WORK permits and visa in the Subic Bay Freeport (SBF) can now be secured in just 16 working hours with the establishment and full operation of the Immigration One-Stop-Shop.

Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD) Chairman Nestor S. Mangio said the speedy facilitation, processing, and issuance of work permit and visa was the result of the automation of the whole procedure to encourage more foreign investors to locate in the Freeport that will result, among other benefits, in quick technology transfer to local workers.

The One-Stop-Shop in the SBF started operating last February, staffed by a composite team from Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Department of Labor (DOLE).

"Locators in the Subic Bay Freeport are now more encouraged to ask technology experts from their mother companies abroad to work here because of the convenient and fast processing and issuance of work permits and visa. With more experts coming regularly, technology and skills can be transferred to our local workers," Mangio said in a statement.

The upgrading of processing, approval and issuance of work permits and visa is one of the directions set in the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQ) Manual signed on March 17, 2010 by the SBMA, Clark Development Corp. (CDC), and SCAD for the harmonization of policies between Subic and Clark to make the two Freeports more business-friendly and attractive to foreign investors.

Mangio pointed out that modern technology transfer is vital in realizing SCAD's vision of establishing a world class mega logistics hub in the SCAD Corridor which is composed of 4 provinces and 17 LGUs with SBF and Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) as pivots of development effort.

In a recent visit by a team led by SCAD Chief of Staff Erlinda Pamintuan and BI- Region 3 Director Eduardo Velayo to the One-Stop-Shop located at the SBF Visa Processing Office, Atty. Jocelyn Alvarado, senior deputy administrator for SBMA Regulatory Group, explained it now only takes 16 hours at most to complete the course, from the submission of an application to the release of the visa and permit.

"Previously, applicants had to move from one building to another, following up on their papers. But now, we are located in just one office, making the process easier and faster for everyone," Alvarado told the visiting team.

SBF has now joined up with CFZ which has established a similar centralized visa processing center since the signing of the Subic-Clark Joint Guidelines in 2009.

"With the One Stop Shops in both Subic and Clark now fully functional, we breathe a sigh of relief that our long periods of discussions and consultations have finally borne fruit," Pamintuan said.

She added: "In the Clark Freeport Zone, we have been receiving positive comments from established and first-time investors because of the efficiency of the procedure and the One-Stop Shop, and we are already receiving the same appreciation in Subic Bay Freeport."