SUBIC FREEPORT IS SAFE, SBMA ASSURES
THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is concerned of the wrong perception that the Subic Bay Freeport has become a dangerous place as an aftermath of the irregular takeover of a new management at the marine theme park Ocean Adventure.
“Guests are calling in and are afraid to come,” SBMA and Subic Bay Freeport Administrator Wilma T. Eisma told Subic Bay News, “it is urgent that the public be made aware that there is no danger to public safety.”
Eisma laments that news accounts of the Ocean Adventure takeover that happened on Feburary 13, 2013 are being sensationalized some ten (10) days later.
Eisma did not identify who was behind the “sensational” news but the accounts apparently stemmed from statements made by SBMA Chairman Martin B. Diño on national radio, particularly the early morning program of Noli De Castro at DzMM.
Diño, with a platoon of heavily-armed PNP personnel, later conducted an inspection of the Ocean Adventure facilities but, save for mostly baton-wielding security guards, found no heavily-armed men as was earlier portrayed in the media.
A team from the Dept. of Labor led by Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia also conducted an inquiry on the safety and welfare of the employees.
With calls and messages of concern pouring in from residents, locators and potential clients, especially from the hotel and other tourism-related businesses, Eisma issued a statement clarifying the real score on the Ocean Adventure takeover.
“It was a result of an intra-corporate dispute that was not directly resolved by the RTC of Olongapo,” the statement said. “The actions taken by the new SBMEI management (operator of Ocean Adventure) headed by Mr. Scott Sharpe created this irregular situation with the takeover… without prior coordination with the SBMA.”
Nevertheless, Eisma has ordered the security agency that Sharpe used in the takeover “to vacate the facility and to immediately cease and desist from any and all operations within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone,” mainly because Philand Security Agency has been found to have no accreditation to operate from SBMA and lacks other requirements.
She has also ordered the SBMA Law Enforcement Dept. (LED) to deploy personnel “outside the perimeter of the Ocean Adventure facility to ensure that peace and order is maintained.”
Diño has not been meeting eye to eye with Eisma lately, with the former, hell-bent on gaining full control of SBMA, asserting his right to be the appointing authority despite repetitive clarifications by Malacañang that the Administrator has the function and duty as the appointing authority at SBMA.
This explains, among others, why Diño has not been attuned with the rest of the SBMA management and tends to view and comment on matters differently.
Meanwhile, despite the internal problem and lack of personnel, Ocean Adventure continues to operate “normally,” according to its new management. -30-
