Malaysian interested on 746-hectare reclamation

MALAYSIAN businessmen are interested in reclaiming some 746-hectare wide lot from Isla Verde in Quezon Boulevard to Dapsa, Barangay 76-A Bucana where the mouth of Davao River is, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said.

However, Duterte said that he warned the businessmen about his hesitations to pursue the project because “all reclamation projects in the Philippines are being linked to corruption.”

He said it will take eight months to one year to process all the required papers in Metro Manila before its realization.

If it pushes through, he said he will assign the proposed reclamation project to the Davao City Investment Promotions Center and City Planning and Development Office which might start in 2016.

The project cost estimates to P33 billion, he said. The residents living in the 746-hectare land

might be relocated.

Duterte said he was able to meet with the Malaysian businessmen last week. During their meeting, he also disclosed his doubts about the project.

“Giingnan nako sila nga makadungog gani ko nga mohatag mo bisan piso sa mga empleyado diha sa City Hall, kanang inyong papel ilabay nako sa basurahan (I told them that if I ever hear about them giving even a single peso to a City Hall employee, I will throw their applications to the garbage bin),” he said.

“Ako silang giwarningan kay tanang reclamation diri sa Pilipinas naa gyuy mosingaw nga kurapsyon (I warned them because all reclamation projects here in the Philippines stink of corruption),” he said.

Meanwhile, Duterte also revealed that a Korean corporation will also start surveying Davao City for a proposed land rail transit (LRT).

“It takes years. Di ko manaad nga pareha sa Manila. Simple nga commuter train lang kanang elevated above the ground. Simple lang to move people (It will not be like what they have in Manila, this will be just a simple commuter train on ground, just to move people),” he said. ANC