PEZA chief cites record P315.5-B investments as tenure ends

Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Tereso Panga is concluding his three-year tenure, citing record investment approvals, export growth and job creation under his leadership.

In a farewell message posted on social media, Panga thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the trust and confidence placed in him, describing his appointment as the agency’s first homegrown director general as a milestone in his 28-year career in public service.

Panga said PEZA recorded P315.5 billion in approved investments as of 10 November, surpassing the previous record of P311.9 billion set in 2012.

He also cited record export levels, more than 1.8 million direct jobs supported nationwide, and P4.193 billion in dividends remitted to the National Treasury over three consecutive years.

Among the agency’s initiatives during his tenure was the PEZA The One Portal System (PTOPS), which streamlined transactions through cashless and paperless processes.

Panga also highlighted the establishment of an artificial intelligence (AI) Academy in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Stacktrek, which has trained around 27,000 Filipinos.

The agency likewise established the country's first Mold Industry Technology Center in partnership with the Metals Industry Research and Development Center and the Philippine Die and Mould Association. The facility has trained more than 8,000 workers in computer numerical control design and machining.

Another milestone was the completion of PEZA's 14-storey Investment and Corporate Center, which received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.

However, Panga said the most meaningful outcome of the agency's efforts was the creation of more than 100,000 new jobs through investment generation and business expansion.

"These are more than statistics. They represent real livelihoods, greater opportunities, and brighter futures for Filipino families," he said.

Panga, who joined PEZA as a planning officer in 1998, described the agency as his second home and its employees as his second family.

He credited the agency's accomplishments to its personnel, board, government partners, industry associations and the investment community.

As he prepares to leave the post, Panga also congratulated his successor and pledged his support for a smooth leadership transition.

"I have always believed that public service is not defined by the positions we hold, but by the difference we make in the lives of those we serve," he said.

He added that while his tenure as director general was ending, his commitment to public service and the institution would endure.