LAOAG CITY – The Ilocos Norte government is offering its underutilized public spaces for free use or lease for up to a maximum of five years to eligible developers and operators of economic zones and industrial estates.
Ronaleigh Bueno, Ilocos Norte Trade and Investment Promotions Office head, confirmed this to the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday, following an investment conference her team, along with Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc, facilitated in Ascott BGC in Taguig City on June 20.
Meant to attract more investors aligned to Ilocos Norte’s top priority industries, the grant of this special incentive was approved on Monday by members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan under Provincial Ordinance No. 2025-06-108, which amends the Ilocos Norte Investment Code of 2019.
Among the province's top industries are food and agriculture, tourism and creative industries, manufacturing, renewable energy, information technology and business process management, services, mining and quarry.
According to Bueno, the amended copy of the province’s investment code is in support of investment activities that may not qualify for national-level incentives, particularly those related to the development of economic or industrial zones.
“For example, under the CREATE law, developers are eligible for incentives only if they establish estates with a minimum area of 25 hectares. However, some of the properties offered by the provincial government of Ilocos Norte fall below this threshold. To address this, we propose offering incentives at the provincial level — such as free lease arrangements for eligible projects,” she told PNA in an interview.
She added that this approach also reflects the best practices observed in other industrial estates, where free or subsidized leases have proven effective in attracting locators.
"Over time, the long-term lease arrangements can offset the initial lease-free period, ensuring sustainability for the province," Bueno said.
To date, the province has identified several government-owned properties eligible for free use, subject to feasibility, availability, and policy determination.
Among these are the Dungon-Dungon property, a 256.88-hectare pasture land in Barangay Baruyen in Bangui and Barangay Nagsurot in neighboring Burgos town; Northern Foods Corporation, a 3.12-hectare commercial/industrial land in Barangay San Joaquin, Sarrat; and the Takuat IT Park, a one-hectare property ideal for commercial and industrial use in Barangay San Marcos in San Nicolas.
