(MANILA BULLETIN)

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte has highlighted a pet measure that, if enacted, would further improve the good fortune of his home province. 

Villafuerte has filed in the current 19th Congress House Bill (HB) No.3681, which seeks to establish a special economic zone (SEZ) at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Pili and in Milaor. 

“This proposed investment hub would not only boost the region’s growth and development, but would also encourage Bicolanos to stay put in their respective homeprovinces instead of flocking to Metro Manila—thereby helping the national government attain its twin goals of decongesting Metro Manila and stimulating rapid growth in the countryside,” he said. 

The National Unity Party (NUP) president played up the proposed statute even as Camarines Norte joined the elite group of the country’s biggest local revenue earners. 

According to Villafuerte, the province has zoomed into second place in the top 10 of the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) of local government unit (LGU) performers in 2023. 

It was the first time that Camarines Sur landed on the “Top 10” list over the 2018 to 2023 period, as posted on the BLGF website. 

Attached to the Department of Finance (DOF), the BLGF is the agency in-charge of supervising and enhancing the financial operations of all LGUs. 

“The dramatic jump in the local revenue earnings of CamSur has propped up its position as the premier economic performer of Bicolandia,” Villafuerte, who had served as Camarines Sur governor for three successive terms prior to his election to the House of Representatives, said. 

Villafuerte has pointed out that Camarines Sur has been recognized as the country’s most business-friendly province for three consecutive years, and is considered one of its top economic performers. 

The veteran lawmaker says this positions the province as the “center of development” in Bicol once a SEZ is set up there.  

He said the proposed SEZ site has all that it takes to become a major investment hub, given that its ideal features meet the PEZA standards for ecozones, including existing infrastructure in broadband connectivity, road network, water supply facilities, and standby electricity supply. 

There is also good accessibility via air and land transport, availability of developed and vacant lands for the investors’ buildings and facilities plus their workers’ housing projects, presence of a knowledge and innovation industry, and a ready pool of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled trainable labor force, the Bicolano noted.