SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Malacañan Palace has appointed former Pandan, Antique mayor Jonathan Dioso Tan as chairman and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on April 28, replacing former Olongapo City mayor Rolen C. Paulino Sr. who stepped down from office on April 15.

Tan is a Filipino politician and businessman who served as mayor of Pandan from 2010 to 2019.

He was named one of the Philippines’ Most Outstanding Mayors in 2012, together with city mayors Alfredo Lim of Manila, Benjie Lim of Dagupan, Meynardo Sabili of Lipa, Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles, Jennifer Austria-Barzaga of Dasmariñas, and Len Alonte-Naguiat of Biñan.

He was the only municipal mayor who bagged the award in that year.

Tan served as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Antique and elected as PRO of LMP-National for 2013-2016.

He was also the secretary of the Northwest Panay Peninsula Biodiversity and Conservation Council.

One of Tan’s major accomplishments was making Pandan a recipient of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4P’s, an anti-poverty project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Tan’s initiative to source out funds from Senators paved the way for more development projects in the municipality. 

With his trademark program JDT that stood for jobs, development and tourism, he managed to enhance the tourism industry in the town as Pandan, which was included among the 77 tourism development areas identified by the Department of Tourism.

Preparations for the turnover of post is underway.  