BALAMBAN Mayor Alex Binghay supported the plan of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to transfer Cebu's seat of power in his town.
In a teleconference on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, Binghay said he welcomed Garcia's plan, adding that placing Cebu's seat of power in Balamban could mean more economic development for the town.
He admitted that he felt "challenged" by Garcia's proposal since it would mean preparing Balamban for the possible economic impacts once the Cebu Provincial Government Center (CPGC) is completed and operational.
"Nobody is ever ready. No town is ready especially with the resources we have right now. But I welcome the challenge. In fact, we even welcomed industries here even though there were structural and communication challenges along the way. Yet we overcome that challenge," Binghay said, in Cebuano.
Balamban, which is just 28 kilometers away from Cebu City, is known as the shipbuilding capital of the Philippines and home to the West Cebu Industrial Park, a 283-hectare industrial estate with 11 locators and over 14,000 workers.
Earlier this week, Garcia announced that the Province will be allocating around P550 million for the construction of the CPGC in Balamban, with a plan to move both executive and legislative offices of the Cebu Provincial Government there.
Garcia said she made the proposal as a way for her administration to be closer to her constituents and to promote development in the countryside.
Once Cebu's seat of government is transferred to Balamban, Garcia said she is contemplating on converting the 82-year-old Cebu Provincial Capitol building in Cebu City into a museum./ANV