Economic zone to boost Benguet town economy

By Liza Agoot

SABLAN, Benguet -- The establishment of a Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) here is set to improve lives of the people and boost its local economy.
    Sablan Vice Mayor Arthur Baldo on Wednesday said the PEZA will help employ residents.
    "It will also boost the socio-economic development of the community," Baldo said in a chance interview here.
    He said the establishment of the PEZA 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 Area (BCEPZA) in Loakan, receives an annual share from the output of its operation from the locators.
    Among the international companies operating in BCEPZA include the US-based microchip maker Texas Instruments and the airplane parts manufacturer Moog Controls.
    PEZA has been looking for an expansion area of the BCEPZA to allow more locators to operate or to accommodate the expansion of the companies.
    Baldo said that aside from the willingness of the local government unit (LGU), the 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.
    The vice mayor said Sablan is open to host an eco-zone for purposes of 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 PEZA "will expand to our town”.
    “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, one of the 13 towns of Benguet, is among the local governments included in the BLISTT (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay) which is seen as a development expansion area of Baguio. -- PNA