Creation Of Two New Ecozones Given Go Signal

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved two economic zones (ecozones) in Malvar, Batangas and Bacolod City, a development welcomed by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

Photo Insert: The Lima Technology Center is a 700-hectare economic zone owned by AboitizLand, the real estate arm of the Aboitiz Group.

"The two economic zones will certainly bolster and spread economic growth outside the National Capital Region," PEZA Director General Teresa Panga said on Tuesday. The two ecozones are expected to bring in P1.641-billion worth of investments.

Marcos has signed Proclamation 402 designating several parcels of land in Barangays Santiago, Luta Sur, and Bagong Pook in Malvar, for the expansion of the Lima Technology Center, a special ecozone.

The Lima Technology Center is a 700-hectare economic zone owned by AboitizLand, the real estate arm of the Aboitiz Group. It is a township or mixed-use development featuring an integrated city concept and is tailor-fitted for business locators.

It can cater to 111 locators, 100 retail stores and restaurants, a 138-room four-star hotel, a transportation hub, and over 2,000 households.

"The expansion is expected to bring P864.224 million of investments," Panga said. Proclamation 200, meanwhile was signed by Marcos on April 14, 2023, promulgating a new information technology (IT) park ecozone or the Robinsons Cyberpark Bacolod on Lacson Street in Banago, Bacolod City.

The Robinsons Cyberpark is a premium-grade IT office building for the booming business processing outsourcing (BPO) industry. It is owned by Robinsons Land Corp.

The cyberpark is projected to attract P777.350 million in investment.

"And with our 10% target growth for 2023, we remain on track in our goal of establishing at least 30 ecozones every year that create centers of economic progress outside the National Capital Region to spur countryside development," Panga said.

As of April 19, 2023, there were 20 ecozones in the country or 11 IT centers, eight manufacturing and one agro-industrial pending a proclamation from the president.

"It is exactly what we need to continue what the administration is gearing toward inclusive economic development where thousands of jobs are created in the respective jurisdiction. More investments mean more exports and more jobs," Panga said.

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