cal working group convened last

week to kick off the developrnent

of the LEIZ master lrlan in -order
to attract more investors and turn
Eastern Visayas into an industrial-
izcd rccinn-- -

committed to push for exploratory eflorts on the dustrial locators and

the passage of needed proposed LEIZ," said Ac- drive the manufacturing
legislation that would dire. activities in the area,
He added that Tin- noting that no new in-
gog s vision is alwavs dustrial comoanies have
coupled with a plan. moved into LIDE for al-
mitment towards the re- Tingog expressed Acidre said the re- most 30 yeals since its
alization of the LEIZ as gratitude to Ginggay gion's industrialization establishment.
an important component Hontiveros Malvar who lolicy should be back on "Despite the modest
of our region's alevelop- represented the part!' as its track to senerate gains, it cannot be de-
ment. With more indus. focal person for the LEIZ more jobs and illift the nied that objectives that
tries in Easlem Visavas. national technical worl{- people froln poverty. were envisioned for
there will be more jobs ing group. The industrialization LIDE were not fullv re-
to help realize our vjsion 'Tingods comroif,noent policy must also be re- alized-" Acidre ssid '
Lo increase fanilv income is first and foremost tru- sponsive to present needs Esiabtished in 19?8,
in t}le region," said Philip ]y to the mission, not and attentive to ecoloFi- LIDE is home to Philip-
Jude Acjdre. Tingog sec- only the position. From cal reafities, he added. pine Associated Smelting
ond noninee. its inception up to now, A cidre said ttre expan- and Refining Corpora-
Acidre maintained it has always been our sion of LIDE into the tion (Pasarl. the country's
I hal Tingog is strongly pleasure to be part of the LEIZ will attract new in- largest copper smelting

and refinery plant whose Super l}phoon Yolanda. put if it $.ill further de-
total copper output is Also. Pa"ar is operat- valop the copper indus-
more than half the na- ing at hall the capaiitr ir trys.downstieam.
tion s entjre copper in- did before the typhoon. 'Did lou know ihar
.Almost rhree
dustry production; Phil- decades aI- one of ihe by- prod-
ippine Phosphate Fertil- 1pr. we have yet realize ucls oI copper pro-
izer Coryoration (Phil- our vrsron ol a competi- cessing is gold and
phos), once the largest l,ive regional economy. silver-- wFich can
fertilizer production and Thal is why we need nor lead to the develop-
processing plant in the only to bring more in' ment of a local iewel-
country; and LepaIIto dusl,rial locators to LIDE. rv industrv?- he- said
Consolidated Mining but also eneaee with LIDE. ; 425-hect-
Company, then a strong lighr-lo-medium indus- are special economic
player in the minemls in- lries l,hat could benefit zone i-n rhe Philippines
dustry. from the infiastructure and dubbed as tlie cen-
However, Lepanto l,hat is already in place,' of the coun-
Ieapiece
has since then stopped said Acidre. !ry-s ind ust ria l;zation
operations while Philphos Acidre cited that Lhe plan, covers lhe towns
has yet to resume full repon can even double of Palompon and Tsa-
operations alter the 2013 the copper industry out. bel and ormoc City.
P o9- Jo