Downtowns and Urban Centers

[Sinjin P.]

Originally Posted by Wind Shear

I dunno how I gonna translate this to English.

Kon ganse sila sa corporate tax tungod sa Economic Zone perks, bawion sila sa witholding tax sa mga empleyado tungod kay daghan man makasulod ug trabaho.

Losses from corporate taxes will be recouped from the withholding taxes of the employees because there are more job opportunities and more will be employed. An attempt to become a translator

[animasola]

Originally Posted by Wind Shear

I dunno how I gonna translate this to English.

Kon ganse sila sa corporate tax tungod sa Economic Zone perks, bawion sila sa witholding tax sa mga empleyado tungod kay daghan man makasulod ug trabaho.

This was the point I was getting at, kapoy lang type.

As Jhaelnis so eloquently put it, mabawi ra jud!

OT: ahh... kk. lamat dave. So SSCer pud ang katong nilarga sa NZ? si revalde? hehe...

[Sinjin P.]

Arroyo: Cebu ecozone bid viable
By Ehda M. Dagooc
Monday, August 6, 2007

While President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo believes the viability of the Cebu province-wide economic zone proposal, she said the realization of the project would largely depend on the Congressmen supporting it.

“It’s a viable proposal. But its up to the Congress,” the President said in an interview adding that if all of them [Cebuano Congressmen] are supporting for the project, there is a good possibility that it could get through the Congress.

However, Arroyo tried not to elaborate whether she favors the said proposal, which is initiated by the private-sector in Cebu, reiterating that the success of the proposal is in the hands of the Congressmen.

Cebuano Congressmen that recently filed the House Bill No. 1319 include Tony Cuenco, Red Durano, Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, Eduardo Gullas, Benhur Salimbangon, Raul del Mar, Pablo John Garcia, and Pablo Garcia.

The Bill proposed the legislation that establishes the Cebu Economic Development Zone (CEDZ) covering all the cities and municipalities of Cebu province, and the creation of Cebu Economic Development Zone Authority, as well as provision of appropriate funding requirements.

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Ecozone Study Group fleshed out its concept of a private sector led, province-wide special economic zone that would serve as a pilot project for sub-national business environment reforms and that would be independent of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), and Bureau of Investments (BOI), and other government-led incentive giving bodies.

This first-of-a-kind initiative to be done in the Philippines aims to harness the resources of the entire Cebu Island, which possesses all the economic ingredients and qualifications of a viable economic zone, and as a pilot area for sub-national business environment reforms.

[LordCarnal]

I'm having second thoughts of declaring the entire province into a special economic zone but still I'm in favor of it.

Anyway, come to think of this...

We have lots of special economic zones in the province and the city where the investors can invest. Examples of these are the South Roads Properties (330 hectares), the Mactan Economic Zones 1 and 2 (Export processing), Asiatown Information Technology Park (BPO), West Cebu Industrial Park (ship building and other heavy industries), Naga Township One, etc.

Some of these economic zones don't have much locators yet. The Cebu Light Industrial Park in Mactan Island is I guess more than 40 hectares big and yet there's only one locator.

If the entire province will become an economic zone, how can we expect to develop the existing economic zones as the province itself will compete with them? Wouldn't such designation as a special economic zone result to haphazard development? We might see industrial buildings and factories sprouting everywhere thus posing a threat to the environment and existing communities -- unless if proper zoning is observed.

Anyway, if it will really yield favorable results to our country as a whole then let it come to fruition. But then there should be proper zoning -- Western Cebu for heavy industries (power plants, ship building, car manufaturing, steel plants, gold and copper mines, etc.), Eastern Cebu for Information Technology and BPOs, Northern Cebu for light industries (jewelry, food processing, furniture, etc.), Southern Cebu for tourism (retirement villages, hotels, resorts, theme park, etc.).

[dabert]

Originally Posted by pIrEnA

@dabert & @animasola: si @jrevalde to ang naa sa NZ, ka-batch pud nako sa sci-high

OT: woops.. my bad.. hehe, twas jrevalde i was referring to..

anyway, i hope the congress will approve this bill as soon as possible., i can't wait for those huge international companies to be expanding their operations here., since that would equate to more jobs, low unemployment rate, decreased poverty, increased purchasing power, and of course, more financial resources for the families to send their children to school.

[dabert]

Originally Posted by arnold_carl

I'm having second thoughts of declaring the entire province into a special economic zone but still I'm in favor of it.

Anyway, come to think of this...

We have lots of special economic zones in the province and the city where the investors can invest. Examples of these are the South Roads Properties (330 hectares), the Mactan Economic Zones 1 and 2 (Export processing), Asiatown Information Technology Park (BPO), West Cebu Industrial Park (ship building and other heavy industries), Naga Township One, etc.

Some of these economic zones don't have much locators yet. The Cebu Light Industrial Park in Mactan Island is I guess more than 40 hectares big and yet there's only one locator.

If the entire province would become an economic zone, how could we expect to develop the existing economic zones as the province itself would compete with them? Wouldn't such designation as a special economic zone result to haphazard development? We might see industrial buildings and factories sprouting everywhere thus posing a threat to the environment and existing communities -- unless if proper zoning is observed.

