Members of the NordCham ICT Committee conducted a courtesy visit to the PEZA Director General (DG), B.Gen. Charito B. Plaza, to discuss the general policy direction and changes in the agency.
DG Plaza assured that the policy direction of PEZA will remain as it is and will continue to pursue its mandate. She also stated that the Administration’s pursuit of an “independent foreign policy” does not entail giving preference to one country over another but establishing a more open economy for the country.
Noting the past success of PEZA, the DG is seeking to establish 3 to 4 ecozones per province and cities. In line with this, PEZA is currently conducting an inventory of all existing and upcoming ecozones to create a “Philippine Ecozone Map” that will aide investors in identifying their prospective locations.
Cognizant of the contribution of the IT/BPO industry to the growth of country, PEZA will push for its plan to make an IT Hub at the center of each Ecozone. NordCham raised the issue of limited technical skills of IT professionals in the country, which requires extended time for training. In response to this, PEZA together with TESDA is looking into creating an IT Training course that specifically caters to the needs of PEZA-registered entities.
