PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the Cagayan Economic Zone (CEZ) in Santa Ana in Cagayan Province on Wednesday but kept mum on the issue of used car importation and alleged vehicle smuggling in the area.
"In Port Irene. Yesterday (Wednesday) I went to the Cagayan Economic Zone, I went to Sta. Ana and I saw there, thousands of jobs have been created in that Cagayan Economic Zone that I visited," Arroyo said speaking before the Local Peace and Security Assembly in Tuguegarao City.
The President made the visit to CEZ days after allegations of car smuggling was reported.
Arroyo expressed satisfaction over the progress of the development of the Cagayan Freeport which she said is the best eco-tourism hub and cyber park in Northeastern Philippines.
"This is a good place. Very good," she told Freeport officials led by Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (Ceza) Administrator Jose Mari Ponce, Sun City chairman Chau Check Wa, Sun City Group chief executive officer Pang Hon Kwong, Group president Bong Cuevas, Group chief executive officer Lee Chi Shing Cesar, when she inspected two of the 320 villas of the leisure resort.
The Cagayan Freeport is situated on 125 hectares of land with white sand beaches and a diverse forest environment.
Of the total land area, 12,129.81 hectares are old growth area rich in ecological heritage.
It include diversified flora and fauna; 19,406.43 hectares of second growth area; 220 hectares of mangrove; 598 hectares of brush land; and 2,089.24 hectares of grassland.
The resort area also boasts of over 20 rivers and three watersheds.
The area is an ideal site for eco-tourism activities set amid a serene landscape.
Sports enthusiasts can also look forward to a host of indoor and outdoor sports activities, including game fishing, watersports, and the like.
"This is okay. You've done a good job," the President told Ponce as she instructed him to encourage schools in the area to include in their curriculum business process outsourcing (BPO) to further boost the Freeport's economic viability while creating new jobs for the people in the area.
"You need to encourage them to require the inclusion of the BPO operations in their curriculum," the President added when informed that part of the Freeport's five-year investment plan is a cyber park facility targeted to be completed during the last quarter of this year.
The cyber park under development sits on a 10-hectare property with a state-of-the-art internet data center with fiber optic system.
When completed, it is expected to generate some 3,500 new jobs.
Ponce, in a press release, said she informed the President that Ceza will tie up with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) for language instructions in English, Mandarin, Nipponggo, Latin, Spanish, Fookien and Cantonese.
An international airport, with 1,500-meter runway will also rise in Ceza. The air facility is designed to accommodate 100 to 120 airline passengers.
The proposed international airport is a joint venture of Ceza and a private group.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is doing the pre-feasibility study of the air terminal.
Ceza also plans to construct additional hotels, golf courses and retirement villas.
The 250-meter breakwater, now under construction, is scheduled to be completed this November.
The rehabilitation of the road system in the area, includes the 10.5 kilometer San Vicente-Gotar-Lubok-Anguib access road.
It is set to be finished this year.
Ponce hoped that the development of the Cagayan Freeport will be completed by 2010.
Also present during the President's visit here were Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Cagayan Governor Alvaro Antonio and Sta. Ana Mayor Norberto Victor Rodriguez.
Managed by Ceza, the Cagayan Freeport is one of the flagship projects of the Philippine government.
It is envisioned to be a major trade transshipment point in the Asia-Pacific rim.
Ceza is empowered to operate, directly through license, joint venture or lease.
Various tourism and gaming-related activities such as casinos, horse racing, dog racing, and all forms of gaming need not pass through any National Government agency. (JMR/Sunnex)