Anyway, if it will really yield favorable results to our country as a whole then let it come to fruition. But then there should be proper zoning -- Western Cebu for heavy industries (power plants, ship building, car manufaturing, steel plants, gold and copper mines, etc.), Eastern Cebu for Information Technology and BPOs, Northern Cebu for light industries (jewelry, food processing, furniture, etc.), Southern Cebu for tourism (retirement villages, hotels, resorts, theme park, etc.).

i'm hoping that CEDZA will take care of that problem, that is to implement proper zoning for the different industries you mentioned.
as for the locators, maybe because some companies are still currently hampered by the foreign ownership law (40-60?), that's why even though there are lots of tax incentives in economic zones like SRP and MEPZ, some are still reluctant because they want full ownership and control. and since the proposed bill indicates that this will be scrapped, that could mean otherwise.

[LordCarnal]

And I hope they will clearly define the powers of whoever the chairman of the proposed CEDZA will be or else the CEDZA will become a de facto "Cebu Government" within an existing "Cebu Government," hehe.

Such powers should not conflict with that of the governor otherwise there will be a clash especially if both executives will resort to grandstanding (and credit grabbing), hehehe..

[dabert]

much more if mayor Tom and Gov Gwen are in the top positions of the proposed cedza.

[SugarFreak]

a time for the Cebu to be like the Hongkong image. surely will come to passed from the little hongkong. not only to the metropolitan area will be urbanize and industrialize but throughout the island/province.

[Thunderflip]

This really should push through, there is no valid reason why this should not take place. It's part of coping up with global competition. I really believe that the entire island of Cebu can reach greater heights that Hong Kong and Singapore in the future unless it gets ruined. Not only Metro Cebut but also other towns and corners of the province should be developed. The RoRO port in northern Cebu linking it to Masbate, Samar and Batangas is already one hige leap once realized. Another factore is the construction of more efficient roads, bridges and highways thoughout the province as well as new manufacturies and industrial centers in other towns. I hope Cebu can change the face of the entire country in the near future.

[animasola]

Any progress regarding this bill guys? I hope this gets through...

[LordCarnal]

Cebu ecozone bill now in Congress
By Ehda M. Dagooc
The Freeman
Thursday, August 16, 2007


The business community is preparing for a more challenging fight now that the Cebu Economic Development Zone (CEDZ) proposal is now grilled at the House of Representatives.

Aside from the study group headed by former Board of Investment (BOI) official Gerry Sta. Ana, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is also forming a technical group to focus on the technicalities of the CEDZ proposal, this will be headed by former chamber president, lawyer Anastacio Muntuerto Jr.

CCCI president Francis O. Monera said there will be a re-grouping of the CEDZ, and that the two groups will focus on different aspects of the proposal, Sta. Ana will lead the conducting of further studies to back up the bid and is also tasked to invite more Congressmen to support the House Bill No. 1319 or the CEDZ.

Muntuerto, on the other hand, is expected to fill out the details and technicalities of the proposal as the private sector expects this bill to be a very controversial one.

“We would like to enlighten the other Congressmen about the bill. We consider this a very crucial move for Cebu and the chamber, but we have to do this,” Monera said.

According to Monera the CEDZ Bill is gunning for better incentives for investors apart from those offered by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

If approved, a Cebu Economic Development Zone Authority (CEDZA) will be created, which will be a private sector initiated body and will function independently from PEZA. However, the board members of the proposed zone will compose of representatives from the private sector and government officials from both the provincial and local units.

Monera said CCCI, as well as the eight Cebuano Congressmen who committed their support and authored the bill, are already bracing themselves for a tough fight ahead to get the bill through the scrutiny of the entire house and eventually be passed into law.

Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed her confidence on the proposal saying “it’s viable”, however said the success of the bill lies in the hands of the supporting Cebuano Congressmen.

[xoelts]

wow cool im hoping and praying for Cebu to become economically competitve and become the best...not only Cebu but Manila and whole Philippines.god bless!!

[animasola]

Any progress? hehe... Hope this wasn't shelved.

[Fraulein]

IMO, share ko lang guys. Para sa akin, ang una muna nilang ayusin sa Cebu ang INFRASTRUCTURE such as drainage, waste disposal, and everything pertains to environment. Make sure na maayos yun para hindi umabot na maging polluted na rin tulad ng Metro Manila.

I've been there last year, what I've observed, polluted na rin ang hangin especially along metro. They have to do something right now to lessen it. I also saw trashes along sidewalks. It will causes floods and disease. So please unahin muna ng gov't yun.

If they want o be a SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE, then face for the advantage as well as disadvantages.

[jonno]

It is a bit strange why Cebu seems to be foolishly following the mistakes of Metro Manila: narrow roads, lack of planning in other infrastructures, polluted cities with smoke belching vehicles...

Making the whole Cebu as a special eco zone is a very good idea.

[animasola]

Foolish? Give us the budget and we will happily widen our roads.

[betro]

cebu is not following manila. if they have the budget i think cebu is like singapore or hongkong in the making. cheers to the cebuanos!!!

[icarusrising]

I'm all for this...

But as mentioned in some posts, some concerns would have to be addressed so that Cebu would be able to sustain ecological balance as it progresses industrially. Nature and culture are some of its prime assets and these should never be forsaken.

[Fraulein]

Originally Posted by betro

cebu is not following manila. if they have the budget i think cebu is like singapore or hongkong in the making. cheers to the cebuanos!!!

We know naman po. But as time goes by, cebu will be like Manila in the making, with full of pollution. Kaya do something not only the government but residents as well. Act now before its too late!