SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Arizona State Legislature recently visited this premier Freeport aiming to foster a deeper understanding of the Philippines and the Philippine-US relations, while eyeing potential economic partnerships with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
“The visit is a testament to the strong relationship between the Philippines and the United States,” said SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator (SDA) for Business and Investment Renato Lee III, as he welcomed the US delegation.
During the visit on October 23, Arizona State Representative Tony Rivero shared that the chairman of the International Relations Committee for Arizona initiated the said visit after a meeting with the Philippine ambassador in Washington in 2017 because Arizona is currently exploring economic development opportunities.
“We want to establish a trade office to facilitate business investments between Arizona and the Philippines. This is a historical moment due to shared history and potential future collaborations in international trade,” cited Representative Rivero.
Rivero emphasized the importance of building workforce and educational ties to drive future growth, highlighting the strategic importance of the Philippines in a challenging regional context.
He said that the visit is part of a broader effort to revolutionize Arizona’s international relations and economic partnerships, adding that he is impressed with the innovation and potential for tangible outcomes from the discussions in the Philippines.
The delegation also discussed mounting concerns in maritime regional security with the Philippine Coast Guard.
The visit hopes to strengthen the relationship between Arizona and the Philippines, focusing on economic and educational collaborations. Arizona representatives from both the Republican and Democratic parties are united in extending partnership opportunities.
The Arizona delegation included Committee of Science and Technology Rep. Justin Wilmeth; Democrat from District 11 Rep. Junelle Cavero; Democrat from District 22 Rep Elda Luna-Najera; and Democrat from 24 Rep. Lydia Hernandez; Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations (PCFR) and Democrat from 24 Rep. Lydia Hernandez; Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations (PCFR) Operations Manager Maria Monserrat Apud; Department of Foreign Affairs Principal Assistant at the Office of American Affairs Miguel Antonio Gonzales; and other officials of the Arizona State Legislature.
Third District of Bataan Representative Maria Angela “Gila” Garcia joined the delegation during their visit to Subic Bay Freeport to showcase the many ecozones in Central Luzon which may be explored by the Arizona State Legislature, including the Freeport Area of Bataan.
After the visit, the delegation toured the various facilities in the Freeport reaching up to Redondo Peninsula where Agila Subic is located. The group was impressed of how business and environment seamlessly coexist without compromising one another.
