PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Palawan governor Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra welcomes the bill at the House of Representatives seeking to create a special economic zone and freeport in southern Palawan.
Mitra said the move will boost Palawan's strategic potential as hub for development and cooperation in the Brunei-Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
"I visited Malaysia last month to personally see the opportunities particularly on trade and tourism. Together with the Sabah Tourism Board, we have decided to have linkage on aspect of tourism promotion. They will be coming next month to join us in the celebration of Baragatan Festival. We also brought to Kota Kinabalu some agriculture products. The economic activities between our countries will be made faster soon hopefully after the passage of this bill," Mitra said.
The local business group of Palawan also lauded Pangasinan representative Maria Rachel J. Arenas, House committee on BIMP-EAGA affairs chair, for filing House Bill No. 4363 last month.
"We are in full support of the proposal. When Arenas' committee came here last year, we brought them to Brooke's Point port to inspect the area. We also invited the governor to join us on the business trip to Malaysia in time for the BIMP-EAGA Business Council Expo 2011. Once it becomes a a law, this bill would make our dream come true," Engr. Gerry Banzon, president of Palawan Economic Development Council (PEDCO), the official representative of Palawan to BIMP-EAGA Business Council where Banzon is a country director.
The province of Palawan represents one of the growth areas in the country and one of the signatories of the BIMP-EAGA regional cooperation treaty.
PEDCO chairman of the board Engr. Teddy Tiotangco also expressed his thanks to Mindanao Development Council (MinDA) Secretary Lualhati R. Antonino's support for the immediate passage of the proposed measure. Antonino also acts as Philippine country minister for BIMP-EAGA.
"Palaweños since time immemorial conducted trading with neighboring countries. The town of Brooke's Point is one of the strategic locations in south Palawan for sea and air linkages," Tiotangco said.
Palawan vice governor Clara "Fems" Reyes is optimistic that the ecozone and freeport would encourage more local and foreign investors to do business in the province.
"There is a need to accelerate Palawan's role and participation in the BIMP-EAGA through the Special Economic Zone and Freeport in south Palawan as it will also boost a trade and investment in the province, pump prime the local economy and development, and generate employment for the local populace of the province," Reyes said.
"There were legislative measures passed in the previous Sanggunian supporting and pressing for the creation and establishment of special economic zone and freeport in Palawan," recalls board member Rolando "Boy' Bonoan, Jr.
Bonoan is among the local legislators pushing for the passage of the bill.
He said Brooke's Point and Balabac are two adjacent developing municipalities in the province deemed as the preferred sites of the proposed Special Economic Zone because of their status as the traditional and long-established entry-points for cross-border traders in the BIMP-EAGA region.
The municipality of Brooke's Point is the preferred site for the proposed establishment of freeport in Southern Palawan being the center for immediate unloading and transshipment of goods. (PNA)
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