Calbayog City to present 5 major project proposals in Manila Investment Forum

(Let me give you Ika Macasa's report from today's edition of the Leyte Samar Daily Express)

CALBAYOG CITY — The City of Government of Calbayog will present five major pro-economic development project proposals in an investment forum sponsored by the Institute of Solidarity-Asia (ISA) that would be held Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at Hotel Sofitel, Manila.

Institute for Solidarity Asia (ISA) is a non-government organization whose main service is to assist local government units acquire good governance skills.

The five projects are the Rehabilitation and Upgrading of the Ton-ok Mini Hydro Power Plant in Brgy. Barral, Oquendo District; Bangon Falls Mini Hydro Power Development Project in Brgy. Tinaplacan, Tinambacan District; Potential Project Sites for Renewable Energy in Calbayog City; Medium-rise Housing Project for Government Employees; and the New Calbayog City Public Market Project.

Led by City Mayor Mel Sarmiento who will deliver a short backgrounder about Calbayog City, the panel of presentors include Engr. Leo Baldomaro, the Power Generation Superintendent of Samelco 1; Engr. Jose Ilagan, President, Clean and Green Philippines; Engr. Leo Nicolasora, Engineering Department Manager, Samelco 1; Cicenio Oquendo, the City Urban Housing Division Chief; and City Economic Enterprise Department Manager Nida U. Beso.

In an interview, Calbayog City Mayor Mel Sarmiento expressed hope that through the investment forum Calbayog would be able to win a number of prospective investors as the city’s partner in the implementation of the said projects that could surely spur economic activity in the city.

It is the first time that Calbayog City is given the chance to present project proposals in an investment forum.

According to Joseph Lim, Financial Analyst of ISA, both the city’s local and internal revenue potentials could lure investors to choose projects in Calbayog.

Expected to be present during the forum are Calbayog City’s co-project presentors, which are the cities of Iloilo, Bayawan in Negros Oriental, and Balanga in Bataan, and the institutional partners of ISA that include Development Bank of the Philippines, Social Security System, and GSIS, among others. (Ike Macasa)