Former Antique town mayor is new SBMA chair

ZAMBALES, Philippines – Former Pandan, Antique mayor Jonathan Tan on Wednesday, May 3, took his oath as the new chairman and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin officiated the oath-taking of Tan in Malacañang on Wednesday. Tan received his appointment paper on April 28, replacing Rolen Paulino.

In early April, Paulino through the official SBMA Facebook page and his own social media account announced that he tendered his courtesy resignation effective April 15 – even if he had only served a year of his six-year-term – “to give the President a free hand to choose who he deems best to steer the SBMA/ Subic Bay Freeport Zone to greater heights in terms of management and new business opportunities.”

Then-President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Paulino, former Olongapo mayor, as SBMA chief in March 2022, following the resignation of Wilma Eisma.

Tan served as Pandan town mayor for three consecutive terms, from 2010 to 2019. He obtained his industrial engineering degree at the University of Santo Tomas, and his Masters in Public Management from the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government. – Rappler.com