^{Photo credit: PEZA}

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is deepening its shift toward technology-driven industrial development, signing a new partnership with Schneider Electric Philippines to advance energy efficiency, digitalization, and automation across the country’s ecozones.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed on April 16, 2026, formalizes collaboration on capability-building, knowledge-sharing, joint initiatives, and investment promotion efforts aimed at positioning Philippine ecozones as hubs for smart and competitive manufacturing.

The agreement signals PEZA’s continued strategy of aligning with technology and energy management firms as it courts higher-value, innovation-led investments into its registered economic zones.

PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga said investor demand is increasingly shaped by long-term operational resilience and future-readiness.

“This collaboration will help us attract more innovation-driven investments and position the Philippines as a viable investment destination in the region,” he said.

Schneider Electric Philippines Country President Ireen Catane said the partnership builds on the company’s long-term presence in the country and its focus on industrial efficiency and sustainability.

“As PEZA’s energy technology partner, we remain committed to advancing smarter, more sustainable ecozones—leveraging innovation, energy efficiency, and digitalization to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of Philippine industries,” she said.

Schneider Electric’s operations in the Philippines date back to 1996 with American Power Conversion (APC) in Cavite, later integrated into Schneider Electric in 2007. The company established its registered logistics presence in the Cavite Economic Zone in 2011.

Following the signing, PEZA officials also took part in Schneider Electric’s “Innovation Talk: Powering the Future of Digital & Energy-Efficient Operations” on April 21 in Pampanga, which focused on operationalizing digital and energy-efficient industrial systems.

The latest deal adds to a growing list of PEZA partnerships with technology and sustainability-focused firms as the agency seeks to reposition ecozones beyond traditional manufacturing bases toward digitally enabled industrial hubs.

With PEZA steadily partnering with tech and energy solution providers, how far can these collaborations realistically go in reshaping on-the-ground ecozone performance and investor outcomes?

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