Lyceum Davao may apply for city incentives

THE Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) may apply for local incentives from the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) for the educational component of the LPU Town Center.

The LPU Town Center is a university township that will rise on a 16-hectare property in Buhangin. The township, which will be developed in partnership with Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI), will be the location of LPU Davao Campus. It will also have a hotel, residential towers, and commercial and office spaces.

"We have extended to them information that the school component is eligible for local incentives as educational facilities are included as one of the preferred investment areas," Lemuel Ortonio, DCIPC head, said in a text message to Sun Star Davao.

He said the university will be complying the requirements and the Investment Incentive Board technical secretariat will review it once received.

During the signing of the memorandum of agreement between LPU and CLI on May 28, 2018, Dr. Peter Laurel, president of LPU Batangas and Laguna, said the township is the first of its kind for the university.

For the first phase of the academic component, LPU will put up two buildings wherein its architecture is inspired by its Cavite campus. Laurel said the first phase of their Davao campus will be able to cater to around 5,000 students.

Laurel said they would be ready to accept students by June 2019.

The development of the township is expected to start by the fourth quarter of this year.

Jose Franco Soberano, CLI executive vice president and chief operating officer, said CLI will also be establishing a residential tower in the area under its Casa Mira brand.

"This will offer a convenient housing option for those studying at LPU Davao or those who want to live near the airport," Soberano said. RJL