Cheyenne Suarez

Iwahig Penal Farm. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

 From prison to mega-economic zone: Slice of Palawan's Iwahig Penal Farm eyed for commercial use

Benise Balaoing

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1738225521390palawan.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Iwahig Penal Farm. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News"/>Iwahig Penal Farm. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </div><div> </div>MANILA -- More than 2000 hectares of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan will soon be turned into the Palawan Mega Economic Zone.This comes after the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) signed a memorandum of agreement with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) for the development of the first mega ecozone in the country.In a statement, the PEZA said the ecozone is expected to attract emerging and high-value industries like electric vehicle production, advanced manufacturing, green ores processing, nanotech, knowledge-based and AI-driven industries, medical-related industries, and blue industries.BuCor meanwhile said it wants the area to be “clean, green, and technology-driven&quot; as a smart mixed-used township.&quot;We look forward to beginning the master planning and immediately start the development of this ecozone which will create more employment opportunities for Filipinos, most especially persons deprived of liberty (PDLs),” said PEZA Director-General Tereso Panga.BuCor Director General Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. said he wants Palawan to be part of the Luzon Economic Corridor, which is expected to be the Philippines&#x27; manufacturing hub.“Palawan is the new frontier and we want to generate income for social development and food security,” he added.Both officials hope the ecozone will be operational before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s term ends in 2028.PEZA said it secured P30.156 billion in investments during its first board meeting in 2025.The agency said this is 1,263 percent higher than the P2.212 billion investments approved in January last year.PEZA said that out of the 12 new and expansion projects it approved, 5 are export manufacturing ventures, 4 are information technology-business process management projects, and 3 are domestic market projects.The 12 projects, scattered across Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas, are expected to bring in $ 32.177 million in exports and create 3,270 direct jobs.PEZA said it aims to bring in P235 to 250 billion in investments in 2025.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2024/12/3/peza-approves-more-than-p201billion-in-investments-from-jan-nov-1253" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PEZA approves more than P201 billion in investments from Jan-Nov</a></div>

More than 2000 hectares of the Iwahig Penal Farm in Palawan will soon be turned into an ecozone.

More than 2000 hectares of the Iwahig Penal Farm in Palawan will soon be turned into an ecozone.