Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, employees of the City Government were delighted as their mid-year bonus was officially announced and released, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
Good news for employees of the Muntinlupa City government.
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon announced the release of the midyear bonus for city government employees on May 18.
Biazon held a live broadcast on Facebook for the announcement, saying, “As always, siyempre, and inaasahan ng mga workers in government ‘yung ating midyear bonus (As always, of course, government workers look forward to our midyear bonus).”
“Matatanggap ng city government workers ng Muntinlupa ang kanilang midyear bonus starting today [May 18] (City government workers of Muntinlupa will receive their midyear bonus starting today),” he said.
He said the midyear bonus for plantilla and casual employees of the city government is equivalent to one-month salary.
Workers under job orders, contract of service, Kabalikat (street sweepers), and barangay health workers will receive a premium pay of P5,000 coming from the city government.
“Yan po ay handog ng city government of Muntinlupa courtesy of our taxpayers (This is a present from the city government of Muntinlupa courtesy of our taxpayers),” he added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, what is your opinion about the release of the mid-year bonus of the City Government employees?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Parañaque, elements of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) Special Action Unit (SAU) raided and dismantled an illegal operation that used artificial intelligence (AI) tools, cryptocurrency schemes and other means to victimize people online, according to a news report by GMA News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the GMA News. Some parts in boldface…
Authorities have dismantled an alleged online scamming operation in Parañaque City that combined romance fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and artificial intelligence tools to target foreign victims.
In a statement, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said operatives from its Special Action Unit (SAU) conducted a raid on May 15 at a residence after securing a warrant to search and seize computer data from a Parañaque City court.
Seventeen individuals were arrested during the operation – including 14 Filipinos and three foreign nationals – who were allegedly caught in the act of operating computer systems and communication devices linked to the scheme.
Investigators said the suspects were running a call center-like setup on the third floor of the property, equipped with multiple computers, mobile phones, and internet routers believed to be used in online fraud activities.
Authorities also discovered a separate room allegedly used for “models,” where a computer installed with an application capable of AI-based face swapping or deepfake technology was found.
Initial forensic findings by the NBI’s Digital Forensic Laboratory showed that the group allegedly targeted victims abroad, particularly in the United States, Bangkok, and parts of Europe.
The group used dating apps and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Grindr.
The scheme reportedly involved creating fake identities, initiating romantic relationships, and using scripted conversations to build trust before convincing victims to send money.
Investigators said victims were later directed to transfer funds through cryptocurrency wallets linked to a suspected fraudulent investment platform identified as “cexonline.uk,” a method believed to help obscure financial trails.
The arrested individuals were brought to the NBI-SAU office for documentation and were presented for inquest proceedings on May 16 before prosecutors from the Department of Justice.
They may face charges for violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you believe that there could be more scam hubs operating secretly within the city? What do you think makes Parañaque an ideal city for criminals and scammers to set up illegal operations targeting people online? Who do you think is the mastermind of these scam hubs in Parañaque?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Street Fighter fans, retro gamers, Malibu Comics enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 to examine the official comic book adaptation of the wildly popular video game Street Fighter II.
While the original Street Fighter game of 1987 did not achieve huge success in the arcades and on consoles, it literally started the ball rolling for Capcom as the game itself influence other arcade game developers to focus more on making beat-them-up games and the use of special moves appealed to others. Capcom went on to release Street Fighter II in the arcades and it came with a dedicated fighting game design that strongly lured in gamers to play it in huge numbers. After selling 200,000 arcade cabinets, SFII went on to become a huge seller on game consoles. Capcom even went on to produce new versions of the game – popularly referred to as upgrades – culminating with Super Street Fighter II Turbo in 1994.
As Street Fighter II kept on attracting countless players into the arcades worldwide, Capcom approached Malibu Comics (publisher of the Ultraverse).
