MARIVELES, Bataan: The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) has spread the word world-wide that it is open for more locators to invest in the Freeport Area of Bataan here and the rest of the 10 towns and a city in the province which were all declared as FAB expansion areas.
Hazel Keith Elloren, AFAB public relations officer, said Tuesday that newly-appointed administrator Mohammed Hussein Pangandaman wanted more businesses to come and that included digital-based locators.
FAB has presently 95 multi-national firms in operation.
The AFAB administrator and 2nd district Rep. Albert Garcia have just arrived from Singapore where they met with Filipino Silicon Valley veteran Jojo Flores, co-founder of venture firm Plug-and-Play.
They attended the Asia-Pacific Summit that showcased technology startups from the region. Pangandaman and Garcia explained how the new charter of the Bataan freeport was now more welcoming of technology firms.
Congressman Garcia has discussed developments in the province like the construction of the Bataan – Cavite Interlink Bridge through Manila Bay “that would make the freeport more easily accessible to domestic and foreign markets and talents.”
Flores said that Plug-and-Play works with innovation-oriented startups across 20 business verticals in over 50 locations globally.
Elloren said that entrepreneur Ramon Garcia, executive chairman and founder of the DFNN Group, organized the meeting with Plug-and-Play officials. Some FAB-registered companies are included in the roster of DFNN.
Ramon Garcia has also arranged a visit of the AFAB group to Google’s regional headquarters and introduced to Margarita Locsin – Chan of the Philippine Chamber in Singapore, Elloren said.
The AFAB delegation was also able to speak with Carla Grepo, commercial counselor at the Philippine Trade and Investment Center, about introducing the Bataan freeport to more prospective locators in Singapore.
Pangandaman, Elloren said, was hopeful of the good result of their trip to Singapore.
“The pandemic is behind us and we can begin to finally focus on what FAB’s new charter enables us to do, that is to reach out to more locators and partners to now include businesses in the digital space,” Elloren quoting the statement of their administrator.
Pangandaman said the freeport started in 1969 through a law signed by the late President Marcos Sr. “It signaled the start of a manufacturing revolution that resulted in products physically made in Mariveles.”
“Nearly 45 years later, now in the time of President Marcos Jr., we are widening the gates of the freeport – this time, inviting the world to also dream and build digital products and services throughout and with Bataan,” continued Pangandaman’s statement.
