New Nueva Ecija city expects brisk economic activity

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – Things are looking up economically in this city, Nueva Ecija’s youngest of its five component cities.

Local officials said that major business activities are expected with the influx of new investors in the city such as owners of shopping malls, big agriculture-based companies, fastfood chains and telecommunications companies.

Mayor Ernesto Natividad, one of the architects of the city’s economic growth, said the boom is inevitable following Gapan’s recent conversion into a component city.

He said that the city is now considered a natural magnet for north-bound potential investors, being the trade, commercial and educational center in southern Nueva Ecija which covers the towns of Cabiao, San Isidro, Jaen, San Antonio, Peñaranda, Gen. Tinio and San Leonardo.

Vice Mayor Leoncio Mangahas told The STAR that the first palpable sign of economic progress in the city was when Jollibee opened its fastfood outlet here recently and registered earnings of P1.7 million right on opening day. "By far, it was the most ever earned by a Jollibee outlet on opening day nationwide in recent history," he said.

Mangahas said that since Jollibee came in, other fastfood companies have expressed interest to come in. He cited another fastfood giant, McDonald’s as well as Chowking and Greenwich.

He said that this city, which has a population of 115,000 of whom 62,000 are voters – the biggest in the province – is anticipating the opening of the Gapan Supermall along the national highway. Another giant supermarket of CBC is also to be constructed at a 1,000-square meter area beside the city hall.

Cheil Jehdang, a big Korean company, has also established a piggery farm, feedmill and meat processing plant in Barangay Macabaklay, some 15 kilometers from the city proper. It employs 300 people.

Mangahas said that CJ is also applying with the city government for the opening of a feedmill plant in a nine-hectare area also in Macabaklay which will employ another 300 persons.

Digitel has started erecting its towers in Barangays Malimba and Baluarte at the city proper for line expansion.

Mangahas said that the city now has 20 banks.

In anticipation of the boom and to further improve the delivery of basic services, the city government is also preparing to tap a 3.6-hectare area in Barangay Bayanihan as the new government center to house a new city hall where an extension campus of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) will be set up.

CLSU, which is considered one of the leading agricultural universities in the country that include the UP Los Baños, is expected to offer science and technology education in the city which not only hosts piggery farms, feedmills and meat processing plants but also some of the biggest rice mills.

Mangahas said that Natividad has forged a tie-up with the Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for a vocational program for out-of-school youth (OSY).

City Councilor Orlan Oanes said that the city government is also seeking to harness its potentials as the largest source of footwear.

Oanes said that the city council recently passed a resolution declaring Gapan as footwear city. The city government has been providing seed money as livelihood assistance to cooperatives which engage in the business of slipper-making.

Last Aug. 25 during the first anniversary of Gapan as a city, local officials led by Natividad and Mangahas led the holding of a footwear festival in which a giant footwear was put on display. They also reported for work at city hall wearing only footwear as if to emphasize the city’s big role in the footwear industry in the country.

Gapan is known as the Marikina of the North for producing the biggest number of slippers which are being shipped to Metro Manila and other potential markets.