The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. already approved four ecozones in the first half of the year.
In a statement, PEZA said these include two expansions of a manufacturing zone in Batangas and two new Information Technology (IT) Parks in Tagbilaran City and Bacolod City.
On May 21, Marcos issued Proclamation 910, designating 23.49 hectares of land located in Barangays Bagong Pook and Luta Sur, Malvar, Batangas to be included in the existing Lima Technology Center (LTC).
More than PHP980 million will be invested in the development of the area, which is expected to be completed by June 2027.
Another expansion area for LTC was also approved by the Office of the President in March under Proclamation 846, adding 19.23 hectares to the ecozone.
On June 2, the President also signed Proclamation 919, which designates 33.96 hectares of land in Barangay 41, Bacolod City as an IT Park to be called The Upper East.
The IT Park, to be operated by Megaworld, is projected to attract more than PHP1 billion in investments for the construction of two IT buildings.
PEZA said five IT-BPO companies are expected to operate in the park, creating more than 2,500 local jobs.
PEZA also formalized the proclamation of Tagbilaran Uptown IT Hub 2 as an IT Park in Bohol with the signing of its registration agreement on May 8.
The President signed Proclamation 821 designating three parcels of land in Dampas, Tagbilaran City with an area of about 11,237 square meters as an IT Park.
With a projected investment of more than PHP200 million, the expansion aims to generate additional jobs and attract more IT-business process management locators.
PEZA said that under the Marcos administration, 32 ecozones have already been proclaimed, bringing in PHP13.406 billion in committed investments.
“As a medium-term strategy under the Philippine Development Plan, the ecozones will play a vital role in attracting the much-needed investments in the country, generating more jobs for Filipinos, and contributing in accelerating the nation’s socio-economic progress,” PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said. (PNA)
