CAR IMPORTERS SHOULD READ THE FINE PRINT
“Before the car importers rejoice, they should read the fine print,” Senator Richard J. Gordon said.
Gordon, former Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, made the statement after the Supreme Court through Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago gave the green light for the continued importation of second hand vehicles into the special economic zone. The Supreme Court ruled that Executive Order No. 156, which prohibits the importation of used cars, should not apply to Subic because of the latter’s designation as a freeport and special economic zone.
“But look closely to what the decision states: ‘used motor vehicles that come into the Philippine territory via the secured fenced-in former Subic Naval Base area may be stored, used or traded therein [referring to the base area] or exported out of the Philippine territory, but they cannot be imported into the Philippine territory outside of the secured fenced in former Subic Naval base area.’ This means that even if used cars can come into Subic, they cannot be sold to the domestic market. Every single used car has to be re-exported,” he said.
Gordon emphasized, “The EO may be void inside Subic, but because it was held valid for the rest of the country, those used cars cannot leave the Freeport and cross the border into Olongapo, Zambales or Bataan, or any other place in the country.”
“These smugglers will finally be unable to sell their cars here, and we’ve been able to use the law to stop them from laughing all the way to the bank. SBMA must stop these cars from leaving the freeport. SBMA must do its duty to make sure that when the cars are converted or reconditioned, the oil and fluids do not spill and pollute the environment of Subic. Customs must account for each and every car that comes in, and makes sure that every single one is properly re-exported. Only then will the roads will be safer, our air and water cleaner, and our car industry will have a better chance at growing, generating jobs and opportunities for everyone,” Gordon said.
“But remember,” Gordon pointed out, “this decision focused only on used cars and did not even go into the issue of right hand drives. The decision itself said that “articles absolutely prohibited by law cannot be imported into the Freeport”. Right hand drive cars are absolutely prohibited under Republic Act No. 8506. As such, they have no place in the Freeport.”
“I would have preferred that the Supreme Court uphold the ban within Subic. Such a low value industry like car importation, reconditioning and conversion has no place in a freeport that should be bringing in Fortune 500 corporations, positioning itself as the next Hong Kong or Singapore. But ultimately, by enforcing the ban on importation for the rest of the Philippines, the decision will still have that effect. In the meantime, I will do what I can as Senator to amend Republic Act No. 7227, the Charter of the Subic Freeport Zone, to define precisely what a freeport should be,” said the Senator.
Gordon, former Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, made the statement after the Supreme Court through Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago gave the green light for the continued importation of second hand vehicles into the special economic zone. The Supreme Court ruled that Executive Order No. 156, which prohibits the importation of used cars, should not apply to Subic because of the latter’s designation as a freeport and special economic zone.
“But look closely to what the decision states: ‘used motor vehicles that come into the Philippine territory via the secured fenced-in former Subic Naval Base area may be stored, used or traded therein [referring to the base area] or exported out of the Philippine territory, but they cannot be imported into the Philippine territory outside of the secured fenced in former Subic Naval base area.’ This means that even if used cars can come into Subic, they cannot be sold to the domestic market. Every single used car has to be re-exported,” he said.
Gordon emphasized, “The EO may be void inside Subic, but because it was held valid for the rest of the country, those used cars cannot leave the Freeport and cross the border into Olongapo, Zambales or Bataan, or any other place in the country.”
“These smugglers will finally be unable to sell their cars here, and we’ve been able to use the law to stop them from laughing all the way to the bank. SBMA must stop these cars from leaving the freeport. SBMA must do its duty to make sure that when the cars are converted or reconditioned, the oil and fluids do not spill and pollute the environment of Subic. Customs must account for each and every car that comes in, and makes sure that every single one is properly re-exported. Only then will the roads will be safer, our air and water cleaner, and our car industry will have a better chance at growing, generating jobs and opportunities for everyone,” Gordon said.
“But remember,” Gordon pointed out, “this decision focused only on used cars and did not even go into the issue of right hand drives. The decision itself said that “articles absolutely prohibited by law cannot be imported into the Freeport”. Right hand drive cars are absolutely prohibited under Republic Act No. 8506. As such, they have no place in the Freeport.”
“I would have preferred that the Supreme Court uphold the ban within Subic. Such a low value industry like car importation, reconditioning and conversion has no place in a freeport that should be bringing in Fortune 500 corporations, positioning itself as the next Hong Kong or Singapore. But ultimately, by enforcing the ban on importation for the rest of the Philippines, the decision will still have that effect. In the meantime, I will do what I can as Senator to amend Republic Act No. 7227, the Charter of the Subic Freeport Zone, to define precisely what a freeport should be,” said the Senator.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
2:56 PM
1 Comments:
"Nakakalungkot isipin na ipinaglalaban ng gobyerno ang malalaking car manufacturers sa ating bansa na hindi naman namin alam kung nagbabayad ng sapat na buwis sa gobyerno.... Ito ay aking nabangit pagkat di rin naman ipinapakita ng gobyerno kung magkano ang ibinayad ng mga dayuhan na ito sa kanila taon taon. Lekat ang maayos na sasakyan na bago ay di bababa ang presyo sa 700,000 pesos, sinong pinoy ang makaka-afford sa mga ganitong nakakamatay na presyo! Sino ba talaga ang pinoprotektahan ng gobyerno? Ang li-limang dayuhang car manufacturers o ang MILYON MILYONG PINOY NA MAARING MAKA-AFFORD NG MURANG SASAKYAN MULA SA MGA USED CARS AND JEEPS AND ETC. na affordable na ng konti dahil sa SUBIC, CEBU,DAVAO at iba pang importation. Aba parang wala naman sila (ang gobyerno, at si GORDON) iniisip kundi ang pag politikal vendetta at pag-gamit ng kanilang talino upang kumita!!!!!!!!!!!!
By
Anonymous, at 3/07/2006 7:02 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home