Baguio was the wealthiest city outside Metro Manila in 2022, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

In the PSA’s Provincial Product Accounts, it was shown that Baguio City had the highest per capita gross domestic product among the provinces and highly urbanized cities in the Philippines that year. Their per capita GDP reached P420,016 — more than twice the national average of P178,751.

Cagayan de Oro City comes after Baguio, with a per capita GDP of P343,936.

This is followed by Lapu-Lapu City (P313,039), Iloilo City (P306,444), and the province of Bataan (P297,930).

Rounding out the top 10 richest areas outside Metro Manila were Cebu City, the province of Laguna, Mandaue City, Davao City, and the province of Batanes. All had per capita GDP above the national average.”

Except for the province of Batanes (ranked no.10) — all the top 9 richest areas outside Metro Manila and Cebu City are home to the leading ecozones and locator companies under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

16 pilot regions

If we are to include Metro Manila and Cebu City, including those 82 provinces and 17 highly urbanized cities in 16 pilot regions covered by the PSA-PPA survey, we can validate from this report that the leading LGUs in the country (in terms of socio-economic progress) are those that host the most number of successful ecozones within their jurisdiction.

This only proves that the ecozones are drivers of growth, and can accelerate countryside development given the investments, jobs, livelihood, exports, technology transfer, increased income for LGUs and other economic opportunities that are generated from the ecozone business ecosystem.

As such, no less than the President has declared his support for the ecozones in attracting strategic industries, and big-ticket and productivity-enhancing investments that will help propel the country’s economic growth.

Moreover, the ecozones can serve as a game-changer strategy for targeting resource and efficiency-seeking investments, including niche industries.

For this purpose, PEZA has ventured into new frontiers in ecozone development such as green ores processing zones, pharmadev parks, aqua-marine farms, R&D and innovation centers, mega zone townships, renewable energy parks, aerotropolis, and defense industrial complexes to expand our investments and mix of sectors.

CREATE sequel

With PEZA accounting for a 17 percent share of the country’s GDP and about 50-60 percent of the total annual Philippine exports of goods and services, these are compelling reasons for the current administration to support the ecozones and to CREATE MORE to spur our countrywide development.

Given the right ecosystem and enabling laws, the Philippine economy could be boosted if economic activities flourish in the ecozones as well as their linkages in the domestic market. This is where the host LGUs can be proactive and investor-friendly in supporting our industry dispersion through the creation of new ecozones in rural and new growth areas, and guided by the DTI’s science, technology, and innovation-driven industrialization.

By Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Theo Panga