Calbayog City mulls creation of new investment hub

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Oct. 17 (PNA) -- The city government here is planning to establish a new township outside the commercial district in the bid to expand development.

Mayor Ronaldo Aquino said the city is already congested and can’t offer areas for development.

Calbayog City is the third largest city in the Philippines in terms of land and water areas, but economic development is just confined in the city center, according to the mayor.

Two architectural firms based in Manila have signified their interest to work with the city government in the conduct of feasibility study for the conversion of Tomalon Estate into a “New Calbayog City.”

Tomalon Estate is near the Regional Schools for Arts and Design campus for Senior High School in Gadgaran village.

Road network construction to the area is ongoing with PHP60 million funding from the city government for the transversal road and another PHP30 million to connect with the main road.

“We cannot expand the city proper, so we are planning to relocate the city hall, the national government offices and develop a new site for Calbayog,” Aquino explained.

The city assessor’s office of Calbayog will negotiate with some land owners nearby for the acquisition of properties. The proposed investment hub needs at least 100 hectares.

The city government only own 27 hectares at the Tomalon Estate.

“If this is going to be institutionalized by means of ordinance creating that area as the new Calbayog, this will be realized,” Aquino said.

The official added that the city government plans to partner with the Land Bank of the Philippines or the Development Bank of the Philippines to finance land development. (PNA)
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