A law enforcer of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) checks the vaccination cards of those entering the Subic Bay Freeport in this photo taken Monday, Jan. 10. | Photo courtesy of SBMA
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Only vaccinated individuals are now allowed to enter this freeport after the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) began tightening its borders to avert a possible rapid spread of COVID-19, an official said Monday, Jan. 10.
In a statement, SBMA Chair and Administrator Wilma Eisma said local law enforcers had started checking for vaccination cards among persons entering the freeport.
The freeport and nearby Olongapo City and the provinces of Zambales and Bataan are under Alert Level 3, the third most stringent in the country’s five-tier alert level system.
Eisma said interzonal travel and intrazonal movement are allowed in the freeport upon presentation of vaccination certificates showing completed doses.
“Meanwhile, unvaccinated persons would have to show negative RT-PCR test results taken within 24 hours before arrival in Subic,” Eisma said.
The freeport used to have no COVID-19 patients among its residents until Christmas Day. It had 36 active cases just after the holidays.
“The rate of increase—36 cases in just two weeks—is quite alarming, so in consonance with [Inter-Agency Task Force] resolutions, we have put in place stricter border controls and prohibited certain activities that could further spread the virus,” Eisma said.
Eisma said the SBMA also limited access to some public areas to fully vaccinated individuals.
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