Comelec action sought on release of ecozone raw materials (Sabong News)
Author
Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat
Date
MARCH 22 2022
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has issued an urgent appeal to the Commission on Election (COMELEC) for the immediate issuance of Certificate of Authority to Transport (CA-TT) regulated chemicals and raw materials covered by the election ban to avert shutdowns on the operation of manufacturing firms inside the economic zones.
PEZA Director General Charito B. Plaza raised concerns of their affected locators affected by the Comelec ban stressing these firms have already “closed down or on the verge of ceasing” their operations. “We have also received reports from our locators that their requests for the approval to transport chemicals have been denied by COMELEC. These concerns have been reached out to COMELEC and now, we are waiting for their release of the CA-TT permit,” Plaza said in a statement.
Plaza assured Comelec that its locators that are using regulated chemicals have a good track record as manufacturers and exporters since the start of their operations and have never been involved in any election-related violence.
”With this, we sincerely hope for COMELEC to review the CA-TT application process especially in our ecozones so that transport of regulated chemicals will not stop nor be delayed during the election period,” said Plaza.
Manufacturing companies registered to PEZA use chemicals in their operations and is regulated by the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO). Such chemicals include sulfur powder, nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium permanganate among others.
While the use, importation, transport, or manufacture of these chemicals are already covered by PNP-FEO permits, the COMELEC issues a resolution every election period requiring duplicate permits through the Committee on Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC).
Last March 16, the PEZA chief met with the newly appointed COMELEC Chairman Saidamen Balt Pangarungan requesting for COMELEC’s assistance in securing the exemption of PEZA-registered enterprises from the ban election.
According to Plaza, Pangarungan assured COMELEC’s support in addressing the competitiveness issues faced by manufacturers and buyers of regulated chemicals. He also vowed to establish a transparent and expeditious processing of CA-TTs.
Currently, there are nine PEZA-registered enterprises awaiting the approval of their permit applications, two of which have already shutdown since the last week of February and another two companies who have already used up their chemical supplies on the first week of March.
In addition, PEZA also requested about the disbursement of public fund or construction of public works, and infrastructure projects in PEZA’s public ecozones procured by public bidding during the election period.”
“Based on PNP-FEO records, manufacturers using regulated chemicals only form a small fraction of permit applicants during the election period compared to the gun or ammunition applications,” the Plaza added.
Plaza is also coordinating with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to support its appeal to COMELEC to hasten the release of CA-TT permit.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, who is also PEZA chairman, backed PEZA and its locators in this concern.
