THE PHILIPPINE Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Baguio local government have signed a pledge to uphold transparency as part of improving ease of doing business in the city, where one of the country’s pioneer ecozones is located.
“This sends a strong message that corruption has no place in the country’s economic zones and that both the public and private sectors must work together to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability,” PEZA Officer-in-Charge Tereso O. Panga said in a statement over the weekend.
The Baguio City Export Processing Zone’s locators include manufacturers of semi-conductors and aviation parts as well as information technology and business process outsourcing companies.
Mr. Panga also said PEZA is supportive of Baguio City’s initiatives to become a “smart city.”
The National Economic and Development Authority said that smart cities aim to create a “high trust” society that is knowledge-based and globally competitive.
Meanwhile, the PEZA official said they are preparing to introduce automation projects to mitigate smuggling in economic zones.
“For further ease in doing business, we will roll out the completion of automation projects within months, together with the command center not only for purposes of monitoring the flow of goods to and from ecozone but to curb smuggling,” he said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave