PEZA pushes integrated ecozone concept
By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is now requiring all economic zone developers to adopt an integrated development where economic zones must have designated areas not just for factories or production areas but also commercial and residential areas as the agency explores new frontiers in ecozone development.
Charito B. Plaza
PEZA Director-General Charito B. Plaza said that they are implementing this new concept of ecozone development towards building eco-industrial parks, smart and green ecozone townships to revolutionize PEZA.
“Integrated ecozones is already a requirement for applicants on ecozone development and existing ecozone will be transformed to this integrated ecozone concept towards building townships,” said Plaza.
Plaza said they will initially start with the four public ecozones in Rosario, Cavite; Baguio; Mactan, Cebu; and Bataan. PEZA is currently evaluating these ecozones for available commercial and residential spaces.
“These 4 PEZA ecozones will now be redesigned and re-planned to comply with the new concept,” she added.
“Township is where locators and workers can work, live, learn and play hence, we encourage huge lands as economic zones and become future smart towns or digital cities, creating new metropolitan areas in every region,” said Plaza.
Plaza revealed this as the government-owned agency is finalizing the Philippine Economic Zones Map to be launched during the PEZA Investors’ Night on April 30.
“We are finalizing the Philippine Economic Zones Map,” said Plaza. The ecozone map will be launched during the PEZA Investors’ Night on April 30 at the World Trade Center.
Plaza did not specify how many new economic zones will be added in its existing list in the map, but stressed that every land potential with their resources can be included in the map.
“That is why we are creating different types of ecozones to attract all types of industries,” she said.
Under Plaza’s stewardship, PEZA is embarking on 10 new programs as the agency explores new frontiers in ecozone development towards building eco-industrial parks, smart and green ecozone townships to revolutionize PEZA.
PEZA Director-General Tereso O. Panga said that multilateral agencies Asian Development Bank, World Bank and UN Development Program including partner institutions and private investors are all cashing in to help PEZA in pursuing its vision for low carbon, energy efficient and sustainable ecozones (with the enabling ecosystem) to be at par with the emerging ecozone models in developing and advanced economies.