Negotiations on P39B reclamation to begin The city government and a Filipino investor will begin negotiations on the P39 billion proposed reclamation of Isla Verde after the project was granted original proponent status. When granted original proponent status, “This means the city government will negotiate with the proponent to discuss details of the Terms of Reference (TOR) with the investors in the presence of NEDA (National Economic development Authority),” said Ivan Cortez, chief of the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC). “This is the first project under Public Private Partnership under the unsolicited program. The negotiations should be completed within 180 days,” Cortez said the presence of NEDA will ensure that the TOR and other conditions are both beneficial to the government and the investor. Cortez said the negotiation will hopefully strike a better deal with the investor, Mega Harbor. Mega Harbor is a Manila-based investor with three corporations under its name and has done reclamation projects and operating four major ports in Manila, Bacolod and Panay. Under the plan, the investor will reclaim 150 meters away from the shoreline of Magsaysay Park to the mouth of Bucana River. The reclaimed area would be the site of commercial and tourism areas, seaport, transshipment facilities and mostly the operation and revenue will be generated from the port operation. While the project may overlap with Sasa Port operations, Cortez said the project is foreseen to ease burden of time in unloading and loading of cargoes. “It will prevent what is currently happening in Manila Port,” Cortez added. Cortez said the implementation of the project is targeted to start by 2016 and completed in 2019. “This year will be for the completion of permits and documents,” he said. The proposed area for reclamation will be away from the heavily-populated area of Isla Verde but will still affect few of informal settlers living in stilt houses. But Cortez said the families have been tagged during the Census conducted by the government, ensuring that no other “speculators” can avail of any benefits from the project particularly housing. He said the families affected by the project will be housed in a condo-type tenement. Ayan C. Mellejor
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 01:16:02 +0000
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