Even as residents of the National Capital Region (NCR) continue to suffer from the effects of urban crowding, the national government is once again putting its bets on the Philippine capital as a magnet for economic growth.
Recently, Malacañan issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 11 Series of 2023 that allows the “processing and evaluation of applications for the establishment of Special Economic Zones in Metro Manila under certain conditions."
However, the moratorium on the processing of applications for the establishment of ecozones in Metro Manila under Section 2 of AO No. 18 will continue, according to the government.
The AO, which amends Administrative Order No. 18 Series of 2019, allows the processing and evaluation of ecozone applications in Metro Manila given that they secure pre-qualification clearance from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) prior to the moratorium of AO No. 18 s. 2019 is being implemented.
This enables job creation in the NCR and strengthens the Philippines’ capital as a “leading information and communications technology hub in the country."
“Within a non-extendible period of ten (10) working days from the effectivity of this Order, the PEZA shall submit to the Office of the President (OP), through the Office of the Executive Secretary, a Board Resolution certifying the master list of covered applications under the immediately preceding paragraph. For this purpose, the PEZA shall submit, along with the said Board Resolution and Masterlist, certified true copies of the pertinent pre-qualification clearances issued by the PEZA Board to the developers/ project proponents concerned and the minutes of the meeting when the same were approved by the Board,” according to the order.
Furthermore, the master list will be the basis on which applicants will be qualified to resubmit their applications. The applicants shall also undergo new pre-qualification processes and have renewed all required permits, clearances, and other requirements that are already expired.
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