As we close the year, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) expresses our deepest appreciation to our most valued partners as you have entrusted your investments in PEZA that created employment for millions of our people and generated export revenues for our country.
PEZA’s valued stakeholders—including our Ecozone Developers, our Export, I.T., Tourism, Medical Tourism, and Agro-Industrial Enterprises—all contribute immensely to our country’s pursuit for continuing economic growth and development.
We also acknowledge our other cherished partners from the government sector both national and local, the business sector, the diplomatic community, as well as the various business chambers and industry associations. Special mention goes to SEIPI, PHILEA, IBPAP, CONWEP, CCAP, and Joint Foreign Chambers for their continuous trust, confidence and support to PEZA and its leadership.
PEZA is looking forward to 2020 as we shall celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the creation of the only investment promotion agency in the country that is mandated to register economic zones nationwide and administer its own incentives for its locators.
We share the remarkable history of ecozones in the Philippines where from 16 economic zones in 1995, there are now 404 operating economic zones in the country. There are now a total of 200 ecozones composed of: 74 of these are manufacturing economic zones, 286 are IT Parks and Centers, 22 Agro-industrial Economic Zones mostly in Mindanao, 19 tourism economic zones, and 3 medical tourism Parks. Four are public ecozones while there 396 privately-developed ecozones. The number of registered enterprises likewise increased from 313 in 1995 to 4,478 as of September 2019.
Furthermore, PEZA has generated Php 109.193 billion investments as of November 2019. The agency also created 1,572,510 jobs and $45.340 billion of exports as of October 2019.
And as we welcome the New Year, we remain steadfast in our mandate to generate investments, employment for Filipinos, and export income for our economy. We are bolstered by the issuance of the Administrative Order No. 18 this year by President Duterte which ordered government agencies to hasten the development of special economic zones in rural areas and spread development outside of Metro Manila. It inspires us in our work that indeed ecozones are key economic drivers that immensely contribute to economic growth and easing poverty in the host areas of ecozones.
A self-reliant, self-sustaining and resource generating agency that does not receive subsidy from the government, PEZA continuously thrive to be the top IPA that contributes dividends to national government. PEZA has 10 point programs that are geared towards revolutionizing the agency to be more competitive, regionalized, and increase its performance in the coming years. The programs include:
1. Creation of the Philippine ecozones map;
2. Creation of green healthy, sustainable, and smart ecozones;
3. Establishing Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Institute;
4. Building eco-towns, eco-cities, and new Metropolitan areas in every region;
5. Expanding PEZA investment promotion partnerships (Ka-PIPPs);
6. Promoting the “Galing Pinas” slogan;
7. Enhancing PEZA’s structure towards decentralization, regionalization and new CPCS;
8. Affiliation of PEZA employees, ecozones developers and industries as
9. military reservist unit and Disaster Resilience and Emergency Management (DREAM);
10. Creation of food terminal, transportation, and logistics hubs in every region; and
11. Development Outreach for Labor and Livelihood Advancement of Resources (DOLLAR)
Each of the programs will be launched or inaugurated within the whole year of 2020, which is in line with the agency’s silver anniversary celebration. We are committed to implement the PEZA new programs in the coming years and realize PEZA’s mandates in creating export investments, generate massive employment, facilitate transfer and creation of homegrown technology, development and responsible utilization of idle lands thereby achieving total development, peace, and prosperity.
May we all close this year with grateful hearts of every blessing that has come our way and may God always bless us in our endeavors to serve the Filipino people.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! #