“Capcom came to Malibu because we know how to do it—we’ve handled licensed properties before and done very well,” said Tom Mason in the opening message of the first issue of the Street Fighter comic book adaptation.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Street Fighter 1, published by Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by the late Len Strazewski and drawn by Don Hillsman. This was the first issue of a planned mini-series.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins some time in the past when Ryu permanently scars Sagat on the chest with his Dragon Punch during street fight in front of many. Enraged, Sagat tries hard to retaliate against Ryu who happens to be the champion among street fighters. The Japanese fighter hits the tall Thai kickboxer with a barrage of kicks.
The past fight was played on home video and viewed by Sagat and Balrog. Embarrassed by the video, Sagat destroys the TV and asked his companion why must he be humiliated. After Balrog tells him not to talk that tone with their superior Bison, Sagat hits the American boxer. As the fight between the two intensifies, Bison arrives and stops the violence. He tells Sagat that he is an embarrassment to his organization.
Bison reminds them that he took them into his criminal network and still have not redeemed themselves in front of him. He tells the two that they must beat Ryu and regain the street fighter championship.
As Balrog and Sagat express difficulty in finding and fighting Ryu, Bison tells them the Japanese fighter’s friends are Chun Li and Ken…
Quality
Once a dedicated, well-trained martial arts competitor, Ken Masters has been doing his moves in productions of commercials. He does not enjoy the product he endorsed.
Back in 1993, I even contemplated buying a copy of this comic book locally when it was brand new. I’m glad I chose not to buy it back then as this one has bad quality in its presentation from start to finish. Dedicated Street Fighter II fans should be warned.
For starters, the storytelling is not faithful to the lore of Street Fighter II even though the creators derived key elements of characters from the game itself. That said, it looks like liberties were taken in order to form a narrative that can be told in comic book format.
Chun Li here is correctly described as an agent of Interpol and is motivated by revenge over the loss of her father who was killed by M. Bison. And yet, she is portrayed here as having a romantic relationship with Ryu and has been training with him along with Ken in the past. The romantic relationship between the two never existed in the popular video game and it is established in Street Fighter II lore that Chun Li came from a different martial arts background while Ken and Ryu trained together under the same master.
Contrary to what was established in Street Fighter II lore, Ken and Chun Li were portrayed as having trained together and have romance with each other.
Ryu in this comic book is the defending street fighter champion (reflecting the canonical story of Street Fighter and Street Fighter II) who is responsible for the huge scar on Sagat’s chest. While Ryu is the wandering warrior who travels around the world with only a duffel bag as he seeks the true way of the fighter, in this adaptation he is a reigning champion who starts having doubts when Chun Li lectures him over his devotion to fighting as life changes for others around him.
While the liberties are notable and could be insulting to dedicated Street Fighter II fans, the story of this comic book is surprisingly readable. As Ryu is the target of Bison and his criminal network, it made sense for dangerous pawns Sagat and Balrog to go after Ken to get to the Japanese fighter. There definitely is a plot here and if readers can ignore the actual lore of Street Fighter II, it can be followed and the classic concept of good versus evil will be realized.
As for the art, the work done by Don Hillsman is lackluster. While he excelled in making Balrog look scary early in the story, his visual takes on the other Street Fighter II characters range from bad to passable. Ken, Ryu, Sagat, Bison, Vega and Chun Li all have that rough look on their faces and bodies. Hillsman even tried to emulate special moves from the game but ended up looking sub-par. Lackluster artworks like these only add to the perception of the fans and other people obsessed with Japanese culture and the arts that Western illustrators should not draw Street Fighter characters.
Conclusion
Balrog on the offensive against Ken.
I am glad that I never bought Street Fighter #1 (1993) brand new decades ago. Its quality is really bad and clearly it has not aged well. Street Fighter fans – especially those obsessed with Street Fighter II games – should look elsewhere to enjoy the tale and concepts of Street Fighter II. This comic book from Malibu Comics is a creative failure and was the start of the eventual collapse of the publishing deal made with Capcom. Can you just imagine the shock the Capcom executives had when they first read this comic book? Ultimately, this comic book adaption was creative catastrophe which is a shame because Malibu Comics had a good record of licensed projects and the late Strazewski (died on April 27, 2026) was one of the finest writers and creators on the Ultraverse line of comic books.
