Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) emerged as one of the most compliant facilities inspected by the regional arm of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the implementation of COVID-19 health and safety measures.
The inspection, conducted in coordination with the Safety, Human Resources, and Operations departments last September, found SBITC compliant with all 56 indicators in nine areas of compliance covering preventive and control measures, reduction of contact rate, and management of symptomatic individuals, among others.
Aside from complying with these measures, SBITC also boosted its COVID response by improving ventilation and air quality inside its facilities, providing shuttle services for employees, and conducting free Reverse Transmission Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing for all employees and partner stakeholders with offices inside the terminal.
The Company also handed out groceries and food packs to all employees during the enhanced community quarantine period, which limited the movement of people in the city. Eligible employees were given work-from-home arrangements to lessen the risk of contracting COVID. Some employees were also provided desktop computers with wireless internet connectivity to support their children’s distance learning.
SBITC continues to work with DOLE and other relevant government agencies to safeguard its employees and port users, and minimize disruptions in the supply chain during the pandemic.