Gullas bill eyes conversion of province into eco-zone

Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo "Eddie" Gullas yesterday said that the province is being "geared to become a special economic zone, and later with a federal and parliamentary form of government."

In a press conference at his office at the University of the Visayas, Gullas explained that Cebu is a viable place to be converted into an eco-zone considering that it is already a place of so many commercial and industrial activities. Also, its people are highly skilled workers and the universities here are producing high-level executives ready to mobilize said economic zone.

In relation to this, Gullas, who is seeking for reelection, also said that his pending House Bill 5857 seeking for the creation of this special economic zone and freeport in Cebu is already "inching its way" to congressional approval.

"If this experiment succeeds, there’s no reason why this shouldn’t be replicated [in other regions]," Gullas, who filed the bill last October 10, said.

He also revealed that, so far, the bill already underwent two public hearings that were also attended by officials of the Central Bank, and the Departments of Trade and Industry, Finance, and Tourism.

"There were some people who supported the bill, but there were also others who opposed it. Maybe because they are afraid that such would result in the reduction of the national income," Gullas hinted.

The Cebu Special Economic Zone, which will make the entire province an eco-zone, will attract international investors because of lesser taxes that would go only to the provincial coffers, he said.

Gullas also said that one of the governing principles of the bill states, "in lieu of paying taxes, business establishments shall pay and remit to the province of Cebu three percent of their gross income."

One percent will go to the province, the other one percent to the barangays for special development, and the rest to the Cebu Ecozone Authority. Another advantage of this law, once enacted, is job generation for Cebuano residents, he added.

Gullas said that if given a new mandate, he would re-file the bill in the next Congress. Though he expects to meet a lot of obstacles like objections on the diminution of national income, he judged it best that "with the trend of federalization on the air, Cebu must make its first move now."

Other promising areas he mentioned that would benefit much from this move are the town of Balamban in the northwestern side of the province for the invigorating of the shipbuilding industry; the first district where residential and industrial businesses are such as the two cement factories and a speedboat-making industry; and the southern towns considered tourism spots with its beaches and so-called "retirement" areas. — Liv G. Campo/MEEV