The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to driving renewable energy (RE), sustainability, and digital transformation as critical pillars for the continuous growth and global competitiveness of the country’s Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry.
Speaking at the recent high-level ESG Forum organized by the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) at Shangri-La The Fort, PEZA Deputy Director General (DDG) for Operations Vivian S. Santos emphasized that adopting sustainable energy solutions is no longer just an environmental goal, but an essential business continuity requirement.
The forum, themed “Synergy vs. Gridlock: Scaling RE Adoption in the IT-BPM Industry,” brought together key government officials and industry leaders to tackle pathways for accelerating RE adoption. Discussions centered on meeting the escalating power demands triggered by the rapid expansion of the digital economy, hyperscale data center operations, and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled technologies.
During the panel discussion, DDG Santos highlighted the IT-BPM sector’s role as a primary economic engine, driving employment, exports, and investments in the Philippines. However, as the sector integrates more complex digital tools and AI into its business processes, securing a reliable, cost-effective, and green power supply becomes increasingly vital.
“The IT-BPM sector is one of the country’s largest electricity consumers because of its 24/7 operations, hyperscale data requirements, cloud infrastructure, and growing use of AI-driven technologies,” Santos said. “As digitalization accelerates, so does the industry’s energy demand. This makes renewable energy not only a sustainability agenda, but also a long-term business continuity and competitiveness requirement for globally integrated IT-BPM firms.”
To address these evolving demands, DDG Santos shared PEZA’s aggressive efforts to transform traditional economic zones into future-ready, green ecozones through energy efficiency initiatives and strategic collaborations. PEZA is currently working alongside major global institutions, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC)-World Bank and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), to roll out the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for Exporters (SuRGE).
Furthermore, DDG Santos noted that PEZA is actively maximizing the fiscal and non-fiscal incentives under the CREATE MORE Act. This includes leveraging VAT zero-rating privileges on qualified sustainability-related goods and services to actively lower the barriers for Registered Business Enterprises (RBEs) looking to invest in renewable energy and green technologies.
Through these targeted policy implementations and ecosystem enhancements, PEZA aims to ensure that the Philippine IT-BPM sector remains highly attractive, resilient, and ready to lead the global digital marketplace.
