SUBIC BAY FREEPORT - Starting with one ambulance last year, power distributor Subic EnerZone Corp. now has adopted six ambulances of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as part of its continuing effort to fulfill corporate social responsibility here and in nearby communities.

Enerzone formalized the adoption of SBMA ambulances on Monday through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza and Enerzone vice-president and general manager Dante Pollescas.

Under the agreement, Enerzone will allocate P100,000 to provide necessary spare parts and services required for the repair and maintenance of the six vehicles for one year.

"These vehicles are essential to the SBMA's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program, which primarily attends to emergency situations within the Freeport and the neighboring provinces," Arreza said.

"We're glad that this year, Enerzone has decided to adopt more units under their program," he added.

The SBMA-EMS is part of the agency's primary rescue group that is also composed of personnel from fire, law enforcement, and public health and safety units.

Arreza said the availability of the ambulances "is very critical to the SBMA mission of providing assistance in emergencies and calamities."

"We hope that the example set by Enerzone will entice other investors to do the same, not only for the SBMA, but also for our neighbor local government units," he added.

Pollescas said, meanwhile, that aside from its "Adopt-An-Ambulance" program, the Aboitiz-owned electric distribution utility hopes to serve the Subic Bay area better by continually raising the level of its operational efficiency since taking over Subic's power distribution system in 2003.

Last year, Enerzone has raised its efficiency level by bringing down the system loss ratio by 5.5 percent, he pointed out.

"Any drop in system loss would mean a corresponding rate reduction per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed by investors and residents inside the Subic Freeport," explained Pollescas.

"We're striving to bring it down further this year," he said. (30)