He is now on his third and last term but it seems that there is no stopping Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas from pushing the geopolitical and economic potentials of the province.
Not even his age.
Only recently, the 79-year-old provincial chief executive called a meeting and outlined his ambitious plans to transform Batangas into a major logistics hub.
Leveraging its strategic geographical advantages, the province aims to alleviate congestion at the Port of Manila and other key ports like Subic-Clark and Cebu.
Governor Mandanas emphasized the province's shipping-friendly coastline and central location within the Calabarzon region, positioning Batangas as an ideal logistics hub.
The proposed logistics hub will bring together key players in the industry, including manufacturers, shipping lines, air cargo companies, and logistics providers, optimizing the storage, processing, and delivery of goods.
Additionally, the governor revealed plans for a "food port" along the Batangas coastline, aiming to enhance and expand beyond the traditional concept of a "fish port."
Recognizing the interest of the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector in Batangas as a cost-effective alternative to the National Capital Region (NCR), Mandanas highlighted the need for harmonized incentive policies among local government units (LGUs) in the province.
Governor Mandanas urged the speedy implementation of the Supreme Court's Mandanas-Garcia ruling to enhance the development of the province. He emphasized that access to a fair share of government tax revenues would enable provincial and municipal leaders to be more responsive to public needs.
Encouraging the IT-BPM sector's investment in Batangas, Celeste Ilagan, Chief Policy and Regulatory Affairs Officer of the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), highlighted the province's potential to become a thriving regional hub.
PEZA Director General Tereso Panga echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Batangas' significant labor force, lower cost of living, and attractive fiscal incentives during a joint event with Aboitiz InfraCapital and IBPAP at the LIMA Estate in October.
Attracting foreign investments
Collaborative efforts between private and public entities involved in the development of an industrial park in this region also highlight a shared commitment to the successful promotion and attraction of foreign direct investments to the province.
This consensus emerged as representatives from the Batangas provincial government, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Board of Investments (BOI), Aboitiz InfraCapital, and other stakeholders convened during the First Batangas Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Conference at the LIMA Park Hotel, situated at the intersection of Lipa City and Malvar town.
Participants outlined their respective strategies for economic development, investment promotion, and sustainable growth, with the overarching goal of fortifying Batangas's economic landscape.
Ludwig Daza, head of PEZA’s Ecozone Development Department, emphasized in a statement, "The Philippines aims to become an investment haven in Asia." He elaborated on the agency's approach, encouraging the private sector to establish, operate, and maintain economic zones without cost to PEZA or the government.
Daza underscored the attractive incentives provided by the government under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act to attract investors.
Maria Rosario Dominguez, director of BOI Domestic Investments Promotion Service, highlighted the CREATE law's comprehensive incentives, including four- to seven-year income tax holidays, a 5 percent Special Corporate Income Tax based on Gross Income Earned (in lieu of all national and local taxes), duty exemption on the importation of capital equipment and raw materials, and value-added tax (VAT) exemption on importation, with VAT zero-rating on local purchases.
Dominguez explained that Tier 1 businesses, representing the most preferred investments, are those with high potential for job creation and that contribute value through innovation, upgrading, and moving up the value chain.
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