DTI offers 51 priority projects

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) presented yesterday to the private sector 51 new projects in Luzon with a combined worth of P26 billion.

During the Luzon Investment Conference at the New World Hotel yesterday, the DTI gave investors a glimpse of the investment priority projects in Luzon which are classified in 10 industry sectors.

Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the focus is on the tourism and agribusiness sectors because these are two areas that can bring in a lot of investments and employment in rural areas. Aside from promoting these sectors, Domingo said they are also looking for long term winners that can be likened to call center, electronics, ship building and ship repair.

Domingo said the global slowdown has led to diversification in companies. He noted that companies are moving some of their lower value operations and the Philippines can be a beneficiary to this given the positive investment climate in the Philippines as a result of the country’s relatively stable inflation and growing domestic market.

Among the investments up for grabs during the business matching yesterday afternoon was the P1.25-billion Rice Husk Project of the San Jose City I Power Corp. (SJC I Power). The firm was established to construct and operate a 9.9-megawatt rice husk fired power plant in order to address the problem of high electricity cost and eliminate the high disposal cost by converting biomass waste to electrical energy.

The use of biomass such as rice husk for power generation is environmentally advantageous since it helps in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.

Another project is the privatization of the San Fernando La Union Airport Phase I worth P1.2 billion. It stands on a 40-hectare property complete with facilities like a new control tower, runway, terminal building and other facilities. Privatization and further development of the airport is being undertaken to reduce government expenditure and increase its current and future service levels.

There is also the P7.2-billion Antipolo City Government Center which will spur the growth and development in the eastern part of the city. This will result in the equitable distribution of social services and economic benefits to its population.

The P2.5-billion Aplaya De Santa Rosa Waterfront Development Project is also being offered in the investment conference. This will be the first waterfront development in the country. It will be composed of waterfront commercial areas, transportation hub and inner central business district.

Another project is the P1 billion commercial and hospital development project in Molino, Cavite. They will put up a 10 storey tertiary hospital in the area.

There is also the P1.5-billion Silverado Retirement Village which covers 300 hectares of rolling terrain near the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

A tourism project is the P3.7-billion development of the Mount Maculot National Park in Cuenca, Batangas. It will have a land theme park with playground zoo and grotto. It will also have a convention center, a revolving tower, lake resort, mini port, cable car and zip line.

Another tourism project is the P1-billion San Juan Convention Center and Resort in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas.