Ang Pahayagan

Post SOFA review

Last month SBMA chair and administrator Engr. Ed Alino delivered his State of the Freeport Address during the induction of the Officers of the Subic Bay Chamber of Commerce Inc., at the agency’s owned convention center.

Alino narrated the accomplishments of the agency tasked to promote the complex of the former US Naval base generate employment and manufacturing activities.

The former grains locator, recruited by Malacanang to head the authority from a discredited Marcos political leader from the Panay region celebrated recently his one year tenure in office and reported the following:

Accomplishments of his leadership.

The investment and realty government owned agency reported the following: P5.3 billion expansion projects of locators; P2.4 billion remittances to the Bureau of Internal revenue and P54.1 billion revenue collections of BOC Subic.

Moreover, total investments of locators at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone now amounts to P20.6 billion. The number locators stood at 1,926 and the labor force cited was 164,400+. Revenues realized from the Port of Subic stood as of last year at P1.3 billion but, reliable sources claimed that compares to the 2023 income it was short by P200 million under the private-public partnership between SBMA and Harbor Terminal.

Chairman Alino is pushing for housing facilities among SBFZ workers with the start of the construction of a high rise workers dormitory and single detach housing at Tipo and Canal area.

Gathering data for my column is getting harder as this media monitor is restricted on his mobility due to age. I am 82, trying to carry out interesting items, san politics but due to climate changes, we are housebound observer but need to follow activities such as the TESDA Regional Skill Center near the BOC building at Canal Road.

Credit his project to BCDA and former SBMA administrator Rolen C. Paulino Sr., who convinced the TESDA board to approve the Center to upskill worker’s capability, particularly in shipbuilding and maritime.

Latest titbits on SBMA public works project. The short span bridge at Binictican will hopefully be completed by June from the original date of December. On the other hand, the concerting and road widening of the SBFZ portion of 14 St. will be rebidded and depending of the project winner, works may start by 2026.