ASIDE from the help of the national government, the Municipal Government of La Castellana is also banking on investors in a bid to further bring developments in the southern Negros Occidental locality.
Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan, on the sidelines of the thanksgiving activity of her party, Team Arangka, held at the town’s Barangay Manghanoy recently, expressed optimism that the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio will bring in more projects for the locality.
Nicor-Mangilimutan was among the staunch supporters of BBM-Sara tandem during the recent May 9 national and local elections.
“We are thankful that BBM-Sara won because we are looking at the national government under their leadership to become our major funder for our plans to be realized,” she said, reiterating that the local government is also availing loans from various government financial institutions.
The mayor said the local government is also working on boosting its industries to lure potential investors from the private sector.
Nicor-Mangilimutan said they have initially partnered with the Agustin family for the development of the town’s coffee industry.
The municipal government will eventually establish a processing plant for coffee, she said.
For tourism enterprises, the town is positioning the 56-hectare Mandayao Panorama View Park in Barangay Mansalanao as a major area for investors.
Nicor-Mangilimutan said they are just for the approval of the Department of Agriculture to convert the area into a tourism development zone.
“We have [existing] public-private partnerships (PPPs) and Local Investment Board so our investors are protected,” she assured.
The mayor said that she is aware that prior to investing in the locality, investors are ensuring that the project is feasible.
“Under my term, rest assured that I will be on top to help them make their businesses grow and become successful,” she said, assuring the ease of doing business for the investors.
Meanwhile, among the priority programs and projects the mayor will work on in her last term include the establishment of a sanitary landfill, hospital and community college to address the need for a better solid waste management and lack of access to health and education facilities.
“Of course, we will continue to strengthen our tourism and business development as it is our economic booster,” Nicor-Mangilimutan said, as she also assured good governance, more infrastructure projects like farm-to-market roads, and delivery of social services.