SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Malacanang Palace has appointed Jonathan Dioso Tan as the new chairman and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on April 28, 2023.
The former mayor of Pandan, Antique has replaced former SBMA Chairman and Administrator Rolen C. Paulino after the latter filed his courtesy resignation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last month. Paulino, the former mayor of Olongapo City, stepped down from his office on April 15.
SBMA Chairman and Administrator Jonathan Tan is a Filipino politician and businessman who served as mayor of Pandan, Antique from 2010 to 2019.
He was one of the Philippines’ Most Outstanding Mayors in 2012 together with city Mayors Alfredo Lim of Manila, Benjie Lim of Dagupan, Meynardo Sabili of Lipa, Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles, Jennifer Austria-Barzaga of Dasmariñas, and Len Alonte-Naguiat of Biñan. He was the only municipal mayor who bagged the award on that year.
He served as President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Antique and elected as PRO of LMP-National from 2013 – 2016. He was also the Secretary of the Northwest Panay Peninsula Biodiversity and Conservation Council.
One of his major accomplishments was making Pandan a recipient of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4P’s, an anti-poverty project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Tan’s initiative to source out funds from Senators paved the way for more development projects in the municipality.
His trademark, JDT, aside from it as an abbreviation of his name, stands for Jobs, Development and Tourism. He managed to enhance the tourism industry in the town as Pandan was included in the 77 Tourism Development areas identified by the Department of Tourism. (MALOU DUNGOG)
