SUBIC BAY FREEPORT–Lawyer Wilma Eisma was appointed as chairperson and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). Her appointment was transmitted Monday by acting Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
She was sworn into office on Tuesday in Malacanañg.
The appointment came after President Rodrigo Duterte revoked E.O. 340 of former president now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The order made the positions of SBMA chairman and administrator to be held by two appointees.
EO 340 worked well with the past administrations of former SBMA chairman Francisco Licuanan and administrator Alfredo Antonio, 2004-2006; chairman Feliciano Salonga and administrator Armand Arreza, 2006- 2011; chairman Roberto Garcia (2011- 2016).
Using also EO 340, President Duterte appointed former barangay chairman and VACC chairman Martin Diño as chairman of SBMA and former SBMA Deputy Administrator for Legal Affairs Atty. Randy Escolango as officer in charge of the Office of SBMA Administrator.
The limits of duties and responsibilities escalated from a mere confusion to “war-of-memorandums” when chairman Diño insisted of being head of the agency by attempting to appoint personnel, including himself, to different offices of the agency. The instability inside SBMA has reached the attention of the lawmakers who questioned the legality of EO 340 which was said to be in violation of the RA 7227 that states the appointment of a professional administrator who will act as ex-officio chairman of the board.
The lawmakers, ordered status quo for Diño and Eisma and refrain from issuing any statement that is detrimental to the operations of SBMA, which may affect trust and confidence of the Freeport investors and locators.(PNA)