Says Imee after BBM rejects Bulacan Airport Ecozone bill
The rejection of a measure creating the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone is proof the branches of government under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are independent, his sister Sen. Imee Marcos said Sunday.
“The President’s veto of the BACSEZFA highlights the independence of the executive and legislative branches of government, which bodes well for a thorough treatment of national concerns under the Marcos administration,” the senator said in a statement.
“As the saying goes: Trabaho lang, walang personalan (It’s just work, nothing personal),” she added.
President Marcos vetoed the proposed measure establishing the airport zone over “fiscal risks” and its “lack of coherence” with the country’s laws.
While he finds the veto of the Freeport bill in his home province of Bulacan unfortunate, Senator Joel Villanueva said he respects the President’s decision.
“As a true-blooded Bulakenyo, we find this decision unfortunate, as the proposal has the potential to create jobs for Filipinos,” stressed Villanueva.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who is poised to take over as Senate President in the 19th Congress, also said he respects the veto powers of the Chief Executive under the Constitution.
“I also respect and recognize the position of the Department of Finance that no new economic zone shall be established,” said Zubiri.
However, he noted that the CREATE Law does not ban the establishment of new economic zones “as long as it conforms with the new fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.”
Zubiri said it should also conform with the strict regulatory powers of the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB).
In her statement, Sen. Marcos said that in voting in favor of the creation of the BACSEZFA, the Senate asserted that an ecozone would help create jobs for communities outside of Metro Manila.
“Local government units outside Metro Manila that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic are in dire need of revenue and jobs that can be multiplied by locating investors in a special economic zone where the New Manila International Airport broke ground this year,” she said.
“The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) has this early opportunity to synchronize the positions of Congress and the Executive department on the creation of new economic zones which are not prohibited under the law on Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises,” the senator added.
The ecozone was supposed to be built inside the Bulacan airport complex in Bulacan’s Bulakan town, the franchise to operate of which was given to San Miguel Corp (SMC).
The new P740-billion international airport would have a capacity of 100 million passengers every year, SMC earlier said.
“We will carefully study on refiling this bill, and even consider other possible proposals such as strengthening the PEZA Law,” Villanueva said in a statement.
“As we prepare for the 19th Congress, we look forward to working with the new administration and push for proposed legislations and policies in harmony with the priorities of the executive branch, especially when it comes to job generation for all Filipinos,” he added.