Traders want single leader for SBMA

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — A group of businessmen operating here said they preferred to have one person to serve as chair and administrator of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), as a leadership row threatens to disrupt the “harmonious environment for businesses” at the free port.

In a June 8 letter to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Rose Baldeo, president of the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, said the power struggle between SBMA Chair Martin Diño and Administrator Wilma Eisma has affected current and future investors at the free port.

Diño and Eisma have been locked in disagreements over policies based on contrasting orders they have been issuing since Malacañang enforced an executive order separating the powers and jurisdiction of the chair and administrator of the agency.

The SBMA chair used to perform the functions of administrator until then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued in 2004 Executive Order No. 340 that separated “the powers, functions and duties of the chair of the SBMA board and [designated] the administrator as CEO (chief executive officer) of the SBMA.”

“Disagreements between the SBMA chairman and administrator and the resulting confusion run contrary to the mandate of the SBMA to create harmonious environment for businesses to generate employment opportunities,” Baldeo said in the letter.

“Thus, in line with our desire to have a better investment climate in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, we respectfully submit that it would be better for the SBMA and locators to have only one person for the position of SBMA chairman and administrator instead of separating the two,” Baldeo said.

The House of Representatives had launched an inquiry into the SBMA leadership row, after lawmakers convened an ad hoc and special committee on bases conversion to hear Diño and Eisma explain the issues during their visit here on June 7.

The latest dispute was triggered by Diño’s administrative order forming a task force to inspect and monitor the business and financial operations of SBMA.

Eisma had informed the House committee that Diño “has no power or authority to issue the administrative order, much less to create a task force that will directly involve itself in the operations and day-to-day activities of SBMA.”

During the resumption of the House inquiry on June 8, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and the special committee concluded that having two SBMA administrators violated Republic Act No. 7227 (the bases conversion and development law which established the SBMA).

A representative of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told the committee that a draft executive order that would rectify the problem created by EO 340 was being prepared and would be reviewed and studied by President Duterte.

Diño agreed to suspend his order that created the oversight task force on the recommendation of Malabon City Rep. Federico Sandoval II. —ALLAN MACATUNO