[ Source: Article published by :www.tribune.net.ph ( 01/20/2008 )]
"The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has endorsed to the Office of the President the accreditation of One Asia Business Center, a multimillion-peso development in Biñan, Laguna, as an information technology (IT) park.
An IT park provides infrastructures and other support facilities required by IT enterprises, as well as amenities required by professionals and workers.
Victor Manarang, president and CEO of the Extraordinary Group of Companies, said the first phase of the project is an IT park that will provide facilities for foreign and domestic locators involved in information and communication technology services such as call centers, business process outsourcing, medical transcription, multi-media, Web design and Internet services.
One Asia Business Center was prequalified as an IT park after meeting stringent Peza requirements such as establishing a high-speed fiber-optic telecommunication backbone and high-speed international gateway facility or wide-area network or any high-speed data telecommunication system that may become available in the future; and clean, uninterrupted power supply.
Once the presidential proclamation is issued, One Asia Business Center’s IT locators will be entitled to four- to six-year income tax holiday. After which, it has the option to pay a special 5-percent tax on gross income earned from locator IT enterprises and related operations, in lieu of all national and local taxes, except real property taxes on land.
It will also be exempted from payment of import duties and taxes on imported machinery and equipment and raw materials and enjoy additional deduction equivalent to 50 percent of training expenses.
The government is encouraging the investments in IT enterprises, as well as the establishment and operation of IT parks/buildings to accelerate the growth and development of the Philippine IT sector.
One Asia Business Center is conveniently located within Jubilation New Biñan making it highly accessible to Metro Manila through two major highways – South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) thru Mamplasan Exit and National Highway.
Manarang said the project involves the setting up of a fiber optic telecommunication system, wide roads, parking spaces, walkways for pedestrians, a multimodal transport terminal, an effective drainage system, electric utilities, an underground water distribution system, lighting poles and water feature and other facilities and amenities that will provide a park-like setting at the heart of the business center.
Locators in the project will have access to a qualified workforce and consumers in the towns of Binan, San Pedro and Sta. Rosa in Laguna and the town of Carmona in Cavite.
Within One Asia Business Center, a retail hub of bars and restaurants, coffee shops, health spas, boutiques and other retail outlets will be available for the enjoyment of workforce and its nearby residents.
Among the prospective locators for the IT park are software development companies, call centers, medical transcription companies, business process outsourcing firms, web design teams, computer schools, IT consultants, multi-media and graphics designers, data processing companies, and other IT related service providers.
One Asia Business Center offers lot sizes of 600 square meters priced at around P8.9 million and retail lots of 200-300 square meters at P3 million to P8 million."
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