BUYERS of luxury resort residences in Mactan are not deterred by the presence of medical wastes in the waters of Lapu-Lapu City.
Ray Go Manigsaca, AppleOne Properties president, said 90 percent of their condominium units in The Residences at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort have been sold.
“There’s no problem here because we are located in one of the cleanest areas in Mactan,” he said.
Manigsaca said it did not scare off their investors. They expect all units at The Residences to be sold in the next few days.
“We didn’t see any medical wastes floating in the area,” he added.
In an earlier interview, Hotels, Resort, and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) president Carlo Suarez said the hotels and resorts in Mactan continue to enjoy a high occupancy rate even with medical wastes found at sea.
“This is an isolated case to which the local government and concerned hospitals are already addressing,” Suarez had said.
Suarez assured that the tourism industry in Mactan is safe.
Mactan, known for its pristine beaches that attract both local and international tourists, is one of the tourism growth drivers in Cebu.
Lapu-Lapu City health officials warned the public against swimming in the Mactan Channel, but Hilutungan Channel remains safe for people to swim in, Mayor Paz Radaza said.
The Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort, a five-hectare property, is located in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, overlooking both Hilutungan Channel and Magellan Bay.
A topping off ceremony was held at The Residences on Thursday, Jan. 24. Units will be turned over to buyers in 2020.
There are 186 units with a tower and two courtyards.
Ray Patrick Manigsaca, vice president for business development, said most of their designers came from Singapore from the Sheraton group, but they are working on adding a local touch to the project.
“We’re trying to put a Cebuano touch to our whole concept as well,” he said.
Ray Go Manigsaca said their furniture are locally-made using materials like rattan to incorporate Cebu’s artistry in the property.