SBMA has new chairman

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte officially signed the appointment paper of Martin Diño as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

The appointment, dated September 23, 2016, means Diño will officially replace former chairman Roberto Garcia in the rein of the premier Freeport. Diño will take office until June 30, 2022 – a 6-year term.

Diño was the presidential aspirant in the 2016 National and Local Elections but withdrew and nominated former Davao City mayor Duterte as the substitute standard bearer of PDP-Laban. He was the former chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and the father of Liza Diño, the partner of singer Aiza Seguerra.

Earlier, during the regular flag raising ceremony, Garcia told SBMA employees about the appointment of Diño to the SBMA, adding he would hold his office until the appointment paper was released and brought to SBMA.

Garcia also asked SBMA employees to render their full support and cooperation to the incoming administration of chairman Diño to continue the achievements gained by SBMA in the past years.

In the meantime, Garcia formed a transition team to brief and orient the team of Diño about the operations, programs, and plans formulated by the former administration for a smooth transition of powers.

On Monday, October 3, Garcia formally turned over the SBMA flag to Diño at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

The ceremony, which was attended by local government officials from Zambales, Bataan and Olongapo City, his transition team and members from the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC).

In his speech, Garcia presented the accomplishments of his administration, citing SBMA’s revenue collection that increased from P1.398 billion in 2011 to P2.754 billion in 2015. Its available cash increased from P595 million in 2011 to P2.759 billion in 2015.

“These accomplishments had made SBMA the 11^th Place as the highest revenue generating agency in the country among hundreds of government owned and controlled corporations,” Garcia said.

Diño said that he envisioned a healthier financial status for SBMA. 

The former barangay chairman in his town and a former chairman of VACC acknowledged that he has no academic diploma to show nor degrees in business courses or recognitions from financial institutions.

“But I have a direct line to the President, wherein we could endorse all the proposed projects of chairman Garcia for the improvement of Subic Freeport,” Diño said. – Rappler.com