Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES \
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 6268

Introduced by Honorable Mark O. Go

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish the Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba
and Tublay Special Economic Zone (BLISTT Ecozone) in the Province of Benguet to
be located within the BLISTT area.

Baguio City, approximately 242 kilometers north of Manila is situated in the
Province of Benguet accessible through three (3) national roads namely: Quirino
Highway (Naguilian Road), Kennon Road and Marcos Highway. The city is
bounded by the municipalities of La Trinidad on the North, Itogon on the East and
Tuba on the South and West.

Based on 2015 census, the Province of Benguet reached the population of
446,224 excluding Baguio City which has 345,366 inhabitants. Among its most
populated municipalities includes La Trinidad, Itogon and Tuba.

In 2017, the unemployment rate in CAR was reported at 4.3% while in 2014,
the unemployment rate in Benguet is at 2.9%. The creation of BLISST Ecozone will
be a conducive avenue for direct foreign investment, allowing manageable trade,
generating more employment and producing goods at lower prices making it more
globally competitive. This will totally transform the BLISTT area into an emerging
investment hub that would supplement the existing Baguio Economic Zone.

While there is currently an existing Baguio City Economic Zone, this would
not suffice to cater the rising demand for an area that will be suitable for economic
development. The BLISTT Ecozone envisioned in this bill will also ensure that the
benefits of development are experienced not only within the BLISTT communities
but also in its neighboring municipalities and provinces.

The proposed BLISTT Ecozone will comprise a contiguous and compact
territory aptly for agro-industrial, industrial, manufacturing, recreational, commercial


and financial development having a decentralized, self-reliant and self-sustaining
investment center with least government involvement.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6268

Introduced by Honorable Mark O. Go

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE BAGUIO CITY, LA TRINIDAD, ITOGON, SABLAN,
TUBA AND TUBLAY SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE (BLISTT ECOZONE) IN
THE PROVINCE OF BENGUET AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title.— This Act shall be known as the “BLISTT Ecozone
Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
actively encourage, promote, induce and accelerate the sound and balanced industrial,
economic and social development of the country in order to provide jobs to the people,
especially those in rural areas, increase their productivity and their individual and family
income, and thereby improve the level and quality of their living conditions through the
establishment, among others, of special economic zones in suitable and strategic
locations in the country and through measures that shall effectively attract legitimate and
productive foreign investments.

SEC. 3. Baguio City, La Trinidad, Hogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT)
Special Economic Zone. — There is hereby established a special economic zone in the
BLISTT area, to be known as the Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and
Tublay Economic Zone, hereinafter referred to as the BLISTT Ecozone. The specific
metes and bounds of the BLISTT Ecozone shall be more particularly defined in a
proclamation by the President that shall be issued for this purpose.

SEC. 4, Supervision. — The BLISTT Ecozone shall be under the direct control
and supervision of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). This is an
additional economic zone under the umbrella of PEZA similar to that of the Baguio City


Economic Zone, Cavite Economic Zone, Mactan Economic Zone and Private Economic
Zones.

SEC. 5. Governing Principles.— The BLISTT Ecozone shall be managed and
operated under the principles declared in Republic Act No. 7916, otherwise known as
PEZA Law, as amended.

SEC. 6. Incentives and Taxes. — The Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan,
Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT) Special Economic Zone shall enjoy , receive and benefit
from the same privileges, licenses granted or to be granted to other ecozones such as the
Baguio City Economic Zone, Cavite Economic Zone, Mactan Economic Zone and
Private Economic Zones stated under Sections 23 to 25 Chapter III of the PEZA law and
such other incentives and taxes as provided by all existing laws and/or as determined by
the Board of Investments (BOI) subject to its term and conditions.

The duration of such incentives and taxes shall be subject to the guidelines as set
forth by PEZA.

SEC. 7. Composition and Administration of BLISTT Ecozone.— The BLISTT
Ecozone shall be governed by an Administrator and one (1) Deputy Administrator of the
as provided by Section 15 Chapter III of PEZA Law.

The Administrator and the Deputy Administrator shall be appointed by the
Director General of PEZA to serve for a term of three (3) years, unless sooner separated
from service due to death, voluntary resignation or removal. In any situation stated, the
appointed official shall serve only the unexpired portion of the term.

No person shall be appointed as Administrator and Deputy Administrator unless
the person is a Filipino citizen, of good moral character, of proven probity and integrity
and a degree-holder in any of the following fields: economics, business, public
administration, law, management or their equivalent, and with at least five (5) years
relevant working experience preferably in the field of management or public
administration.

The Administrator and the Deputy Administrator shall receive salary at a rate to be
determined by the Department of Budget and Management in accordance with existing
rules and regulations of PEZA.

SEC. 8. Personnel. — The Administrator as well as the Deputy Administrator is
entitled to form and organize their own personnel who can assist them in the exercise of
their functions as stated under Section 16 Chapter III of the PEZA law.


The compensation plan shall be comparable with the prevailing compensation
plans of Baguio City Economic Zone, Cavite Economic Zone, Mactan Economic Zone
and Private Economic Zones.

SEC. 9, Appropriation. — The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act under the budgetary program
of PEZA.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause.— If any provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full
force and effect.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders and issuances, or any
part thereof, which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended
accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effectivity.— This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,