The first half of the message about the Street Fighter II adaptation and the deal between Capcom and Malibu Comics.
The 2nd half of the message. The Capcom-Malibu deal and the production of this adaptation started in mid-1992. Street Fighter II was already dominating the arcades at the time.
Overall, Street Fighter #1 (1993) should be avoided.
Recently in Thailand, the authorities permanently banned a Chinese national who caused damage on two automated immigration gates at Suvarnabhumi Airport, according to a VnExpress news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
A Chinese tourist has been permanently banned from re-entering Thailand after allegedly damaging automated passport control gates at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Southeast Asia’s second largest airport by land area.
The 30-year-old man, identified as Zheng Liwei, was accused of vandalizing two automated immigration gates at the airport on Wednesday while attempting to clear passport control for a flight back to China, Bangkok Post reported.
According to reports, Zheng became increasingly agitated after repeatedly failing to complete the airport’s automated screening process.
Video footage circulating online appears to show him slamming his passport against the scanner before kicking the glass barriers and forcing his way through the checkpoint.
Immigration officers quickly intercepted the man after he allegedly crossed the gate without authorization, police told local media outlet The Nation.
Airport security officers, assisted by the man’s wife, later restrained him after he allegedly shouted abuse in both Chinese and English and attempted to assault immigration personnel.
He has been charged with property damage, an offense punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 60,000 baht (US$1,800), or both.
Zheng also faces a separate charge of insulting a public official while on duty, which carries a penalty of up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
Thai immigration authorities have revoked his visa and placed him on a permanent blacklist, effectively banning him from re-entering the country.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the authorities in Thailand made the correct responses to the Chinese national? Did you ever witness a fellow foreign traveler causing trouble at an airport while you traveled overseas over the past six months? Have you ever been to Suvarnabhumi Airport?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Recently in the City of Parañaque, local police officers apprehended four suspects for the theft of communication cables and illegal tapping, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Police arrested four men allegedly involved in illegal tapping and theft of communication cables during an early morning police operation in Parañaque City on Friday, May 16.
The suspects were identified only as Rommel, 28; John Zedrick, 18; John Rose, 27; and Rodel, 32.
Personnel of Parañaque City Police Substation 5 were conducting routine patrol operations at around 4 a.m. along Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue in BF Homes when they spotted three men opening a Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) manhole.
Police said one of the suspects entered the manhole and later emerged carrying copper cables, while the other two acted as lookouts.
Upon noticing the approaching policemen, the suspects fled aboard an aluminum van. A brief chase followed, leading to the arrest of three suspects in the Bicutan area.
Authorities said a fourth suspect later appeared at the police substation and claimed ownership of the getaway vehicle. He was positively identified by police officers as the group’s alleged backup driver and was also placed under arrest.
Recovered from the suspects were two pieces of PLDT copper cable, a bolt cutter, a chain, a steel bar, a metal saw, four improvised steel hooks, and various construction gear allegedly used as disguises during the operation. Police also impounded a white Foton Tornado van believed to have been used in the crime.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, who do you think is the mastermind behind the illegal tapping and the theft of cables? Do you think Parañaque will be a hot spot for cable thieves?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
It should be noted that the economy of the Philippines has been slowing down and this new development could be the key to reinvigorating economic growth and attracting more investments from the United States.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
A planned “economic security zone” in New Clark City is being positioned as part of broader efforts by the United States to build more reliable supply chains for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
During a visit to the Philippines, US Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said the proposed zone aims to combine “predictability and certainty” with Asia’s manufacturing speed and scale, as global firms reassess supply chain risks.
“This is the site of a planned Economic Security Zone to fuse together the predictability and certainty of American law to the speed and scale of Asia,” Helberg said in prepared remarks delivered in New Clark City.
