Subic Adventure
May 5, 2002 | 12:00am
Subic Bay is now making a more determined effort to become a mecca for tourists who are not only nature lovers but also extreme adventure enthusiasts.
"We are on the way to achieving our vision of making Subic a total tourism experience," Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Felicito Payumo said. "We will soon have something to offer for everyone."
For sports lovers, Subic has a golf course and areas for fishing, biking, motocross, jet skiing and kayaking. Last March 24, Payumo opened four covered and three open tennis courts with truflex surface and of international standards. The facilities were used for the National Open Tennis Championships last month. This month, an inter-club tennis competition will be held there.
Payumo said the SBMA think tank is convinced that aside from these more conventional forms of sports, Subic should also offer facilities for the more adventurous and for those aching for a more demanding, more challenging activity.
Thus, SBMA entered into a joint partnership with a number of entities to make the former American naval base a "must" place to visit for extreme adventure enthusiasts.
Early this month, some 100 airsoft gun enthusiasts representing eight clubs participated in an inter-club competition at Grande Island organized by Kerry Asuncion who also served as one of the game marshals.
Payumo said this kind of war game is allowed in Subic provided rifles use corn-based pellets which are biodegradable and, thus, would not pose any threat to Subic ecology.
The participants had their own uniform to identify their respective clubs, although most of them were in camouflage to wage surprise attacks on their "enemies."
Lene Ramirez, squad leader of a group called "Power Pop Girls," said she had been to other places like Tanay and Antipolo in Rizal, Naic in Cavite and Bacolod City, but she liked Subic best because of its forest terrain.
Ramirez, who is also in soccer, rowing, volleyball and practical shooting, said the forest terrain of Subic makes airsoft combat more realistic.
Most of the airsoft enthusiasts have their own guns and pellets, but for those who have none, Asuncion said his group would rent these out to them.
For those who crave for an almost real combat, there is the paintball facility operated jointly by SBMA and Aaron Pratt, a former US Marine.
The rifles and pellets used in paintball are more powerful than those in airsoft, and hits cause more pain, even with the mandatory body armor for players.
The opening of the Subic Adventure Park last March 7 also showed the increasing diversity of tourist attractions at Subic Bay.
One of the park’s features is the "Ropes Course," a growing favorite among corporations out to build a stronger bond among its key workers.
An explanatory note on the Ropes Course states: "The Ropes Course marks a renewed interest in making the environment an important link to enhancing and developing teamwork and respect for every individual."
Payumo said that in the Ropes Course, the survival of a person climbing the ropes or hanging on one and descending, depends on his teammates who are holding the other end of the rope.
"This is meant to enhance one’s confidence in his peers, and not merely to conquer one’s fears," he stressed.
Adventure Park also features a "Slide for Life" with seven stations in the middle of tall trees and hanging bridges. A slide from a station about 40 meters above the ground could be exhilarating although it is not recommended for the faint of heart. One slides on a harness with professionals maintaining the speed of the slide.
For those who want to test their endurance, they can try the hanging bridges below the slide. At the seventh station, they will have to walk back to where they started.
Payumo said they are planning to create a mini-zoo in the area surrounding the slide to enhance the forest atmosphere of the attraction.
"Soon, we will offer a canopy ride over the virgin forest of Subic for those who love heights and the sight of diverse birds, animal life and insects," he bared.
He said he got the idea of a canopy ride after a visit to Costa Rica and Panama. "These are the countries that pioneered ecotourism," he said.
For those who love heights, one need not wait for the completion of the canopy ride for SBMA is already offering paramotor and parachute glides. Payumo said SBMA plans to use hang gliding not only for tourism but also for reconnaissance.
"Hang gliding gives one a panoramic view of the area and lets him see if there are poachers and illegal loggers," he explained. "It covers more area and is cheaper."
These would supplement the more popular attractions in Subic like the Ocean Adventure involving trained whales and sea lions.
Payumo said SBMA has not gone into a marketing offensive to promote their new attractions.
"Neither do we receive any assistance from agencies that are supposed to promote tourism. Our facilities are attracting more people mainly through word of mouth," he said.
Definitely, a visit to Subic now would show that it has really gone a long way since the days when duty-free shops were its main tourist drawer.
