Ang Pahayagan

Will Create More Act renew Locators interest in locating and opening business at SBFZ?

Depending on the marketing ability by the incumbent officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) the robust economy and job generating activities at the country’s premier Freeport and industrial area will be enhanced by the amendments of the controversial CREATE Law which have discouraged both domestic and foreign investors due to the removal of Value Added Tax and duty free incentives privileges enjoyed by Freeport enterprises.

Due to this measures SBMA interested business group have shy away during last five years and seriously affected the choice locating at Freeport areas.

Moreover, Create Law saw the slowdown of new business activities at Subic Bay and record of utilities consumption declined by more than 20 % among the housing areas while consumption went up in Olongapo City and Subic as several housing units were vacated and offered for rental or sale of rights.

During the inaugural of the monthly SBMA media forum, the invited guest panelists, former SBMA chairman and administrator Rolen C. Paulino Sr, now incumbent BCDA director and Subic Bay Chamber of Commerce president Benjie Antonio, discussed the economic havoc due to the CREATE Law implementation and their lobbying efforts for its amendments both in the chambers of Congress and Senate, Paulino, it will be recalled led the campaign in behalf all government operated Economic and Freeport Zones.

Now SBMA will observed its 32 years of its creation and the conversion of the former US Naval Base facilities as a Freeport and industrial area on November 21, will recalled the old glory of its creation but sadly to say as the time goes by, many of its privileges were taken over by some government agencies favored by Malacañang.

SBMA is directly under the Office of the President, hence, appointees of the board of directors and boss of the agency is Palace appointee. While SBMA have spent multimillion budgets to conduct studies on how to modernize and improve its viability, there still many vacant areas in key areas that command premium location.

Majority of the senior officials and pioneer workers in various departments are of retirement age and SBMA is saddled on replacing them with Civil Service Eligibles as majority of local residents prefer employment in the city or out of Olongapo.

There is a dire need to revitalize the employees with younger and better educate recruits, but the campaign is not well taken. It’s a good thing that a new manpower skill training center operated by TESDA is nearing completion that will help train both male and female workers in different skills required by maritime oriented ventures at Subic Bay.

Meanwhile, Subic Bay my lose its distinction as the hub for used trucks and heavy equipment hub to Pampanga, as most of the display yards of these import second hand vehicles are not located along the Olongapo-Gapan Road.

Subic locators utilized the Freeport area as the port of importation and conversion and after completion of the conversion job are driven out of Freeport to the Pampanga display area. Importers, mostly Pakistani’s and Chinese conduct weekly auction activities. Moreover, the lease rental of land areas is much much cheaper that maintaining a yard at SBFZ which even dollar rates.