MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Following an inspection visit by a delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) to Port Irene in Sta. Ana, cagayan Province in the Northern Philippines last May, the AmCham reported that the controversial port should stick to online gambling.
Port Irene recently sparked controversy with its flourishing used-vehicle imports business in that part of the Cagayan province that has affected the Philippines’ local automotive industry. The AmCham, whose members includes Ford Philippines, sent a team in May to inspect the business and in a report submitted by the delegation it noted that Port Irene can focus on developing further its niche as an offshore gambling haven — for both operators and players.
“The Cagayan Export Zone (CEZ) Freeport appears to have good prospects to develop its new gambling business,” the AmCham report stated. “Gambling by Chinese visitors is growing at the CEZ Freeport. For the CEZ, its “Cybercity” project means “cybergambling.”
According to the report, closing the used-car business in Port Irene would have little impact in terms of employment because those unemployed can find work with any of the number of online gaming companies operating from the economic zone.
The Cagayan Export Zone Authority (CEZA) was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 7922 signed into law in 1995 which gave Port Irene, Sta. Ana, Cagayan the right “to operate on its own, either directly or through a subsidiary entity, or license to others, tourism-related activities, including games, amusements, recreational and sports facilities such as horse racing, dog racing, gambling casinos, golf courses, and others, under priorities and standards set by the CEZA.”
A number of foreign-owned gambling-related businesses have been in operation via a CEZA license and plans are currently underway to improve infrastructure to the economic zone including an international airport and the upgrade of fiber-optic cables to Hong Kong and Taiwan to improve the quality of internet connectivity.
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