"Then, the tourists leave after buying. Now, we are seeing more tourists who prefer to stay longer. Subic is becoming a preferred spot for weekend rest and recreation," he said.
"We are on the way to achieving our vision of making Subic a total tourism experience," Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Felicito Payumo said. "We will soon have something to offer for everyone."
For sports lovers, Subic has a golf course and areas for fishing, biking, motocross, jet skiing and kayaking. Last March 24, Payumo opened four covered and three open tennis courts with truflex surface and of international standards. The facilities were used for the National Open Tennis Championships last month. This month, an inter-club tennis competition will be held there.
Payumo said the SBMA think tank is convinced that aside from these more conventional forms of sports, Subic should also offer facilities for the more adventurous and for those aching for a more demanding, more challenging activity.
Thus, SBMA entered into a joint partnership with a number of entities to make the former American naval base a "must" place to visit for extreme adventure enthusiasts.
Early this month, some 100 airsoft gun enthusiasts representing eight clubs participated in an inter-club competition at Grande Island organized by Kerry Asuncion who also served as one of the game marshals.
Payumo said this kind of war game is allowed in Subic provided rifles use corn-based pellets which are biodegradable and, thus, would not pose any threat to Subic ecology.
The participants had their own uniform to identify their respective clubs, although most of them were in camouflage to wage surprise attacks on their "enemies."
Lene Ramirez, squad leader of a group called "Power Pop Girls," said she had been to other places like Tanay and Antipolo in Rizal, Naic in Cavite and Bacolod City, but she liked Subic best because of its forest terrain.
Ramirez, who is also in soccer, rowing, volleyball and practical shooting, said the forest terrain of Subic makes airsoft combat more realistic.
Most of the airsoft enthusiasts have their own guns and pellets, but for those who have none, Asuncion said his group would rent these out to them.
For those who crave for an almost real combat, there is the paintball facility operated jointly by SBMA and Aaron Pratt, a former US Marine.
The rifles and pellets used in paintball are more powerful than those in airsoft, and hits cause more pain, even with the mandatory body armor for players.
The opening of the Subic Adventure Park last March 7 also showed the increasing diversity of tourist attractions at Subic Bay.
One of the park’s features is the "Ropes Course," a growing favorite among corporations out to build a stronger bond among its key workers.
An explanatory note on the Ropes Course states: "The Ropes Course marks a renewed interest in making the environment an important link to enhancing and developing teamwork and respect for every individual."
Payumo said that in the Ropes Course, the survival of a person climbing the ropes or hanging on one and descending, depends on his teammates who are holding the other end of the rope.
"This is meant to enhance one’s confidence in his peers, and not merely to conquer one’s fears," he stressed.
Adventure Park also features a "Slide for Life" with seven stations in the middle of tall trees and hanging bridges. A slide from a station about 40 meters above the ground could be exhilarating although it is not recommended for the faint of heart. One slides on a harness with professionals maintaining the speed of the slide.
For those who want to test their endurance, they can try the hanging bridges below the slide. At the seventh station, they will have to walk back to where they started.
Payumo said they are planning to create a mini-zoo in the area surrounding the slide to enhance the forest atmosphere of the attraction.
"Soon, we will offer a canopy ride over the virgin forest of Subic for those who love heights and the sight of diverse birds, animal life and insects," he bared.
He said he got the idea of a canopy ride after a visit to Costa Rica and Panama. "These are the countries that pioneered ecotourism," he said.
For those who love heights, one need not wait for the completion of the canopy ride for SBMA is already offering paramotor and parachute glides. Payumo said SBMA plans to use hang gliding not only for tourism but also for reconnaissance.
"Hang gliding gives one a panoramic view of the area and lets him see if there are poachers and illegal loggers," he explained. "It covers more area and is cheaper."
These would supplement the more popular attractions in Subic like the Ocean Adventure involving trained whales and sea lions.
Payumo said SBMA has not gone into a marketing offensive to promote their new attractions.
"Neither do we receive any assistance from agencies that are supposed to promote tourism. Our facilities are attracting more people mainly through word of mouth," he said.
Definitely, a visit to Subic now would show that it has really gone a long way since the days when duty-free shops were its main tourist drawer.
"Then, the tourists leave after buying. Now, we are seeing more tourists who prefer to stay longer. Subic is becoming a preferred spot for weekend rest and recreation," he said.
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