Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH  CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HousEBILLNo.6298
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Introduced by Representative LORET0 8. ACHARON
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This  bill  seeks  the  creation  of  the  District  Port  of  General  Santos,  a  measure  to  separate  the
administration, management and supervision of its operations and port facilities from the jurisdiction
of the District Port of Davao.
This port facility has been identified as one of the major national gateway ports under the BIMP-EAGA
initiative to  boost trade,  investments and tourism through intra-region shipping routes and  air links
between   and   among  Brunei   Darussalam,   Indonesia,   Malaysia,  and  the  Philippines,   participating
member states of the East Asean Growth Area or EAGA.
Established  in  1994, the  BIMP-EAGA initiative continues to  be  a  highly  effective  mechanism  for the
member states in accelerating social and economic development in remote and less developed areas
especially in many key areas of cooperation that includes agribusiness, tourism, the environment, and
socio-cultural education.
BIMP-EAGA  is  now  on  its  25th  year  and  we  are  celebrating  this  milestone  with  the  25th  Ministerial
Meeting on  November 23 to  26  in  Pontianak City,  West  Kalimantan  in  the  Republic of Indonesia to
formally acknowledged the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 -the development roadmap of the region.
Vision 2025 has strategically identified that agribusiness and tourism in order to prosper would need
access to improved connectivity such as airports and seaports, a singular fact that we in Region 12 has
seen fit to resolve by proposing for the upgrading of the facilities and creation of the District Port of
General Santos.
Such creation will give our stakeholders the flexibility and sufficient independence to fully respond in
a  timely  manner  to  the  demands  and  chall.enges  in  the  East  Asean  Growth  Area  and  new  global
economic order more particularly now that many sovereign economies are starting to recover from
the onslaught of the COVDl 19 pandemic.
ln view of the foregoing, approval of this proposed measure is


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 6298
Introduced by Rep. LORETO 8. ACHARON
AN
ACT CREATING THE DISTRICT PORT 0F GENERAL SANTOS, UPGRADE ITS
FAclLITlns, AppROpRIATING FUNDs AND FOR OTHER puRpOsEs
Be it enacted by the Senate and the  House Of Representatives  Of the  Philippines in Congress
assembled..
SECTION  1. A district port is hereby created in the Lone Legislative District of the City of
General Santos to be known as the District Port of General Santos.
SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), in coordination with the
General Manager of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) shall include in the department's program the
operationali2ation of the  District Port of General  Santos  and the  amount deemed appropriate  for its
upgrade and development in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SI]C. 3. The Secretary of the DOTr in coordination with the General Manager of the PPA shall
issue such rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after completion of its publication in the
Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
APPROVHD.