DISINFECTION. A sanitary technician sprays liquid disinfectant at the entrance of an office in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Sunday (March 8, 2020). This was done following the declaration by President Rodrigo Duterte of a state of public health emergency due to heightened Covid-19 threat. (Photo by Mahatma Datu)
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has started disinfecting facilities and buildings frequented by the public following the declaration by Malacañang of a state of public health emergency due to heightened threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
SBMA chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma on Monday said the disinfection protocol would be carried out by the SBMA Public Health and Safety Department initially at all SBMA offices and public areas using agents prescribed by the Department of Health (DOH).
“We will be disinfecting SBMA offices, especially the areas and surfaces most often touched by people who do business in our offices. But we also encourage business locators and other Subic stakeholders to do the same,” Eisma said.
She called on all Subic stakeholders to support this measure because of the need to observe cleanliness and practice proper hygiene amid the heightened coronavirus threat in the country. "We need to protect ourselves and keep the Subic community safe,” she said.
President Rodrigo Duterte declared on Sunday a state of public health emergency following the confirmed local transmission of Covid-19.
On Saturday, the Department of Health (DOH) raised “Code Red sublevel 1” after it reported that a new Covid-19 patient did not have recent history of travel to other countries.
The DOH said on Monday that the Philippines now has 20 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Eisma reminded the public that other health safety protocols previously announced by the SBMA will remain in force at the Subic Bay Freeport.
These include the ban on entry of people, ships and aircraft coming from Covid 19-hit countries, as well as voluntary quarantine of those who recently traveled abroad and thermal scanning at Subic Bay Freeport gates for foreign visitors. (PNA)
