PH expands investment hubs with 4 new ecozones

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved four new economic zones in the first six months of 2025, underscoring the administration’s sustained push to attract investments and generate jobs through the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

In a statement, PEZA announced the approval of two expansion areas for a manufacturing zone in Batangas and two newly proclaimed Information Technology (IT) parks in Visayas.

One of the recent proclamations, issued on May 21 under Proclamation 910, designated 23.49 hectares of land in Barangays Bagong Pook and Luta Sur, Malvar, Batangas for inclusion in the Lima Technology Center (LTC). The development is expected to be completed by June 2027 with more than PHP980 million in committed investments.

Earlier, in March, Proclamation 846 also expanded the same ecozone by an additional 19.23 hectares.

Meanwhile, in Bacolod City, President Marcos signed Proclamation 919 on June 2 to establish The Upper East as a 33.96-hectare IT Park in Barangay 41. Operated by Megaworld, the development is projected to attract over PHP1 billion in investments and house at least five IT-BPO firms, generating more than 2,500 jobs.

In Tagbilaran City, the President signed Proclamation 821 designating over 11,200 square meters of land in Barangay Dampas as an IT Park. Now known as Tagbilaran Uptown IT Hub 2, the project was formalized through a registration agreement signed on May 8. PEZA expects the park to bring in over PHP200 million in investments and expand opportunities for IT-BPM locators in the province.

So far, the Marcos administration has approved 32 economic zones nationwide since taking office, translating to over PHP13.4 billion in committed investments, according to PEZA Director General Tereso Panga.

“As a medium-term strategy under the Philippine Development Plan, the ecozones will play a vital role in attracting much-needed investments, generating jobs, and accelerating the nation’s socio-economic progress,” Panga said.