Thursday, July 11, 2013
A RECLAMATION project and a high-rise building that will house City Hall and commercial establishments are the major projects Mayor Jonas Cortes of Mandaue City will pursue in his last term.
In his inaugural address yesterday, Cortes stressed the need for a reclamation project to accommodate more investors and for a building where City Hall offices can better serve their clients.
Called the Mandaue Global Central Project, the 200-hectare reclamation area in Barangay Umapad will host commercial, industrial and residential developments.
The Mandaue City People Center, which will replace the old public market building, will house not only City Hall offices, but also local branches of national government agencies and the City Investment Promotions Action Center.
Cortes described it as a “one-stop shop” for investors.
Cortes also reported his administration’s achievements during his 20-minute speech in the inaugural session of the City Council yesterday afternoon.
He said seven kilometers of roads and drainage were built under his administration since 2007.
The City is now completing the first phase of an integrated traffic control system, which features state-of-the-art traffic lights with 36 fiber-optic closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, he said.
The City also procured 31 motorcycles for the police and traffic enforcers, and received another 20 from businessman Norberto Quisumbing Jr. and Rep. Luigi Quisumbing (Cebu Province, sixth district).
Some 110 classrooms were also built in partnership with the private sector.
Rapid change
Cortes said the City has provided shelter for almost 5,000 urban poor families.
The Mandaue City People Center and the Mandaue Global Central Project, he said, is the City’s response to its “rapid commercial and industrial progress.”
In an interview with reporters, Cortes said the building will cost at least P800 million.
But he believes the City can easily recover the cost through income from commercial spaces in the building.
The City will also earn income from buildings that will be vacated with the transfer of City departments, as these can be leased to investors.
“The People Center shall be the epitome of a government center—where our clients will comfortably transact with government in a structure that is sustainable, green, functional, and beautiful,” Cortes said.
Cortes wants recla projectMuseum
The old City Hall, also known as the Presidencia, will be converted into a museum.
Cortes said People Center will be built using the City’s own resources.
“We will encourage the employment of skilled Mandauehanons to build this building,” he said.
Cortes said the reclamation project, which will be done in four phases, will help the City realize its vision of becoming the premier business destination in central Philippines.
“Amid the rapid commercial and industrial progress in our city, we are left to manage what little land we have to accommodate our prospective investors. This situation calls for nothing less than an immediate expansion of our territorial limits through reclamation development,” he said.
The reclamation area will house the Waterfront Commercial Center, the Agro-Industrial Logistics Park, the Cansaga Bay Commercial and Residential Center, and the Mandaue Central Watersport and Leisure Park.
To spur economic growth, Cortes said the City needs to focus on four goals: a responsive infrastructure, effective traffic and security management, qualified and capacitated manpower, and business accessibility.
Team effort
Cortes also vowed to address flooding by closely coordinating with other local government units.
“The challenge of solving the flooding must not fall on our hands alone. This mega problem can only be solved through a coordinated effort of the cities, municipalities and agencies of Mega Cebu,” he said.
He said the City will work with the Mega Cebu team to come up with a comprehensive drainage masterplan.
Philip Tan, president of the Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, lauded the mayor for being vocal about the city’s problems.
“He admits there’s still a problem. The sign of a good leader is to admit that there’s a problem and to do something about it,” he told reporters.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes wants reclamation project in last term | Sun.Star
Cortes wants recla project
Originally Posted by twEATer
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