Malacañang names SBMA execs

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has named eight appointees to the board of directors of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) ahead of the reported reorganization next month in the policy-making body that manages this free port and special economic zone.

Appointment letters obtained by the Businessmirror that were addressed to the SBMA board of directors and dated December 23 indicated five appointees to represent the private sector, one representative of the national government, and two appointments for the business and investment sectors.

Those appointed as acting members representing the private sector are Honorio Cabaguio Allado III, Jose Mari Balandra Ponce, Kenneth Lemuel Go Rementilla, Amable Bancod Tolentino and Maria Cecilia Bobadilla-bitare.

Allado was named as replacement of Brian Patrick H. Gordon while Ponce replaced Rogelio G. Roque. Rementilla replaced Edwin Y. Enrile and Tolentino replaced Julita S. Manahan.

Bitare, who was a member of the previous board, was reappointed.

Rementilla was a former SBMA Deputy Administrator for Business under the Business and Investment Group but left the service in 2021.

Meanwhile, to represent the national government in the SBMA, Malacañang appointed Allan Troy Dandan Baquir, replacing Marvin Ted R. Macapagal.

For the business and investment sectors, Edelberto Salgo Mozo replaced Benasing O. Macarambon Jr., while Tomas Fausto Lahom Jr. was reappointed for the same position.

The new appointments made for a total of 13 SBMA board members, including incumbents Rolen C. Paulino, who sits as agency chairman and administrator, Rolando E. Ampunin, Teodoro D. Del Rosario, Herminia B. Roman and Paulino’s wife Cynthia.

A person familiar with the appointment process in the SBMA said the incumbents who were appointed by the previous administration will continue to serve as directors until they were replaced.

Under Section 13-c of Republic Act 7227 or the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992, the SBMA Board of Directors shall be composed of 15 members.

These include representatives from different sectors such as the local government units that concur to join the Subic Special Economic Zone; two representatives from the national government; five representatives from the private sector coming from the (former) naval stations, public works center, ship repair facility, naval supply depot and naval air stations in Subic; and representatives from the business and investment sectors.