The House of Representatives has endorsed a resolution pushing for the proclamation of the proposed Bicol Ecozone in Pantao, Libon, Albay as the fifth public economic zone under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), signaling a major step toward boosting trade along the country’s eastern seaboard.
Joint panels on Economic Affairs and Trade and Industry approved the measure, which urges the President to formalize the ecozone’s status. The proposal, filed by Albay Rep. Raymund Adrian Salceda, would place Bicol alongside existing government-run ecozones in Baguio, Pampanga, Cavite, and Cebu.
Positioned along a strategic Pacific-facing corridor, the planned ecozone is envisioned as a major industrial port and logistics gateway. It aims to strengthen the Philippines’ links to key Indo-Pacific markets, including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Australia—potentially cutting shipping times and easing reliance on more congested western routes.
Salceda said the project could unlock new growth corridors across Southern Luzon and neighboring regions, driving job creation, foreign investments, and deeper integration into global value chains.
“The establishment of the Bicol Ecozone will create new growth areas that will uplift the lives of millions in the Bicol Region,” he said.
Beyond logistics gains, the proposal reflects a broader push to rebalance economic activity outside traditional hubs in Luzon. Analysts note that developing an eastern seaboard gateway could improve supply chain resilience, particularly as global trade routes face disruptions.
With existing PEZA infrastructure already in place in Pantao, the site is being positioned as a ready greenfield hub for manufacturing and international commerce, reviving its historic role as a shipbuilding center during the galleon trade era.
