Bets vow: More projects for Danao, Liloan

CEBU, Philippines - Pouring in more "sustainable" economic developments in consonance with environmental compliance and preservation is among the key priorities of two One Cebu mayoralty candidates in the fifth district.

 Danao City and Liloan town mayoralty aspirants, Michael Enriquez and Lawyer Christina Garcia Frasco, respectively, promises to push and promote for investments that gear towards spurring economic growth and provide employment opportunities in northern Cebu, particularly in their respective local government units.

 The two were yesterday's guests in the second day of Mega Cebu Candidates' Fora 2016, which asks candidates to present their plans on "how they can ensure that the rapid economic progress of Cebu does not get derailed by unplanned growth."

 Frasco said she would strengthen the existing purok system (puroks have own recycling facilities, maintain mini-parks, and grow & sell veggies) in the town to properly disseminate plans and programs of the LGU, and provide fiscal incentives to environment-compliant businesses, subdivision and investors through a "Green Points" system as among the measures to address environmental sustainability.

 She said strict implementation of the municipal tax code to promote income generation, and ensuring LGU's strict monitoring and regulation of the development of subdivisions are also among the ways to ensure a healthy balance between development and environmental preservation.

 Frasco added that they will use the town's comprehensive land use planning as a framework to guide industrial growth and protect watershed areas, particulary the Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve.

 The Kotkot-Lusaran watershed is located in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Toledo and Danao, and in the towns of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Balamban.

 Frasco promised to continue coordinating with neighboring LGUs and Mega Cebu and the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board.

 Enriquez, on the other hand, said mitigation and adaptation are needed to address the cross-boundary problem of lack of water supply or improper utilization of waters sources, which may hamper the growth of an LGU.

 He promised that he will develop natural resources and agriculture to provide food security and additional employment opportunities especially to those living in mountain barangays.

Since a portion of the proposed P9 billion-Cebu international port would occupy portion of Liloan, Frasco said they are also planning to build strategic road networks that would include the improvement of existing roads, construction of additional roads and circumferential road that will bypass a portion of the national road to ease up anticipated traffic. 

 If elected, Enriquez, for his part, said he is also planning to improve the road network going towards ecotourism sites and create industrial estate to spur economic development in Danao.

 Moreover, Frasco said she is eyeing for the creation of central command center for emergency response and traffic management.

 The transfer of Cebu's international container terminal in Tayud, Consolacion next year has been planned to address the increasing number of port calls and volume of shipments, which have already caused congestion in the base port in Cebu City.

 With the establishment of an international port and further development of maritime business in Cebu, Frasco said they are also eyeing to construct light industrial zone to ensure that trucks coming and going the town's manufacturing firms would not cause heavy traffic.

 The identified manufacturing or economic zones are in barangays Tayud and portions of Jubay and Catarman aimed at attracting domestic and foreign investors.

 Frasco stressed that management of economic growth starts with the management of the welfare of the constituents.

 In line with this, Frasco assures to provide quality healthcare and quality education through the establishment of the community hospital accessible to the people; and the establishment of institutions for higher learning and continuation for our scholarship program and institutionalizing early childhood education and feeding programs for daycare children, respectively.  (FREEMAN)