SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Freeport recently concluded the 3rd Central Luzon Sustainable Tourism Summit at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) last September 12, 2025.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño lauded organizers and participants for the resounding success of the three-day event, which ran from September 10 to 12, 2025.
Themed “Building Green Legacies: Sustaining Nature, Celebrating Culture, and Empowering Industry,” the summit was well-attended by business leaders and communities who plan to shape the Freeport and the rest of Central Luzon into a greener, more inclusive future.
Aliño gave his presentation on “Sustainable Subic: Tracking the Race to Zero,” which discussed the plight of Subic Bay Freeport’s bid to become the first carbon-neutral economic zone in the country.
He said that the agency’s first move was to map out the SBMA’s pathway to carbon neutrality, which entailed turning over of solar-assisted electric vehicle charging stations for the e-buses, and regular community-based projects and activities such as coastal cleanups and collecting recyclables.
“We aim to make sustainable Subic stakeholder engagements, initiatives, and activities like these a way of life here in Subic Bay,” he added.
During the summit, distinguished guests namely, Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Maria Esperanza Frasco, DOT Director for Office of Film and Sports Tourism and concurrent OIC Region IV-B Director Roberto P. Alabado III, DOT Region III Director Richard G. Daenos, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region III Executive Director Engr. Ralph C. Pablo, all expressed their full support for the summit.
The three-day activity included a trade expo of local products, various ecotours of “green” destinations, and lectures on “Heritage Conservation: Living Traditions in the Modern World” by UP Cebu’s Dr. Laya B. Gonzales, and “From Relics to Relevance: Museum as Custodians of Archeology, History, and Heritage for Sustainable Development” by National Museum of the Philippines Dr. Michael P. Canilao.
Also, a lecture on “Green Infrastructure: Designing Cities that Breathe” was given by Philippine Green Building Initiative Arch. Michaela Rosette M. Santos-Tayag, followed by “From Plate to Planet: Food waste, Recycling and the Power of Segregation” by Zed Avecilla of the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS), Rina Papio and Nikki Sevilla of the Philippine Alliance for Sustainable Solutions (PASS).
The summit wrapped up with more lectures from Philippine Institute for Development Studies Dr. John Paulo Rivera on “Youth in Sustainability: Shaping tomorrow’s Green Leaders” and “Sustainable Tourism: Protecting Underwater Cultural Wonders while Welcoming the World” by National Museum of the Philippines Curator Bobby Orillaneda.
The entire event was highlighted by the Sustainable Tourism Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) Awards to honor champions of sustainability in the tourism industry.
