Fun and excitement in the First Subic Bay Legendary Adventure

Summer is usually associated with picnics, beach parties and a sundry of sports activities. It therefore came as a pleasant surprise when the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Legend International Resorts Limited (LIRL) held last April 26 the 1st Subic Bay Legendary Adventure, a unique motoring event which combined the wits and navigational skills of the participants with their love for the great outdoors.

It took LIRL chief executive officer Kho Boo Boon to conceive the Philippine version of the race which he says is popular in the United States and other parts of the world as a “scavenger hunt” or an “equestrian rally.” The Subic Legendary Adventure was novel and much-awaited in the sense that it was the first contest of its kind to be held in the country. A total of 28 teams signed up for the challenge and on the Big Day, they showed up in a wide assortment of vehicles – from reliable sedans, bulky pickup trucks, the glitzy Benz and of course trusty SUVs. All the cars underwent emission testing in compliance with the strict environmental policies at work in Subic.

The contest worked this way: participating teams were given a question sheet and a trail map which they have to strictly follow. They have to answer the quiz provided in the question sheet before they proceed to the next destination. The sheet contained the exact distance of the covered routes in meters, additional remarks or instructions and a total of 118 questions which either required factual information or provided a set of clues related to the place being visited. At the forest trail stop, for example, they had to find out “what is the scientific name of the santol tree?”, while at the Bat Kingdom, they had to count just how many flags there were on the bamboo pole. Most found out that the hardest part was the anagram where they had to untangle key words to create a new word or phrase (example: DEBIT CARD can also be jumbled as BAD CREDIT Along the way, the teams were directed to collect certain treasures (with the appropriate clues, of course!) which earned them extra points. In case of traffic violations, the corresponding penalty points were deducted from the total score.

“This contest really is a test of patience, endurance and team-building. You are supposed to think out of the box, to discover the nuances and subtleties of each word or phrase which will lead you to uncover the whole mystery of the game,” remarked Boon.

The mental challenge and physical excitement of the race were enough to keep everybody’s adrenaline going. One of those who joined was a couple of doctors who brought along their kids aged nine, eight and five. Another team consisted of hotel front desk personnel who wanted to win and raise money for their colleague afflicted with a kidney ailment.

While most of the participants were residents of Subic, the top honors of the 1st Subic Bay Legendary Adventure went to a team from Manila who called themselves K8TVT (a play on “creativity,” which is also the name of the multimedia agency they work for).

Earl Palma, the group’s leader said “we just heard on the contest from 99.5 RT and we said, why not? We came this far and so, we really set our hearts and minds on winning. We found out that it really pays to be meticulous. We weren’t satisfied with just passing by a given route once. We always had to go back and verify our answers.” For their efforts, Earl and his teammates brought home R30,000 in cash plus an all-expense paid trip to Malaysia courtesy of the Legend Group of Hotels and Resorts.

The second prize went to “El Guapitos” led by SBMA marketing man Kenneth Peralta. “We didn’t expect to win. We were really just having fun and treated this like any ordinary “gimik.” I guess our advantage is that we’re from Subic and so we know the place, we didn’t have to follow the exact distance of the routes as indicated in the question sheet,” he noted. “El Guapitos” were awarded R20,000 in cash plus a stay at the posh Subic Bay Yacht Club.

The third prize (and R10,000 in cash) went to a group called “Endangered Species.” Special prizes were also given to the “Most Persistent Team” and the one who sported the Best Outfit.

SBMA chairman Felicito C. Payumo congratulated the organizers for once again focusing the spotlight on the breathtaking natural and man-made wonders of Subic. The Legendary Adventure — which started at the Remy Field of the main business district and ended at the well-appointed Legenda Suites in Upper Cubi — gave participants a good view of Subic’s wide, open roads, its lush jungle, its clear, crystal-blue waters and other picturesque attractions.

Even more noteworthy was the fact that the activity will benefit a good cause. Legenda’s Cheryl Singzon said part of the proceeds will go to the Subic Bay Ecology Center’s Forest Fire Management and Control Program and the Labor Management Cooperation’s Educational Assistance Project.

The 1st Subic Bay Legendary Adventure has been adjudged an unqualified success that a second outing is being planned next year. Let’s drink to that!