SBMA welcomes optional mask-wearing

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairperson and administrator Rolen Paulino has welcomed the decision of the national government to make mask-wearing optional indoors and outdoors.

This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order 7 "allowing voluntary wearing of masks in indoor and outdoor settings, reiterating the continued implementation of minimum public health standards during the state of public health emergency relative to the Covid-19 pandemic."

Paulino said that after the EO was issued, they are expecting the influx of tourists in the premiere Freeport.

"Currently, hotels and resorts inside the Subic Bay Freeport are almost fully-booked. If President Marcos' executive order takes effect before the end of the year, expect a spillover of tourists to other areas near Subic due to the number of arrivals," Paulino said.

He added that many of the resorts and theme parks here have already began to go on full blast, citing that theme parks such as the Zoobic Safari are now offering their annual Night Safari that starts on all Saturday nights of November up to December.

He added that Ocean Adventure has also celebrated their 22nd Anniversary, adding that the theme park has provided a 50 percent discount during their celebration, even holding a "Trick or Treat" Halloween Party on 30 October.

"Aside from these theme parks, many companies have opened their restaurants as they expect the number of tourist arrivals to increase during the holiday season. Tourism-related companies that opened up this year included the VSNRY Coffee Shop and the En Izakaya and Global Cuisine by Sakura, providing tourists more areas to visit in Subic," Paulino said.