President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered government agencies to expedite the development of special economic zones in rural areas.
Under Administrative Order No. 18, the President directed all concerned government agencies to hasten human capital and infrastructure development as well as the provision of needed interventions to strengthen ecozones in the countryside.
He likewise tasked agencies to ensure the development of backward and forward linkages of industries in and around special ecozones.
The government agencies covered by AO No. 18 are the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
AO No. 18, however, ordered a moratorium on the processing of applications for ecozones in Metro Manila to complement existing strategies and policies on rural development.
Businesses in areas declared as ecozones could enjoy tax-free importations, tax holidays, and exemption from payment of any government fees, among others.
“There is a need to promote rural development, ensure inclusive growth in the countryside, and create robust economic activity and wealth generation in areas outside Metro Manila,” the President said in his administrative order.