The initiative comes as US firms seek to reduce dependence on highly concentrated supply chains, particularly for critical components used in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
Helberg said that while semiconductor chips often dominate discussions, the broader AI supply chain relies on a wide range of inputs—from rare earth elements and metals to motors, packaging, and testing systems.
“For each of those parts, our position today is unacceptably overconcentrated,” he said, warning that disruptions, from export restrictions to sudden regulatory changes—have already caused production delays and uncertainty for companies.
He added that when a large share of critical inputs comes from a single source, “you do not have a supply chain,” but rather a vulnerable system exposed to external shocks.
The planned economic security zone is part of efforts under what he described as the US government’s push to treat economic security as a strategic priority, particularly as demand surges alongside the rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies.
Helberg also highlighted the Philippines’ role as a long-standing US partner in the region, calling the project a “partnership of a kind that has not been tried before.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think this latest initiative will help the Philippines attract investors and technology firms from the United States? Do you think this will help the Philippines reduce its dependence on Chinese involvement when it comes to long-term, major economic developments within the country? What is your opinion about the AI supply chain?
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.
Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 How To Get The Strongest And Most Optimized Spaceship Crew In Starfield – This year, Bethesda launched several important updates to make their 2023 science fiction role-playing game Starfield better and they also offered new DLC for those who crave for new content. One of the more defining aspects of the game is space travel and this includes setting up your own crew for your spaceship and there is impact on its functions and capabilities. If you want to learn how to get the stronger and most optimized crew for your ship, I encourage you watch the video below.
#2 Mari Iijima And The Defining Song of Macross: Do You Remember Love? –I really love watching the 1984 anime feature film Macross: Do You Remember Love? Apart from the great animation, the spectacle, the memorable characters and the solid storytelling, the movie also has a great soundtrack made to delight the long-time Macross fans. Still, the movie has its very own song performed by none other than Mari Iijima (Minmay) and it is a classic among Macross fans. In the videos below, you will see Mari Iijima perform the song live in a 1980s TV broadcast and the song playing with selected footage of Macross: Do You Remember Love? Enjoy these!
#3 The Tuna City In Japan Is Changing With Tourism In Mind – If you plan to visit Japan at all, you might want to discover Miura City located in Kanagawa Prefecture. Miura City is famous for its fresh tuna and in recent times there has been a series of changes as several room-only hotels and new trends have sprouted as the locality is finding new ways to turn visitors into overnight guests. This is a place I would like to visit someday if ever I get the opportunity to return to Japan. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#4 Women’s Rights Activist Marries Islamist And Things Went Wrong – Did you notice that there is a gradual rising number of feminists and women’s rights activists who not embrace Islam (wicked and ugly) but also marry Islamists believing that things will be alright and they can just continue their activism. Of course, many of them activists and feminists do not fully understand Islam nor the full content of the Quran. As such, when things go very wrong, they are get into deep trouble. Watch and learn from the video below.
#5 Islamists Violate Hindu Women In India And Get Arrested – Let’s be very clear here. Islamists are oriented to conquer others even though they may not be numerous within a locality. Believe it or not, a group of such people who wielded power inside a business violated the Hindu women (plus at least one male employee) with regards to cultural norms and doing things that go against their faith. Even forced religious conversion happened. Watch and learn from the video below.
#6 Meatballs Reaction And Retrospective – When it comes to cinematic comedy, Bill Murray is iconic and his early work in 1979’s Meatballs already involved the late Harold Ramis and the late director Ivan Reitman. That said, there is something about Meatballs – produced for less than $2 million – that helped it achieve tremendous commercial success with ticket sales of $70 million. Remember, three of the creative minds behind the classic Ghostbusters are involved in this old movie and you will see how You, Me and The Movies react to it in the video below. Be aware that as of this writing, there are not too many movie reaction videos about Meatballs on YouTube. Also posted below is an in-depth retrospective about Meatballs by GoodBadFlicks.
