Baguio exports, biz firms increase in 2017

April 21, 2018 Metro BLISTT

Combined value of exports from the Baguio Economic Zone, John Hay Tourism Special Zone and SM-Baguio Cyberzone totaled more than $2.9 billion in 2017 representing a 75.2 percent increase compared to the more than $1.6 billion in 2016.
This was revealed by city planning and development officer Evelyn Cayat in Moday’s City Hall flag-raising rites citing data from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority or PEZA.
She said radio, television and communications equipment contributed 64.8 percent to the total exports followed by fabricated metal products except machinery and electrical with 28.6 percent and call centers contributing 6.2 percent.
Cayat added that average employment in PEZA industries ‘also registered year-on-year increases with 14,622 average employment last year as compared to 13,802 in 2016 or an increase of almost six percent.
Outside PEZA, the Summer Capital’s trade and industry continuous to prosper with a 2.58 percent increase in the number of business establishments operating in the city from 19,083 in 2016 to 19,590 last year.
Of this number, she said that 47.3 percent are engaged in retailing; 22.9 percent in real estate, boarding houses, apartments and transient houses; 13.4 percent in services and six percent are restaurants and other similar establishments.
The remaining 10 percent of business establishments are engaged in wholesale, aggregates, amusements and others.
Cayat said these establishments employed a total of 58,743 individuals in 2017. GABY KEITH / ABN