President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Proclamation 1288 on June 3, 2026, approving a 64.7229-hectare expansion of the West Cebu Industrial Park-Special Economic Zone in Balamban, Cebu.
The expansion was approved upon the recommendation of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), bringing the industrial park's total land area from 540 hectares to approximately 604 hectares.
The joint venture between Aboitiz Group and Tsuneishi Holdings hosts global manufacturing and shipbuilding enterprises, currently providing employment to more than 14,000 skilled Filipino workers.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the expansion of the West Cebu Industrial Park-Special Economic Zone (WCIP-SEZ) in Balamban, Cebu, adding more than 64 hectares of land to one of the country’s major industrial hubs.
Under Proclamation 1288, signed on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Marcos designated two parcels of land in Barangay Buanoy, Balamban, with a combined area of approximately 647,229 square meters, or 64.7229 hectares, for inclusion in the existing Cebu SEZ.
The WCIP-SEZ in Balamban covers approximately 540 hectares and is one of the largest industrial estates in Central Visayas. It is a joint venture between the Aboitiz Group and Japan’s Tsuneishi Holdings and is home to shipbuilding, manufacturing and heavy-industry locators. It employs more than 14,000 workers.
The additional land brings the total area of the WCIP-SEZ to about 604 hectares, covering portions of Barangays Buanoy and Arpili in Balamban.
The WCIP-SEZ has steadily expanded its footprint in recent years. In 2024, the government added about 17.7 hectares to the ecozone. Another 6.95 hectares were added in December 2025, followed by the latest 64.72-hectare expansion approved on June 3.
The expansion was approved upon the recommendation of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) and is subject to the provisions of Republic Act 7916, or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, and its implementing rules and regulations.
According to Aboitiz Economic Estates, the industrial park hosts several global enterprises and provides employment to more than 14,000 skilled Filipino workers engaged in medium- and heavy-industry operations.
The latest expansion follows a series of similar moves by the President to enlarge the special economic zone through the designation of additional parcels of land for inclusion in the ecozone.
Peza-registered enterprises enjoy a range of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, including income tax holidays, special corporate income tax rates or enhanced deductions, tax- and duty-free importation of capital equipment and raw materials and value-added tax exemptions on qualified transactions.
The ecozone, which spans more than 600 hectares, is home to major locator firms led by Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc. and other manufacturing enterprises that cater to both domestic and international markets.
As global manufacturers continue to diversify their supply chains and seek strategic locations in Southeast Asia, officials expressed optimism that the WCIP will remain a major investment destination and economic engine for Cebu in the years ahead. / PNA