SBMA chief lashes at wayward truck traders

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma bared her fangs on Monday’s public forum with the truck traders of this premier Freeport at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).

“I am sick and tired of business not following SBMA rules and regulations. I am sick and tired of business who think they could get away with it,” she said.

Eisma stated that some of these traders have issues with their working visas.

She added that some of these traders only have one work permit despite working for multiple employees, while some locators sponsor other foreign workers to secure a work visa for a fee.

“It was brought to my attention by the Bureau of Immigration that some of your employees are out here working without working visas. If your work visa is only for one company, you cannot work for another company here in Subic,” she said.

“Your (companies) names have all been submitted to the Bureau of Immigration. If I were you, I will fix it before they come,” she added.

Among the other violations committed by these delinquent companies is allowing the use of their importation privileges by another company for a fee. These privileges are part of their Certificate of Registration and Tax Exemption (CRTE) that is given to all locators in Subic Bay Freeport.

“You use your CRTE to allow somebody else to import, it is not your importation, you say it is your importation but it is not. If you allow your importation privileges to be used by somebody else, and make it appear as yours, it is a violation of the SBMA’s rules and regulations,” Eisma said, adding that she will not hesitate to pre-terminate their contracts.