Jul 082013
 
PEZA asks Pacquiao to submit plans for ind’l estate

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing idol Manny Pacquiao has to submit his firm’s immediate plans for an industrial estate to be developed in South Cotabato to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) or the company could lose its permit to undertake work on the property. PEZA director general Lilia De Lima told reporters in a chance interview yesterday the agency would ask the boxing icon’s company, Manny Pacquiao Heights Development Corp. (MPHDC), to provide its plan and submit the necessary documents to be able to undertake work on the economic zone in General Santos. She said the move is being taken as the permit given to MPHDC to develop the economic zone in 2009 is only valid for five years. “They can develop in tranches. The problem is, if there is no development in five years, we can cancel the permit,” she said. Despite the approval of the permit to develop the economic zone in 2009, she said, the company has yet to submit the necessary documents to the PEZA to be able to begin work on the site. MPHDC has expressed interest to install a 200-hectare special economic zone as part of a 400-hectare company-owned estate in General Santos. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The project, which would involve the investment of P1.2 billion, is intended to be developed for medical tourism. In order to start work on the project, Pacquiao’s firm would have to provide the PEZA an endorsement from the Department of Health and Read More …

Jul 012013
 
Lilia de Lima, PEZA’s Powerhouse

The Brew By Esther Misa Chavez 6:46 am | Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013 PEZA Director General Lilia de Lima at trade briefing in San Francisco. SAN FRANCISCO—To doubting Thomases out there—the news is true. Numbers do not lie. The Philippines IS Asia’s rising tiger. A number of global credit rating agencies have upgraded the Philippine’s rank to BBB- (Investment Grade). The New York Times calls the Philippines the “Newest Bright Spot in Asia.” Lilia B. de Lima said as much to a group of businessmen and community leaders at a breakfast briefing held at Dentons Law Offices on Market Street. The director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and undersecretary of Trade and Industry led the briefing, themed “Business and Investment Opportunities in Philippine Economic Zones as gateways to the 600 Million Strong South East Asian Market” hosted by CalAsia. Joining her was Arlen Chou, president and COO of Rucker & Kolls Inc., an American firm that has been running a full operation in one of the PEZA facilities the past six years. Chou confirmed that his business is thriving inside PEZA. Rucker & Kolls is the original patent holder of the probe card and a leader in providing reliable testing of complicated testing requirements. Leaving no doubt among the attendees that PEZA is indeed the “gateway to the Asean market in a leading global emerging economy,” Dr. de Lima said that of the 86 percent total commodity and service exports from the Philippines, 76 percent comes from Read More …