Ayala sets sail at Subic's Harbor Point

MANILA, Philippines - It’s like having a permanent aircraft carrier here,” Olongapo City Mayor James “Bong” Gordon Jr. remarked at the opening of the Harbor Point mall in Subic, recalling the time when Subic was home to the Subic Bay Naval Base, one of the largest US military facilities outside the US mainland. At that time, a US aircraft carrier docked at the bay invariably brought about a flurry of commercial activity in the local stores and establishments, where visiting navy personnel shopped and spent their money.

It was certainly good for the local economy.

Fast-forward 20 years later to the opening of Harbor Point mall, Ayala Land’s newest lifestyle destination in Subic. “The mall will bring Subic to a new level,” SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) chairman Bobby Garcia noted. “Ayala brings its own stamp and brand of lifestyle that’s associated with it all over the country.”

It is part of Ayala Land’s commitment to development, to expand nationwide and deepen their presence in key growth centers such as the Pampanga-Bataan-Zambales growth area. “Our objective is to be present all over the country,” Ayala Land president and CEO Tony Aquino remarked.

Harbor Point is the second Ayala mall to open in Central Luzon, the first being Marquee Mall in Pampanga. Another major Ayala Land development in Central Luzon is Anvaya Cove, the 320-hectare leisure complex in Bataan, just 20 minutes away from Subic.

Harbor Point is part of a mixed-use master plan that includes not only the shopping mall but also an office building and hotel to be built in the emerging Subic Central Business District. “It is part of the continuing twin development of Subic and Olongapo,” Aquino noted.

The three-level mall stands on a 6.5-hectare lot located along Rizal Highway, at the heart of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, the former site of the US naval base. It is the first of its kind in the area long known as a popular destination for duty-free shopping. This time, Harbor Point offers the total package. It is not only about shopping. It is also about dining and entertainment, all conveniently located in one place.

At the Max’s restaurant where the press conference was held inside the mall, Rowena Tomeldan, head of operations and support services for the commercial business group, related that research was conducted to find out what the community wanted — certain brands that were not yet found in Olongapo and Subic as well as high-end foreign and local brands, restaurants and services. “We will also bring in live shows, concerts and community events in the Activity Center, which the Ayala Malls are known for,” Tomeldan said. Four cinemas complete the entertainment package.

About 80 percent of mall space has already been leased out to over 300 merchant partners, with Puregold Supermarket as the anchor store. Ten to 15 percent is allotted to homegrown concepts such as Café Balooga, a popular watering hole in Olongapo City.

Space near the concierge at the entrance was given for the indigenous Aeta community to showcase their products.

“We are respectful of what’s in the area,” says Ayala Land EVP Bobby Dy. “We integrate and enhance whatever Subic has to offer.” They bring not only the same popular top brands found in other Ayala Malls but also new and innovative concepts “to enrich the lives of our customers,” he says.

Harbor Point caters to the local residents’ love for shopping, leisure, and an active lifestyle. Tomeldan relates that it was their head of security who inspired the name, pointing to the mall’s location and orientation towards the bay.

“Many associate Subic with vacation,” Tomeldan noted. Thus they came up with the name and tagline: Harbor Point, “where every day’s a holiday.” The logo, three casual brushstrokes suggesting a sailboat in motion, completes the picture of leisure and outdoor adventure.

The design of the mall itself was inspired by the Subic Bay harbor. It’s resort-oriented — a seamless blending of the indoors with the outdoors. An open-air promenade is lined by popular casual-dining restaurants such as Starbucks, Army Navy, Yellow Cab, CPK, Cabalen, and Claw Daddy, while leisure dining such as Sumo Sam and Seafood Island can be found on the second floor.

Pocket gardens, water features, breezeways and clerestories allow for the free flow of fresh air and natural lighting. The one-kilometer Riverwalk and park facing the man-made water channel provides a total leisure experience. This is where you set sail and catch the wind at Harbor Point in Subic.