Firms in Bataan, Subic free ports reopen

REPORTING FOR DUTY Workers at a mall in Subic Bay Freeport undergo temperature check before they report for duty. More than 50 percent of the free port’s locators resumed operations this week. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MARIVELES, Bataan, Philippines — Half of the 40,000 workers and employees at the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) here returned to work on Monday when the province shifted to general community quarantine.

At nearby Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City, more than 870 companies, mostly in the manufacturing industry, resumed operations also on Monday. The number represented 58 percent of the total locators in the free port.

The FAB workers who were allowed to go to work were all living in the town, according to Mayor Jocelyn Castañeda.

She said they considered the limited transportation available in other towns and the risk of virus transmission in preventing FAB workers outside Mariveles from going back to work.

Since last week, Mariveles had reported no new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections, although the town had recorded 11 cases in the last two months.

Hazel Keith Ellorin, information officer of Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, said 57 of 90 registered companies inside the free port had resumed operations.

Most of these firms are engaged in electronics and the manufacture of eyeglasses and garments. These include Mitsumi Industries, Essilor Manufacturing Co. and Dong-In.

Ellorin said FAB locators were asked to observe health protocols, such as requiring their workers to wear face masks, observe social distancing and proper respiratory etiquette.

Health insurance

“They (locators) were also asked to enhance the health insurance provision for workers, put up COVID-19 hotline and call center for employees to report any sign of COVID-19 in the workplace,” she said.

Only 50 percent of the 200 buses plying the Balanga-Mariveles route are operating as health protocols for public utility vehicles have yet to be drawn up.

Chris Ocampo, a local transport group leader, said many workers were fetched by their companies’ shuttle buses while some had to walk.

About 5,000 operators and drivers of tricycles in Mariveles had asked for P40 daily gas allowance from the local government during the pandemic, he said.

“But pending the approval of their request, only about 30 tricycles may be deployed to augment the lack of public transport system here,” Ocampo said.

Rules relaxed

In Subic Bay Freeport, some quarantine rules had been relaxed to restart the economy in the free port, which had been placed under general quarantine, according to Wilma Eisma, administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

“Nothing has changed because the threat of the coronavirus still exists. There is no cure, there is no vaccine,” Eisma said, adding that the only thing that changed was the “urgent need to revive the economy.”

Based on guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, areas on general quarantine can allow more businesses and government offices to resume operations. These include malls and other shopping centers. Leisure establishments, however, will remain closed.

—Reports from Greg Refraccion and Joanna Rose Aglibot