New office, jobs fair, sportsfest mark CEZA’s 24th anniversary

MANILA, Philippines — The opening of its new satellite office in Tuguegarao City, sports competitions and a job fair for Cagayanons are among activities scheduled this weekend in Santa Ana, Cagayan to mark the 24th anniversary of the creation of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

Raul Lambino, CEZA administrator and CEO, said the  new office has a training center for job seekers at the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport.

Lambino said the ongoing construction of a sanitary landfill and several infrastructure projects will be inspected and those in the pipeline will be unveiled, including groundbreaking of the Central Business District in Santa Ana during the anniversary celebrations on Feb. 25.

Groundbreaking for the  planned Corporate Center and Commercial Center will be held at an 11-hectare property newly acquired by CEZA in Barangay Rapuli, site of the proposed facilities to be built, such as hotel and condominium buildings, duty-free shopping malls and entertainment plaza.

The week-long celebration kicked off yesterday in Barangays Casambalangan, Rapuli, Diora Zinungan to San Vicente, where Lambino led in the coastal cleanup and tree-planting activites.

Sports competitions among CEZA employees and locators at the Cagayan Freeport, and a medical and dental mission for residents of Santa Ana and nearby towns are scheduled today.

A CEZA Culinary Challenge featuring entries from Cagayan’s 28 municipalities and one city will be held tomorrow, focusing on the food delicacies and rich marine products of the country’s No. 1 tourist destination in Northern Luzon.

Lambino said the rehabilitation and upgrading of Port San Vicente, just across from the scenic Palaui Island, are designed to allow the port to accommodate cruise vessels and RoRo ships.

 Construction of three warehouses in Port Irene, he said, will start next month, the first step to expand the capacity of the cargo terminal.