Toledo ecozone project to start before yearend

Proponents of the planned 120-hectare economic zone in Sangi, Toledo City are fast tracking their works in settling issues in order to start the ecozone project within this year.

Toledo City Mayor Arlene E. Zambo said while the group’s problem is still on the negotiation of the 59 hectare lot, which is currently owned by the Social Security System (SSS), she is confident that they can start the project before 2008 ends.

“We are still waiting, however, for the SSS to sell their part of the lot. The City is talking to them and we will facilitate the selling transactions,” she said.

The Mayor is optimistic that they can negotiate with SSS in the next few months, as the lot is now idle.

Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation (ACMDC), former lot owner, used the property to pay for its delinquency in membership premium payment of its employees before it ceased operations in 1992.

The negotiation of the SSS-owned lot is one of the hitches why the group cannot take off with the ecozone project.

According to Zambo, the lot, where Toledo Power Corporation (TPC) and Atlas Fertilizer Corporation (AFC) are operating, already qualifies the ecozone requirements of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

The lady Mayor said Global Business Power Corporation (GBPC), and Carmen Copper Corporation (CCC), formerly ACMDC, are interested to purchase portions of the lot.

GBPC, a member of the Metrobank group, owns TPC while CCC is the mother company of AFC. GBPC owns around 24 hectares of the said property while CCC owns the 27 hectares. The remaining 10 hectares are owned by Toledo City.

Zambo said the City is targeting to complete ‘the ecozone project within this year in order to sustain the economic recovery of the City especially that more industries are eyeing to open up their businesses in the Western part of Cebu in Toledo.

Toledo, which is located 50 kilometers from this city, aims to attract more industries through an ecozone. The City is the host to a 246 megawatt coal fired power plant, a joint venture by GBPC, Aboitiz Power Corp. and Vivant Corp.

“The City has made itself ready for investors since Atlas decided to operate again,” Zambo said.

Aside from AFC, CCC will also start mining operations in barangay Lutopan in the third quarter of the year.

Zambo said the City Council has approved tax incentives, including five years business tax holiday, for companies that would locate in the City.

Retail stores such as Prince Warehouse Club Inc. and a Gaisano chain of department stores will establish branches in the City this year. Metrobank has also expressed interest to open up a branch in the City in the next one or two years.

The “city with golden opportunities” also plans to position itself as an eco-tourism education and leisure hub in Cebu. 

The city has four seaports and 2 domestic airports (both developed by ACMDC). It has four private schools and two tertiary schools.