Taguig City – The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is now making its post-COVID pandemic business continuity plans to better assist its registered locator companies affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon.
“We’ve already suffered so much during this time, but this should not stop us from performing our mandate to our country and our fellowmen,” said PEZA Director General Charito “Ching” Plaza.
Plaza added that “This challenge should not be a reason for us to stop doing what we are called to do. Therefore, we must do our best to be proactive and look forward and prepare for what comes next.”
PEZA Memorandum Circular 2020-023
PEZA’s Assistance and Reprieves Planning Group (ARPG) is now preparing for the Authority’s business continuity plans after the ECQ period in April 30.
In line with this, PEZA has released Memorandum Circular 2020-023 to provide assistance to ecozone registered enterprises pursuant to the Republic Act No. 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act”. The measures to be implemented under this directive aims to cushion the impact of the ECQ to ecozone registered enterprises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes:
1. Deferment of rental payment in the public ecozones
- Rental payments for the months of April and May 2020 in the public ecozones [i.e. Cavite Economic Zone (CEZ), Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ), Baguio City Economic Zone (BCEZ) and Pampanga Economic Zone (PEZ)] are deferred for ninety (90) days from due date. No interest or penalty for delayed payment shall be imposed during the 90-day grace period.
2. Deferment of payment of utilities in the public ecozones
- Payment for the utilities (i.e. electricity, water, wastewater treatment) in the public ecozones is likewise deferred for thirty (30) days. No interest or penalty for delayed payment shall be imposed during the 30-day grace period.
3. Grace period for old unpaid accounts
- For old unpaid accounts covering the months of January to March 2020 prior to the implementation of the ECQ, PEZA hereby grants a grace period for payment of ninety (90) days.
4. Deferment of payment of processing fees
- Payment of fees for PEZA services and permits particularly for Letter of Authority (LOA), building permits, visa processing, etc. may be paid within fifteen (15) days from the lifting of the ECQ. The LOA and visa processing permit fee deferment is limited to transactions with the PEZA Head Office in BGC, Taguig City since applicants in the private ecozones are able to pay these transactions in the zones.
The Director General noted that “there are various ways in which we can start anew after the ECQ period. My PEZA team and I are already looking into various plans for PEZA to take once the ECQ is lifted.”
“For now, we are doing our best to attend to the needs of our registered enterprises and to help the government and our people as we find a solution to this problem,” said Plaza. #