Hon. Albert S. Garcia

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Hon. Albert S. Garcia

Bataan 2nd District Representative

Biography

The Honorable Albert Raymond S. Garcia is the incumbent Representative of the 2nd Congressional District of Bataan. The eldest son of the late Enrique “Tet” Garcia who also served as Governor and Representative of the 2nd District of the province, Cong. “Abet” has been exposed to the rigors of political life at a very early age.

Long before he became the Representative of the 2nd District of Bataan, he already held firmly to the belief that Bataan could stride its economic growth and provide its citizens a better if not the best quality of life if it becomes the preferred location of eco-industrial investments.

He started to take the challenging prerequisites of this vision by entering the political arena and public service at a very young age. At 28, he proved to everyone his political maturity and genuine public service that he won all of his races, some of which were unopposed.

His victory in the 1998 Balanga mayoralty race made him the youngest mayor ever to be elected in the history of Balanga. Within two years as municipal mayor he was able to work out the conversion of the once sleepy town into a component city of Bataan making him the First City Mayor of Balanga City.

In 2004, he reached the next ladder of his political career as Representative of the 2nd District of Bataan, serving for three (3) consecutive terms.

When he assumed the gubernatorial post in 2013, the province adopted the vision that by 2020, Bataan will have the lowest poverty incidence resulting from quality growth attaining top level human development index in the Philippines.

Returning to Congress, he was appointed as member of the influential Commission on Appointments (CA). Armed with decades of public service, Congressman Garcia seeks to push for meaningful legislation that will benefit not only Bataeños, but every Filipino as well.

