PH Investment Delegation, WB Group Explore Strategies for Ecozones
PEZA and ARMM investment mission participated in a Roundtable Discussion on special economic zones at the International Finance Corporation on March 28, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
31 March 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The visiting delegation from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) participated in a Roundtable Discussion on special economic zones at the International Finance Corporation in Washington, D.C. on March 28.
The roundtable was part of an investment mission that is aimed at creating awareness among various sectors in the US capital about PEZA and the ARMM, in line with the Philippine Government’s investment priorities, including in infrastructure, manufacturing resurgence and the development of Mindanao.
The Delegation was led by PEZA Director General Charito B. Plaza, and composed of ARMM-Regional Economic Zone Authority (ARMM-REZA) Executive Director Aleem Siddiqui Guiapal, ARMM Agrarian Reform Secretary Amihilda J. Sangcopan, ARMM Treasurer Kanggo Umal, PEZA Deputy Director General Tereso O. Panga, Francoise Ferdinand Plaza, and Danilo Mangaya.
Chaired by Mr. Peter Kusek, Senior Investment Policy Officer at the World Bank Group Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, Philippine officials briefed investment specialists and experts on the various programs and policies of PEZA and ARMM-REZA in attracting and retaining investments, including targeted investment promotion strategies; approaches to investment promotion and policy; diversification of zones ownership and economic activities; fiscal and non-fiscal incentives; investor aftercare programs; business one-stop shop action centers; and investor linkages initiatives.
The Philippine regulations on the one-stop shop is reference material for many World Bank practitioners. There was consensus among the international financial experts present that the Philippines has an impressive track record in investment promotion and the operation of special economic zones. They also encouraged the delegation to share Philippine best practices more broadly.
Opportunities and challenges for countries that have embraced the concept of special economic zones were also tackled. Director General Plaza emphasized that while PEZA continues to expand existing zones and aims to build an economic zone in every province and city of the Philippines, it is also forward looking by going into niche areas such as eco-tourism, halal hubs, logistics, and defense industrial complexes.
Dealing with zones that are nearing full occupancy and how to ensure that they continue to have a catalytic effect on the economy formed part of the strategic discussions. The participants looked into the concept of eco-industrial parks, which has exploded in numbers in the last ten years as a response to the issue of climate change and sustainable development. Some experts provided best practices with respect to investment policy and regulations, and cutting edge investment promotion concepts.
PEZA Director General Plaza and ARMM-REZA Executive Director Guiapal expressed satisfaction with the substance and depth of the roundtable discussions.
“We did not only convey the economic and investment advantages for those who decide to locate in our economic zones, but more importantly, we had a robust and in-depth discussion with the World Bank experts on critical issues for special economic zones at this time,” Ms. Plaza concluded. END