NEDA endorses Citex to Japan for funding

After the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) finally endorsed the Cebu International Trade and Exhibition Center (Citex) project proposal to the Japanese government for funding, while the Mandaue City government expressed willingness to provide lot area for the facility.

"I am willing to look for a land property to accommodate the project, according to the project's lot area requirement," said Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano.

The Citex project is now endorsed by the Philippine government through NEDA to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) for a funding of half a billion pesos. NEDA is the government agency tasked to approve projects worthy of funding.

Ouano earlier offered the 13,000 square-meter lot available at the Mandaue reclamation area to the Cebu Provincial Government's P250-million megadome project or the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) as the main facility to accommodate the upcoming ASEAN Summit in December this year.

This particular lot was previously offered to the Citex project, initiated by the exporters and private sector group in Metro Cebu. However, Ouano offered the land upon the request of the Cebu Provincial government to build the megadome project.

Nevertheless, Ouano said he is still willing to provide land for the Citex project, as it will be a complementary facility to the Megadome, or the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), to take off Mandaue's bid as the convention and exhibition center in Asia.

"I believe that the Citex project is a good complementary facility of CICC that will stage Mandaue as an exhibition and convention destination in Asia," the Mayor said.

The Citex project, which has been conceptualized and proposed in 1995, is a 4,000 square-meter exhibition facility that will serve the trade and exhibition needs of Visayas and Mindanao.

A Citex task force was organized in 2002, to act as an ad hoc body composed of business organizations and selected line agencies, such as the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc., Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philexport-Cebu, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry.

Currently, Cebu is having difficulties in accommodating larger international events, as the convention accommodation is limited. Only Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino is offering huge convention facility that can only accommodate a little over 5,000 participants.