SCUTTLEBUTT : Thinking Aloud

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) observed last week the 29th anniversary of the conversion of the former US Naval base complex into the country’s premier economic and industrial zone area by virtue of RA 7227, the law creating Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Hampered by the existence of the pandemic health regulations, the event was conducted in simple activities honoring the Zone volunteer workers after the US forces left the naval base abruptly and entrusted it upkeep to the people of Olongapo.

Photos posted on the government agency FB page showed the laying of flowers at the Volunteers Park, attended by plantilla employees.

Next year SBMA will be celebrating its 30th year as a fully owned government and manage corporation, entrusted to ensure the profitability of the Freeport Area.

But next year there will new personalities at the helm appointed by the new leadership elected in the May 9 elections. Since the incumbent officials headed lady lawyer Wilma Eisma and the PDP-Laban board of directors and Sen. Gordon “amoyion” are co-terminus with the outgoing Duterte administration, some supporters of the winning team will be rewarded with the SBMA vacancies.

We hope that the selection committee of the incoming administration should vent well on the list of aspirants and that just rely on the political affiliation but professional managers. Lawyers without entrepreneurial background may be named to the board but not the twin post of chairman-administrator.

Recall that SBMA was found operating in the red from day one of the Gordon pioneering era and it took the leadership under Roberto “Bobby” Garcia, an AIM alumnus to institute belt tightening management to propel the agency into a profitable government corporation.

Garcia promoted the JICA funded container port terminals which then DOF Secretary Cesar Purisima feared to embarrass the Aquino government of debt payment “default” due to the low volume of cargo business activities. Garcia employing his private sector connection as former president of Motolite, ushered two Maritime Summit during his term, promoting the Port of Subic as the ideal logistics hub for Central and Northern Luzon.

The campaign yielded positive results as the twin container yards operated by global port conglomerate, ICTSI achieving 300, 000 TEUs a year from its former volume of 70,000 TEUs.

Moreover, the new head of agency must be pro-people, accessible not only to locators, employees but also residents of the communities belonging to the Freeport clusters. That board of directors must understand the global reach of companies/locators and be open to dialog with stakeholders and local media.

While it will take more than seven months from now on the realization of this wish lists, we are pinning our hope that by that time with nearing the post pandemic related concerns and look forward to another six years and three decades of the former US Naval Base complex.

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