TACLOBAN CITY- Three years after supertyphoon “Yolanda” hit Tacloban, the city government has never been more aggressive in enticing businessmen to invest in the city.
A Local Incentives and Investment Code (LIIC) intended to lure local and foreign businessmen to put up business in the city have been endorsed before members of the city council.
The investment code aims to encourage local and foreign investors to put money in priority areas or industries for development in Tacloban.
The administration of Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez is intent on enticing more investors to Tacloban.
Mayor Romualdez believes that encouraging more investors to the city would mean additional job opportunities for Taclobanons.
Once approved, the LIIC will make available fiscal and non-fiscal incentives or tax holidays for investors in order to entice them to priority areas or industries for development in the city.
It is also expected to enhance the processing of business permits and access to business information.
Among the priority areas for investment highlighted in the proposed LIIC is the development of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hub in the city.
City Administrator Atty. Irene Chiu said Tacloban is ready to host Business Processing Outsourcing (BPOs) Companies or call centers.
According to Chiu, Tacloban’s edge over other cities is its low-cost of living and cheaper minimum wage.
While other IT hubs are congested, Tacloban still offers enough “legroom” for IT companies to thrive, she added.
Last November 10, the city government wasted no time in promoting this possibility when it hosted the gathering of ICT practitioners and stakeholders throughout the country.
Other come on for investors is the relatively low crime rate in city. In fact, on November 7 the city government with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines inked the joint Declaration of Stable Internal Peace and Security.
A new township in the north –Tacloban North– which has designated Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Zones suitable for the light industries, is also being developed to make the highly urbanized city “attractive” to potential business locators.
Tacloban North is considered a flagship project of Mayor Romualdez outlined in the Tacloban Recovery and Rehabilitation Program (TRRP) as it is located in one of the safest areas of the city away from storm surge and geophysical hazards as indicated in Government hazard maps.
Other priority industries for development are tourism and infrastructure services.
(HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO)
