-water marine park in Southeast Asia."

On the deck of the ferry, savoring the fresh sea breeze ("Good for your colds," said Bella), Odette updated us on Subic International Hotel’s special offers, including a "Honeymoon Adventure" (inclusive of an overnight accommodation for two, buffet breakfast, a bottle of wine, entrance fee for two at a beach and entrance fee for two at Jest Camp which features a butterfly garden, a jungle demo, a mini zoo and a mini museum) for only P2,500 per head and a "Weekend Plus @ Subic" (almost the same privileges) for only P2,300 per head.

"The Victory Liner, in cooperation with the Subic International Hotel and Mandarin Oriental Manila, operates a non-stop shuttle service back and forth," said Odette. "The bus leaves Subic at 8 a.m. and arrives at Mandarin at 11:40 a.m. It leaves Mandarin at 7 p.m. and arrives in Subic at 10:30 p.m. The fares are P210 one way and P420 round trip." (For more information, call Odette at 843-77-94/97 in Subic, 243-22-22 to 33 in Manila or 0917-8442509).

Bella invited us for yet another lauriat dinner at Golden Dragon Restaurant (which, by the way, the Tans also own, together with the Seafront Restaurant and the newly-opened Golden Tea House, located within walking distance of each other) but we could still feel in our tummies the sumptuous Chinese lunch we had earlier. We told Bella that we’d settle for a light Chow King meal later, thank you!

Chow King was packed full with weekenders (mostly from Manila, we learned), and so was the duty-free shop which we visited as part of the leisurely stroll we took to Chow King. It was nice to know that Filipinos are learning to "visit our own" first, with Subic as the most convenient choice, it being the nearest and the least expensive destination.

It was fun walking under the moonlight back to the hotel (good for digestion). Along the way, we checked out a peryahan, a tiangge and a free concert at a park. Subic was a bustling place that Saturday evening.

The next day, while my companions were on the beach, I opted to enjoy the luxurious privacy of the Subic International Hotel, a bit sleepy as I still was due to the persistent colds. Later, I toured the hotel which a STAR co-employee and I visited back in 1992 when it was new, only a few months after the American marines/soldiers packed their bags. The hotel has changed considerably, with Bella and Jack Tan sinking millions into major repairs and renovations. Now, looking at the hotel, you will never think that the three buildings (Alpha, Bravo and Delta) used to be, yes, barracks. Among its facilities are a terrace café, a videoke and health club, an outdoor swimming pool and a shuttle service to any point inside the port. There are more than 300 well-appointed deluxe rooms and suites, take your pick.

On the way home, our group was luckier than that of Ronald Constantino. We left Subic at 2:30 Sunday afternoon and arrived in Manila at 5:30. The trip took Ronald’s group more than – whew! – seven hours! They got caught in that Pampanga-Zambales bottleneck.