INVESTMENTS coming in Davao City need to be filtered in terms of growth and development they can provide the city, a city official said.
During the Business Forum last Wednesday held at Dermpath, SM City Davao, City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) head Ivan Cortez said Davao City is currently filtering the different investments expressing interest in the city.
“Davao City is in the position to be somewhat choosy in terms of the type of investment that should come in. If you’ll go back to our vision, it was stated on the last phrase ‘sustainable environment’,” said Cortez, who was also the former Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) head.
“We can only accommodate industries that we think can help the city grow and develop. A heavy pollutant industry, for example, we will say no and recommend them to another location,” added Cortez saying this rule had been on for a long time based on the City Land Use Plan (Clup).
On top of that, he also said the revenue and investment codes of the city are up for review and updates.
“We’re reviewing the revenue code. We need to update it. Everything is up for review if it is still applicable,” he said.
Cortez said these code updates and review are with City Councilor Danny Dayanghirang, chairman of City Council’s Committee on Finance.
Current DCIPC head Lemuel Ortonio during Thursday’s I-speak said there are a number of investors showing interest on tourism facilities and hotel related investments. He added these are what the city currently needs right now.
He also clarified that there was no official proposal of a 10,000-seating facility convention center and theme park of Chinese investors that had reached his office yet.
This was initially disclosed by Davao City Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre during the Pulong Pulong ni Pulong media forum last Tuesday, saying Chinese Communications Constructions Company LTD and S&P Group visited the city two months ago and also met with President Rodrigo Roa-Duterte in connection with the convention center proposal.