STA. ANA, Pampanga — Pampanga business leader Rene Romero called for a major expansion of industrial zoning for this eastern Pampanga town to tap its full potential for development.
The current vice chair of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Development Institute, Inc. and former president and chairman of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry made his call at the convening of the town’s local investments and incentives board last Nov. 17.
Romero, also chairman and CEO of RoMac Group, underscored the imperative for the municipality to update its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and expand its industrial zoning from the current 22 hectares to at least 100 to 200 hectares.
He explained that the existing zoning allocation is too small to attract the type of industries needed to transform the town into a competitive hub for investments, jobs, and tourism.
The expansion, he said, would allow Sta. Ana to accommodate agro-industrial facilities, logistics operations, fabrication shops, and light manufacturing.
Romero highlighted Sta. Ana’s strategic location and youthful labor force as key advantages. With a median age of 26 in its population and access to urban centers such as the cities of San Fernando and Angeles City, and the Clark Freeport, as well as to the emerging commercial centers of Mexico, Arayat, and Magalang, Sta. Ana is positioned to support labor-intensive industries and attract investors looking for long-term stability, he said.
He also recommended the establishment of a fully functioning investment promotion office to present a clear investment menu specifying industrial zones, suitable industries, land-use restrictions, available utilities, and incentives. Investors must immediately see where they can locate and what assistance the LGU can provide. Predictable policies, efficient processing, peace and order, and firm commitments to protect investor interests, he added, are essential to securing investments and sustaining Sta. Ana’s economic momentum.
Also serving as resource persons and discussants at the event were former City of San Fernando mayor and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Oscar S. Rodriguez, Institute for Solidarity in Asia fellow Sonia Soto, Vickee Dela Cruz-Ong of Makimura, Macky Nicdao of One Pampanga, and KD Magtoto of the Pampanga Business Circle, an informal yet dynamic alliance of business leaders and professionals who gather to build camaraderie and meaningful relationships. Punto News Team/Contributed photos
