Surigao del Sur may soon be elevated from its current status as one of the 20 poorest provinces in the country if a proposal by Rep. Prospero Pichay to develop the province into a special economic zone and a freeport area will be implemented by the Arroyo administration.
Pichay said in a recent statement that Surigao del Sur, with its strategic location, rich natural resources and human capital with varying skills in different trades, highly qualifies as an economic zone.
"The proposed Surigao del Sur Economic Zone will not only contribute to the development of one of the nation’s 20 poorest provinces, but also contribute to the regional and national development. The capital, technological, and knowledge spillovers of the proposed Surigao del Sur Economic Zone will filter throughout the country and help attain the government’s agenda of economic dynamism and competitiveness," said Pichay.
The solon added that Surigao del Sur qualifies as a potential economic zone because of its strategic location which is along the border area that allows easy transit of goods. The area also has sufficient road networks, sea and air transportation infrastructures, and has been blessed with raw materials and human capital in varying levels of skills and trades. Pichay underscored the need to establish more economic zones in favorable geographic positions such as Surigao del Sur to enable the country regain a steady footing in the export industry.
"We need to bring the battle to the countryside where there are lower costs of production and vast natural and human capita," Pichay said, adding that the country should learn from the lessons of China’s domination over its Asian neighbors in the export industry which could be attributed to its increasing number and magnitude of economic zones with low production costs.
"In so doing, China has been displacing our own export industry and causing shrinking businesses and job losses." Pichay’s proposal embodied in House Bill 4961 provides that the Surigao del Sur Special Economic Zone and Freeport shall be established in the municipalities of Carrsacal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, and Lanuza. It shall be managed and operated by the Surigao del Sur Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (SDSEZA).
For policy direction and coordination, the bill provides that the proposed economic zone shall be under the direct supervision of the Office of the President.
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