#7 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To The Thin Man – Have you ever heard of The Thin Man? It’s not a UFO reference. It’s the 1934 American pre-Code comedy-mystery movie that was eventually named to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress having been deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” in 1997. Apart from its reputation in American film history, The Thin Man also resulted in five sequels. If you want to discover the 1934 movie but you don’t have the time nor resources to watch the movie, watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video and see how it impacts her.
When it comes to attracting foreign tourists in the first quarter of this year, Malaysia is number one with 10.6 million tourists attracted and that is more than a million ahead of 2nd placer Thailand, according to a news report by VnExpress. It is recalled that Malaysia counted 42.2 million international visitor arrivals in 2025, and it will host the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2027.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Malaysia welcomed 10.6 million tourists in the first quarter of this year, up 5% year-on-year, reinforcing its position as the most visited country in Southeast Asia.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing said arrivals continue to grow despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to Malay Mail.
“Although there is a dip in tourists from the Middle East, there is a slight increase in the number of tourists coming from Asian and European countries,” he said.
Thailand, traditionally the region’s favorite, ranked second after receiving 9.3 million arrivals between January and March, a slight year-on-year decrease of 2.3%, Bangkok Post reported.
Vietnam welcomed 6.76 million foreign tourists in the first quarter of 2026, marking the highest quarterly figure ever recorded and a year-on-year increase of 12%, according to the General Statistics Office.
Malaysia has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s tourism bright spots in recent years, supported by flexible visa policies and infrastructure improvements.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Malaysia will be able to attract 47 million foreign tourists by the end of 2026? If you have visited Malaysia before, what do you think makes it very attractive to foreigners?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
PETER Sancho Del Rosario and Anisha Eunice Caluya dominated their respective division in the sprint junior elite category of the National Age Group Aquathlon (NAGA) held at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City yesterday.
Del Rosario ruled the men’s division with a time of 15 minutes and 54 seconds.
“I feel very accomplished today, I was thinking about my strategy last night and I think I executed that perfectly,” said 16-year-old from Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Darell Johnson Bada settled for second in 16:07, improving his 16:51 perfomance in winning last year’s crown. Giro Don Rafael Gito place third with a time of 16:25 but also improved the 17:13 he registered to claim the silver last year.
Caluya, on the other hand, clocked 18:00 to defend the women’s title over Kariel Rosacena of El Nido Teen Sharks (22:10).
“Today, I’m so happy that I was still able to come up with a good performance despite the numerous international and local competitions,” said the 19-year-old Caluya of De La Salle University.
After this year’s Subic Bay International Triathlon, she will make her debut at the Asian Junior Cup scheduled on June 10-14 in Kampar, Malaysia.
Caluya and Del Rosario at the podium with the honorable Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian G. Sotto during the awarding ceremony. (photo credit: Triathlon Philippines)
Meanwhile, Dustin Dame Eslay of North Pine Aquatic Swim Team and national team mainstay Erika Burgos bagged the gold medals in the sprint elite men and women divisions, respectively.
Other sprint winners were Ralf Bernhard (16-19), Jan Mikaela Caruncho (20-29); and Fritzie Labastida and Patty Dimaano-Moncera (40-49).
In the U15 Youth 13-15 category, the Top 3 winners Pio Mishael Gabriel Latonio (15:11), Remsen Balog-Asan Cayowet (15:37) and Kurt Evans (15:55) in the boys division, while in the girls division were Alainia Bouffaut (7:14), Eliesse Julia Dela Cruz (17:35) and Jovie Yzelle Calisog (17:37).
In the Super TriKids, Gavin Tantoco and Ma. Georjina Pacquing-Sumale pocketed the gold medals in the boys’ and girls’ 9-10 divisions, while Knight Hiliel and Ysabella Leana ruled the under-6 category.
Other winners in the Standard category were Aivan Dail Toquero and Kiandra Emiko Lee (18-24); Joshua Abante and Mariniell Clarete (25-29); Fil-Maur Louis Nacion and Jemimah Abdrea Fajardo (30-34); Renze Rovie Banawa and Patricia Anne Castillo (40-44); Boj Cardona (45-49) and Dato Arroyo (50-54).
