Roadmap to bring in 5.8% growth to Cebu

CEBU, Philippines – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) foresees a 5.8 percent solid economic growth for Cebu by 2050 once the Metro Cebu Roadmap is fully implemented.

The Roadmap Study for Sustainable Urban Development in oMetro Cebu, the blueprint for Cebu's sustainable urban development, also predicts one million new jobs to be created by that time.

"We hope that the Philippine government will approve the roadmap in the same way they supported the Infrastructure Roadmap for Mega Manila," JICA Chief Representative in the Philippines Noriaki Niwa said in a statement.

Niwa said JICA is expecting the roadmap will be supported by future administrations.

The study, Niwa said, showed that Central Visayas can become the country's leading growth center and has the potential to sustain its economic gains and jobs for Filipinos.

According to the JICA study, economic activities in Metro Cebu are seen to rise by 15 times its 2010 level.

"The city's gross domestic product per capita is expected to grow more than $20,000 in 2050, almost the same as Korea's level in 2010. Metro Cebu's GDP is also projected to rise by 8.3 percent annually between 2010 and 2020; 7.8 percent per year from 2020 to 2030; and then 5.8 percent per year from 2030 to 2050," JICA said.

The study has seven sub-roadmaps namely: Metropolitan Competitiveness Enhancement; Urban Structure and Land Use; Highway Network and Public Transport; Water Supply, Storm Water and Wastewater Management; Solid Waste Management; Smart SRP (South Road Properties) Development; and Metropolitan Governance.

The study also identifies 10 flagship projects to be implemented until 2020 and 14 anchor programs to be executed by 2050.

Niwa urged stakeholders to "immediately start working on flagship projects under the Metro Cebu Roadmap." He also cited the support and cooperation of Cebu stakeholders in finalizing the study.

The roadmap was initiated in 2013 by Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) in collaboration with JICA and Yokohama City, Japan to attain the Mega Cebu Vision 2050. (FREEMAN)