IT was a presidential action that President Bongbong Marcos knew would engender so much speculations or even criticisms, coming as it did on his first full day in office, but he proceeded just the same — veto the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Act that was left untouched by his predecessor.
The fact that it was sponsored in the Senate by presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos is where it gets tricky. Twenty-one senators voted for this bill — House Bill 7575 which was approved in the House of Representatives in September 2020.
Marcos said he cannot support the bill considering the provisions that pose fiscal risks to the country and its infringement on or conflict with other agencies’ mandates and authorities. He added that the measure would “significantly narrow the tax base with its mandated incentives applicable to registered enterprises.”
‘A consolation to the proponents is Malacañang’s assurance that the construction of the P740-billion international airport in Bulacan would push through as the franchise of San Miguel Corp. was approved by Congress in October, 2021.’
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Marcos wanted to cure what he considered were defects in House Bill 7575, specifically a provision exempting the Bulacan ecozone from review by the Commission on Audit. Angeles said had Marcos not vetoed the bill, it would have lapsed into law on July 4 or 30 days after the bill was sent by the Senate to Malacañang.
Another defect of the enrolled bill, as pointed out by the Palace, is that it did not lay down procedures for the expropriation of lands awarded to agrarian reform beneficiaries and a master plan for the specific boundaries of the economic zone.
“Without these amendments indicated in the veto explanation, the law may be vulnerable to constitutional challenge. The delegation of rule-making power on environmental laws which is unique to the special economic zone is of particular concern,” Cruz-Angeles said.
Another flaw objected to by Marcos is that the measure grants blanket powers” to the economic zone authority to handle technical airport operations, which would violate aeronautical laws.
A consolation to the proponents is Malacañang’s assurance that the construction of the P740-billion international airport in Bulacan would push through as the franchise of San Miguel Corp. was approved by Congress in October, 2021. House Bill 7575 will be sent to the House again where it originated, and representatives might want to remedy the veto either by amending the measure or overriding the presidential decision.
