Baguio
This zone started operations in 1980 and presently has 15 operating firms inside its 62-hectare enclosure. It is located within the city of Baguio itself which is 5,000 feet above sea level. Baguio City is not only a summer capital of the Philippines, but it is also the center of education, tourism, business, employment, and administrative nucleus for northern Luzon (Cordillera Region). BCEPZ has the least number of zone locators but most of these firms are engaged in the electronics and other high-technology industries. These industries have a high value-added component and most finished products are expensive consumer goods making the Baguio City Export Processing Zone the top public ecozone in dollar terms of total export value.
New inward investments and expansion plans for firms within the zone are often approved on a highly-selective basis due to concerns about earthquakes. The big earthquake which hit Baguio City and surrounding areas in 1990 caused massive infrastructure damage and a considerable loss of lives. The primary factor for the firms which chose to locate in Baguio City is its cool climate and clean air (relatively free of dust) which is conducive to electronics firms that require dust-free working environments. However, its cool climate almost all year round also contributes to low-lying smog since smoke is not dissipated into higher altitudes.