The Just concluded two-day Luzon Ecozone Summit sponsored by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) was a great success. The event was attended by more or less 500 participants composed of LGU Chief Executives, the City and Municipal Mayors, Governors and Congressmen of Regions I, 2, 3, 4a, 5 and CAR, Chambers of Commerce and Industries; National Line Agencies of the Government; and PEZA Management (Head Office and Baguio City Zone), among others.
The two-day summit was undertaken aimed at identifying possibilities of developing/establishing PEZA Economic Zones in Luzon. Further, to brief participants on the New Thrusts of PEZA and their roles as stakeholders and beneficiaries of PEZA ecozones.
Following the order of the day, City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, warmly welcome the delegates with his poetic messages and briefly discussed how PEZA was established and started its operation here in Baguio City. He even mentioned that he (Mayor Domogan) sponsored a bill when he was in Congress that the 2% share will directly remitted to the coffer of the host LGU like the City Government of Baguio.
BGen Charito B. Plaza, Director General of PEZA discussed the PEZA’s Thrusts/ Vision for the Countryside, Incentives and Benefits to be granted to prospective investors as well as to the host community, LGUs and their citizenry in terms of employment and businesses will likewise thrive. These socio-economic development activities are all anchored to PEZA’s goal entitled “Revolutionalize PEZA towards an Industrialized Philippines by Building Industrial Cities Within Provinces and Cities”.
Moreover, BGen Plaza discussed briefly that PEZA is attached to the Department of Trade and Industry tasked to promote investments, extend assistance, register, grant incentives to and facilitate the business operations of investors in export-oriented manufacturing and service facilities inside selected areas throughout the country. In other words, as Director General Plaza stated, “PEZA is just a broker of investors”.
As part of BGen Plaza’s discussion, investors opted to invest here in the Philippines because its investment climate in general is conducive to foreign investors. Business is liberalized, promotional and less regulatory and attuned for global competition. Filipino workers are among the best in the world for they are literate, English-speaking, easy to train, hardworking and very friendly. BGen Plaza further stressed that Philippines is now known as the “Rising Tiger in Asia”, “Fastest growing economy for Philippines have its youngest Population”.
Situationers and other Initiatives in support of Regional Ecozone Development in Luzon were also discussed and presented by other National line Agencies of the government and its partner agencies such as the Department of Transportation, DPWH, Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), DA, DOE, DENR, DOE, National Water Regulatory Board (NWRB)m Township Development, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Public Private Partnership Center, DBP and DG for the ME and Northern Europe.
Prospects/ Success Stories and experiences from various investment areas and Ecozone developers such as the following, Manufacturing (Science Park of the Philippines); Agro-Industrial (DOLE Phils and SRC); Tourism(John Hay Management Corp.); IT Center Park (SM Prime Holdings) and CLARK Green City (CDA) were discussed and presented by their respective officials and presenters.
