ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 45 AMENDING ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 18 (S. 2019), AS AMENDED BY ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 11 (S. 2023), BY ALLOWING THE PROCESSING AND EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PARKS IN METRO MANILA July 23, 2026

WHEREAS,Republic Act (RA) No. 7916 or the "Special Economic Zone Act of 1995," as amended by RA No. 8748, established the legal framework and mechanism for the integration, coordination, planning and monitoring of special economic zones, industrial estates/parks, export processing zones and other economic zones, and created the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to review and endorse to the President proposals for the establishment of economic zones;

WHEREAS,Administrative Order (AO) No. 18 (s. 2019) imposed a moratorium on the processing of applications for the establishment of economic zones in Metro Manila to promote rural development, ensure inclusive growth in the countryside, and create robust economic activity and wealth generation in areas outside in Metro Manila;

WHEREAS,AO No. 11 (s. 2023) reiterated the moratorium under AO No. 18 and allowed the resubmission of applications for the establishment of economic zones which have already been issued Pre-Qualification Clearances by the PEZA Board prior to the effectivity date of AO No. 18;

WHEREAS,the services sector, which includes information and communications, remains to be a reliable source of economic activity in the country, with Metro Manila registering the biggest share;

WHEREAS,allowing the processing and evaluation of applications for the establishment of Information Technology (I) Centers and IT Parks will attract more investors, generate more employment, and strengthen Metro Manila's position as the leading information and communications technology hub in the country;

WHEREAS,the Administration's 8-Point Socio-Economic Agenda aims to bolster employment opportunities for the Filipino people through the promotion of investments that boost productivity; and

WHEREAS,Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control over all the executive departments, bureaus, and offices;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR.,President of the Republic of the Philippines, by the virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitutions and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Establishment of IT Centers and IT Parks in Metro Manila.Applications for the establishment of IT Centers and IT Parks in Metro Manila.

SECTION 2. Continued Moratorium under AO No. 18.The moratorium on the processing and evaluation of all other economic zone applications in Metro Manila under AO No. 18, as amended, shall continue to be in effect.

SECTION 3. Implementing Guidelines.The PEZA Board shall formulate and issue Guidelines necessary to effectively implement this Order.

SECTION 4. Separability.If any provision of this Order is declared unconstitutional or invalid. the other provisions not otherwise affected  shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. Repeal.Unaffected provisions of AO No. 18, as amended, shall remain in full force and effect. All other issuances, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof that are contrary to, or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 6. Effectivity.This Order shall take effect immediately following its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Done in the City of Manila, this 23^rdday of July, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Six.

(SGD.)FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR.

By the President: