To bolster employment opportunities in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other areas, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted a second chance to applicants with “Pre-Qualification Clearances” from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to create new economic zones in Metro Manila.
The President, through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, signed Administrative Order (AO) 11 on November 24, amending AO 18 issued in 2019, which imposes a moratorium on the processing and evaluation of applications for the establishment of special economic zones in the NCR.
Under the previous order, issued by then-president Rodrigo Duterte, PEZA was instructed to no longer accept, process, or evaluate applications for the creation of Metro Manila ecozones. The intention was to promote rural development, ensure inclusive growth in the countryside, and create robust economic activity and wealth generation in areas outside the country’s metropolis.
However, President Marcos’ new order allows applications that have already obtained “Pre-Qualification Clearances” from the PEZA Board before the moratorium’s effectivity to be reconsidered with certain conditions.
“Within a non-extendible period of ten (10) working days from the effectivity of this Order, the PEZA shall submit to the Office of the President (OP), through the Office of the Executive Secretary, a Board Resolution certifying the Masterlist of covered applications under the immediately preceding paragraph,” the President stated in his order.
The President emphasized that only those included in the Masterlist will have the option to resubmit their applications for ecozones, provided they undergo the pre-qualification process of the PEZA once again.
Additionally, all required national or local licenses, clearances, permits, certifications, or authorizations that have already expired need to be renewed under pertinent laws, rules, and regulations.
While the new order allows for the processing and evaluation of applications for ecozones in Metro Manila, the moratorium on the establishment of economic zones in the area, as stated in AO 18, remains in effect.
President Marcos stated that the new administrative order was issued to bolster employment in Metro Manila and position it as the “leading information and communications technology hub” in the country.
Based on the government’s recent assessment, the services sector, which includes information and communications, continues to be a reliable source of economic activity in the country, with Metro Manila registering the biggest share.
The Marcos administration’s Eight-Point Socioeconomic agenda aims to bolster employment opportunities for the Filipino people through the promotion of investments that boost productivity.
AO 11, which was released to the media on Saturday, takes effect immediately after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Overall, President Marcos Jr.’s decision to grant a second chance to applicants with “Pre-Qualification Clearances” from PEZA will help create new economic zones in Metro Manila, thereby boosting employment opportunities in the National Capital Region and positioning it as a leading information and communications technology hub in the country.
Source: The Manila Times
