This Week in Central Luzon (July 24 to 30, 2021)

Fully vaccinated tourists can now visit Subic Freeport using their vaccine cards instead of presenting negative COVID-19 test results, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced in an advisory. In addition to this, SBMA will also allow senior citizens from areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) to enter the area as long as they present their vaccination cards. Children aged five and above can also go outdoors with adult supervision, but they are not allowed in shopping malls [1].

The management released cycling rules that must be followed within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone to improve the safety of cyclists in Subic Bay Freeport [2].

According to the protocols, cyclists must present proper identification or valid IDs. All cyclists must also be equipped with the appropriate safety gears like front and back tail lights—which should also be red. In addition, cyclists must follow traffic rules, and they should stay within the designated lanes. For extra safety, no cyclist should text or call while cycling. Racing is not allowed, and cyclists are encouraged to cycle at their own pace. Gatherings are also prohibited at bike stops. As for cycling events, permits must be obtained from the IATF and SBMA. Volunteer marshals will be displaced all over the Freeport to ensure that all cyclists are following the rules.

Lastly, bikers are also not allowed to enter the NCT road. Violators will be fined PhP2,000. Cyclists are only permitted at San Bernardino road.

The new passenger terminal building in Clark International Airport features new contactless self-check-in machines. As part of the management’s “silent airport” policy, the self-service kiosks will only need to scan QR codes from passengers’ cell phones—which means they won’t need to touch the machines, lessening the COVID-19 transmission.

Other features of the silent airport policy include removing announcements, which means passengers will have to look at the signage for their flight details. Passengers must also bring their baggage to the bag drop counter. The counter will not work when luggage is over the weight limit [3].

Major fast-food chain McDonald’s included bike-friendly features in two Pampanga stores. The “Bike & Dine” facilities are launched at the CM Reto and Clark Gate branches.

According to McDonald’s Philippines managing director Margot Torres, many frontline works in Pampanga have turned to bikes during the pandemic. The bike-friendly features hope to provide a more convenient experience in ordering McDonald’s meals while maintaining safety. The “Bike & Dine” features let cyclists attach their bikes to a secure rack that will also serve as their dine-in table. More so, a “ride thru” feature was also established for those who want to get food on the go [4].

Visit Yoorekka Consumer Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Subic and Clark!