Since yesterday, entry to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) has been restricted to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) board of directors approved the move and pointed out that the restriction will end April 14, or when the public health emergency is lifted by Malacañang.
For residents of SBFZ arriving from areas with confirmed local COVID-19 transmission like Metro Manila, they would be required to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days and monitored by the SBMA’s public health and safety department personnel.
For locators, employees and students who are free from any COVID-19 symptoms, they will be allowed entry to SBFZ but have to move out of the zone on the day they arrive.
Authorities of SBMA have been implementing preventive measures even before the Luzon-wide lockdown by banning the entry of persons, vessels and aircraft originating from countries with known outbreak of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Pangasinan has not reported any resident positive of COVID-19.
This despite the fact that some 32,358 persons under monitoring (PUMs) were reported by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) with 534 of them having completed quarantine.
The PHO further noted that it has a total of 22 patients under investigation (PUIs) but only 17 of them are still confined in the hospital as five have already been cleared and discharged. (Jojo Mangahis)