Mayor Saratan upbeat on investments infow

TALISAY City Mayor expressed optimism in the continued economic progress of his city, as more and more investments find a home in Talisay.

“It is really a boost to our local economy. Its presence here will hopefully encourage others to put up investments in the area,” Saratan said Wednesday during the inauguration of Autobahn BMW showroom at Zone 15, North National Highway in front of Ayala North Point Village of the said city.

Saratan welcomed the latest investment in Talisay made by Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW cars and motorcycles in the Philippines. During the inauguration, ACC also unveiled the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, the first four-door Coupe in the history of the brand.

Aside from the BMW showroom, the mayor disclosed that the Metro Gaisano Retail Group is also slated to break ground today its new Metro Hypermarket Store in Ayala North Point Mall.

BACOLOD. Talisay City Mayor Eric Saratan (4th from L) poses with officials of the Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC) during the Autobahn BMW dealership inauguration and unveiling of the New BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe in Talisay City. (Gilbur L. Guarte)

“We believe in the huge market potential of Talisay City and we would like to contribute to the economic growth of the area, as well as bring the wide array of Metro store offerings to Talisay City consumers,” a statement from Metro Gaisano Retail Group furnished earlier to Sun.Star Bacolod.

The mayor intimated that today’s groundbreaking shows that Ayala has made up its mind to focus its developments in the city.

“We have a well-placed Investment Code, good local governance and orderly traffic,” he cited as among the reasons why Talisay seems to be a magnet for investments.

Proposed mall in public market

Saratan furthered that the country’s Public-Private Partnership Center is working on the conversion of the public market into a mixed-use commercial center.

He pointed out that this is an opportunity for the city to develop partnership with mall development giants without the city having to incur a loan, adding that Ayala, Robinsons, and SM have signified interest in the project.

As to reports of existing public market tenants and small vendors who expressed fears that their businesses may be dislocated and they might face rental increases if the public market is converted into a mall, Saratan explained that the affected sectors were consulted and that they signed their conformity to the project before the PPP Center and Talisay officials approached mall developers regarding the project.

According to the mayor, those who are very vocal in opposing the project are reportedly the persons who bought the rights to several stalls and sub-leased the stalls to vendors at P3,000 to P4,000 a month higher than the regular market stall rental which is about P450 per month only.

Aside from the public market, the PPP Center is also working on the Talisay City Public Plaza Complex Heritage Restoration and Re-Development Project which is the Center’s pioneering partnership with a local government unit.

“If all requirements are complied with, construction will begin on June 2013 while project completion is targeted on September 2014,” Saratan said. (Butch S. Bacaoco)