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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider PEZA, PPPI to fast-track development of pharma ecozones nationwide

PEZA, PPPI to fast-track development of pharma ecozones nationwide

Published Dec 1, 2025 03:12 pm
Bottles of medicine ride on a belt at a mail-in pharmacy warehouse in Florence, N.J., July 10, 2018. . (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Bottles of medicine ride on a belt at a mail-in pharmacy warehouse in Florence, N.J., July 10, 2018. . (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is taking a major step towards establishing more pharmaceutical ecozones in the country following an agreement with state-run Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI).
The PEZA said it entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with PPPI to initiate the process for developing pharma ecozone across the country.
Under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the investment promotion agency is tasked to expedite the implementation of the ecozone transformation roadmap.
The roadmap expands the types of economic zones that can be registered under PEZA, including agroforestry, defense, halal, and pharmaceutical.
Pharma ecozones shall feature companies engaged in all aspects of medical and drug manufacturing, but most importantly in research and development, clinical testing, and trials.
These industrial hubs aim to boost the country’s pharmaceutical capacity and expand access to affordable and high-quality medicines, vaccines, and other healthcare products.
“By cultivating an environment that drives pharmaceutical manufacturing, innovation, and competitive pricing, PEZA further advances the administration’s push for accessible, high-quality healthcare,” said PEZA Director General Tereso Panga.
Panga said the partnership with PPPI reflects the agency’s push to make the country a leader in pharmaceutical innovation through fostering strong domestic manufacturing.
He also said this would further realize PPPI’s mandate to deliver safe, cost-effective medicines to Filipinos.
“By working together, we can create spaces where pharmaceutical innovation, manufacturing, and distribution can thrive. Through PEZA, we can turn the vision of a world-class healthcare industry built here in the Philippines into a reality,” said PPPI President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maria Blanca Kim Lokin.
The local pharmaceutical industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, with more than 50 manufacturers and medical device firms already operating in ecozones nationwide.
The sector is expected to generate nearly $2 billion in revenue this year, with further growth potential in the short term.
In May this year, PEZA broke ground for Victoria Industrial Park in Tarlac, which is poised to become the country's first pharma ecozone.

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Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)
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