Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile (PCO)

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile called on members of a House of Representatives joint panel to help spread the reach of economic development in the country through the establishment of special economic zones in certain strategic areas.

“You must always think of country first. How to provide them with their livelihoods and how to keep them safe from other countries. Every country around us is our potential enemy. No exceptions,” Enrile told lawmakers.

Enrile issued this appeal on Wednesday, July 31, during the a joint hearing of the Committees on Public Order and Safety and Games and Amusement into the criminal activities linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

“And that’s why may I beg those who have, in their minds, to destroy CEZA (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority) just stop it. That is the purpose for CEZA. Until today, that purpose is being pursued,” he added.

Enrile, whose daughter Katrina is the CEZA administrator, is referring to an earlier pronouncement of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Chairman Alejandro Tengco. 

Tengco stated that CEZA had its own charter and can issue licenses to POGOs.

With the economic zone outside the jurisdiction of Pagcor, Tengco noted that there are some “complications” on whether or not the POGOs inside CEZA were covered by the total POGO ban announced by President Marcos.  

However, in a lengthy statement, Katrina categorically denied that there were existing POGOs in CEZA.

The elder Enrile, who authored Republic Act (RA) No. 7922 establishing CEZA, says the economic zone is not only a mere economic product but also a feature of the country’s security.

“That area is the anchor of the safety and the national security of the country. We have no enemy that can attack us from the east. Our enemies may come from the south, southwest, west, northwest, and none in the east and the north,” the 100-year-old pointed out.

“So when we do our things as legislators——I’m leaving you, I might be dead tomorrow——I will not care [anymore] but you have to care about your children and your grandchildren,” he continued.

The veteran politician emphasized that economic zones in strategic areas can be developed as areas to repair the government, economy, and the people on the aftermath of a destructive calamity.

CEZA, for instance, can support up to 50 million Filipinos economically, he said.

Enrile further stressed the need to balance the economy across various areas of the country.

He explained that putting all the investments in the western part of the Philippines, such as the case in Metro Manila, can be a risky situation in times of war.

“In case of war, the western flank of this country will be vacated all those investments will go to note. And the people will starve to death. Can you imagine that?” asked Enrile.

He floated the possibility of building a special economic zone in the Bicol region to freely access the Pacific Ocean.