Cagayan Freeport- Officials of the Embassy of the United States traveled to Cagayan and visited the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) satellite office in Tuguegarao on Monday (April 4) to discuss the economic prospects not only in the Cagayan Freeport but also in the province and in the region — as part of efforts to further strengthen U.S-Philippines economic relations.

In welcoming the U.S Embassy officials, Secretary Raul L. Lambino expressed his gratitude to Economic Officer John Avrett, Lt. Col. US Airforce Assistant Air Attaché, Will Herbert, and Internal Political Unit Officer Larry Card II for visiting CEZA.

“We are very thankful and excited for this opportune time of your visit and I hope we would be able to generate more interest with all these innovative approaches to entice investors to come to the Philippines,” Secretary Lambino said.

During the visit, Secretary Lambino presented to the U.S delegation the “transformation and infrastructure makeover” currently taking place in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) in Sta. Ana, Cagayan —an innovative and sustainable economic hub emerging in the northeast corner of the country.

The Secretary also recalled the visit of other US Embassy delegations in the past where the presentation laid on them was very outdated due to the developments undertaken by CEZA over the past two years despite the global pandemic.

The visit was highlighted by the CEZA presentation envisioning Cagayan Freeport as a catalyst in the development of Northern Luzon, a full-serviced industrial, tourism, and financial technology enclave — an enclave of pleasant areas and living communities balancing work and play.

According to the Secretary, this will be the formula for regional sustainable development because ultimately, Cagayan Freeport will be the gateway to international markets for East Asian products and a hub for technology and finance.

“We are looking forward to American investors locating and investing in the Cagayan Freeport,” Secretary Lambino concluded. (With inputs and photos from the IRD TUGUEGARAO and LIZ LAGNITON, CEZA Writer)