The municipality of Suyo in Ilocos Sur province is seeking the help of government authorities to speed up the process of declaring a portion of Mt. Tapao as a Mixed-use Special Economic Zone for Manufacturing, Agro-industrial, and Information Technology (IT).

If approved, Mayor Mario Subagan said, in an interview on Tuesday’s Laging Handa Network Briefing hosted by Secretary Martin Andanar, the insurgency in the area will be solved once economic progress sets in.

“We have an application for a special economic zone. It’s in the last stages, PEZA Central has submitted it to the Department of Trade and Industry last week. We would like to ask for help in fast-tracking the process,” Subagan told Andanar.

In August 2018, the local government unit secured a pre-qualification clearance from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) through Board Resolution No. 18-369 for the declaration of a 1,882,343 square meter lot in Mt. Tapao.

The mayor said the proposed economic zone is expected to enhance local tourism, provide employment opportunities, increase local and national revenues, improve the quality of life of the community, promote harmonious relationships and empowerment among stakeholders.

“If this will be realized, we can solve our problems on the insurgency. Our constituents need this so that they will not be recruited into the insurgency,” he said.
He called on investors that this is the right time to expand business in Suyo, known for its great potential in the agriculture, industry, and services sectors.

From the McArthur Highway, Suyo is about 11 kilometers from Barangay Bitalag in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.

Travelers wanting to visit Sagada, Bontoc, and Mountain Province can take this alternate route faster than by taking the usual Baguio route.

Northbound travelers heading for Isabela or Tuguegarao in Cagayan can also pass by the area via Bontoc Road. (PNA)