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Person of Interest | Who is Atty. Lilia De Lima at the PEZA


Recently Atty. Lilia B. De Lima was awarded the Quezonian Lifetime Achievement Award by her  Alma Mater, Manuel L. Quezon University.  Aside from being the aunt of detained senator Atty. Laila De Lima, who is Atty. Lilia De Lima?

She was appointed to head the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) in 1995 by then president Fidel Ramos.  It was during this time that PEZA would experience its modern renaissance.  she trimmed the bureaucracy and rid it of corruption and she by doing so, investments came in, creating a positive environment for employment.  This gesture has benefited a lot of our countrymen.

PEZA under her flourished by leaps and bounds.  From inheriting 16 PEZA economic zones, she increased this to 343 by 2016.  She also started with 330 companies, she upped the number of registered firms to 3,756 under her leadership.  You can just imagine how much jobs she has created for our countrymen.  

Her plan was simple, get rid of corruption, streamline processes, investors come in with their projects, they hire people locally and export.  This plan has generated PEZA Php3 Trillion in investments, gathered Php17 Million in taxes and dividends to the National Government and what's important is the result, the generation of jobs amounting to 6.3 million, be they direct or indirect hires.

Lots of improved lives, her stint with PEZA didn't go unnoticed, she was given the nod and the prestigious 2017 Ramon Magsaysay AwardsDe Lima is one of the two recipients from the Philippines.