• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. yesterday declared Cadiz in Negros Occidental as an “open city” for investors.
Escalante said that the entry of many investors paved the way for the rapid development of Cadiz as he reported that three or four solar power farms will soon to rise in the city, aside from the existing ones, being operated by an Indian company.
Cadiz is also hosting a 1,000-megawatt substation, which is important in the production of solar energy, he added.
Escalante said that there are groups now starting to plant 1.2 million coffee and coconut trees in 1,500 hectares of land, which he described as a big thing in the reforestation campaign.
He also disclosed plans of an investor to put up a feed mill plant, noting that Cadiz and its neighboring town and city are producing two million heads of chicken and P120 million worth of cattle a year.
With Cadiz composing 54,000 hectares of land, Escalante said its agricultural land is ready for investment.
In support to the declaration of Cadiz as an “open city” for investors, Escalante said they have started to invest in road concreting projects two to three years ago for the coming in of investors as they opened up marginal lands to become productive.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, the mayor said, envisions Cadiz City and the neighboring local government units as a “potential agriculture hub” for Metro Manila, using Cadiz and Batangas ports, in the transport of goods.
This also developed as he announced plans to expand and develop further the Cadiz port, which is being targeted to start by the end of 2024, or early next year.
On the celebration of the 50th Dinagsa Festival, Escalante said he expects a boost in the local economy, with the city anticipating to generate P500 million to P700 million from it.
“We welcome everybody and we see to it that we are able to provide what the visitors expect from us. That is why they keep on coming back,” he added.
The mayor said he even requested the management of Vallacar Transit Inc., which operates the Ceres Liner passenger buses, to have 200 trips or more aside from the regular trips to cater to visitors of the Dinagsa Festival.
Escalante also announced that they managed to shorten the processing of business permits from 15 minutes to 11 minutes. | GB
