Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) Administrator and CEO Secretary Raul L. Lambino urged his staff to keep the vision alive for the agency and the mission of improving the lives of Cagayanos amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In these trying times, we have to keep our vision for the agency that hopefully in the next 25 years,

CEZA will be the foremost economic zone in Northern Luzon,” Sec. Lambino told CEZA employees as he greeted them virtually via Zoom during the agency’s 26^th Founding Anniversary on February 24.

“We celebrate this occasion very simply but meaningfully. COVID-19 is still here, so our priority is to keep everybody safe and healthy,” the Secretary added as he apologized for disapproving several activities for the agency’s anniversary.

The CEZA chief assured that despite the current situation, he is in constant communication with the investors. “Hopefully as the travel restrictions would ease, they can come and visit the zone.

Some members of the CEZA Board also joined the anniversary celebration and gave their hellos and salutes to CEZA virtually and expressed their gratitude to the responsible stewardship of Secretary Lambino and the people behind the organization.

“Businesses have been closed, jobs have been lost and many suffered hunger but we have survived. There is a reason to hope and to count the many blessings that we have. There is light at the end of the tunnel,” said Vice Chairman Dir. Arturo Bautista adding that the ‘Build-Build-Build’ program of President Rodrigo Duterte is visible in the developments at the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) in Santa Ana, Cagayan.

Bautista also cited the bold undertakings of CEZA when it reached out during the massive flooding in Cagayan last November 2020, where the Secretary himself asked for donations to aid the affected Cagayanos.

For his part, Dir. Purisimo Tiam said that he has seen CEZA’s efforts in recent years and hopes that the agency may never die “but move forward with the development plans for Cagayan Freeport that will benefit not only the Cagayan Valley Region but the whole country.”

Dir. Joseph Lara lauded CEZA employees for a job well done as he urged everyone to stay safe against COVID-19, while Dir. Ernesto Fueconcillo simply greeted everyone a happy anniversary with a smile.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Director Dominador Jaramillo Dayag expressed his excitement for being a part now of the CEZA Board admitting that he is one of the many Cagayanos who aspired to be a director of CEZA and admired the investment agency because of the development it brings in the Zone.

“I’m very enthusiastic and positive about joining this organization where I can share my knowledge and insights on the current developments. I am very positive that I can be an asset and I am one with CEZA in all its endeavors,” Director Dayag said.