Evacuees Shun SBMA Evacuation Center
By Vic V. Vizcocho, Jr.
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Hot meals, blankets, sleeping cots, chairs and other amenities await at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) but no evacuee arrived since the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) turned it into an evacuation center to accommodate those affected by Typhoon Josie.
“I don’t know why they did not come. I don’t want to speculate,” SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma told Subic Bay News, “I opened it because it’s the right thing to do.”
Incessant rains triggered by Typhoon Josie dumped unusually large volumes of water, affecting thousands of families, with the monsoon and tidal movements making matters worse.
Floodwaters swamped houses in 16 of Olongapo City’s 17 barangays for the first time despite various anti-flood measures implemented by Mayor Rolen C. Paulino in the last five (5) years.
Several landslides were reported, two with one fatality each, along Appari Road here in the Freeport and the other in Bgy. Mabayuan, Olongapo City.
Subic Town in Zambales, Hermosa, Dinalupihan, Morong, Mariveles and Balanga City in Bataan were also hard hit by floods but as in Olongapo, the evacuees were taken care of primarily by their respective local government units.
SBECC, a sprawling complex that can accommodate thousands of evacuees, is located inside the Gateway Industrial Park of the Freeport, the access of which may not be easy without motor vehicles.
Despite the empty evacuation center, donations continue to pour in, including from US sailors on ships visiting this former US Naval Base.
“SBECC is the center of our operations to support our disaster response team who has been working non-stop, and to help my people, the government employees of SBMA in this time of need,” Eisma said, “It will continue to be available if it becomes necessary… we will start preparing for the predicted rains again this weekend.” ###
