The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill seeking the creation of the Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub (RICH) of Central Luzon, in a bid to attract jobs and capital to the region and help decongest Metro Manila.
Senate Bill No. 1997 was authored and sponsored by Senator Dick Gordon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, and with Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon as co-authors.
The bill was also co-sponsored by Senators Sonny Angara, Loren Legarda, Sherwin Gatchalian and Nancy Binay.
The measure received 18 affirmative votes, no negative votes and zero abstention.
“The name of the bill reflects its aim to enrich the people by encouraging and promoting investments and infrastructure in Central Luzon, as well as addressing bottlenecks, laying the foundation for long-term growth in the region, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of Filipinos,” Gordon said.
“The name of the bill reflects its aim to enrich the people by encouraging and promoting investments and infrastructure in Central Luzon, as well as addressing bottlenecks, laying the foundation for long-term growth in the region, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of Filipinos.”
Under the bill, the new Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub (RICH) will replace the existing Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council. The hub would be composed of nine members.
Citing how the La Guardia, JFK and Newark airports as well as the ports authority of New York and New Jersey in the U.S. have helped promote economic and business opportunities, the seasoned legislator said the RICH bill also seeks to create a similar boom in Central Luzon, which is also strategically located near Manila and has excellent infrastructure from interconnecting roads to airports and seaports.
The veteran lawmaker added that the RICH bill is also envisioned “to maximize the presence of the Subic, Mariveles and Manila seaports along with the airports and the North Luzon Expressway, TPLEX, SCTEX and Olongapo-Gapan Highway to enhance business and employment opportunities, which in turn, will serve as a model for the rest of the country.”
The senator added that another key goal of the bill is to decongest Metro Manila, by “dispersing industries and population to Central Luzon.”
“Another key goal of the bill is to decongest Metro Manila by dispersing industries and population to Central Luzon.”
He lamented that at present, Metro Manila has become very congested with its large population and traffic jams. Gordon also cited the embarrassment caused by an inoperative runway at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last August.
To help address the problem, Gordon said the proposed RICH would help develop sustainable communities where workers will be able to live near their places of work, schools, hospitals and other key areas, so they “would maximize their disposable income, need less time for travel and have more time for their families.”
He noted that the RICH bill is supported by governors, mayors and other local officials from Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac, and that counterpart versions of SBN 1997 are currently pending in the House of Representatives.
