New Iloilo And Batangas Ecozones Seen To Produce Over PHP1 Billion In Investments And Nearly 70,000 Jobs

The new ecozones in Iloilo and Batangas, recently proclaimed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., are projected to attract a combined investment worth of PHP1 billion and create around 70,000 job opportunities, according to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

The LTC-SEZ, a project of Aboitiz InfraCapital, currently hosts 169 locators with more than PHP100 billion in investments, generating more than 65,000 direct jobs. I Photo: Aboitiz Infra Capital

President Marcos signed Proclamation No. 668 and Proclamation No. 670, declaring The Grid IT Center in Iloilo and the expansion project at the LIMA Technology Center in Batangas as new ecozones in the country.

PEZA Director General Tereso Panga emphasized, “In collaboration with other government agencies and industry partners, PEZA furthers its commitment to eco-zoning the Philippines towards inclusive and sustainable development."

"Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (for the New Philippines),” he added, noting that the combined investments in the two new ecozones amount to PHP1.049 billion.

Panga stated that Proclamation 670 designated an additional 31.35 hectares of land as part of the LIMA Technology Center Special Economic Zone (LTC-SEZ), a mixed-use development spanning portions of the city of Lipa and the municipality of Malvar in Batangas.

The expansion for this ecozone is estimated to cost PHP856 million and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2025.

The LTC-SEZ is a project of Aboitiz InfraCapital. It currently hosts 169 locators with more than PHP100 billion in investments, generating more than 65,000 direct jobs, he elaborated.

On the other hand, Panga said that The Grid IT Center, located in the Atria Park, Mandurriao business district of Iloilo, has an initial investment of PHP193 million.

Proclamation 668 designated the 2,000-square-meter land as a new information technology (IT) center in Iloilo.

The Grid IT Center is set to host three IT and business process management (BPM) companies, with total investments of about PHP10 million, and is expected to create at least 250 jobs.