By HENRY EMPEÑO | January 25, 2022

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Eight local government units (LGUs) surrounding the Subic Bay Freeport will get next week their semi-annual share totaling P140.6 million from the proceeds of business operations in this special economic zone.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Wilma T. Eisma the allocation represents LGU shares for the second half of 2021 taken from the five-percent tax paid by business locators Subic.

The allocation will give P32,859,441.37 to Olongapo City; P21,145,468.61 to Subic, Zambales; P16,883,070.73 to San Marcelino, Zambales; P12,831,070.73 to Castillejos, Zambales; P11,968,060.18 to San Antonio, Zambales; P17,509,805.94 to Dinalupihan, Bataan; P15,003,180.96 to Hermosa, Bataan; and P12,402,469.66 to Morong, Bataan.

Eisma said these are 18 percent smaller than the LGU shares released in August last year, which totaled P166.16 million, but surpassed by more than 12 percent the P123.1 million total given in February 2021.

The LGU shares for the first half of the year is released in August, while that for the second half is released in February the next year.

The shares are meant to promote parallel development in communities near the Freeport and enhance LGU projects in tourism, infrastructure, education, peace and order, health, and livelihood generation.

For this batch of LGU releases, Eisma said that the SBMA will do away with the usual check-releasing ceremony as a precaution in face of the recent surge of Covid-19 cases nationwide, including in local communities.

“For the first time, I won’t be releasing the checks personally because I want to avoid crowding in pursuit of health protocols that we are enforcing in the Subic Bay Freeport. So, we advise LGU representatives to please claim their checks at the SBMA Treasury instead,” Eisma said.

According to SBMA records, the Subic agency has now distributed a total of P2.83 billion in LGU shares since 2011 when the SBMA started releasing shares directly to the LGUs. Previously, the distribution of LGU shares were coursed through the National Treasury.

The LGU shares are computed according to population (50%), land area (25%), and equal sharing (25%).

The biggest LGU beneficiary ever since is Olongapo City, which received a total of P672.73 million since 2011. It is followed by Subic, Zambales with P427.35 million; Dinalupihan, P353.89 million; San Marcelino, P341.03 million; Hermosa, P293.12 million; Castillejos, P255.68 million; Morong, P246.28 million; and San Antonio, P245.6 million. ~