MANILA, Philippines - Exports from economic zones administered by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) rose 54% to $3.13 billion in January from $2.03 billion in the same month last year.

In a report, PEZA director-general Lilia de Lima said bulk or $2.18 billion of the export bill were from locators in the privately-owned ecozones. This was an increase of 57% from last year's $1.39 billion.

Exports from public zones, including Baguio, Cavite, Mactan and Bataan, rose nearly 60% to $652.22 million in January from $408.28 million in the same month in 2009.

Locators in information technology (IT) parks, meanwhile, generated export earnings of $297.16 million, up 26.79% from last year's $234.37 million.

Employment at PEZA ecozones also went up 11% to 637,759 from 572.836.

About half or 301,014 of the workers were employed by private ecozones while public zones had 124,175 workers. IT locators accounted for the remaining workers.