By HENRY EMPEÑO |

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT (Jan. 27, 2020) — This emerging cruise ship destination has been placed by authorities on heightened alert to help check the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCov), which has spread to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the heightened alert status covers both sea ports and airport in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, which regularly hosts cruise ships plying the Southeast Asian route.

While there has not been any reported cases of 2019-nCov in the Port of Subic, Eisma said the SBMA is taking the coronavirus threat very seriously because of the nascent cruise ship tourism program here.

“I have personally discussed the Subic situation with Health Secretary Francisco Duque today and confirmed to him that safety protocols are in place at the Port of Subic,” Eisma said in a statement on Monday.

She said Duque had advised that “there is not a need just yet” to ban cruise ships from Subic because of established safety measures in the Freeport.

“He further advised for Subic to be on standby should drastic measures, such as a temporary ban on cruise ships, be deemed necessary,” Eisma added.

She added that upon advice of the Department of Health’s Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), the SBMA will require all boarding authorities to wear face mask and other protective equipment upon boarding cruise ships here. Meanwhile, passengers will also be asked to wear face mask before disembarking.

Breaking the tradition of putting up a festive welcome during cruise ship arrivals, Eisma said the SBMA has also ordered that only essential staff will be on the dock and that there will be no performers or well-wishers to meet the tourists.

Subic authorities will also try to limit the movement of tourists to just within the Freeport and will ask persons like bus and taxi drivers who will be in contact with them to wear face mask.

With ongoing health emergency, Eisma said the SBMA expects a dip in tourism income, as cruise lines that frequented Subic like Costa Crociere, Royal Caribbean and Genting have reportedly suspended cruise operations in mainland China due to guidelines from the Chinese government to combat the spread of 2019-nCov.

She added that the Chinese lockdown of the Wuhan region where the infection was first observed had also resulted in a steep cut in passenger bookings even for cruise ships operating from Hong Kong.

Genting’s MV World Dream, for example, is expected to arrive here on Wednesday with only 800 tourists, compared to the 4,000 passengers the ship usually booked.

Meanwhile, Dr. Joseph Macaraeg, chief of the Subic Quarantine Station, gave the assurance that safety protocols are in place as a matter of procedure even without any health emergency like the 2019-nCov.

He said that medical quarantine officers are already on board the cruise ship from the last port of departure before they arrive in Philippine ports and conduct quarantine screening on board.

Eisma also said the SBMA and Department of Health’s Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) have agreed that in case of a highly-suspected case of 2019-nCov in Subic, health officials here would use the  isolation facility at the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA), which was established during SARS outbreak in 2003.

Thereafter, the patient will be transferred to Jose B. Lingad Hospital in Pampanga (BOQ Referral Hospital) as recommended by the Bureau of Quarantine.

Eisma said the SBMA will continue to coordinate with all concerned agencies on health measures. She said that as early as January 6, the SBMA had issued a public health bulletin to Subic Bay Freeport Zone stakeholders after the BOQ issued an alert on the start of the outbreak in Wuhan.