THE Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA), a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC), is currently crafting masterplans for different projects in Mindanao in a bid to spur development in different provinces in the island.
"I have been going around Mindanao to visit our properties. Currently we are crafting master development plants for all our properties all over Mindanao," Abdulghani Aljul Salapuddin, SPDA administrator and chief executive officer, said at the sidelines of his induction ceremony on April 19, 2018 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City.
The master development plans are seen to determine the viability and sustainability of the projects SPDA intends to develop in their properties.
He said together with his team, a private firm also joined them in the conduct of ocular inspection in the different SPDA properties they visited.
"This is to allow the firm to conceptualize the architectural and engineering designs including the project's economic viability, sustainable, and return on investment," Salapuddin said.
He said hopefully after a month or two, the masterplans will be finished so they can present it to local and foreign investors.
The SPDA hopes to do this by partnering with the Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) for an investment forum.
"We also intend to conduct trade missions," Salapuddin said, adding that they are eyeing to visit cities in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the rest of Asia, Middle East, and Europe.'
He said through these activities they will be able to mobilize funding, attract potential investors, or gain partners for the big ticket projects.
One of the masterplans that they are set to complete is the planned Asia Pacific Medical City (APMC), which will rise on a 4.7 hectare (ha.) SPDA-owned land in Catalunan Pequeño. The medical city will have a college of medicine, hospital, and business center.
They are also eyeing to develop projects on agriculture, leisure, mining, and oil exploration, among others.
Meanwhile, Salapuddin said as part of their short term projects they also hope to rehabilitate and repair some of their existing projects like the buildings at the Koronadal Business Center in Koronadal, South Cotabato; their ice plant in Pikit, North Cotabato, and SPDA fish pond in Vitali, Zamboanga City.
He also said they intend to reestablish the Marawi Resort and Hotel to complement the ongoing rehabilitation of Marawi city. (RJL)