Investors in the Cebu economic zones have poured in a total of P275.315 billion, churned out $5.9 billion in annual average exports and provided 232,076 direct employment to Cebuanos to date, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Tereso O. Panga reported. “Our Cebu locators’ contributions account for 11 percent share in the total PEZA KPIs (key performance indicator) on investments, jobs and exports,” said Panga as he added that these contributions come from the 48 ecozones in the Cebu province with 640 export-oriented locators. Panga, who met with locator companies in PEZA ecozones in Cebu, Lapu-Lapu City officials, and the Mactan Export Processing Zone Chamber of Exporters and Manufacturers Inc. during the group’s annual general membership meeting on June 14, cited the contributions of Cebu ecozones as he noted of the upbeat outlook of their ecozone locators. As of the first quarter this year, the Ceby ecozone locators’ exports reached $1.49 billion. Moreover, PEZA locators alone in Mactan island such as the Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) I and II, Cebu Light Industrial Park, Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark, and Mactan Newtown remitted a total P267 million in tax payments last year from the percent gross income tax share of the Lapu-Lapu City government. Cebu economic zone locators, including Autolive Cebu Safety Manufacturing Inc., and Taiyo Yuden Philippines Inc., have also expressed their interest for various investment projects in the province, In the case of Autoliv, Panga said that company is planning an expansion in a 2.6-hectare area in the northern part of Cebu. Taiyo Yuden also expressed its interest in registering with PEZA a new and expansion project in the Mactan Economic Zone. Panga remains confident that more investments will come to the province that will accelerate countryside development through the ecozone program.  Panga also expressed appreciation to the investors and PEZA locators in Cebu for its constant contribution to the province and the economy. “Our locator companies, industry partners and host LGUs have shown their strong will and determination in rising through the difficulties and challenges. In the process, our locators have become resilient as they picked up the pieces and sustained their momentum for enhanced competitiveness and participation in the global market—while sustaining the jobs, livelihood and other economic opportunities within the ecozone ecosystem,” said Panga. The PEZA Chief noted, “With this continuous positive performance, we are anticipating an upturn in the economy especially within the province. At the same time, we are looking at welcoming strategic and big-ticket investments from various industries to locate in Cebu.” He added, “PEZA will continue to be responsive and vibrant as we facilitate the operations and growth of our valued ecozone investors so we can help propel our economic growth and contribute to the President’s bid for the country to graduate to upper-middle income status within the next four years.”