Albay to launch D/EEZ--Salceda Albay will soon host to low-cost, labor- intensive manufacturing with its potential capacity to be developed into a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) where labor costs are substantially lower compared to Central Luzon and Metro Cebu., according to the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP). “We feel that Albay could be such a location and we would like to discuss our concept in more detail with you during your next visit to Manila,” said ECCP vice president for external affairs Henry J. Schumacher. Schumacher noted that Albay has high potential considering its favorable climate in such factors as: investors-friendly being able to provide low-cost leases, more attractive labor policies, and considerate to public-private partnership (PPP) contracts to attract real estate firms to develop businesses on reduced costs. Albay has also a large pool of new workers which can be trained through a proposed TESDA Industrial Scholarship Program wherein high school graduates aged 18 years old and above are hired for apprenticeships for 18-24 months. With that proposal, Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda is confident of an “Albay BOOM” resulting from the province’s conversion into a new ecozone in Southern Luzon. The Governor is bent on making it a reality with the creation first in Albay of a Domestic/Export Enterprise Zone (D/EEZ)which is an initial requirement for developing ecozones. In a meeting recently called by the Provincial Planning and Development Office with representatives from government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, TESDA and local business, some possible sites for D/EEZ have been identified. Among the proposed locations are: Homapon, Banquerohan, Embarcadero de Legazpi, Legazpi Domestic Airport (initially declared as D/EEZ) and Polangui area along the national highway. The focus is on such industries such as the food, garments, footwear, and furniture industries where Albay has potentially recorded an impressive growth.
Posted on: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 12:09:05 +0000
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