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PRINCIPAL AUTHORS:

HON. KRYSTLE MARIE C. BACANI

and

HON. MARLON M. LACSON
Majority Floor Leader

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SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Ordinanc shall be known as the "ManilaBIZ Ordinance of 2015".

SEC. 2. Declaration – It is hereby declared the policy of the city to actively encourage, promote, induce and accelerate the sound and balance economic and social development of the city in orer to provide jobs to Manileños, increase their productivity and their individual and family income, and thereby improve the level and quality of their living conditions through the establishment of a special economic zones in a suitable and strategic location in the city and through measures that shall effectively attract legitimate and productive foreign and local investments.

SEC. 3. Creation of the ManilaBIZ. – In pursuit of the foregoing declared policy, and subject to the concurrence of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Finance (DOF), and other pertinent national government agencies, there is hereby designated a special economic zone, hereinafter referred to as the ManilaBIZ, or the Manila Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology (IT) Zone.  The ManilaBIZ shall cover the entire area from España Blvd, to Sergio H. Loyola Street and from Arsenio H. Lacson Street to Padre Noval Street in Sampaloc, City of Manila.

SEC. 4. Governing Principles. – The ManilaBIZ shall be under the supervision of the Bureau of Permits, under the following principles:

1. Within the framework and limitations of the Manila City Charter, the Local Government Code and applicable provisions of pertinent laws, the ManilaBIZ shall be developed into an area suitable for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology (IT) enterprises such as call centers, data encoding, transcribing and processing, software development and application, and other related industries.
2. The ManilaBIZ shall be providing with the following:
   • Telecommunication facilities such as, high-speed fiber-optic telecommunication backbone and high-speed international gateway facility or wide-area network (WAN); or any high speed date telecommunication system that may become available in the future;
   • Uninterruptible power supply; and
   • Infrastructure and other facilities needed to attrack legitimate and productive BPO and IT investment.
   
   
3. Prospective applicants as an accredited enterprise in the ManilaBIZ shall be required to have:
   • Minimum available business floor area of 5,000 square meters (including common areas, such as lobbies, elevator/stairways, corridors, wash rooms/rest room/toilets and utility areas, but excluding parking areas and roof gardens); and,
   • Computer security and building monitoring and maintance systems, such as computer firewalls, encryption technology, fluctuation controls.
4. The areas compromising the ManilaBIZ may be expanded or reduced when necessary by the City Council, upon the recommendation of the Bureau of Permits.

SEC. 5. Incentives to Registered Enterprise. – The Bureau of Permits, subject to the requirements of the PEZA and other regulating agencies, shall endeavor to wark for the grant of the following incentives to the registered enterprises, which earns at least seventy percent (70%) of its normal operation revenues from the sale of its products or services abroad for foreign currency, including but not limited to the following:

1. PEZA Incentives:
   • Income Tax Holiday (ITH);
   • After the ITH period, the option to pay a special 5% tax on gross income earned, in lieu of all national and local taxes;
   • Exemption from payment of import duties and taxes on imported machinery and equipment and raw materials;
   • Additional deduction equivalent to 50% of training expenses, chargeable against the 3% share of the national government in the special 5% tax on gross income;
   • Permanent residence status for foreign investors with initial investments of US$ 150,000.00 or more;
   • Employment of non-resident aliens; and
   • Other PEZA incentives.
2. City Government Incentives
   • Exemption from payment of real property taxes for three (3) years;
   • Exemption from payment of business permits and licenses for three (3) years;
   • Exemption from payment of occupational/working permits for employees; and
   • Such other incentives as may be granted by the city as may be recommended by the Bureau of Permits.

SEC. 6. Powers and Function of the Bureau Permits in the Management of ManilaBIZ – The Bureau of Permits in managing the ManilaBIZ, shall have the following powers and functions:

1. To operate, administer, manage and develop the ManilaBIZ according to the principles and provisions set forth in this Ordinance.
2. To register, regulate and supervise the enterprises in the ManilaBIZ in an efficient and decentralized manner, subject to existing laws and ordinances;
3. To coordinate with Barangay Chairman and exercise general supervision over the development plans, activities and operations of the ManilaBIZ;
4. To coordinate with utilities providers in the ManilaBIZ such as but not limited to light and power, water supply, telecommunications, transport, etc. and to negotiable for reasonable and competitive rates, fares, charges and prices thereof;
5. To assist qualified prospective ManilaBIZ locators in its accreditation with the PEZA;
6. To exercise such powers as may be essential, necessary or incidental to the powers granted to it hereunder, as well as those that shall enable it to carry out, implement and accomplish the purposes, objectives and policies of this Ordinance; and
7. To issue rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this Ordinance as may be necessary to accomplish and implement the purposes, objectives and policies provided therein.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Ordinance shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. – All ordinances, executive orders and issuances, or any part thereof, which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity Clause. – This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

This Ordinance was finally enacted by the City Council of Manila on March 1, 2016.

	PRESIDED BY:
	(Sgd.) ROLANDO M. VALERIANO Acting Presiding Officer City Council, Manila
ATTESTED:
(Sgd.) LUCH R. GEMPIS, JR. City Government Department Head III (Secretary to the City Council)

APPROVED BY HIS HONOR, THE MAYOR, ON 5 APRIL 2016.

	(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA Mayor City of Manila
ATTESTED:
(Sgd.) EDWARD S. SERAPIO City Government Department Head III (Secretary to the Mayor)