Subic Freeport braces for tourist influx during Holy Week

More tourists arrive in the Subic Bay Freeport to spend the Holy Week break. | PHOTO: Joanna Rose Aglibot

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales––More tourists are expected to arrive during the Holy Week break at the Subic Bay Freeport, an official said.

Rolen Paulino, chair and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said the agency has lined up weeklong activities and is opening more areas of destinations to accommodate guests.

“SBMA is again open. I wanted people to come here to Subic during the Holy Week. But with what I see, it is more than I expected,” Paulino said in a statement.

Over the weekend, Paulino spearheaded the opening of the Subic Bay Weekend Eco-Market, an outdoor flea market located near the San Roque Chapel where some 30 micro, small, and medium enterprises from Central Luzon sell fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, meats, handicrafts, and more.

Open from 8 a.m to 3 p.m, the Subic Bay Weekend Eco-Market, in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), aims to help revive tourism and the economy in the area and will run all weekends until the end of May.

The Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce also opened the 2022 Subic Bay Banchetto, and trade fair that will run during the Holy Week period.

“Since Region 3 was placed under Alert Level 1, we have all been working hard. The banchetto was organized in time for Holy Week to give ourselves a much-deserved break,” said Benjamin Antonio III, SBFCC president.

He said that the banchetto is also in partnership with the DoT and DTI, aiming to revive tourism and the economy as micro, small, and medium enterprise businesses join the trade fair.

The banchetto will run daily from 4 p.m. to 1 a,m, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday only.

lzb