TUBA, Benguet—The municipal government, in coordination with residents and land owners, has identified three sites that could be used for the expansion of the Baguio-based Philippine Economic Zone Authority to accommodate more locators eyeing to do business in Baguio and Benguet.
Mayor Ignacio Rivera said the areas include a 45-hectare property in Barangay San Pascual, a 42-hectare property located within the boundary of Barangays Taloy Norte and Poblacion, and another 40-hectare property at the boundary of Taloy Sur and Taloy Norte.
“We want to make sure the land owners possess the pertinent documents of these potential expansion areas, so that Peza will start evaluating and assessing the viability of the properties as site of its locators in the future,” Rivera stressed.
He said Peza management has endorsed Tuba as the suitable expansion area of the economic zone because of its proximity to existing national roads that will allow the smooth transport of products from the zone to its markets outside.
Tuba officials have already met with their PEZA counterparts on the submission of documents covering the potential sites, Rivera said, and that the local government is awaiting the next step.
Earlier, Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan urged Tuba to start scouting for potential sites within the town.
Rivera claimed the PEZA operation in the municipality will improve Tuba’s income because of its guaranteed 40-percent share from the taxes to be paid by PEZA locators that will be directly remitted to the municipal government.
The income from PEZA, the mayor said, will fund priority development projects in Tuba’s 13 barangays, provide income-generating projects of the local government, and enhance the delivery of basic services to the people, especially those living in remote villages.
Tuba is a first-class municipality bounded by four national roads that include the scenic and historic Kennon road, Marcos Highway, Naguilian Road and the newly paved Baguio-Asin-San Pascual-Aringay national road.