PEZA wants more idle lands converted into economic zones

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is ramping up efforts to transform idle lands into special economic zones that are expected to drive economic development in communities.

“Our target is at least two ecozone per municipality or city nationwide. So we are going around inviting local government units (LGUs) and landowners, including national agencies which are managing public lands,” PEZA director general Charito Plaza said.

Plaza said PEZA has inked deals with agencies like the Philippine Mining Development Corp. (PMDC), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Plaza said PMDC is managing 80,000 hectares of mining areas and all of these are idle.

“They are now partnering with PEZA to make these as economic zones so we can invite mineral processing industries,” she said.

“We also have a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NCIP because we are also inviting the ancestral domain lands which is five million hectares idle. After the MOA, we will conduct a dialogue with the ancestral domain landowners to make them understand how good it would be if their lands become economic zones where they will earn thrice,” Plaza said.

PEZA has also signed a MOA with PSALM, an agency which manages the land assets of the Department of Energy.

“PSALM manages lands which are located besides power stations so this will be very attractive to investors,” Plaza said.

Meanwhile, Plaza said PEZA has secured Land Bank of the Philippines’ nod to open credit facilities to economic zone developers.

“We suggested they should start opening credit facilities for LGUS, for private landowners, and for national agencies managing public land on ecozone development. So they are now opening a credit facility for every ecozone developers and industries that will be located in the ecozones,” she said.