PEZA’s great balancing acts on COVID-19 recognized in the 2020 FOI Awards 

PEZA’s great balancing acts on COVID-19 recognized in the 2020 FOI Awards 

01 December 2020 (Tuesday)
 

Pasay City – The Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s (PEZA) has recently been awarded the ‘Special Citation to Government Agencies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic’ in the recent Freedom of Information (FOI) Awards for its great ‘balancing acts’.
 

“Launched in 2017 following President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of Executive Order No. 2 or the Freedom of Information Act in 2016, the FOI Awards is an annual event being facilitated by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). The awards being given by the Philippine Government aims to recognize those government agencies and organizations who have helped in promoting open, transparent, and accountable governance.

Special Citation to Government Agencies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

The Special Citation is conferred to government agencies for its untiring dedication and commitment to the Freedom of Information Program during the COVID-19 pandemic by keeping their channels of information open and active to the public.

According to PCOO, its criteria for awarding PEZA is that “despite the advisories they issued, PEZA continuously responded to the FOI requests lodged during the ECQ [period].”

PEZA Director General Charito “Ching” Plaza has expressed gratitude for the award, saying “We thank the PCOO for the recognition of PEZA’s hard work, diligence, and industriousness in serving and quality of responsiveness to our clients, investors, and the general public during this pandemic.”

“PEZA registered enterprises immensely contribute to the economy that is why it is essential to implement great balancing acts to protect the health, welfare, and jobs of workers and assist the continuous operations of its economic zones and export companies especially this time of pandemic,” noted the PEZA Chief.

Plaza described that PEZA has improved its promotions and public relations efforts to ensure sharing of relevant information on ecozone operations in traditional and social media and that the investment promotion through online platforms continue amidst the pandemic.

Assisting enterprises amidst pandemic

For the period of November 2-6, 2020, PEZA has reported that 2,627 registered companies have continued operating with 1,048,749 employees working under various work arrangements. The IT-BPO and Manufacturing sectors are operating at 84% and 89% respectively.

Plaza said, “PEZA is thankful for its locator companies and ecozone operators for their cooperation and compliance to health and safety measures and protocols that allowed the Philippine economy stay afloat.”

“We will continue to do our best to perform our mandate, keep and even attract more investors to the country, and assist and contribute to our economy. Let us work together to bounce back from this crisis stronger than ever,” quipped the Director General.
For three consecutive years, PEZA has been a recipient of the FOI Awards. Aside from this recognition, the Authority has also been recognized as the ‘Agency with Most Number of Requests’ in the 2018 and 2019 FOI Awards.