Latin America and Caribbean Diplomatic Missions and Consulates Visit LIMA Estate in Batangas

Members of the Latin America and Caribbean Diplomatic and Consular Missions in the PH together with the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of American Affairs officials headed by Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga (Front row - fourth from the right), and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) officials led by Director General Tereso O. Panga (Front row - sixth from the right). (Photo from DFA-OAA)

PASAY 17 July 2023 - The Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of American Affairs (DFA-OAA), in coordination with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), organized a Briefing on Philippine Economic Zones and an Ecozone Tour featuring the LIMA Estate in Batangas on 13 July 2023 for representatives of Diplomatic Missions and Honorary Consulates of Latin American and the Caribbean Countries based in Manila.

In his keynote message, DFA-OAA Assistant Secretary Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga highlighted the importance of ecozones to the Philippine economy and encouraged the representatives of the ten (10) diplomatic missions and honorary consulates in attendance to explore possible partnerships and engagements with Lima Estate and other Philippine ecozones.

“The Philippine ecozones experience, from EPZA to PEZA, has been exceptional. We hope that this briefing and ecozone tour will provide partners in the Americas with a glimpse of the new generation ecozones that we are starting to build out, and see how we can work together,” Assistant Secretary Chan-Gonzaga told the participating diplomats.

The Briefing and Ecozone Tour culminated with the participants meeting PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga at the PEZA Double Dragon Office to further discuss potential opportunities of Latin American and Caribbean countries in Philippine ecozones. Director General Panga, in his remarks, expressed optimism that more Latin American companies could soon place their investments on Philippine ecozones. The Director General also highlighted that the concept of free trade zones is not new in Latin America with Uruguay being the pioneer nation in the region to embrace the advantages of economic zones.

Current investments of Latin American Countries in Philippine Economic Zones include that of the Argentinian food additives producer, FARMESA, having expanded their business and opened a carrageenan manufacturing plant in 2021, which it uses as a base to export to greater Asia, Latin America, and beyond. Another Argentinian company, Colono del Oeste, invested US$ 1 Million in an economic zone controlled by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) at the end of December 2022. As of March 2023, there are three (3) listed registered Mexican companies - Competitive Global Manufacturing Philippine Islands in Laguna, Garrett and Talon in Metro Manila, and Qualfon Philippines Support Services Inc. in Cebu, with investments in the Philippine Special Economic Zones. These companies are in the fabricated metal products and business process outsourcing/IT services sectors.

The Aboitiz Land-owned LIMA Estate is a 800-hectare PEZA registered economic zone spanning the towns of Lipa and Malvar. The LIMA Estate is a mixed-use development hosting 140 locators, 167 retail stores and restaurants, a 136-room 4-star hotel, a transportation hub and over 4,000 households. It is envisioned to be the next leading fully-integrated economic estate for CALABARZON, and a future hub for Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) and manufacturing companies, with dormitories, schools, hotels, hospitals, churches, and other institutions. END

Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, and Aboitiz, Aboitiz InfraCapital, and LIMA Estate Officials pose with the representatives of the Diplomatic Mission and Honorary Consulates of Latin American and Caribbean countries at the LIMA Estate Scale Model.

Aboitiz Land Vice President of Business Development, Sales and Leasing, Mr. Raymond Domingo delivering his Welcome Remarks for the Participants at the LIMA Estate. (Photo from DFA-OAA)

DFA-Office of American Affairs Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga (sixth from left), PEZA Group Manager for Promotion and Public Relations Aleem Guiapal, and Aboitiz Infracapital Officials with Argentine Ambassador Ricardo Luis Bocalandro (eighth from left) and representatives of the Latin America and Caribbean Diplomatic Missions and Honorary Consulates to the Philippines. (Photo from DFA-OAA)

DFA-Office of American Affairs Assistant Secretary Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga delivering his keynote message. (Photo from DFA-OAA)

DFA-Office of American Affairs Assistant Secretary Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga (third from left), PEZA Group Manager for Promotion and Public Relations Aleem Guiapal (third from right), and the representatives of the Diplomatic Mission and Honorary Consulates of Latin American and Caribbean countries join Aboitiz and LIMA Estate Officials for the guided tour.