Congress told to speed up on Clark tax perks law
By Dante M. Fabian, SunStar
CLARK ECOZONE -- Major stakeholders of the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) organized under the Move Clark Now (MCN) are urging lawmakers to immediately pass of legislative measures that would keep multi-billion-peso investment projects intact at the economic zone.
Alex Cauguiran, MCN convenor, said Congress should ensure the prompt enactment of laws in order to save job opportunities and keep investors from pulling out of Clark and Camp John Hay.
"Stampede comments". Post your comments on the Manila stampede incident here.
Cauguiran issued the statement in light of the threat of investors' pullout that have loomed after the Supreme Court (SC) ruled last year that tax and duty free privileges in Subic, as contained in Republic Act (RA) 7227, cannot be applied to Clark and other special economic zones.
MCN is a broad-based multisectoral group that has pushed in the early 1990s for the conversion of Clark from a military facility into a productive civilian complex.
"The passage of any law that would make investors retain their privileges will be good not only for Central and Northern Luzon, but also for the economy of the whole country," Cauguiran said.
He said the early passage of a law that grants tax privileges and tax amnesty for investors inside economic zones affected by the SC's ruling will also mean assurance of a sustained livelihood for thousands of workers.
"The specter of job loss for more than 30,000 Clark workers due to closure of shops will have tremendously devastating effects not only on their families but also on the local and national economies," he said.
At least four bills are now pending in Congress, all aimed at rectifying the flaws of RA7227 or the Bases Conversion Development Act (BCDA) passed in 1991.
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president Antonio R. Ng said officials of the state-owned firm continue to make strong representations for the approval of Senate Bill (SB) 2098 filed by Senator Richard Gordon that provides incentives to Clark and other special economic zones; and Joint Resolution No. 7 sponsored by Senator Ralph Recto which confirms the legislative intent of RA7227.
Ng noted that more members of the House of Representatives have thrown their support to House Bill (HB) 4900 and 4901 authored by Tarlac Representative Jesli Lapus.
He said CDC employees join the rest of 37,000 workers in Clark in expressing thanks to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and legislators who have supported moves to retain tax perks inside the former military facility.
He said Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Manuel Lapid have expressed support to Clark so as to correct the impasse on RA7227.
While waiting for legislative remedies, CDC is also securing an assurance directly from the secretary of Department of Finance (DOF) for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to maintain status quo in Clark Special Economic Zone.
"We are also working towards the issuance by the Office of the President of a certification that would ensure immediate passage of Lapus's bills. This will pave the way for a smooth sailing up to the bicameral conference," Ng said.
Already, Malacañang has issued a Cabinet Action Memorandum, which instructs the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLO) and the DOF to work on the certification
CLARK ECOZONE -- Major stakeholders of the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) organized under the Move Clark Now (MCN) are urging lawmakers to immediately pass of legislative measures that would keep multi-billion-peso investment projects intact at the economic zone.
Alex Cauguiran, MCN convenor, said Congress should ensure the prompt enactment of laws in order to save job opportunities and keep investors from pulling out of Clark and Camp John Hay.
"Stampede comments". Post your comments on the Manila stampede incident here.
Cauguiran issued the statement in light of the threat of investors' pullout that have loomed after the Supreme Court (SC) ruled last year that tax and duty free privileges in Subic, as contained in Republic Act (RA) 7227, cannot be applied to Clark and other special economic zones.
MCN is a broad-based multisectoral group that has pushed in the early 1990s for the conversion of Clark from a military facility into a productive civilian complex.
"The passage of any law that would make investors retain their privileges will be good not only for Central and Northern Luzon, but also for the economy of the whole country," Cauguiran said.
He said the early passage of a law that grants tax privileges and tax amnesty for investors inside economic zones affected by the SC's ruling will also mean assurance of a sustained livelihood for thousands of workers.
"The specter of job loss for more than 30,000 Clark workers due to closure of shops will have tremendously devastating effects not only on their families but also on the local and national economies," he said.
At least four bills are now pending in Congress, all aimed at rectifying the flaws of RA7227 or the Bases Conversion Development Act (BCDA) passed in 1991.
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) president Antonio R. Ng said officials of the state-owned firm continue to make strong representations for the approval of Senate Bill (SB) 2098 filed by Senator Richard Gordon that provides incentives to Clark and other special economic zones; and Joint Resolution No. 7 sponsored by Senator Ralph Recto which confirms the legislative intent of RA7227.
Ng noted that more members of the House of Representatives have thrown their support to House Bill (HB) 4900 and 4901 authored by Tarlac Representative Jesli Lapus.
He said CDC employees join the rest of 37,000 workers in Clark in expressing thanks to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and legislators who have supported moves to retain tax perks inside the former military facility.
He said Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Manuel Lapid have expressed support to Clark so as to correct the impasse on RA7227.
While waiting for legislative remedies, CDC is also securing an assurance directly from the secretary of Department of Finance (DOF) for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to maintain status quo in Clark Special Economic Zone.
"We are also working towards the issuance by the Office of the President of a certification that would ensure immediate passage of Lapus's bills. This will pave the way for a smooth sailing up to the bicameral conference," Ng said.
Already, Malacañang has issued a Cabinet Action Memorandum, which instructs the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLO) and the DOF to work on the certification
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