Subic Bay Freeport – The Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship docked at th Freeport on Tuesday morning as its maiden ship call here.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials and employees were present to welcome the passengers and crew of the Villa Vie Odyssey, along with representatives from the Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Quarantine, and other stakeholders.
Some 650 passengers disembarked from the cruise ship as the Villa Vie Odyssey will be staying until tomorrow, while her passengers visit the many tourism destinations inside Subic Bay Freeport.
The Villa Vie Odyssey is a residential cruise ship offering a unique, full-time world cruise experience for residents, or “global residents,” who purchase cabins for long-term stays, rather than traditional shorter cruises.
Once known as the Braemar, the 924-passenger ship was purchased by Villa Vie Residences in 2023 and underwent a significant refurbishment before its 2024 launch.
The ship is designed to be smaller than mega-ships, allowing access to smaller, unique ports, and features a variety of amenities, including dining, pools, a gym with Peloton bikes, and community spaces for activities like art and fitness classes.

MANILA – Philippine Army (PA) engineers along with their American counterparts have trained together as part of efforts to enhance their capabilities in airfield damage repair (ADR) and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD).
In a statement Tuesday, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said these training activities are part of the ongoing “Balikatan” exercises and involved troops from the Army’s 53rd Engineer Brigade along with US military personnel.
He added that the ADR and EOD training activities started in Cebu last April 21 when “Balikatan” formally started.
The ADR expert exchange focused on lectures on ADR familiarization, crater repair, formworks installation, and crushed stone restoration.
These lectures were followed by simulation exercises in front of the Visayas Command Grandstand.
Subsequently, practical ADR training exercises were conducted at Camp Cadre, Poblacion Medellin, Cebu, where participants had the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from the lectures and assessments in a realistic field environment.
The annual military drills between Filipino and American units are expected to conclude this May 9.
“ADR and EOD skills are crucial in ensuring mission success as they ensure operational continuity through the rapid restoration of damaged runways and removal of explosive hazards,” Dema-la said.
Meanwhile, 53rd Engineer Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Maynard Camarao described the training exercises as a “strategic investment in readiness, resilience, and friendship” that highlights the enduring value of Philippine-US cooperation in enhancing regional security and strengthening disaster response efforts.
Exercise “Balikatan”, which means “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Filipino, is one of the longest-standing bilateral military exercises between the Philippines and the United States.
The drills aim to strengthen the alliance between the two nations while bolstering combined and joint force capabilities and demonstrating a shared commitment to regional stability in the Indo-Pacific Region. (PNA)

BALER, Aurora — A total of 1,144,376 tourists visited the province of Aurora during the 2025 Holy Week break from April 12-20, up by 40 percent compared to last year. From the figure, 310,739 were overnight tourists who stayed in local accommodations, while the rest were same-day visitors who explored popular destinations without staying overnight.
Aurora Provincial Tourism Officer Anariza Mendoza noted that the high volume of visitors was attributed to the successful promotion of ecotourism sites, beach attractions, and historical landmarks in Aurora, alongside the effective implementation of security and safety measures under the SUMVAC 2025 initiative.
Dipaculao, known for its white sand beaches, recorded the highest number of tourists with 309,219, followed closely by Baler with 307,077, and Dingalan, which welcomed 280,001 tourists.
Other municipalities also saw strong tourist traffic, including Casiguran with 93,800 visitors, Dilasag with 73,324, Dinalungan with 42,001, San Luis with 37,886, and Maria Aurora with 22,113.
Mendoza expressed optimism that the surge in tourism will continue in the coming months, citing ongoing efforts to promote sustainable tourism and enhance visitor experiences across the province.
In total, Aurora recorded approximately 1.7 million tourist arrivals during the first four months of 2025, underscoring the province’s continued growth as a top travel destination in Central Luzon. (PIA Region 3-Aurora)

Manila—On February 20, the United States government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launched the U.S.-Philippines Partnership for Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning (UPSKILL) Program, a five-year, Php1.6-billion ($30 million) initiative that will help Philippine higher education become more globally competitive by strengthening innovation, workforce development, and entrepreneurship in colleges and universities.
U.S. President Joseph Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. jointly announced this initiative during President Marcos’s visit to the White House in May 2023.
USAID’s UPSKILL Program will bring together U.S. universities, Philippine government agencies engaged in human capital development, and private sector partners to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education institutions through faculty and staff training, curriculum improvements, and increasing community outreach and technology transfer. These efforts will improve the qualifications and career prospects of Filipino higher education graduates to continuously meet evolving workforce needs and enhance linkages between U.S. and Philippine universities.
The UPSKILL Program is implemented by RTI International through a consortium of U.S. universities, which includes Arizona State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, and Philippine partners such as Edukasyon.ph and the Philippine Business for Education.
“The challenges and opportunities that young people face today in the workplace make college training and education critical for their future success,” visiting USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for East Asia and the Pacific Sara Borodin said during the UPSKILL Program launch at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. “Through this new USAID program, the United States government reaffirms its commitment to working with our Filipino partners in transforming the higher education sector.”
Officials from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Second Congressional Education Commission, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Economic and Development Authority, and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, as well as representatives from several Philippine universities attended the program launch.
“With this partnership with USAID, the Commission on Higher Education will provide unique opportunities for our colleges and universities to continuously innovate in response to the aspirations of the Philippines, and specifically that of our students,” CHED Executive Director Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro said. “Together, we will demonstrate the compelling value of internationally recognized training, cooperative research, and lifelong learning modalities being offered by Philippine higher education.”

