P2.4-B hub to speed up dev’t in Bataan
Bataan Governor, Abet S. Garcia, Vice Governor Efren E. Pascual Jr., members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, municipal mayors and other local government officials together Keith Dowling, representing Alloy MTD Malaysia, president and chief operating officer, Dato Dr. Azmil Khalid and Isaac David, Alloy MTD (Philippines) president led last week’s groundbreaking ceremonies for the P2.4 billion government center and business hub, the first in the country.
In his message, David described the realization of this project as a “Dream come true.” Both David and Keith Dowling lauded the people of Bataan for their unity and all out support for the realization of this ambitious project that will in the end, benefit the people of Bataan.
David also cited Garcia for his being a visionary, innovative and his ingenuity, using other people’s money to construct the Bataan Government Center.
Garcia expressed his gratitude to the Malaysian investors for their trust and confidence in pouring in huge investment in Bataan, adding that the success of this venture will encourage Alloy MTD to fund more projects in the province in the future.
The P2.4 billion one-stop-shop government center and business hub that will rise on the 9.6 hectare site of the provincial capitol compound, is expected to generate 20,000 new job opportunities for information technology graduates as well as host government and private offices.
Garcia stressed that the new government center, designed to host national and provincial offices of government line agencies operating in the province as well as business process outsourcing (BPO) or call centers would further enhance economic prosperity focusing on the latest information technology scheme in the global market.
Expected to be completely operational by December 2018, Garcia said this innovative development of a one-stop-shop project inside the huge capitol compound, the first in the country, is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project hence it will entail no cost, not even a single centavo, on the part of the local government.
Further, this concept is geared toward integration of institutional, business, retail and even residential land uses making them readily accessible in one cohesive site leading to harmonious and convenient delivery of basic services to the public.
Garcia said part of his good governance program is the provision of an effective and efficient one-stop-shop service facility at the provincial level for clients to simplify and fast-track the processing of requirements necessary for setting up business and trading ventures. The operation of a one-stopshop, about half a kilometer away from the Province’s commercial district, the City of Balanga is expected to minimize information lapses and ensure an enabling environment for investors to locate and engage in sustainable business in the province.