THE two parcels of land owned by the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), which are adjacent to the Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ), have been declared a special economic zone under Proclamation 590, which was issued by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The five-hectare property is now called the Macro-Asia Cebu Special Ecozone, pursuant to Republic Act 7916, or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995.
It’s currently rented by Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP), a joint venture of MacroAsia Corp. and Lufthansa Technick AG of Germany, for P2.95 million a month.
MacroAsia had submitted the application to convert the property into a special economic zone during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The application was recommended by the Board of Directors of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
MCIAA General Manager Glenn Napuli said that MacroAsia will continue to rent the property from the airport authority. But if LTP decides to leave, the MCIAA can enter into a contract with other firms since the area is already a special economic zone, he said.
Services offered
Napuli said the development is a welcome one, as it is expected to generate more jobs, among others.
According to its website, LTP “specializes in base maintenance of Airbus A320 family, A330, A340, and A380.” It also offers release-to-service and 24/7 technical support to airlines operating not only in Cebu’s airport terminals, but also in Manila, Clark and Davao. Other services offered by LTP “include engine and component support, lease-return checks, fleet technical management, engineering services, material management, aircraft painting, and personnel assignment.”
Napuli said LTP can expand its operations here in Cebu into a “Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul” of aircraft, for which it can import raw materials, free of tax.
Napuli said Filipino airline mechanics working abroad can come home to work with the firm and get paid the same international rates, while graduates of airline mechanics can also work in the company without leaving the country.
“That will be the time that Mactan airport will become an international hub for airline services because airline companies around the world can avail themselves of them here in Cebu,” Napuli said.
LTP’s main facility in Manila is also located inside a special economic zone within the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.