Property and hospitality giant Megaworld is exploring expansion opportunities within the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (ZAMBOECOZONE), signaling growing investor interest in emerging growth corridors outside the country’s traditional urban centers.
The move comes as ZAMBOECOZONE accelerates efforts to transform its highland areas into a major agritourism destination through new public-private partnerships aimed at generating jobs, attracting visitors, and stimulating long-term investment.
During a courtesy visit on June 9, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts General Manager Art Boncato met with ZAMBOECOZONE Chairman and Administrator Raul M. Regondola to discuss potential hospitality, tourism, and retail investments within the freeport.
Megaworld, which operates a broad portfolio of hotels and township developments across Metro Manila, Cebu, and Boracay, is evaluating how the ecozone’s incentives and strategic location can support its regional growth plans.
“We are very grateful for the warm welcome from ZAMBOECOZONE,” Boncato said, noting the company’s interest in aligning future projects with the freeport’s development agenda.
Attracting a major real estate player such as Megaworld could provide the ecozone a strong vote of confidence in Western Mindanao’s investment prospects. The initiative also reflects a broader trend of developers looking beyond saturated urban markets in search of new tourism and commercial opportunities.
Complementing these efforts, ZAMBOECOZONE signed two joint venture agreements on June 12 to develop the Highlands area into an agritourism hub.
JF Banana Farm will establish a lakatan banana and mixed-farming estate in Upper La Paz, while Kilometro 23-Agro-Farm Corporation will build an agro-tourism park featuring leisure villas, campsites, a restaurant, and specialty farms.
“These joint ventures mark a significant milestone in unlocking the Highlands’ full potential,” Regondola said.
Together, the projects underscore ZAMBOECOZONE’s strategy of combining agriculture, tourism, and private-sector investment to create a diversified growth engine for Western Mindanao, potentially positioning the freeport as a new destination for both travelers and investors.
