Lapu-Lapu gives recognition to top 20 taxpayers

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza presented plaques of appreciation to the city’s top 20 taxpayers during the “Taxpayers Night” held at the Movenpick Hotel and Resort.

Lapu-Lapu City’s top 20 taxpayers this year include Movenpick Hotel and Resort, East-Asia Utilities, PLDT, Ajino-moto, Lexmark, Bigfoot, Plantation Bay, Pro-Home Development Corp, Fairchild Semi-Conductor, Yamashin, Maple, Gaisano Grand Mall, Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Imperial Palace, Shangrila-Mactan Island Resort, Taiyo-Yuden, General Milling Corp., Filinvest, Olympus, and Lear.

In her speech, Radaza said that in 2008, the Asian Institute of Management and the Wordl Bank ranked Lapu-Lapu City second in “ease of starting a business” category.

On the same year, the business sector gave Lapu-Lapu City a total of P4.7 billion worth of investments. She said she is giving the business sector a two thumbs- up for this.

“Today, four years later, I am proud to announce that the business sector has given my administration a stamp of approval,” Radaza said.

She also announced that property developer Megaworld Corporation will spend P10 billion in the next six years to develop a 16-hectare property called “The Mactan Newtown.”

It will have residential condominiums, business processing outsourcing offices, retail and entertainment, a wellness facility, and an upscale boutique hotel.

She said her administration has signed a memorandum of agreement with Zehira USA to construct in sitio Soong, barangay Mactan a cutting-edge waste disposal plant using the highly reliable German technology of Herhof.

The company is ready to invest P1.2 billon, she said.

The facility will be located within the soon-to-be-closed dumpsite and the materials recovery facility of the city.

She also assured that her administration fully supports the airport expansion project as she is hopeful and confident that the city will be able to receive P1.5 billion in taxes from the MCIAA in the very near future.

She said the tax from MCIAA will help solve the 500-classroom shortage in the city’s public schools.

The mayor also lauded the tourism stakeholders for helping make sports tourism a successful program.