Lawyer Wilma Eisma has formally taken over as administrator and chief executive officer of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
Predecessor Roberto Garcia turned over the post to Eisma, the seventh administrator of SBMA, on January 16. Eisma was appointed last December 21 and took her oath on January 9. As administrator and CEO, Eisma also sits as vice chair of the SBMA Board of Directors.
Eisma hails from Olongapo City, Zambales and is a seasoned lawyer with over 23 years of experience in both government service and private sector work. She was a member of the original volunteer corps that stepped up to protect the former naval base in Subic after the pull-out of the U.S. bases in 1992.
Prior to her appointment, she was the sustainability and contributions manager of PMFTC Inc., the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International.
Before joining the private sector, she served as head executive assistant and legal counsel to the majority floor of the House of Representatives, and was chief of staff of the secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry from 2000 to 2001.
She was also formerly the executive assistant to the SBMA chairman and member of the legal department from 1993 to 1998, the time when the agency was being established. She represented SBMA in local judicial courts and oversaw the housing department of SBMA in managing negotiation and collection.
She was also a member of the team that successfully negotiated for the assistance of the World Bank to SBMA, and for the entry of Federal Express and various international and local investors in Subic, resulting in jobs for thousands of locals.
Eisma is a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Ateneo de Manila University’s College of Law.
