Up to 30 new economic zones are being planned by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) for construction in 2025, including the 28,000-hectare Palawan Mega Ecozone in the Iwahig Prison Colony just outside Puerto Princesa City.
Under the Philippine Development Plan, ecozones are seen to play a vital role in attracting investments in the country. For PEZA, the creation of more ecozones will help spur growth and development in the regions and create jobs.
“If you notice lately, there are a lot of proclamations coming out. Twenty to 30 is our ambitious target (for the year),” PEZA director general Tereso Panga said.
He revealed that the Palawan Mega Ecozone, to be undertaken by the Bureau of Corrections, is set to be endorsed for proclamation by the Office of the President by next month.
An initial 4,000 hectares has been transferred to PEZA for the first phase of conversion.
Panga said the PEZA is looking at developing the ecozone through a public-private partnership.
“We will offer the land as our equity and bring in the developers to put in money, to put in all the amenities and facilities,” Panga noted.
Panga said the plan is to have an ecozone that can be split into development zones to cater to agro-processing companies that will need processing plants and their own plantations.
He added that Lloyd Laboratories Inc. is developing a pharmaceutical ecozone with a US firm for the manufacture of medicines.
“They’re now complying with the requirements for presidential proclamation,” he said.
