SBFCC Services

General Information

About Us

Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) was registered under Philippine law with SEC on February 10, 1995, as a private, independent, non-profit Filipino corporation, covering a term of 50 years. SBFCC is funded solely through membership fees and donations. It maintains a close relationship with SBMA, CDC, PICCI, CILA, American, Canadian, British, Australian-New Zealand Chambers, ECOP, PhilExport, and DTI.

The Chamber office is situated in the heart of the Central Business District at Building 866, Waterfront Road. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Visitors are always welcome.

Membership Benefits and Advantages

• Serves as the voice of the business community in Subic Bay Freeport
• Engages in active dialogue with SBMA, National and local Government levels; Lobbies for policy advocacy with SBMA and the national government to strengthen the economy
• Strong public relations expertise
• Provides Business advice and assistance to new and existing members
• Offers extensive communication of business interests and other information pertinent to members of the community
• Offers new investor assistance
• Provides Certificates of Origin
• Offers support from Working Committees
• Facilitates business and social interaction
• Library of business information

Committees

SBFCC's Working Committees include Security and Emergency Response, Labor, Business Development, Tourism, Liaison and Membership Development. Some Committees have ongoing mandates; others are activated only when there are specific issues to be addressed, such as Environmental.

Newsletter

The Chamber produces its newsletter every month, focusing on regional and national issues, in and around Subic Bay with a diversity of general interest articles.

General Meetings

General meetings are held in June and November. New and prospective members are encouraged to attend. Prominent guest speakers, selected from public, private and government sectors, are often invited to share information and provide an open forum with the membership.

The meetings are an excellent opportunity to discover news within the Freeport, and to network with other business leaders from a wide cross-section of industries and nationalities.

New members are offered the opportunity to address the assembly when receiving their Certificates of Membership with a short profile on their organization and the services offered.

Chamber members are always encouraged to support fellow members businesses and activities.

Social Events

The Chamber organizes regular "open house/mixer" evenings on the last Tuesday of every month at rotating host venues. The objective is intended to provide fellowship, camaraderie and networking opportunities in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. These events are generally very well attended.

Membership Categories

Any organization or resident may become Corporate Members. Corporate Members have full voting rights in the annual Board of Director elections. Only SBF registered companies may be elected to the Chamber's Board of Directors.

Organizations or residents may opt to join as Associate Members. Associate Members have the same benefits as Corporate Members except without voting privileges.

Due to increased operating costs and our attempts to increase the level of service, membership fees were disproportionate, allowing almost the same level of service to both Corporate and Associate members. For these reasons, we have had to make an adjustment to the rates, effective March 1, 2008. Last adjustment to membership fees was made in 2005.

Effective March 1st 2008, the annual membership fees are: P10,000.00 for Corporate members and P7,000.00 for Associate members.

Our membership is comprised of over 25 nationalities, and the individuals who represent the member organizations offer an extensive variety of backgrounds, experience and interests.

Certificates of Membership

New/renewed members receive a signed Certificate of Membership, valid for one year from the time they join or renew their membership. The Certificate is presented by the Chamber President to the member or designated representative on the last Tuesday of every month during the regular awarding ceremony held at a General Meeting or mixer.

Website

The Chamber website at www.subicchamber.org provides a cross-section of important information to members, back issues of the newsletter and links to fellow members websites.

Information Dissemination

All members are included in our mailing list via e-mail. On a near daily basis, events, activities, membership concerns, public holidays, changes in administration, training, workshops, ground-breaking ceremonies and all SBMA public information is disseminated to members.

Directories

The Chamber maintains a complete Membership Directory, available to all members for the asking..the Directory contains names, addresses, email and contact information for all members.

Maps

We offer the latest version of UTP's "Subic/Olongapo" full color maps to assist tourists, locators and residents on what to see, where to go and how to get there. P100.00

Citi Atlases are available at small P330.00 and large size P550.00. They are full-color, digitally produced maps containing the most comprehensive GPS referenced guide for the city of Manila.

Also available are Motorist's Handbook in English P20.00 and Filipino P10.00 version.

Chamber Management

Board of Directors

There are seven volunteer Directors serving on the Board, who are nominated and elected by the Corporate Members, for 2-year terms. Elections take place in November of each year.

