By HENRY EMPEÑO | April 6, 2022

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Newly-installed chairman and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Rolen Paulino Sr. earned dismay from residents of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone after opening one gate at the perimeter fence separating this Freeport from Olongapo City and giving the keys thereto to local government officials.

Paulino made a show of opening the metal barrier on Monday, when, in a live social media post, he unlocked Gate No. 1, knocked on it and then pushed it open to reveal applauding residents on the other side. Among those who waited outside were Paulino’s son Rolen Jr., who is Olongapo City mayor, and East Bajac-Bajac barangay captain Gilbert Piñero, who received the keys.

A video post on the SBMA Chair & Administrator’s facebook page explained that Paulino opened the gate near East Bajac-Bajac “to provide residents quick access in case of emergency.”

Residents of the Subic Bay Freeport who saw the video, however, expressed concern over Paulino’s gesture and raised issues on their own safety and security, and the SBMA official’s political propriety.

“Big question: What emergency are we talking about and why were stakeholders not informed about it?” asked Natalia Geigl, a Freeport resident and president of RA Geigl Development Corp. here. “Will everything be one man’s decision from now on? Does the (SBMA) board agree to that?” she added.

Other residents of housing areas in the Subic Freeport weighed in on the issue through similar posts in the Subic Bay Residents Community social media page.

Another resident, Tony Shipley, commented: “Seems like this one person is hell-bent in making SBMA and Olongapo one. We as residents certainly don’t want these people wandering through Kalayaan as they (see) fit.” He pointed out that residents have had problems in the past with crimes like murder and armed robbery, as well as the discovery of an illegal drugs laboratory in the Kalayaan housing area.

“It’s a bit of a conflict of interest because his son is the mayor of Olongapo,” said Jamie Jackson, another member of the Subic Bay Residents Community group.

“That’s the problem in having a politician as CHAD (chairman and administrator),” agreed Belen Figueras. “He will favor votes, of course, rather than business.”

Piñero, the barangay captain of the beneficiary community, is allied with another political camp, which also contests the Olongapo mayorship. One of Paulino’s first orders upon assuming the SBMA chairmanship on March 1 was to open Subic’s Remy Field sports facility to Olongapo residents for free.

“Don’t forget that his son is the incumbent mayor and running for another term,” added Figueras, who also said she was not against the Paulinos and that she will actually vote for Rolen Jr.

“If this is for emergencies, well and good. But the safety of the residents in the Freeport must be considered first by the CHAD, and the safety of Olongapo residents by the mayor. They should know how to draw the line,” Figueras added.

Other residents pointed out that the whole exercise may just be a political show since the Olongapo officials given the keys cannot access the padlock to open it even during emergencies, as it is located on the other side of the gate.

In a media statement the following day, the SBMA said Paulino opened some of the gates along the perimeter fence to provide access to Olongapo residents during emergencies and “create synergy with the adjacent community of Olongapo City where he was a former mayor.”

Paulino reportedly gave the assurance that the agency’s Law Enforcement Department will patrol the area to deter any criminal activity, and that he had discussed with Mayor Rolen Jr. the matter of putting barangay patrols at each gate.

A source familiar with the SBMA perimeter fencing project said there are a total of six gates along the seven-kilometer perimeter fence between the 14^th Street Gate and the Kalayaan Gate. The perimeter fence used to be a chain-link wire fence since US Navy days but was upgraded to heavy-duty concrete blocks beginning 2019.

“These gates were placed there precisely for use by ambulances and firetrucks during emergencies,” the source said. “And the keys are kept by the SBMA security office, which also opens the gates for special cases like medical missions, community masses and ‘ayuda’ distribution.” ~