PEZA eyes creation of agro, mineral processing ecozones

She said it would put together all the industries related in the manufacturing of wood materials in areas that have vast tree plantations.

“Right now, the wood industry is stuck. We found out that even our existing industries, like those manufacturing prefabricated housing materials, they are importing wood,” Plaza said.
“So we hope to restore back the wood industry because through the PEZA incentives and the issuance of import and export permits and even in the purchases of local supplies, everything is already controlled and recorded and regulated,” she added.

Meanwhile, Plaza said PEZA also hopes to improve the country’s mining industry by attracting more mineral processing industries which “would protect our environment, create additional industries, and generate more jobs.”

By creating mineral processing zones, Plaza said the agency hopes to protect the environment and at the same time, put a stop to the export of raw minerals.

“If we can put in place our mineral processing industries in our ecozones, this would put in order and then it can regulate the industry. Both the local government and the national government would clearly have their share of the tax income,” she said.

“So these two big industries would hopefully be placed in order. We will restore or establish these in an orderly manner that would be an advantage for both the local and the national government and the people and the environment,” Plaza added.

Plaza said PEZA is set to come out soon with country’s first economic zones map which will list all existing new economic zones across the country for investors to know where best to locate their factories.