Ang Pahayagan

SANA ALL

Stakeholders, locators and all those benefiting from the establishment and operations of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone {SBFZ) and economic and industrial area are urged to join hands in the coming midterm legislative elections next year and vote for legislators that are committed to vote for the amendments of the Create Law that lifted the tax exemptions and VAT free privileges of Freeport and economic zones entrepreneurs and residents.

This was the consensus gathered during the recent SBMA Media Forum wherein former Olongapo City Mayor Rolen C. Paulino, SBMA ex-chairman-administrator and incumbent BCDA director and Bobong Antonio, Subic Water Corp. general manager and president of the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC), both lead advocates for the Create Law changes.

As a result of the removal of the tax and VAT free benefits during the Duterte administration. It’s now2 expensive to reside and do business at the former US Naval base complex. Higher electricity bills, fuel consumption and water bill are exorbitant due to inclusion of VAT chargers into the monthly billings. It was revealed by Antonio during the forum that was water consumption at the Freeport has declined by the 2015 era as the housing areas at the base have also down as most executives preferred to live in Olongapo and Subic, it was added. Moreover water and electricity in the City went up, it poi9nted out.

Antonio, who filed a tax payer suit against the national government and Paulino, who was active lobbyist for the Create Law changes when he was the top honcho of SBMA that it’s about time that people either locators, Freeport employees, businessmen and contractors must do a “kapit bisig” module to force would be legislators to support the granting of benefits to the economic and free ports zones in the country.

“Let us relive the same vigor and spirit when people of Olongapo, Subic and Bataan for the development of the former naval base,” Paulino declared.

Meanwhile, the establishment of a TESDA regional skill development Center at SBMA will soon be realized. It will be located at the Canal Road Compound where the LTO and Bureau of Customs are located.

The establishment of a TESDA skill and training Center was sought by Paulino as SBMA official.