  • Republic Act No. 9403 – an Act Converting the Bataan Polytechnic State College into a State University to be known as the Bataan Peninsula State University
  • Republic Act No. 9728 also known as the “Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) Act of 2009” 
  • Republic Act Number 9728 – An Act Converting the Bataan Economic Zone Into the Bataan Special Economic Zone and Freeport, Creating for this Purpose the Bataan Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority,
  • Republic Act  No. 9715 – Converting the Bagac- Mariveles Road Into a National Road.
  • Republic Act No.  9509 – An Act Establishing Livelihood and Skills Training Centers in Fourth,  Fifth and Sixth Class Municipalities, with Congresswoman Carissa Coscolluela as coauthor.
  • House Bill No. 00076 – An Act Providing For The Modernization Of The Government Arsenal in Limay, Bataan.
  • House Bill No. 06868 – An Act Expanding The Utilization Of The Industrial Estate In  Lamao, Limay, Bataan For Businesses Engaged In Energy And Energy-Related Infrastructure Projects And Other Gainful Economic Activities In Addition To Petrochemical And Related Industries, Amending For The Purpose Presidential Decree No. 949  
  • HB 1614:
    AN ACT INSTITUTING REFORMS IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN LAWS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
  • HB 1615:
    AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MANNER AND DATE OF ELECTION OF SECTORAL REPRESENTATIVES TO THE LOCAL SANGGUNIANS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
  • HB 1616:
    AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A PHILIPPINE SELF-RELIANT DEFENSE POSTURE PROGRAM AND PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PURSUANT THERETO
  • HB 1617:
    AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL DEFENSE ECONOMIC ZONE (SpeDEZ) INSIDE THE GOVERNMENT ARSENAL DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE LOCATED IN CAMP GEN. ANTONIO LUNA, LAMAO, MUNICIPALITY OF LIMAY, PROVINCE OF BATAAN, CREATING FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SPECIAL DEFENSE ECONOMIC ZONE AUTHORITY (SpeDEZA) AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
  • HB 1618:
    AN ACT IMPOSING SALES TAX IN LIEU OF VALUE-ADDED TAX, REPLACING FOR THE PURPOSE THE ENTIRE PROVISIONS OF TITLE IV, AND AMENDING SECTION 116, TITLE V, AND SECTION 236, TITLE IX, OF THE NATIONAL INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1997, AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
  • HB 1619:
    AN ACT EXPANDING THE PURPOSES AND APPLICATION OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUND, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 100 AND 272 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991”
  • HB 1620:
    AN ACT TO RATIONALIZE THE COLLECTION OF THE TAX ON BUSINESS UNDER SECTION 143 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, AND AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 143 AND 150 THEREOF
  • HB 1621:
    AN ACT INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE AND MANAGEMENT POLICY, PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
  • HB 1622:
    AN ACT TRANSFERRING THE CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OF THE PROVINCIAL AND SUB-PROVINCIAL JAILS TO THE BUREAU OF JAIL AND MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6975, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1990” AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
  • HB 2961:
    AN ACT CREATING THE METRO BATAAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR
  • HB 4306:
    AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE STRENGTHENING AND UPGRADING OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD
  • HB 5043:
    AN ACT ESTABLISHING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING A PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM TO PROMOTE A CULTURE OF MERITOCRACY AMONG LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS IN THE PHILIPPINES
  • HB 5044:
     AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL OR PGH BY DECLARING IT AS THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
  • HB 5108:
    AN ESTABLISHING A MARITIME INDUSTRY AUTHORITY (MARINA) REGIONAL OFFICE IN BALANGA CITY, PROVINCE OF BATAAN AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
  • Most Competitive Province in the Region – April 2016
  • A silver trailblazer award, the second highest award by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) during the last Proficiency Stage Public Governance Forum for the exemplary results of the proficiency audit and the public revalida
  • CM Code Level 1 Certification (International Award)
  • 2014 AGRI-PINOY Rice Achiever’s Award
  • 2013 Most Outstanding Accounting Office- Provincial Category- Local Government Sector
  • 2015 Panata Ko sa Bayan Award- Gawad Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan Model LGU Implementing DSWD Programs and Services
  • GAPAS Award- Model LGU Implementing Only DSWD Project/s
  • Plaque of Recognition- Fully Functional Local Social Welfare and Development Office
  • Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Office Award for CY 2013
  • DOH Red Orchid Awards 2014- 100 % Tobacco-Free
  • Plaque of Recognition- 2014 Timely in PIDSR reporting, submitting ESR reports and Best PESU
  • Certificate of Recognition- Province of Bataan. For unwavering support and dedication in the implementation of Integrated TB Information System (IT IS)
  • Plaque of Recognition -Provincial Population Office – Implementation of the Philippine Management Program – Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning Region III
  • Lowest poverty incidence rate in the country – 2015 survey, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
  • Consistent Top 10 ranking in HDI – UNDP published reports since 2006, in 2011, Bataan was in the Top 6
  • 2016 Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award from the Civil Service Commission
  • 2017 Malaria Free Province – from the Department of Health
  • 2017 Most Business Friendly Local Government Unit Provincial Level 1 award from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)
  • 2017 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as a symbol of the Province of Bataan’s journey towards good local governance, by upholding the standards of transparency, integrity and service delivery
  • 2018 Leader in crime solution efficiency with one of the lowest crime rates in the country – Philippine National Police/ Armed Forces of the Philippines, Peace and Order Council report
  • 2018 First province in Region III to be declared insurgency–free – Philippine National Police/Armed Forces of the Philippines, Peace and Order Council report
  • Low inflation, high savings rate and high per capita income – Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) UNDP published reports
  • Recipient of Seal of Good Local Governance for four (4) consecutive years – Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
