By HENRY EMPEÑO | 

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) approved on Tuesday a P5-million supplemental fund to sustain health safety measures here and make its health and safety personnel better-armed in  the fight against the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the supplemental fund will be used to purchase additional spraying equipment and disinfecting agents to sustain a twice-a-day spraying schedule, as well as protective gears like hazmat (hazardous materials) suits, and a new ambulance.

Part of the supplemental fund will also go to the maintenance of a quarantine facility at the Subic Bay International Airport complex, added who vowed to “do everything to keep Covid-19 out of Subic Bay and protect our stakeholders here. “

The agency’s board of directors authorized the appropriation during its meeting on Tuesday after the SBMA began its disinfection protocol in offices and other public areas in the Freeport over the weekend.

SBMA director Marvin Macapagal said the board unanimously approved the supplemental budget because it was important to maintain Subic’s safety and security to keep it attractive to investors and secure for its stakeholders.

“We are residents here and our families live here, so we fully support this move to heighten the preparedness of our medical team and facility,” Macapagal explained.

Aside from beefing up the anti-Covid war chest, Eisma said the SBMA board also resolved to suspend mass gatherings for SBMA-sponsored events, as well as third party events in SBMA-owned facilities this month; encouraged Freeport stakeholders to also suspend mass gatherings; and encouraged schools to suspend classes from March 10 to 14 subject to guidelines on educational requirements.

The board also asked the SBMA management to propose alternative working arrangements to impose social distancing among employees, and require all business locators to disinfect their facilities.

According to the Subic agency, it has already spent almost P1 million for the initial purchase of face masks, thermal scanners, goggles, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) even before the board greenlighted the additional P5-million fund.

SBMA Deputy Administrator for Public Health and Safety Ronnie Yambao said the Subic authority has also mobilized a 24/7 medical team to coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) and its accredited referral hospitals and the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU); prepared a nine-bed quarantine facility;  set up a 24/7 telephone helpline to answer Covid-related inquiries; and established a report and contact-tracing system manned by personnel who monitor the 14-day quarantine requirement for travelers here.

Last Sunday, Eisma ordered the start of a disinfection protocol in SBMA offices and public areas in the Subic Freeport after President Rodrigo Duterte declared the country in a state of public health emergency with the confirmation of the first case of community-based infection.

Eisma said business locators and other Subic stakeholders are now also implementing their own safety measures in the fight against Covid-19.

She also reminded the public on Monday that the health safety protocols announced by the SBMA previously will remain in force. These include the ban on entry of people, ships and aircraft coming from COVID-hit countries, as well as voluntary quarantine of those who recently travelled abroad and thermal scanning at Subic Bay Freeport gates for foreign visitors.

Meanwhile, SBMA director Brian Gordon clarified that despite the urgency with which the agency responded to the virus threat, there has been no reported cases of Covid-19 infection here so far.

“But we are not waiting for that to happen, so we go ahead and implement measures to keep this free port safe,” Gordon said. “It is in the interest of the SBMA and the Freeport to be equipped and prepared and we hope the locators and businesses will follow suit,” he added.

PHOTO:  Thermal scanning is undertaken at the gates and building entrances in the Subic Bay Freeport