Bangsamoro MTIT minister pushes Polloc freeport as trade hub
MindaNews / 26 August — Newly-appointed Minister Farserina Mohammad of the Bangsamoro Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism (MTIT) has vowed to prioritize the Polloc Freeport and Ecozone (PFEZ) as a major hub for trade and investments in the region.
She said that PFEZ, which is located in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, should open greater opportunities for growth, competitiveness and inclusive development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“I want Polloc to get moving,” she said in a statement.
Last Friday, Mohammad visited the PFEZ in line with her vision to position the freeport as a “standard-setter” for the Bangsamoro region in driving sustainable economic progress.
The 129-hectare Polloc port was declared a freeport and special economic zone in 2010 by the Bureau of Customs and the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, respectively.
Mohammad also pledged to sustain the efforts to strengthen PFEZ as a strategic gateway to the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
She said that with more commercial vessels expected to arrive and the anticipated return of passenger vessels, PFEZ is preparing to serve not only as a hub for cargo and trade but also as a vital link for people-to-people connectivity across the region and beyond.
Under Republic Act 7916 or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, businesses operating in special economic zones can enjoy fiscal incentives and local and national tax exemptions, among others.
Lawyer Sukarno Abas, executive director of the Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), said the facility received a big boost last week with the construction of an industrial warehouse, which would expand its warehousing and logistics capabilities.
The project involves the construction of six sub-warehouses, each with dimensions of 20 meters by 40 meters, consolidated into a single industrial warehouse complex to reinforce PFEZ’s role as a strategic trade and logistics hub in BARMM, he said.
He noted that the freeport must not be regarded as a side initiative but as a flagship of the Bangsamoro economy.
“If we fail to prioritize it, we fail to maximize one of our region’s greatest assets. But if we succeed, PFEZ can become a true engine of growth—creating jobs, attracting industries, and generating revenues that will sustain our people for generations,” Abas said.
He pointed out the freeport’s strategic location, infrastructure, and capacity to facilitate cross-border trade in the BIMP-EAGA.
“We are essentially positioning BARMM, particularly the PFEZ, as part of the economic route of BIMP-EAGA. This is an opportunity to integrate BARMM into the broader economic landscape of the region,” Abas said. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
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