SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III on Monday said the legislators should pay attention to the constitutional requirements meant to ensure that government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) are created based on their economic viability.
Pimentel issued the observation after the chamber approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2572 or the Act Establishing the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone and Freeport.
Twenty-two senators voted for the approval of the measure seen as a growth catalyst for Central Luzon.
According to Pimentel, there is still time to comply with the constitutional requirements.
“Just a reminder because that lack of test of economic viability, I used as an argument in my petition questioning the Maharlika
Investment Corporation which is a GOCC… There is a saying that ‘haste makes waste’ and the best example…was the first version of this bill that was already vetoed by the President,” Pimentel said.
He noted that the veto message of President Marcos on the previous version of the bill seeking to create the Bulacan Special Economic Zone “had many good points.”
“I hope that we have really addressed all those concerns. Let not the saying be proven a second time, Mr. President… Let us devote the time before the finalization of this measure in the bicam productively. Make sure that the measure is compliant with the constitution,” Pimentel stressed.
Senator Grace Poe thanked Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senator Imee Marcos—the main author of the bill—and Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, a Bulakeno “who totally fought for what is best for his province.”
“I am proud to say through our collective brainstorming, we have crafted a vastly improved bill that adheres to constitutional provision on land conversion; that balances economic growth with environmental protection; and that warrants greater LGU (local government units) representation at its helm,” said Poe, chairperson of the Senate pubic services committee.
She expressed optimism that the ecozone would spur investment, create more jobs and will actually “be a model, not just here in the Philippines, but all over Asia, that would hopefully increase our GDP.”
“With this measure, the Bulakenyos and the rest of the country can now expect a world-class economic zone that we can truly be proud of,” Poe said.