The Bataan Export Processing Zone, commonly known as BEPZ, is a special economic zone in Mariveles, Bataan

Mariveles, Bataan

Mariveles is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 102,844 people in 19,460 households...

, Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. It is the first "free trade zone" in the Philippines established through the enactment of Republic Act No. 5490 by Congress of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

The Congress of the Philippines is the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines. It is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate , and the House of Representatives although commonly in the Philippines the term congress refers to the latter.The Senate is composed of 24 senators half...

. The economic zone is managed by Bataan Export Processing Zone Authority

Bataan Export Processing Zone Authority

The Bataan Export Processing Zone Authority is a government agency of the Republic of the Philippines in charge with the management of Bataan Export Processing Zone, an economic zone located in Mariveles, Bataan. The agency was created by Republic Act No...

 created under the law that established the zone.

BEPZ is located in a cove at the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula

Bataan Peninsula

The Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea...

. It is about 172.3 kilometers from Manila

Manila

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...

 via the Bataan Provincial Expressway

Bataan Provincial Expressway

The Bataan Provincial Expresway, also known as the Roman Expressway or the Roman Superhighway, is a toll two-lane freeway with pedestrian lanes, intersections, and junctions that connects Bataan to the provinces of the Central Luzon region in the Philippines.The expressway begins in Layac,...

 and North Luzon Expressway

North Luzon Expressway

The North Luzon Expressway , and which is formerly called the North Diversion Road, and officially known as Radial Road 8 is a 4 to 8-lane limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces of the Central Luzon region in the Philippines...

, Gapan-Olongapo Road and Roman Highway. It has a total land area of 153.9 km² representing 12% of the total land area of Bataan.

Agricultural resources include rice, mangoes, legumes, vegetables and coffee. It also has aquatic resources like round scads, grouper, mussel, and abalone; mineral deposits of granite and basalt and forest products like vines and bamboo.

Access

It can also be reached through jet ferry plying the Mariveles to Manila route that has an approximate travel time of 39.7 minutes.

• Bataan Provincial Expressway
  Bataan Provincial Expressway
  The Bataan Provincial Expresway, also known as the Roman Expressway or the Roman Superhighway, is a toll two-lane freeway with pedestrian lanes, intersections, and junctions that connects Bataan to the provinces of the Central Luzon region in the Philippines.The expressway begins in Layac,...
  
  

Bataan Export Processing Zone is on Exit 50

External links

• BEPZA Bataan General Information
• http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmlfi00/tmlfir.htm
• http://www.saigon.com/~nike/christian-aid.htm
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information