PEZA eyeing Q1 launch of digital marketplace

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) is eyeing a first quarter launch of a digital marketplace for its locator companies inside the country’s economic zones, a venture which will allow registered enterprises under them to have easier access to supplies for their local operations.

Peza Director General Tereso Panga told reporters last week that onboarding of these registered companies to the digital platform is currently ongoing.

“What we really want is to integrate local providers into the economic zone value chain. That is the idea—how we can enhance the local sourcing,” said Panga.

The Peza official added that the companies that wish access to this online marketplace will have to be enrolled into the system.

The digital marketplace, which is being undertaken in partnership with the Pasig-based technology firm NetGlobal Solutions, Inc. (NGSI), was originally set to have a launch in September.

The signing of the memorandum of agreement for the online marketplace took place last July 25.

Under the agreement, the NGSI will provide the development, operation and the maintenance of Peza’s directory and the EZA Digital Marketplace Platform.

For its part, the Peza is responsible for providing the necessary and the requested documentation, information and knowledge capital to NGSI, as well as engaging and integrating the technology firm’s system and other related services to support and augment its services.

To date, there are 4,352 locator companies in the Philippines’ 422 economic zones scattered nationwide, according to the Peza’s records.

From January this year to date, these enterprises produced $53.29 billion worth of exports and provided jobs to more than 1.8 million people.