Koronadal City— Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. is prioritizing special economic zones in South Cotabato, putting it on his executive agenda.
In a cabinet meeting, the governor said South Cotabato is a potential eco- zone for information technology, tourism, and agro-industrial.
“Economic zones are economic drivers of an area because of the jobs and indirect livelihood it created,” Tamayo said.
He, however, said special economic zones are in preparation for the Free Education Program of the Provincial Government of South Cotabato.
“We need to create jobs for our scholars so that they need not go out in our province to work,” he emphasized.
Emmanuel Jumilla, Provincial Planning and Development Officer-in-Charge, said his office targets one special economic zone each year.
“A resolution from the local legislators where the economic zone is one of the major requirements,” Jumilla said.
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) record showed that there are 4,362 enterprises registered in the country’s 417 economic zones, directly employing 1.7 million people. Three are involved in medical tourism, 13 are agro-industrial parks, 77 are manufacturers, 297 are IT parks and centers, and 17 are in the tourism-related industry.
In Mindanao, special economic zones are Cagayan De Oro City, Cotabato City, and General Santos City.
