Chamber puts CEDZ refiling on hold

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), the main proponent of the Cebu Economic Development Zone (CEDZ) proposal, remains undecided whether to pursue the proposal, or finally call it quits.

This despite the assurance made earlier by some Cebuano Congressmen, most notably Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas and Cebu fifth district Rep. Ramon “Red” H. Durano VI, to support the refiling of the bill.

CCCI president Samuel Chioson said the chamber is putting the proposal on hold and on “status quo” until they will find the right timing to refile the bill.

In September 2010, CCCI announced that it has created a “review committee” for its CEDZ bid otherwise known as the House Bill No. 1319.

This is to make the proposal attuned to the present administration’s thrust, at the same time fitting to the economic movement and political changes that have taken place, said CCCI president Samuel Chioson.

In his earlier pronouncement, Chioson said CCCI will not withdraw nor pursue at this time the CEDZ proposal, until such time that it will make some changes, and have gone through intense review.

He said the chamber is also considering the recent announcement of the Department of Finance (DOF) to minimize the approval of more economic zones in the country, to boost tax revenue collection.

“We are on status-quo about the proposal as of this time. The review committee will scrutinize the details of the bill, and will also examine what are needed to be changed or if there is something the chamber could add,” said Chioson.

According to Chioson, the chamber has not set a timeline as to when the review committee will be able to submit their report.

To date, the future of the CEDZ is still hazy. Part of the consideration, is also the strong opposition of some Cebuano Congressmen.       

While the chamber is not actively pushing for the re-filing of the CEDZ proposal as of now, Gullas on the other hand, went ahead and filed a similar bill in Congress, the House Bill 91, declaring Cebu province as an economic zone.

“I filed the bill on the first working day of the 15th Congress on July 1 [2010]. And I commend the help of the business sector in Cebu, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Cebu Business Club for their help in some amendments of the bill,” said Gullas.

Gullas said that he will enlist some Cebuano Congressmen who expressed interest to support the bill, and may co-author with him in this bid.

Gullas hopes that CCCI will join with him and pursue their plan to refile the bill, despite criticisms from other parties.

Likewise, Durano expressed willingness to support the refiling of the CEDZ in Congress this year, saying this bill can provide good economic future for Cebu province.

Like Gullas, Durano also believse that the bill if passed into law is good for Cebu province.

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 CEDZ would have been the Chamber’s greatest achievement in history, as the concept was considered as the most pro-active proposal done by a private sector group so far in the Philippines.

If passed into law, Cebu will be the first to be declared as a province-wide economic zone, and one of the few in the world.

Other big business organizations in Cebu, such as Cebu Business Club (CBC), and Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) have remained silent whether they are willing to support the proposal of CCCI, or not.