The establishment of an economic zone in Sablan, Benguet will improve the lives of the people and boost its local economy.
Vice Mayor Arthur Baldo on July 14 said establishing an ecozone will help employ residents.
It will also boost the socio-economic development of the community, Baldo added.
He said an ecozone will also provide an additional source of income for the fifth-class municipality.
He said that Baguio, which is the host of the Baguio City Export Processing Zone (BCEPZ) in Loakan, receives an annual share from the output of its operation from locators.
Among the international companies operating in BCEPZ are US-based microchip maker Texas Instruments and airplane parts manufacturer Moog Controls.
PEZA has been looking for an expansion area of the BCEPZ to allow more locators to operate or to accommodate the expansion of the companies.
Baldo said aside from the willingness of the local government unit, residents have also agreed to the setting up of an economic zone.
The official said there are several lot owners at Sitio Palali, located near the national highway, including a 12-hectare property whose owner agreed to convert the landholding into an economic zone.
Baldo said Sablan is open to host an eco-zone for manufacturing, business process outsourcing, demo farms, or activities related to metallurgy.
Mayor Manuel Munar Jr., in an earlier interview, said they have high hopes that the PEZA consider Sablan in its expansion plans.
“I want it so that our people will also have employment opportunities to encourage them to work, additional income for our town, and it will reduce the number of people who are idle,” he added.
Sablan is among the Benguet towns included in the BLISTT (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay) which is seen as a development expansion area of Baguio. – PNA
April 19, 2024
