Denying PEZA's Request to Recommend to the President the Lifting of the Moratorium on Declaration of Ecozones in Metro Manila as Provided for under AO 18

February 21, 2022 FIRB RESOLUTION NO. 004-22 WHEREAS , the President issued Administrative Order No. 18, s. 2019 (AO 18) to complement existing strategies and policies on rural development by prohibiting the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to accept, process, or evaluate applications for the establishment of ecozones in Metro Manila immediately upon its effectivity; WHEREAS , PEZA, in its letter to the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) dated 02 February 2022, requested FIRB to recommend to the President to lift the moratorium on the declaration of ecozones in Metro Manila as provided under AO 18; WHEREAS , the economic strategy of the government is to hasten the rural development, ensure inclusive growth in the countryside, and create a robust economic activity and wealth generation in areas outside of Metro Manila; WHEREAS , a harmonious interpretation and implementation of AO No. 18 and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act is possible, especially considering that the policy of the government is to increase investments outside Metro Manila; WHEREAS , the continued effectivity of AO No. 18 is still complementary to the existing strategies and policies on rural development even with the application of the CREATE Act, which merely provides additional incentives for investments in areas not within Metro Manila; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED , That the request of PEZA for the FIRB to recommend to the President the lifting of the moratorium on the declaration of ecozones in Metro Manila as provided for under AO 18, BE DENIED ; This Resolution may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which when duly executed and sent by facsimile or electronic transmission to the Secretariat shall be valid and effectual as if executed as an original, but all the counterparts (including those sent by way of facsimile or electronic transmission) shall together constitute one and the same document. Adopted by the Board in its meeting on 21 February 2022, where a quorum was present. (SGD.) TINA ROSE MARIE L. CANDA Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary of Budget and Management (SGD.) KARL KENDRICK T. CHUA Socioeconomic Planning Secretary (SGD.) RAMON M. LOPEZ Co-Chairperson and Secretary of Trade and Industry (SGD.) MARAH VICTORIA S. QUEROL Senior Deputy Executive Secretary (SGD.) CARLOS G. DOMINGUEZ Chairperson and Secretary of Finance