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Ni ESTONG REYES
SA gitna ng paspasan at puspusang pagtatayo ng bagong paliparan sa bayan ng Bulakan, Bulacan, higit na angkop ang bigyan-daan ang pagtataguyod ng natatanging lugar para sa negosyo, ayon kay Senador Grace Poe sa hayagang pag-endorso sa panukalang pagtatayo ng Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone and Freeport.
Ayon kay Poe, hindi biro ang bentaheng dala ng naturang proyektong aniya’y kayang magsampa ng P130 bilyong kita sa gobyerno – bukod pa sa isang milyong trabaho sa mga mamamayang Pilipino.
Sa kanyang sponsorship speech, sinabi ni Poe na tumatayong chairman ng Senate Committee on Economic Affairs na layunin ng Committee Report No. 209 sa Senate Bill No. 2572 na magtayo ng Bulacan Ecozone.
“What we are sponsoring today is the next big step—the creation of a special economic zone with the airport project at its heart,” wika ng senadora.
“No airport is an island. The success of an airport relies on a whole ecosystem of properly run highways and roads, vibrant markets and industries, and seamless collaboration with its neighboring towns and communities,” dagdag pa niya.
Isasailalim sa Bulacan Ecozone ang pangangasiwa ng bagong paliparang itatayo sa makasaysayang lalawigan ng Bulacan sa hangaring maibsan ang bugso ng mga pasahero sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals sa Metro Manila.
“Based on submitted calculation, tinatayang aabot ng P130.939 billion ang economic potential ng Bulacan Ecozone. At sa tuloy-tuloy nitong pag-unlad, inaasahan natin na nakakapagbigay ito mula 800,000 hanggang 1.2 million na trabaho,” sambit ni Poe.
Sa ilalim ng naturangg panukala, lilikha ng isang lupon na kikilalanin bilang Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (BACSEZFA) sa ilalim ng Office of the President.
Ang trabaho BACSEZFA – pangasiwaan at pamahalaan ang ecozone.
“The BACSEZFA shall include in its development goals for the Bulacan Ecozone the construction and operation of a domestic and international airport and allied businesses within the framework of national development plans, policies and goals.”
“The development plan shall include a list of projects for the sound and balanced operation of the Bulacan Ecozone consistent with ecological and environmental standards, proper waste management practices, effective flood control and management, mandatory water impoundment, and other productive uses to promote the economic and social development of the municipality of Bulacan and its extensions in particular and the country in general,” saad pa ng naturang committee report.
Pinayagan ang BACSEZFA na magkaroon ng P2 bilyong halaga ng authorized capital stock , at majority shares na babayaran at pag-aari ng national government at local government units na sumasakop sa lugar.
Nakatakda sa panukala ang revenue sharing sa kokolektahing corporate income tax collected na hahatiin sa mga sumusunod: 40% sa national government; 20% sa BACSEZFA para infrastructure development; at 40% sa concerned local government.
Tinukoy ni Poe ang mga sumusunod na features ng panukala upang tugunan ang alalahanin ng kinauukulan stakeholders:
•The metes and bounds of the ecozone has been properly drawn by indicating the exact cities and municipalities covered by the zone. Additionally, any future expansions will be by a presidential proclamation with clearly defined boundaries.
•The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall be tasked to lead the supervision of environmental concerns inside the Ecozone.
•The oversight function of the Commission on Audit was strengthened by explicitly stating that all of the Ecozone Authority’s transactions are subject to its accounting and auditing rules.
•All incentives have been aligned with the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act to ensure that there are no tax grants outside of what the current system already provides
•The Bulacan Ecozone’s development plans are with timelines and milestones to ensure that everyone would have the same vision on what BACSEZFA’s role will be on Bulacan’s development and progress.
“Kahit anong proyekto na pangkaunlaran, local man o national, ay napagtatagumpayan lamang kung mayroong sama-samang pagpaplano. At sa panukalang batas na ito, masisiguro na kasama ang Bulacan sa paglipad tungo sa mga bagong oportunidad at pag-asa,” pagtatapos ni Poe.
