PRESS RELEASE

PEZA, Baguio City ink Integrity Pledge

11 March 2022 (Saturday)

Baguio City – Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Officer-in-Charge Tereso Panga
and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong have signed an Integrity Pledge last March 04,
2023, affirming commitment to uphold high ethical standards and transparent business
practices.

The signing ceremony, held at the PEZA office in Baguio City, marks a significant step
towards promoting a culture of integrity and accountability in the country’s economic zones.
Joining the Baguio City Mayor and PEZA OIC were PEZA Deputy Director General for
Operations Vivian S. Santos, Deputy Director General for Finance and Administration Aleem
Siddiqui M. Guiapal and Baguio City Economic Zone Administrator Emmanuel D. Cortero.

[From left to right] OIC DDG Aleem Guiapal, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, OIC Director General
Tereso Panga, and OIC DDG Vivian Santos signing the Integrity Pledge last 04 March 2023

Prior to the signing, the PEZA officials paid courtesy call to the Mayor at his office at the
Baguio City Hall. While exchanging ideas on good governance, Mayor Magalong shared his
campaign to encourage government officials to shun temptations of corruptions and promote
transparency in government dealings.
“This movement of good governance should spread like virus and infect the whole of
government apparatus, said Mayor Magalong while distributing stickers inscribed with “Good
Governance Beyond Politics” to PEZA officials. The Mayor also shared the aspiration of
Baguio to become the “first smart city” in the country.

OIC Director General Panga and the PEZA Officials meeting with Baguio City Mayor Magalong

The PEZA OIC informed the Mayor that PEZA upholds and shares the same ideals of good
governance in the advent of digital economy. Having risen from the ranks, OIC Tereso Panga
saw PEZA transform from a fledgling bureau in the late 1990s to an economic powerhouse
that it is today, contributing to the economic growth by creating a brand of ease of doing
business within PEZA ecozones.

The Mayor was elated that PEZA share the same ideals, and together with the PEZA OIC
decided to cement both agencies’ shared commitment to promote good governance, honesty,
utmost service and ethical business practices. “This sends a strong message that corruption
has no place in the country’s economic zones and that both the public and private sectors
must work together to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability,” said the
PEZA OIC.
 [From left to right] Baguio City Economic Zone Administrator Emmanuel Cortero, OIC DDG Aleem Guiapal,
OIC Director General Theo Panga, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, OIC DDG Vivian Santos during
the courtesy visit at the Baguio City Hall

The PEZA OIC further said, “As with the aim of Baguio City to be a “smart city”, PEZA likewise
has implemented pioneering programs and initiatives to transform public and private
economic zones into “green ecozones”. PEZA has registered embedded renewable energy
projects, thereby reducing carbon footprints in ecozones for a sustainable development.
Towards a circular economy, PEZA has registered waste to energy projects. And for further
ease in doing business, we will roll out the completion of automation projects within months,
together with the command center not only for purposes of monitoring the flow of goods to
and from ecozone to curb smuggling, but as well as integrating the same with DICT programs
for emergency response, disaster resiliency and business continuity plan.”

Back in 2012, During the time of former PEZA Director General Lilia B. De Lima, the Integrity
Pledge (a Makati Business Club led integrity initiative project) was etched between PEZA and
the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) to support campaign against
corruption.

In that ceremony, the former PEZA DG Lilia De Lima highlighted PEZA ecozones as prime
models on how to handle investors in the country. #
Integrity Pledge signed by PEZA and Baguio City