Staff

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SBFCC Services

• Serves as the voice of the business community in Subic
• Provide and process Certificates of Origin
• Active dialogue with SBMA and all levels of Government
• Policy creation to strengthen the economy
• Public relations and communication with the press
• Business advice and assistance to members
• Communication of business and other information to members and the community
• New investor assistance
• Facilitate business and social interaction
• Library of business information & Publications

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Committees

Working Committees have now expanded to include:

• Security and Emergency Response Committee
  Rose B. Baldeo
  e-mail: gti@subictel.com
  Tel: 252-3158, 252-7064
• Membership Development Committee
  John E. Corcoran
  e-mail: johnecorcoran@cs.com
  Tel: 252-9000
• Liaison Committee
  includes all 7 Board members
• Business Development and Tourism Committee
  Danny J. Piano
  e-mail: dpiano@absoluteserv.com
  Tel: 252-3934
• Labor Committee
  Peter Tumanda
  e-mail: ptumanda@yahoo.com
  Tel: 252-8137
  

If you have issues to address or wish to file, please contact the chairperson listed above.

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General Meetings

General meetings, to which all members are invited, are held twice a year, on the last Tuesday of the month of June and November.

At these meetings, the Board updates members on current issues and activities. Prominent guest speakers, selected from public, private and government sectors, share information and opinions with the membership.

The meetings are an excellent opportunity to find out what is going on and to network with business leaders from a wide cross-section of industries and nationalities.

All members are encouraged to attend regularly.

New members who receive a Certificate at Membership during the month they join the Chamber are offered the opportunity to address the meeting, with a brief presentation on their organization and the services offered.

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Social Events

The Chamber organizes regular social events for the membership, providing networking opportunities in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. These events are well attended.

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Membership

Corporate Membership is available to corporations, regardless of their domicile. This category provides full voting rights, however a restriction applies in that the authorized representative may not run for election or serve on the Board of Directors UNLESS they are registered with SBMA, operating under either a Certificate of Registration or Permit to Operate. Corporate membership fee is P10,000.00 per annum.

Associate Membership is available to: any and all individuals or organizations involved or interested in commercial or representative relationships in or through SBF; non-profit charitable, civic, educational, religious and other eleemosynary organizations in the Philippines; foreign diplomatic and consular representatives duly accredited to the Philippine government. Associate members have no voting rights. Associate membership fee is P7,000.00 per annum.

Due to increased operating costs and our attempts to increase the level of service, membership fees were disproportionate, allowing almost the same level of service to both Corporate and Associate members. For these reasons, we have had to make an adjustment to the rates, effective last March 1, 2008. Previous adjustment to membership fees was made in 2005.

Honorary Membership is available to individuals who have gained distinction in government, business, trade, commerce, civic affairs, arts or sciences and shall be granted only upon the approval of the Board of Directors of the Chamber.

Our membership is made up of several diversified nationalities, and the individuals who represent the member organizations offer a wide variety of backgrounds, experience and interests.

Other member privileges:

• Unlimited mass e-mailing privilege
• Social events include monthly mixers at rotating member establishments
• Brochures and flyer display at the Chamber Office
• Members receive regular information concerning events, activities, locator concerns, holidays, ground breaking ceremonies and SBMA public information
• Member receives Certificate of Membership at Awarding Ceremony held last Tuesday of every month
• Opportunity to avail of discounted advertising in monthly produced SBFCC newsletter
• Can avail of special discounts offered by fellow SBFCC members
• Opportunity to advertise with low cost banner ad on SBFCC website
• Free hyperlinks offered to members on SBFCC website
• Serves as the voice of the business community within SBFZ and surrounding area, elevating high profile areas of concern as needed through SBFCC Liaison Committee
• Receives business advice and assistance

Download the Membership Application Form here.

Interested to join the President Circle? This is an elite group of SBFCC members providing much needed funds for the Chamber and are bestowed with many more privileges and benefits. Click here for more information.

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Areas of Interest & Activity

• Duty-free - changes in customs requirements/Freeport status
• Access to SBFZ and movement within the Freeport
• Protection and Extension of the Freeport
• Environment
• Recruitment, training and labor relations
• Import/export regulations
• Health & community affairs
• Travel and tourism
• Security issues
• Maintaining an effective working relationship with SBMA
• Lobbying Government Departments
• Living and working conditions within the Freeport

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Board of Directors

There are seven Directors on the Board, all unpaid, who are nominated and elected by the Corporate Members. Elections take place in November of each year. Board Directors are appointed for a period of two years.

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