The Local Economic Development Project has supported investment promotions in the Province that have so far attracted about P4.085 billion in private sector investments in tourism, aimed at developing and implementing growth opportunities to increase its productive capacity and competitiveness.
To heighten this initiative, the LED project of the Department of Interior & Local Government partnered with the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Negros Oriental Investment Promotion Center to ensure the execution and operation of investment promotions in the Province.
With NOCCI and NOIPC as lead partners, the LED project engaged in investment servicing, networking with other local and national agencies, capacity development trainings, and marketing and promotions services.
The LED Project’s partnership with NOCCI has so far poured in local investments in the Negros Oriental Tourism Circuit which include the local government units of Dauin, Dumaguete City, Manjuyod, Tanjay City, and Bais City. These new investments include a P300-million two-storey mall sitting on 2.5 hectares along the highway in barangay Bantayan; a P200-million bay resort/commercial complex in barangay Piapi; a P1.2-billion health care facility in Dumaguete and another P600-million facility in Sibulan that are expected to strengthen the Province’s position for the retirement as well as the medical, health and wellness tourism segments; a P1.3-million solar energy farm in Bais City; and a P60-million themed resort in Dauin.
The LEIPOs of Dumaguete City, Dauin, Tanjay City and Bais City, as investment agents and facilitators in their respective localities, also reported investment generation: a P136-million commercial/food arcade along the Dumaguete boulevard; a P50-million commercial arcade at the Dumaguete Business Park; a P170-million new resort in Dauin; a P40-million fastfood chain in Bais City; and another P30-million fastfood in Tanjay City; and a proposed P200-million mountain resort and spa in Dauin. The mountain resort proposal by a Korean group was a result of the International Business Exchange conducted by NOCCI and LGSP-LED in November last year.
As of March this year, an estimated P616 million in LGU and national government investments have been made for tourism-enabling, health care, and gender equality infrastructure including: a P300-million expansion of the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital; the improvement/extension of the Dumaguete boulevard; the expansion of the Dumaguete seaport; and the improvement of Sibulan Airport runway. (John Jalandoni/NOCCI)