Firm chided over false facts on $24-B project
THE provincial government of Davao Occidental chided a Hong Kong-based firm eyeing to develop the $24-billion Marina and Industrial Park project in the capital town of Malita for misleading its clients into believing that the site has legal and land use plan inconsistencies.
The firm, Pionaire Finance Limited, had scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony on October 27 but later announced the termination of the project through its executive assistant Maydeeh Libago in a press conference at the Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City on Friday (October 27).
Libago alleged that legal and land use plan inconsistences triggered the project cancellation.
But Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista, through his lawyer Caesar Europa, was surprised that Pionaire had scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony without the knowledge of the provincial government.
Europa said that the governor finds it strange that Pionaire was pushing with the groundbreaking when the conversion of the land from agricultural to industrial is still being worked out.
Europa pointed out that the planned industrial park has the prequalification approval of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza).
“Hindi naman siguro kami aabot ng ganun kung walang prior qualification (We could have not reach such if we have no prior qualification),” Europa said.
Europa said the documents for the land conversion were submitted to the national government. He said the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has the authority to approve the land conversion.