Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (abbreviated as "SBMA") is a governmental agency of the Philippine government.[1][2] Sometimes abbreviated as SBMA, the agency has played a significant part in the development of the Subic Bay Freeport and the Special Economic Zone into a self-sustainable area that promotes the industrial, commercial, investment, and financial areas of trade in the zone as well as in the country of the Philippines itself.

Subic Bay
Metropolitan Authority
Official Logo

Building 229 (Administration Building)
Agency overview
FormedNovember 24, 1992
JurisdictionThe Whole Area of Subic Bay Freeport Zone (Formerly, Subic Naval Base), partial area of Redondo Peninsula (including, Subic Hanjin Shipyard), and the coastal boundary of Subic Bay
HeadquartersBldg. 229, Waterfront Road, Central Business District, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City, Zambales
14°49′02″N 120°16′50″E
Agency executive
  • Atty. Wilma "Amy" T. Eisma, Chairman and Administrator
Parent agencyOffice of the President of the Philippines
WebsiteSubic Bay Metropolitan Authority Official Website

The area of jurisdiction of SBMA includes the erstwhile U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, parts of Redondo peninsula where the Subic Hanjin shipyard is located, and erstwhile US defence accommodations in the hills consisting of Binictican and Kalayan housing areas.[3]

The SBMA is currently headed by former Public Affairs and Contributions manager of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Company Inc. (PMFTC) Atty. Wilma T. Eisma as Chairman & Administrator.[4]

History

On March 13, 1992, the Philippine Congress passed Republic Act 7227, known as the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992, in anticipation of the pullout of the US military bases in the country. Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7227 created the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to develop and manage the Freeport which provides tax and duty-free privileges and incentives to business locators in the special economic zone.

Richard Gordon, then the mayor of the City of Olongapo, became the first SBMA chairman.

Mayor Gordon with 8,000 volunteers took over the facility to preserve and protect US$8 billion worth of property and facilities when the last U.S. Navy helicopter carrier USS Belleau Wood sailed out of Subic Bay on November 24, 1992 and started the conversion of the military base into a free port like Hong Kong and Singapore.

On its fourth anniversary on November 24, 1996, Subic Bay hosted the leaders of 18 economies during the Fourth Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit. By that time, this emerging investment haven had already successfully attracted companies like Federal Express, Enron, Coastal Petroleum now El Paso Corporation, Taiwan computer giant Acer and France telecoms company Thomson SA to establish operations in the Freeport.[5]

Subic Bay Historical Center

The Authority opened a history center.[6] It has an exhibit about hell ships, and other recoveries in Subic Bay's Maritime History.[7]

List of SBMA Chairman and Administrators
Name Term Position
Richard J. Gordon 1992 - 1998 Chairman and Administrator
Felicito C. Payumo 1998 - 2004 Chairman and Administrator
Francisco H. Licuanan 2004 - 2006 Chairman/ Head of SBMA
Alfredo C. Antonio Administrator/ Chief Executive Officer
Feliciano G. Salonga 2006 - 2011 Chairman/ Head of SBMA
Armand C. Arreza Administrator/ Chief Executive Officer
Roberto V. Garcia 2011 - 2016 Chairman and Administrator
Martin B. Diño 2016 - September 2017 Chairman/ Head of SBMA
Randy Escolango October 2016 - January 2017 OIC Administrator/ Chief Executive Officer [8]
Wilma T. Eisma January 2017 ~ present Chairman and Administrator

References
  1. Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan. "About Us". www.mysubicbay.com.ph.
  2. "Port of Subic Bay". World Port Source.
  3. "Official website of SBMA". SBMA official website. SBMA. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  4. "Wilma Eisma named as Chairman". Rappler. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  5. Ed Michael Lee Cruz and CorCom Team. "Brief History". Official Website of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. Retrieved 2016-11-25 – via www.mysubicbay.com.ph.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  8. "Duterte appoints lawyer as SBMA OIC admin". The Standard. Retrieved 2016-11-08.


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