  • 2019 Least dependent on IRA allocation from the national government – PSA and Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
  • Very first province to be declared drug-free – Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) citations, 2016 and 2020
  • No. 1 province to spend the most amount per public school student – (Special Education Fund from 2013 revenue collection gave each public school student an estimated budget of P3,153.00
  1. The conversion of the Bataan Export Processing Zone into the Freeport Area of Bataan when he was still a congressman, made the biggest impact in the lives of the Bataeños. With the passage of Republic Act No. 9728 also known as the “Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) Act of 2009”, the FAB nowadays is the fastest-growing economic zone in the country. Touted as the economic dragon of the Philippines, attracting major industries in the manufacturing sector, business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology (IT), it employs at least 37,000 workers.
  2. The industrial towns of Mariveles and Limay made it to the “Top 10” among the country’s best municipalities in sourcing their local revenues. Based on a report jointly released by the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Local Government Finance, Limay ranked 3rd while Mariveles ranked 5th out of the 1,490 municipalities all over the country in efficiently collecting Locally Sourced Income (LSI) in 2014.
  3. Among the 80 provinces in the country, Bataan topped the estimated available Special Education Fund (SEF) revenue per public school student. With an estimated SEF Collection of Php 420,399,546 M for 2013, and a total of 133, 345 public school enrollees of the same year, an estimated Php 3,153.00 in SEF revenue is available per public school student.
  4. Bataan ranks 2nd on LSI generation. With Bataan’s Estimated Annual Regular Income (EARI) of Php 946,748,938; Php 293,195,155 was generated from Locally Sourced Income (LSI) and Php 653, 589, 783 was from the National Government Allocation (NGA), this means that 31.0% of the Province’s Annual Regular Income (ARI) was locally sourced.
  5. Bataan tops NCC rankings in Region 3. Based on the rankings released recently by the National Competitiveness Council, Bataan ranks first in Region 3.
  6. Bataan is the least poor province in the country with a poverty incidence of 1.6% based on the Philippine Statistics Authority report on the country’s poverty statistics for the year 2015.
  7. Since peace and order is one of the biggest concerns of investors, Gov. Garcia pushed for the establishment of the 1Bataan Command Center, which houses the Metro Bataan Development Authority, to serve as an implementing arm that will integrate and coordinate the delivery of certain basic services as well as enforcement of laws, rules and regulations between and among the municipalities and one city in the Province.
  8. Flood Control System. Gov. Garcia pushed for the construction of flood control related projects specifically in the towns of Hermosa and Dinalupihan to eliminate bottlenecks/ chokepoints at the entry points of the province. This brings assurance to the easier and faster transport of goods and services even on rainy days.
  9. The construction of the Bataan Government Center and Business Hub – the Bunker Building at the Capitol Compound is one of the breakthrough goals to facilitate processing of business permits, eliminate red tape in the bureaucracy as well as corruption in government transactions. Gov. Garcia is firm in his resolve to upgrade and empower the whole provincial government in order to offer excellent public service with the current growth in business ventures and opportunities, concretizing the “One-Stop Shop” idea in government transactions. Built under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme, the Bataan provincial government did not spend a single centavo for this venture.
  10. One Goal. One Vision. One Bataan. Political instability is one reason why investment is low. Through excellent service coupled with unquestionable integrity, Gov. Abet gained the full trust, confidence and admiration of his constituents, political allies and opponents as well, that he ran unopposed for a second term as Provincial Governor in the 2016 elections.
  11. 37-hectare Solar Power Plant in the FAB. Firm in his resolve to protect the environment as part of his holistic value of governance, a P1.6-B 18MW solar power plant was unveiled in Mariveles last February 29. This is expected to help avoid 13, 000 metric tons of carbon emissions per year, equivalent to planting 600,000 trees. The facility is made up of over 68, 500 photovoltaic modules and is expected to power 22, 000 homes connected to the Luzon grid.
  12. Green Legacy – Last June 25, 2016 Bataan became the new Guinness World Records title holder for the most number of trees planted in one hour by a team of unlimited size in a single location. Along this line, last September of this year, the PGB launched the 1Million Trees for 1Bataan (1M41B) challenge. Gov. Garcia says that this is Bataan’s way of sending a strong message to the world that as we strive to become the preferred location for eco-industrial investments in the country, we are also protecting our environment, hence attaining a well-rounded growth. To date, 1,047, 217 plants have been planted in various areas all over the province.
  13. In consonance with the province’s desire to attain the highest human development index in the country, the province fully supports the Tobacco Free Generation program of the DoH and aggressively pushed for the Tobacco Free Bataan campaign.
    The province also utilizes the Ambient Air Monitoring System to ensure that the air we breathe here in Bataan is pollution free.
    In terms of health, the PGB signed a memorandum of agreement with the Bataan General Hospital for the utilization of the Service Delivery Network aimed at prioritizing/providing fast and efficient medical services to target patients especially those coming from far places.
  14. On October 19, 2018 President Rodrigo Duterte himself awarded to Gov. Abet Garcia the 2017 Most Business Friendly Local Government Unit Provincial Level 1 award for the Province of Bataan from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI). The next tear, Bataan again won the coveted award from PCCI.
    Governor Garcia’s vision of achieving a high level of economic growth that is inclusive, efficient and sustainable through excellent public service is taking a concrete shape at a fast rate, yet the hardworking governor, now congressman is not resting on his laurels yet. There is more to come and Bataeños will always be the winners.

Contact Me

    The Bunker

    Capitol Compound, San Jose, City of Balanga, Bataan, Philippines 2100
    Opening Hours:

    Mon – Fri: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

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