Economic Zones Earn P445B in Export Earnings, Generate 177,000 Jobs in 2008

GENERAL TRIAS, Cavite – The country's economic zones turned in a total of P443 billion in export revenues and generate 177,000 jobs last year.

This is the combined figure reported by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Board of Investments (BOI) to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her visit to the Gateway Business Park here this afternoon.

PEZA Director-General Lilia De Lima and Board of Investments (BOI) Governor Francis Ferrer, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose Lito Atienza and Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza were among those who welcomed the President at the Gateway Business Park in Barangay Javalera here.

Also present were locators and investors led by Gateway Proper Holdings, Inc. (GPHI) chairman Geronimo delos Reyes Jr., and GPHI president Jaime Hidalgo.

In an interview, De Lima and Ferrer said the figure came from 894 investments and new projects approved by BOI and PEZA last year.

In their first meeting held last week, PEZA and BOI approved P7.965 billion worth of new investments, a 117-percent increase compared to the P3.66-billion figure for the same period last year, De Lima said.

Although De Lima and Ferrer admitted that there is a slowdown in the manufacturing industry, they said the closure of the Intel Corporation facility here would not affect most of its workers.

Intel Corp. announced today that it is cutting production at two US silicon wafer facilities and closing three overseas facilities -- two in Penang, Malaysia, and the third here at the Gateway Business Park which exports micro processors and electronic integrated circuits.

Intel said the plant shutdowns will be carried out before the end of the year.

In a news release, Intel said some of its workers could be offered positions at other facilities.

De Lima and Ferrer said majority of Intel’s workers here would be absorbed by its sister company, Newmonix, which had bought more than half of Intel’s facility here.

De Lima and Ferrer also said that Newmonix would be closing down its facility in Pudong, China and relocate here in the Philippines.

“That is the good news,” they said.

The President directed the two officials to continue assisting relocators and investors, including Filipino workers who might be retrenched, by way of the government’s jobs matching, training and retraining programs.

Ferrer said that based on experience at economic zones, the electronics industry makes a strong rebound after a slowdown.

The Gateway Business Park, Cavite’s premier industrial facility, employs some 16,000 workers and contributed at least $6 billion worth of exports last year.

Earlier, the President led the continuing government-church social development program at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church just outside the gates of the business park.

She also led the feeding program for school children and distributed scholarships and training certificates through the Archdiocese of Imus.

The President also witnessed the medical and dental mission at work here, and the establishment of Bigasan ng Parokya outlets. The Bigasan sells low-priced basic commodities such as NFA rice at P18.25 per kilo.

Among those who welcomed the President at the Guadalupe church were parish priest Fr. Cornelio Matanguihan, Diocese of Imus Social Action Center Dir. Fr. Alain Manalo, Cavite Gov. Erineo Maliksi, 2nd District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, 3rd District Rep Jesus Crispin Remulla, and General Trias Mayor Luis Ferrer IV.

The President has been leading the continuing provision of scholarships, trainings, livelihood and other social services for the poor families to ease the plight of the most vulnerable sectors of society in the midst of the global crisis.

Source: Office of the President, Malacañang
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