(UNITY POSE. SBMA chair Wilma T. Eisma (center) with members of the Zambales Mayors League (L-R): Mayors Jose Angelo Dominguez, Joycelyn Apostol, Elvis Soria, Estela Antipolo, Carolyn Fariñas, La Rainne Sarmiento, Rundy Ebdane, Napoleon Edquid, and Luisito Marty. Photo by Malou Dungog)
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Local chief executives in Zambales gave their collective nod to plans by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to extend the Subic Bay Special Economic and Freeport Zone to nearby communities in order to accommodate more investment projects.
In a meeting with SBMA chairman and administrator Wilma T. Eisma at the Golden Dragon Restaurant here on Tuesday, the Zambales Mayors’ League (ZML) headed by its president San Antonio Mayor Estela Antipolo expressed its support to the SBMA expansion plan, noting that it will mean more employment opportunities and community development for Zambales.
“On the part of the mayors’ league, we are here to support SBMA’s programs,” said San Felipe, Zambales Mayor Carolyn Fariñas, who spoke for the group in a media interview.
“We are really excited to hear chairman Eisma’s pronouncements that she is moving to expand the area and jurisdiction of the Subic Freeport. We can see that she is seriously working to put more businesses further up north in Zambales,” Fariñas added.
Aside from Antipolo and Fariñas, those present in the ZML meeting were mayors Jay Khonghun of Subic, Jose Angelo Dominguez of Castillejos, Elvis Soria of San Marcelino, La Rainne Abad-Sarmiento of San Narciso, Joycelyn Apostol of Cabangan, Bing Maniquiz-Jeresano of Botolan, Rundy Ebdane of Iba, Napoleon Edquid of Candelaria, and Luisito Marty of Santa Cruz.
In the said meeting, Eisma urged the Zambales mayors to take advantage of the freeport’s development impetus and asked them to start identifying areas that may be suitable for the expansion program.
Eisma said that Subic faces brighter prospects than ever and that current developments like its emergence as a new cruise ship destination in Asia, are bringing more livelihood opportunities to local communities.
The SBMA chief also pointed out that the number of investors in the freeport had grown to 1,587 in the first quarter of 2018 from 1,355 in the same period last year.
The new investors that the SBMA signed in this first quarter, she added, have committed investments of P866 million, which is 80% higher than the P480 million recorded in the same period in 2017.
Eisma said, however, that because of lack of space in the former Subic military base where the freeport is located, the SBMA could hardly accept any more investment proposals for major projects.
“A lot of investors are really looking for bigger locations. And I’m serious about it, please don’t dawdle on this expansion offer. We have to do this now because the next official might not have the same inclination as we do,” she told the mayors.
Eisma explained that any local government unit can nominate land for development as freeport expansion area. With favorable resolutions approved by the sangguniang bayan, a memorandum of agreement will be signed by the municipality and the SBMA, granting the latter the right to take over the administration and regulations of the area. The SBMA will then market the area to investors.
Fariñas said the ZML is committed to preparing their areas for a successful expansion program, noting that it will generate more jobs and more community development in the entire Zambales.
Fariñas and the other mayors also thanked Eisma for inviting transport service provider Grab Philippines to enter Zambales, saying this will help provide an effective, efficient and tourist-friendly transportation service that may further boost local tourism, a growing industry in the province.
“We share (Eisma’s) vision about malasakit, of a greater community helping each other” Fariñas added. “As leaders, we intend to give a better quality of life to our people. And these things are a big boost to our efforts in accomplishing this mission.”
