Key officers of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) R2 led by Regional Director (RD) Leah Pulido Ocampo and officers of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) headed by CEZA OIC Cagayan Offices/Department Manager for Investment and Marketing, Leonardo C. Cruz met on Monday, 21 March 2022 through a CEZA and DTI convergence workshop and familiarization tour in Sta. Ana, Cagayan to discuss the possible areas of collaboration in promoting the trade and investment opportunities of the region.
In the meeting, Cruz said that the CEZA Board of Directors approved last Friday,18 March 2022 the authority of CEZA Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Secretary Raul L. Lambino to sign the memorandum of agreement on the convergence program of CEZA and DTI for Investment and Promotion.
As outlined in the agreement, DTI Region 2 and CEZA will collaborate and will jointly undertake trade and investment promotion projects that will support the attainment of the region’s vision as the “Gateway to East Asia”.
Among these joint activities include but are not limited to the conduct of the following:
1. Investment Conferences
2. Outbound Missions
3. Inbound Missions
4. Investment Marketing and Servicing
5. Industry Development and export trade promotion.
Meanwhile, RD Ocampo discussed the initial plans of the agency in proactively promoting the trade and investment opportunities of the region.
According to her, DTI R2 will directly coordinate with two (2) organizing agencies of Outbound Missions, 1.) The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotion arm of the DTI, and 2.) The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), an attached agency of DTI responsible for the development of investments in the Philippines for the facilitation of the participation of CEZA together with the City government of Tuguegarao in the upcoming China ASEAN EXPO and China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CFIT) in September 2022. Part of the initial plan will be the conduct of investment caravan visits in Nanning, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, all in China and Taipei in Taiwan.
RD Ocampo said that the convergence program is the start of an exciting, dynamic partnership of DTI and CEZA in promoting the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport.
The familiarization tour for the DTI Region 2 officers was organized by CEZA as one of the series of activities of the collaboration efforts for promoting the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport as a regional growth nexus for development in the whole Region 2.
Part of the familiarization tour was the visit to the ongoing construction and development of the different infrastructure projects facilitated by CEZA and a visit to the different tourist destinations in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
Among these simultaneous ongoing infrastructure developments are the construction, reconstruction, and development of the CEZA Commercial Center, CEZA Corporate Center, Port Irene, Sea Wall, Alpha-Palawig Mixed-Use Development Project, and San Vicente Causeway and Wharf, which will eventually provide labor/employment to neighboring towns, usher in business opportunities, attract local and foreign investors, and revive the economic vibrancy of the region.
A consultation meeting with the officers and members of the Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (PEPA) in Palaui Island was also conducted to assess the current needs of the organization, to provide possible livelihood assistance, and to monitor the status of the Shared Service Facilities (SSF) Project provided by DTI.
CEZA is a government-owned and controlled corporation that is mandated to develop and operate the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport as a regional growth nexus having self-sustaining industrial, commercial, financial, investment, recreation and tourism center and free port, effectively encouraging and attracting legitimate and productive local and foreign direct investments to create employment opportunities and increase income and productivity in and around the zone; and its neighboring provincial economies. ♦
Date of Release: 29 March 2022