CEZA CONTINUES ITS INVESTMENT PROMOTION ROADSHOW SERIES (1^st Leg)

By: Michelle S. Agabin

Sales and Promotion Supervisor IV

Cagayan Freeport- The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) headed by its Administrator and CEO, Secretary Jaime R. Escaño continued its investment promotion roadshow, this time in Aparri, Buguey and Camalaniugan, three municipalities that are still under the 1^st District of Cagayan Province last January 13, 2023.

The investment roadshow included a presentation of the different investment opportunities present at the Cagayan Freeport Zone and one-one meetings with Mayor Bryan Dale Chan of Aparri, Mayor Isidro Cabaddu of Camalaniugan and Mayor Licerio Antiporda III of Buguey and offer them collaborative partnerships and assistance with CEZA’s investment, tourism and infrastructure development projects.

Secretary Escaño was ecstatic in visiting for the first time each office of the three municipal mayors and personally showcased CEZA’s project undertakings and highlighting the six major infrastructure projects to kick-off starting this calendar year namely the dredging and reclamation area of Port Irene and the construction of additional piers in the port, construction of a fuel depot, maintenance of the CEZA breakwater, road system or network and the establishment of a communication system or data centers.

“We are here to showcase our previous projects and the future of CEZA by way of showing the six major infrastructure projects that will commence starting this year 2023”,  Secretary Escaño said.

The Secretary emphasized the topmost priorities of CEZA to undertake such as the development of Port Irene and the establishment of a fuel depot to cater the different needs of the people not only within the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport but in the whole Cagayan Valley Region.

According to the Secretary, CEZA intends to extend the pier of Port Irene into a 737meters-port capable of accommodating larger containerized ships. And once completed, he assured these municipal leaders that the priority clients to be catered are the different municipalities in the province, a small step that could help indirectly in boosting their economy not just in the municipality of Santa Ana where the port is located.

Likewise, Secretary Escaño informed CEZA’s plan to construct a fuel depot as one of the new projects that he strongly wishes to undertake, considering that it offers a big potential and numerous gains once operational. This project according to the Secretary is very promising as it will provide the first fuel depot in the Cagayan Valley Region and making this possible will not only provide a significant revenue to CEZA but will also provide a lower fuel cost in Cagayan Valley and an additional support facility to CEZA’s port operations as it will make available a fuel station for docking ships. He said, “So hopefully, we can help indirectly boost the economy of the different municipalities of the three districts of Cagayan, we are not only focusing on the infrastructure projects and developments of the Cagayan Freeport Zone but we intend to include all the municipalities because in one way or another, you will be directly benefited in all of our undertakings.”

Another offering that the CEZA Administrator opened up to the different mayors was the 6,000 square-meter CEZA Commercial Center which was completed in January 2022. Originally designed for firms engaged in cutting-edge, digital-based financial technology solutions to provide them with support for their businesses, Secretary Escaño was able to get the support of the CEZA Board of the modification of said building into a multi-use service facility including a commercial, diagnostic center, medical and doctors’ clinics for the use of all constituents in the 1^st District of the Province of Cagayan.

Lastly, the Secretary offered the CEZA Multi-Purpose Sports Facility and Driving Range located in Barangay Diora Zinungan wherein the facility shall include a lounge and executive suites for guests located in the second floor of the building.

All three mayors have praised this roadshow initiative by Secretary Escaño as a unique opportunity to share CEZA’s business developments and growth strategies being extended to their respective municipalities. (with inputs from EUCLID JAMON- Investment Promotion Officer)