The current officer-in-charge of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), Tereso Panga, has obtained support from industry stakeholders amid recent controversies hounding leadership at the investment promotion agency.
These stakeholders include major trade associations such as the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the Philippine Ecozone Associations (PHILEA), The Semiconductors and Electronics in the Philippines, Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI), the Cavite Export Zone Investors Association (CEZIA), and the Mactan Export Processing Zone Chamber of Exporters and Manufacturers (MEPZCEM).
Based on documents obtained by the Inquirer, these groups have endorsed to the Office of the President the appointment of the current OIC as the next Peza chief.
“He has been a figure of stability and a source of assurance for IT-BPM (information technology-business process management) registered business enterprises, especially as the sector navigated work-from-home or hybrid work,” read the IBPAP endorsement letter signed by its president, Jack Madrid.
“Mr. Panga has been with Peza for a steady 24 years, and has remarkably risen from the ranks. This itself is a testimony of his capability,” said SEIPI president Danilo Lachico in a separate endorsement letter. CEZIA and MEPZCEM made a similar call for the appointment of Panga to lead the investment promotion agency.
Embattled institution
Panga’s assumption as the temporary head of Peza since last year has been questioned anew, with three former employees and one current employee filing a complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman.
Petitioners accused Panga of usurpation of authority, referring to the previous tiff with former Peza chief Charito Plaza, who was removed as head of the investment promotion agency when President Marcos assumed office.
Three of the complainants mentioned that their contract was not renewed by Panga, while the other one complained about getting reassigned to another area of jurisdiction after all of them had been tagged as supporters of the previous Peza chief.
Panga has since reiterated that this assumption as OIC was backed by an order from Malacanang, citing such issuance as the legal basis of his selection as Peza OH I SEE until a more permanent appointment has been made.
He added that the former Peza chief had also bid goodbye and told stakeholders that she would step down as head, refuting allegations that she had been forcibly removed from the government institution.