The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) is targeting to open the 26,000-hectare Iwahig mega economic zone planned at a prison complex in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, within the term of President Marcos. “This will be a legacy of the current administration that we are able to develop. Massive developments like this take three to five years [to complete],” Peza Director General Tereso Panga told reporters last week.He said further that the Department of Justice was already reviewing the draft of the memorandum of agreement for this undertaking.

“We are awaiting the review. So, we are excited to go into this,” said Panga.

Earlier in November, Panga said that they wished to turn this economic hub in Palawan into a publicly owned economic zone, focusing mainly on developing it as a manufacturing hub.

Back then, Panga said that the planned mega economic zone would be ideal to host the production line of automotive vehicles, including electric vehicles.

He added that they want to transform the penal colony into a self-sustaining community, complete with its own power and water sources.

Further, Panga said that they intend to retain the penal colony inside this planned mega economic zone, citing that the land area is large enough to accommodate it.

“We can also contribute to the reform in the penitentiary because if you make these people productive, then it can be part also of the [ecozone],” said Panga.

Peza currently has 422 operating economic zones across the country today, majority of which—or 297 to be exact—are located in Luzon. —Alden M. Monzon INQ