Gaisano mall to rise in Catarman

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

CATARMAN, Northern Samar -- The Gaisano Grand Group is acquiring a four-hectare property here as it eyes to open another mall in this province, its second Gaisano mall in the Samar island.

Catarman Mayor Rolando Carpio Jr. said the local government is assisting the company, owned by Benito Sy Gaisano, in its lot acquisition.

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"They're the one who offered the proposal to build a mall. Within this month, they will be sending me a proposal for moratorium. That is to give signal to investors that their business is protected," Carpio said.
 
The proposed site is located in Barangay Macagtas, close to the town's bus terminal.

"There are some property owners who are resisting to sell their lot to Gaisano but we are optimistic that this will be settled soon. Out of the 11 households settling in the front area of the proposed mall, we're able to convince nine of them to relocate," Carpio said.
 
Earlier, Gaisano has purchased a property in Calbayog City, the first site acquired by the company in Samar island. Gonkongwei-owned Robinson Malls also expressed their interest to open a mall in the same city, just an hour drive from this town.
 
Both malls have not yet started their actual construction activities, Carpio said.
 
The mayor said they have to impose moratorium so that they won't have the same situation in Calbayog City where both Gaisano and Robinson’s are set to operate in the same location.
 
"We have to implement a moratorium because the market is not that big like Cebu and Manila. If two malls will open in a span of just a short period, they might end up closing down the business," he said.
 
In Eastern Visayas, Gaisano Group of Companies is currently operating malls in the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc, both in Leyte, and Maasin City in Southern Leyte. 
 
Catarman, a first class municipality with 55 barangays, is the capital and largest town in terms of area and population in the province of Northern Samar. The town has a population of 81,067, making it the most populous municipality, more than the cities of Borongan and Maasin. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)