Meeting over the weekend under strict quarantine protocols due to the ongoing Covid19 pandemic, they elected an interim set of officers to start the process of obtaining a juridical personality for the association named Kalayaan Subic Bay Neighborhood Association.

“We hope to be of help in keeping the residents’ welfare always on the agenda of SBMA,” elected interim president Frankie Barretto told Subic Bay News, “We believe SBMA wants that too, thus, the association.”

Other elected officers were Benny Triguero, vice president; Analyn Victorio, treasurer; Paolo Barretto, secretary; Francis Rivero, auditor; Roseller Hilario and Dr. Ed Bongco, public relations officers; and, Gigi Montelibano and Susan Seva, business managers.

Among the priorities spelled out in the meeting include close coordination with the security agency management that has a contract with SBMA to render security services in the area.

“We want to make sure that the guards will be really out there protecting the community,” Barretto said, “and we intend to help them do it.”

“We will raise funds to purchase bicycles for the guards’ mobility and preparedness,” Barretto said, “as well as first aid kits.”

Other talking points the association intends to bring to the office of SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma include the ingress and egress hours at Kalayaan gate, regular grass cutting and tree trimming, and disaster preparedness.

Residents of two other major residential areas in the Subic Bay Freeport, namely Binictican Housing, and Cubi, have yet to have a similar association. (VVV)

The ship, formerly named Hankyu Yamato, was bought by the Swedish Stena RORO early this year and travelled to Subic from Japan in April to weather the height of virus-related lockdowns all over the world before proceeding to its final destination in Europe.

“It’s a pity that for all of us, it is the first time ever that a ship we are on came to our motherland but we are not allowed to disembark, nor our families be able to board our vessel,” lamented engine man Aljon Solis, one of Stena Nova’s 17 Filipino crew that includes the Captain. The other two personnel are Koreans.

The all-male crew couldn’t care less about the various quarantine levels imposed in the Subic Bay Freeport, the Philippines’ Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases did not allow international ferry personnel from getting off their respective vessels anywhere in the country except in Manila.

“We’ve been fully-quarantined, sobra-sobra na nga pero wala kaming magawa kundi sumunod,” Solis said, “inaaliw na lang namin ang sarili sa mga ‘Sabado Nights’ parties kung saan tuwing Sabado, may lechon at ibang handa, may kantahan bukod sa kainan.”

According to Solis, they had all the provisions they need for months before leaving Japan for the Philippines, and their ship agent arranges for additional supplies when necessary.

Stena Nova is expected to arrive in Labuan, Malaysia on Sunday, before proceeding to Greece at an unannounced date in preparation for deployment as a RO-Ro passenger ship after being rebuilt to become fully-adapted to European standards. (Vic V. Vizcocho, Jr. / publisher)

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The country’s leading carrier is aware that these changing times have been very challenging for everyJuan—that is why CEB is offering flexible options and alternatives to ease the worries of passengers, especially those whose flights had to be cancelled due to the nationwide community quarantine. Among the self-service options that can be done conveniently online are: free rebooking, full travel fund, and full refund. 

Free Rebooking

By availing of this option, one can rebook their cancelled flight to any other travel date within three months from the original date, with no additional charges – both change (rebooking) fees and fare difference are waived. 

This is perfect for those just waiting for the skies to clear, and still need to travel at the soonest time possible. 

Full Travel Fund

Now should you choose to go for the full travel fund, the full cost of your ticket will be stored in a virtual wallet – said amount can be used to either book a flight up to one (1) year ahead, or pay for add-ons, such as baggage allowance and seat selection. If the travel fund is not used within one (1) year, passengers can instead apply for a full refund.

This can come in handy if you’re still waiting things out or if you are re-assessing your existing travel plans.

Full Refund

Finally, if you would opt to receive a full refund, processing of such requests will begin on May 18, 2020 should the ECQ be lifted and regular work schedules resume. However, due to the unprecedented volume of requests for refunds, Cebu Pacific appeals for kind understanding as the process will take as long as three (3) to four (4) billing cycles.

This is suited for those who might need the cash for other purposes, and are putting their travel plans on hold.

Additionally, Cebu Pacific’s commitment to its customers doesn’t end there. For added flexibility, passengers with booked flights from May 16 to September 30, 2020 who wish to voluntarily change their travel plans, have the following options, all free of charge:

Rebook to any other travel date within one (1) year from original date of departure, with change (rebooking) fees waived, but fare difference may apply; or opt to convert full cost of the ticket to a Travel Fund, which is now valid for one (1) year! This allows you to decide and book your travel within a year for flights as far as one year ahead – gives everyJuan added peace of mind in these unprecedented times.

Flights can be easily managed online via the “Manage Booking” portal in the Cebu Pacific website: http://bit.ly/CEBmanageflight. Customers who booked through a travel agent should contact their agent for assistance. For more information on CEB’s policies, please read here: bit.ly/CEBCOVID-19FAQ.

Meanwhile, together with the World Tourism Organization’s #TravelTomorrow campaign, Cebu Pacific is calling on travelers to be responsible and stay at home amid the current health crisis. Even though the pandemic has put a temporary hold on vacations and travel plans, everyJuan can still do their part and take precautions now and for sure, #EveryJuanWillFlyAgain in no time.  

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