By HENRY EMPEÑO | Subic Bay Freeport 

Two care and isolation facilities designed in readiness for a possible surge in the number of new coronavirus (Covid-19) cases will be ready here by next week, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said on Wednesday, April 8, as it received more supplies and equipment to fight the deadly disease.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said on Wednesday the agency will properly equip the former Leciel Hotel and the Subic gymnasium here over the weekend with some donations from corporate and individual donors.

“We now have two facilities ready in case of a surge in Covid-19 patients, and I thank the companies and individuals in Subic for their support of this SBMA initiative and their concern for the welfare of the community in general,” Eisma said.

“The SBMA provided the two locations and some basic equipment, and now various companies and stakeholder groups are pitching in with personal protection equipment (PPE), supplies, even food and transport services so that our frontliners can do their job,” she added.

The SBMA official on Wednesday received from a total of 50 collapsible hospital beds from PMFTC Inc., the latest of the major donations received by the SBMA.

Eisma said these will be installed at the converted Subic gym, which now houses 32 isolation tents, as well as work and rest quarters for medical care personnel.

Eisma also said the SBMA management is requesting the agency’s Board of Directors to approve the hiring of 34 medical personnel on a project contract basis, “so that we can fully utilize these two care and isolation facilities.”

Medical personnel from Baypointe Hospital and Medical Center, where most local Covid-19 cases are admitted, inspected the Subic gym on Wednesday to assess whether the care and isolation facility put up by the SBMA would be adequate for Covid-19 patients.

Dr. Erlinda Alconga, an expert in tropical and infectious diseases who runs the Coviod-19 unit at Baypointe, said the Leciel Hotel facility, which is just two blocks away from the hospital, would be an ideal place to house additional Covid-19 patients coming in from nearby areas.

“In case of a surge in the number of patients received at Baypointe, all positive patients will be moved to the Subic gym while the Leciel facility would be used to monitor cases of PUI (person under investigation),” she said.

During the inspection, Eisma also told the visiting Baypointe personnel that the SBMA has arranged for living quarters for nurses and other medical staff at the Leciel facility. These will be ready for occupancy this Friday, she said.

The SBMA chief also assured the Baypointe medical team that the SBMA would provide for all the needs of health workers who would be assigned to the two SBMA isolation facilities.

“SBMA will be here with you because the Subic Bay Freeport cannot turn its back and will not turn its back to its neighbors in Zambales and Olongapo and other areas. Laban nating lahat ito,” Eisma said.

Meanwhile, the SBMA acknowledged donors of materials for its care and isolation facilities. These include the International Recreation Corp. (IREC); National Bookstore; Tong Lung (Phils) Metal Industry; JC Salas Builders and Design Services Inc.; DML Subic Freeport Corp.; and Polarmarine, Inc.

The SBMA also thanked donors of supplies, equipment and services like:  Apollo Subic Int’l Trading; Coldwater Creek and Marketing; Datian Subic Shoes; EPEE Corp.; Fashion Institute of Subic; GrainPro Philippines Inc.; HHIC-Phil Inc. (Mr. Nack Young Kim); Juken Sangyo; Lino Khan Trading; M Bernardino Culinary Institute; Oscar Santos; MSK Group of Companies; Nichol Bento; PacTec Subic Inc.; Philippines Easpal; and Royal Duty free Shops.

Other donors are: Sakura Restaurant; SBMA EWMPC; Seafood By The Bay; Skipper Pineda; Subic Auto Trucks & Machinery, Ltd.; Subic Bay Freeport Grains Terminal; Subic Bay Multi-purpose Cooperative; Subic Boardwalk Inc.; Subic Line Foods (Chowking Petron); Sweet Finale; Tele Empire Inc.; Tong Lung (Phils) Metal Industry; United Auctioneers Inc.;  Upsilon Sigma Phi; Asian Dragon; Econest Waste Management Corp.; Ekxinum Inc.; Great Empire Gaming & amusement Corp.; International Freeport Exchange Trader Inc.-Subic; Northfolk Int’l Technology Inc.; and the Subic Korean community.