Pres. Duterte signs EO defining powers of SBMA admin and directors

This is Building 229 (also known as Administration Building), the Official Headquarter of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority administered by Chairman and Administrator. (Photo By Renzon Nyco Tantay – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA— Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella announced that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed Executive Order (EO) No. 42 defining the powers and functions of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrators and directors.

The EO repealed EO No. 340, s. 2004, which separated the position of SBMA Chairman from the position of SBMA Administrator.

Under the new EO, the appointed SBMA Administrator is directed to assume the position of ex officio Chair of the SBMA Board.

Asked what prompted the President to issue the order, Abella cited a study by the Office of the Executive Secretary where they saw that “it was actually the two positions who were originally, according RA, Republic Act, it was supposed to be two offices in one person.”

“So I think they reverted to that. That is what they diverted to,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Palace official said the government is currently monitoring the situation in Barangay Talumpok Silangan in Batangas following a clash between government forces and the communist rebels.

“The military is on top of the situation, and will release updates as soon as the information becomes available,” Abella said.

Abella also welcomed the recent surrender of nine bombers of the New People’s Army (NPA) and the turnover of improvised explosive devices in Sultan Kudarat, noting it as a positive development in the government’s efforts to restore peace and maintain order in Mindanao.

“Many lives and properties have been saved because of this action of the communist rebels, who are trained to make and use powerful bombs to return to the fold of the law,” he said. “The efforts of community and the local government in working out the surrender of the nine NPA bombers are to be lauded,” he added.