CCCI to re-file Cebuwide ecozone bill

CEBU, Philippines - Due to time constraint, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) decided to re-file House Bill No. 1319 or the Cebu Economic Development Zone (CEDZ) in the next Congress, although the bill is already in the Senate level.

CCCI president Sam Chioson said the chamber, which is the major proponent of the Bill, would not mind if they have to start all over again to push the province-wide eco-zone bill, than insisting to have it passed given the limited time.

Chioson said CCCI believes that it is easier to have the bill re-filed after the May 2010 election, while some amendments will be done in coordination with the new set of Congressmen.

The CEDZ is envisioned to be a paradigm of an effective and functioning Public-Private Sector Partnership with the private sector taking the lead and government providing infrastructure and institutional support and contributing part of the needed resources.

The bill is authored by all of the eight congressmen from Cebu and is jointly supported by local business groups including international funding groups, like the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ).

Despite this very difficult “journey” in pushing Cebu as the premier investment destination by declaring the entire province as an Economic Zone, Chioson said the business sector will not surrender the fight.

Although a lot of provinces in the Philippines have also made their own proposal to make their own province-wide economic zone bid, project chairman Anastacio Muntuerto Jr., earlier said that Cebu being the first to propose this concept to the Congress and eventually now passed at the Senate, will always have its edge.

“We always tell them that we don’t surrender. We have to fight for this,” said Muntuerto.

According to Chioson the Chamber will once again ask the support from the new set of Cebuano Congressmen after the election, in order to continue with the fight.

Earlier, House of Representative economic affairs chairman Representative Ramon H. Durano VI, suggested that the major proponent CEDZ, should make a very strong back-up in defense of the Bill at the Senate.

However, despite this projected challenges, Muntuerto said Cebu is still hoping that it can get through these challenges specifically that the study group has made its own primer to back-up the proposal to the Senate level.

House Bill 1319, creating the Cebu Special Ecozone and Free Port, has already passed through the House’s economic affairs committee, of which Durano is chairman, as well as the ways and means and appropriations committees.          

Durano said the Department of Finance opposes the bill, citing the potential revenue losses, especially for local government units.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is also opposing a provision of the bill to declare all of the seaports in Cebu as free ports.

H e said BOC expressed concern how they could monitor all the ports in Cebu. “They [BOC] are okay with the Cebu International Port as a free port,” he added.

Durano mentioned that there are currently four other bills in the House of Representatives creating special separate economic zones—Ilocos Sur, Samal Island in Davao, Bataan and Surigao del Sur.

The CEDZ proposal was conceptualized and filed during the CCCI presidency of Francis O. Monera. —Ehda M. Dagooc