The newly created Freeport of Bataan in Mariveles, Bataan has started drafting a master plan for the conversion of the former Bataan Economic Zone into a progressive Freeport zone as it gears up for new investors.

Authority of the Freeport of Bataan Chairman Deogracias G.P. Custodio said that the plan will be ready within the year which aimed to map out the 20-year development of the new free port by detailing what supporting infrastructure and land use policies are needed.

Mr. Custodio said that the construction of seaports and roads will go through build-operate-transfer schemes, with incentives such as tax perks to locators that will spend for such infrastructure.

The free port, which covers the former Bataan Economic Zone and the rest of Mariveles town, was established in June when Republic Act No. 9728 lapsed into law. There are 43 registered locators there, including electronics and garments firms.

Bataan officials are confident to see the resurgence of Mariveles as a highly industrialized territory with the creation of the Bataan Free Port Area (FAB).

Republic Act 9728, also known as the FAB law, was recently enacted, converting the Bataan Economic Zone (BEZ) into FAB as authored by Bataan Second District Rep. Albert Garcia.

FAB, as envisioned by Garcia, will attract many multinational companies and elevate the town as a bustling industrial center again.

It will be recalled that the BEZ, then called the Bataan Export Processing Zone (BEPZ), was the first public economic zone established in the country through Presidential Decree 66 in November 1972.

In the first decade of operation, BEZ boomed, attracting more than a hundred multinational locators and transformed Mariveles into an economic haven and one of the most progressive communities in Luzon .

With then vibrant BEZ, prosperity spilled over the entire town of Mariveles . Natives and migrants filled up thousands of jobs at the economic zone, and lots of business establishments started operation.

Sectors of transportation, housing, banking, services, among others, remarkably thrived. There was domino effect of progress in this town.

However, said Garcia, the administrative neglect of the Philippine Export Zone Authority, supervising agency of BEZ and other external factors, stunted the growth of the economic zone.

With dilapidated roads, buildings and other infrastructure, BEZ ceased to attract new investors, and many locators opted to leave.

Garcia pointed out that BEZ has never really achieved its full potential as envisioned when it was established that made him sought its conversion into a free port.

Mariveles will surely become a boom territory again as Garcia said with a free-port status, FAB will be ready for foreign trading, and is set to become an international logistic hub.

There will be easy and cheap transport of raw materials and finished products and less government intervention, which mean cheaper cost of operations for locating companies, said the solon.

Companies, he continued, will surely be attracted to locate at FAB.

Garcia said with the expected location of many companies soon at the free port zone, it is easy to calculate the positive economic impact it can bring to the province, particularly to the host town Mariveles.

He said industries like tourism and transport, and businesses like suppliers, restaurants and food caterers, retailers, among others, will surely thrive, and thousands of jobs will be generated.

Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia pointed out that FAB is located to Manila Bay , a great bay, just like San Francisco Bay , Hong Kong Bay , Singapore Bay and Dubai Bay , all known logistic hubs.

He sees FAB to become a significant international logistic hub in the Asian region.
The governor said he is very excited on the huge development prospect FAB will bring to Mariveles and the other parts of Bataan province.

Aeta students from the Pastolan and Kanawan villages in Bataan proudly pose for their class photo during the graduation rites for a professional housekeeping course at the Subic Bay Arts Center.

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Their renowned jungle survival instincts made them masters of Subic Bay’s virgin forests. But realizing that the “outside” world is much bigger than their forest homes, Subic Bay’s indigenous people are now pursuing technical skills training to enable them to survive in the lowlands.

Supported by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and various organizations, the Subic natives are seeking opportunities for training and employment, intent as they are in establishing their presence in this bustling free port, said SBMA deputy administrator for corporate communications Knette Fernando.

Last Thursday, Fernando lauded the efforts of 36 Aeta students from the remote areas of Pastolan and Kanawan in Bataan, who finished a professional housekeeping course — the first batch to do so at the GP Corporate Personality Enhancement Center in this free port.

Aside from Fernando, those who cheered on the new graduates at the Subic Bay Arts Center commencement rites were Bataan representative Herminia Roman, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce president Danny Piano, SBMA PRO manager Armie Llamas, GP Center director Gina Prohorrov, and relatives of the graduates.

Prohorrov said the 36 hardworking graduates underwent weekend trainings for four months, covering the aspects of cleaning standards, computer operation, conversational English, work value and etiquette, and customer service.

Among the Aeta students in this batch, 14 took and passed the assessment test of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), earning for them the NC2 certification that qualifies them for employment overseas, Prohorrov added.

“That translates to a 100% passing rate. The rest of the 36 were equally capable but, unfortunately, were not able to make it during the application for the exam because of heavy rains that day,” said Prohorrov.

However, while waiting for the next examinations, the graduates can apply for local employment, she added.

Rep. Roman, meanwhile, thanked the SBMA and Prohorrov “for giving my constituents the opportunity to rise above their present conditions,” adding that she approved of this SBMA-GP project that emphasized self-reliance by way of the “teach-a-man-how-to-fish” approach.

Roman said that she was so moved by the graduates’ testimonials that she vowed to construct and repair roads and bridges in the Pastolan-Kanawan area to improve logistics, and boost economic activities in the remote villages.

She also thanked the “good heart” of Prohorrov, whose GP Center shouldered all the graduates’ expenses in uniform, teambuilding activities, and educational materials.

In the same event, SBMA’s Fernando urged other organizations based in the Subic free port to emulate the example of GP Center.

She added that the SBMA needs more partners for its livelihood and community development programs for indigenous people in the Subic Bay area.