Press Release - Sponsorship speech of Sen. Grace Poe

Mr. President, dear colleagues, it is my privilege to sponsor this measure that aims to usher in a new age of economic opportunities and investments in our Gateway to the North--the historic province of Bulacan, the one that our Majority Leader loves so much.

During the previous Congress, I sponsored on the Floor the franchise of the New Manila International Airport--a game-changer as not only the first-ever airport franchise granted by Congress, but is also the biggest private sector investment in the country.

This Chamber passed the measure even at the height of the pandemic, when transportation was basically closed, as we believed then in the eventual resurgence of air travel and the new airport's promise of stimulating economic activity, boosting tourism and employment, and decongesting the long-suffering Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

But what we are sponsoring today is the next big step--the creation of a special economic zone with the airport project at its heart. No airport is an island. The success of an airport relies on a whole ecosystem of properly run highways and roads, vibrant markets and industries, and seamless collaboration with its neighboring towns and communities.

There have been many examples of successful ecozones anchored on nearby airports. In Ireland, for example, there is the Shannon Airport and its neighboring Shannon Free Zone--which is considered to be the world's first modern special economic zone.

Established in 1959, this free trade zone was Ireland's signal to the world that it is open for business.

Mr. President, dati naghihirap ang Ireland, after these economic policies, sila na ang isa sa naging pinakamayanan sa buong EU.

Established as I've mentioned in 1959, today, this free trade zone now hosts 300 companies and employs about 8,000 individuals. In numbers, the Shannon Airport Group--which consists of the Airport, the Free Zone, and other related ventures--has contributed to about 3.96 billion Euros in 2022 alone to Ireland's GDP in terms of Gross Value Added. Katumbas nito ay mahigit dalawampung libong (20,000) trabaho.

Sa South Korea naman, they have the Incheon Free Economic Zone which houses the world-renowned