Economic Zones, Industrial Estates, and Free Ports. – The Bangsamoro Government may establish economic zones, industrial estates, and free ports in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, including the establishment of a Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority which shall have similar powers as those of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. The Parliament may provide such additional powers and functions to the Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority as may be necessary to meet the special circumstances of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
Once the Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority is created, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority shall no longer create any other economic zone within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. Any corporation, firm, or entity established within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority shall be placed under the jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority, and shall continue to enjoy the benefits granted to it by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
Through the intergovernmental relations mechanism, the Bangsamoro Government and the National Government shall cooperate on customs, immigration, and quarantine services including the attendant international commitments thereto, in order to implement and make fully operational such economic zones, industrial estates, and free ports within one (1) year from their establishment. Business and other enterprises operating within the Bangsamoro economic zones, industrial estates, and free ports are entitled to the fiscal incentives and other benefits provided by the National Government to special economic zones. The Bangsamoro Government shall provide fiscal incentives and other benefits to investors in economic zones, industrial estates, and free ports: Provided, That, for goods consumed and services rendered outside the established economic zones, industrial estates, and free ports in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, all relevant national taxes shall be imposed.
Bangsamoro free ports shall be contiguous or adjacent to a seaport or airport. The area of coverage of a free port may be so much as may be necessary of that portion of the constituent local government units in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, subject to such criteria as the Parliament may provide in a law for that purpose. The administration of existing free ports in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are hereby transferred to the Bangsamoro Government.
