"Mega Cebu" roadmap to be presented this month

CEBU, Philippines - The IBM Executive Service Corps (ESC) in cooperation with the Metro Cebu Dvelopment Coordinating Board (MCDCB) will be presenting the completed roadmap for the “Mega Cebu” project this coming October 20, 2011 at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

The operational framework project towards an integrated development, particularly in urban planning and traffic management for Cebu, is expected to be endorsed by the MCDCB to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Central Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC).

The MCDCB was recently formed, chaired by Cebu Provincial Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to make the “Mega Cebu” project a reality.

 Using the integrated development roadmap, as a result of careful study of the members of the IBM ESC, Cebu is expected to get ahead from the rest of the Metro Cities, as it will expand the development coverage making it not only a metropolitan district, but a “regional city.”

Aside from the Cebu Provincial government the MCDCB is actively participated by 13 influential organizations such as the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Cebu Business Club (CBC), Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Cebu Leads Foundation, among others.

RAFI president Roberto Aboitiz is leading this movement to lure private sector, academe and the civil society to participate on the movement, saying “the spirit of success and love for Cebu is shared by all. Together with political leaders—we can craft projects that will bring Cebu to the next level.”

The “Mega Cebu” project, involves an integrated masterplan that will make greater Cebu, from Car-Car in the South, to Danao in the north, a metropolitan region.

According to Aboitiz, today’s changing competitiveness standard, “size matters.”

What happens today, is politicians have their own defined development geography, most do not coordinate and cooperate for the over-all development of the Cebu metropolis, Aboitiz said.

This project, he said will brand Cebu as a “Region City”, this will in turn attract more investments, and increase job opportunities.

“This has not been done before because of policitical boundaries,” Aboitiz said. But, through this movement, which is shared by the private sector and other sectoral groups, Cebu’s development is seen not to be hampered by political squabbles, which largely derailed development.

Development should be integrated that will cover at least the 13 cities and municipalities within the Mega Cebu region, Aboitiz said.

Supported by IBM Philippines, through its Smart City campaign, this movement is seen to change Cebu’s landscape and competitiveness in the next 30 years, benchmarking the successful mega regions in Canada, like Vancouver which applied also applied this concept.—