AFTER lengthy interpellation on its avowed economic benefits and the possible environmental risks, the Senate approved on third and final reading Monday Senate Bill No. 2572 calling for the creation of the Bulacan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (BuZ).
Sen. Grace Poe, Committee on Economic Affairs chairperson and sponsor of the measure, thanked her colleagues for giving the ecozone their stamp of approval, and heaved a sigh of relief after successfully defending the measure.
She said SBN 2572 was crafted to balance economic growth and environmental protection, and ensure greater representation for local government units covered by the proposed ecozone. “It will spur investments, create more jobs and will be a model, not just here in the Philippines, but all over Asia…With this measure, the Bulakenyos and the rest of the country can expect a world-class economic zone that we can be proud of,” Poe said.
Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, her cosponsor of the measure, hailed the third-reading passage of the bill.
“As a true-blooded Bulakeño, we wholeheartedly support the approval on Third Reading of Senate Bill No. 2572 or the Bulacan Special Economic Zone and Freeport Act. We thank and congratulate the Sponsor, Senator Grace Poe, for her diligence and hard work in pushing for this game-changing measure. We also thank our colleagues for their expertise and valuable inputs to make this bill even more responsive to the needs of our constituents,” said Villanueva.
The creation of the Bulacan EcoZone or BuZ is “groundbreaking,” he stressed, as it could “generate up to 1.2 million jobs for our people and bring in P37.84 billion to P130.9 billion of investments.”
He also placed on record a number of times that concerned local government units were consulted and that they indeed support the creation of the BuZ. This is in addition to the expression of support already given by the Region 3 Regional Development Council.
“In the measure that this august chamber just approved, the Province of Bulacan and concerned LGUs will be properly consulted, as emphasized by the Sponsor during our deliberations.”
He thanked Poe “for agreeing with our proposal to increase the LGU representation in the Board of Directors of the Bulacan Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority or BEZA, and for accepting our amendments to promote the protection of environment and improved management of natural resources in the BuZ, as well as to ensure the transfer of technology and skills to Filipino workers through the implementation of an understudy and skills development program.”
He thanked Poe as well for agreeing to add enough safeguards in the measure “to guarantee that the creation and operations of the BuZ will be within the framework of the Constitution, the Local Government Code, and national development plans, policies, and goals.”
“Ginoong Pangulo, sa atin pong cosponsorship speech para sa panukalang ito, atin pong ibinahagi ang ating paniniwala na marami pang maihahandog at napakalaki pa ang potensyal ng lalawigan ng Bulacan upang higit pang makapag-ambag sa ating pambansang kaunlaran [in our cosponsorship speech for this bill, we shared our belief that it would expand the potential for growth of our province and contribute to national progress]. The passage of this measure is a step towards achieving this hope and vision,” Villanueva said.