Triathlon Philippines, led by president Tom Carrasco, has expressed its gratitude to the Quezon City LGU for the smooth conduct of the event sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Milo, Gatorade, Power MAC Center, Western Guaranty Corp., Gardenia and Lemon Square Bakery Treats.
Following the temporary reduction of fees and added support for clients in the port of Subic Bay, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced that it is considering more financial relief to the stakeholders. A public consultation was recently held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the SBMA’s official announcement. Some parts in boldface…
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is undertaking more financial relief measures for its stakeholders as discussed in a public consultation at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) here on May 11, 2026.
SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Support Services Atty. Ramon O. Agregado said that these temporary measures, stipulated in Board Resolution No. 26-04-1768, and approved on April 21, extend financial relief to affected Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) stakeholders. This action responds to Executive Order No. 110 by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., which declared the entire country under a State of National Energy Emergency.
These measures include a 50% reduction in the Road Users’ Fee (RUF); the suspension of the Environment and Tourism Administrative Fee (ETAF); free renewal of SBMA IDs in electronic ID (e-ID) format for SBF workers; a reduction of fees for renewing SBMA IDs in physical card format; and the implementation of the Economic Relief Assistance Program (ERA 4) for locators here.
Agregado said that the RUF is imposed only on Class 3 vehicles such as trucks, heavy equipment, and other vehicles except mass transit buses with a 45-passenger seating capacity, that utilize the road on a daily, monthly, or annual basis to partially recover the cost of repairing and maintaining the SBF road network.
“Please note that the RUF has not been adjusted since 1997 despite inflation and the fact that the prices of services and materials have increased numerous times throughout the years. Notwithstanding the above, the SBMA Board of Directors likewise approved in the same Resolution to defer the implementation of the programmed increase or adjustment of the RUF,” he added.
Meanwhile, ETAF, which covers all guests with short-term stays in SBFZ Accommodation Establishments, is suspended. These establishments include hotels, inns, daily rental housing facilities, condotels, and all other such establishments.
Other tourism establishments include restaurants, wellness centers, massage and health spas, golf courses, beach resorts, and theme parks, and all other tourism-related establishments, except duty-free shops and retail stores.
“The SBMA Board of Directors, through Resolution No. 26-04-1789, approved the temporary suspension of ETAF payments effective 24 April 2026. The same Resolution provides that the temporary suspension of ETAF payments shall remain in effect until otherwise lifted or modified by the SBMA Board of Directors,” Agregado said.
He added that to provide tangible financial relief specifically targeted to and in support of SBF workers, SBMA is launching the SBMA e-ID for renewals and temporarily waiving renewal fees for workers who opt for the e-ID instead of a physical card.
The Board also approved, through Resolution No. 26-04-1788, the temporary adjustment or reduction of the fee for the renewal of the SBMA ID of SBF workers who opted for a physical card instead of the e-ID format, from ₱200.00 to ₱130.00. This adjustment shall be effective upon receipt of a positive review by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel.
The Board has also approved the ERA4 through Resolution No. 26-04-1784, allowing SBF locators a 50% deferral of payment for monthly lease rental/sublease share billing for a maximum period of six months, starting in May 2026.
“Locators will be allowed to pay half of their monthly billing without penalty for late payment for billings issued by the Accounting Department from May to October 2026, provided they have no past-due accounts as of April 30, 2026,” the SBMA official said.
The 2026 Middle East war has triggered the largest global oil supply disruption in history, with over barrels per day lost in March due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Fuel prices have skyrocketed—jet fuel doubled in price by April—causing severe shortages, rationing in Asian nations like Sri Lanka and the Philippines, and widespread economic fallout.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the SBMA’s moves of providing financial relief to stakeholders is aggressive and very timely? Do you think the suspension of the ETAF will be a huge benefit for hotels, inns, condotels and daily rental housing facilities within the freeport? With the recent changes made by the SBMA, do you think more foreign investors will be convinced to invest in Subic Bay Freeport Zone soon?
