HERE’S THE STATEMENT OF MAYOR JANE YAP ON THE PROPOSED TAGBILARAN CITY WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
DATE: November 24, 2023
Maayong buntag kanatong tanan! Nagpatawag ta og presscon karong adlawa aron mahatag ang desisyon base sa gihimo namong series of public consultation mahitungod sa proposed Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Project.
But before nako ihatag ang desisyon, I would like to clarify na gisunod nato ang saktong proseso bahin sa proposed Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Project. Naa pa ta sa ikatulong proseso, ang competitive selection process.
Nangutana ang uban nganong sa pagdawat pa lang sa proposal wala gi-konsulta ang mga taw? Tungod sa mga sayop na information na nagkalat karon, gusto ko na ma tubag ang mga kabalaka sa kadaghanan.
Base sa Public Private Partnership (PPP) Ordinance og sa pre development activities na gihatag sa Philippine Reclamation Authority, ang pag-conduct sa public consultation layo pa unta na mahitabo, ika-30 pa nga step. Una, ang pagdawat sa proposal di nagpasabot na itukod na sya dayon. Ang pagdawat sa proposal nagpasabot lang na maminaw ta for economic development opportunities. As the Most Business Friendly City in the entire Philippines (category 3) sa ikatulo ka higayon, sulod sa lima ka tuig dile pod maayo/ na dile ta maminaw og mga opportunities na makapasaka sa atong local income.
Ikaduha, dako ang projected income na ma-generate sa maong project para sa City Government. Karon ang Real Property Tax sa Tagbilaran City naa pa sa Php 84 million. Og madayon ang proposed project, ang projected Real Property Tax sa Tagbilaran moabot sa Php 500 million matag tuig.
Unya, ang unom ka benefitted na coastal Barangays, namely (Cogon, Booy, Taloto, Poblacion 2, Poblacion 1 & Mansasa) mahatagan og share na mokabat sa Php 30 to Php 50 million kada barangay, matag tuig, gikan sa income sa Real Property Tax pa lang. For example, ang budget sa Barangay Booy karon is Php 10 million annually, kung fully operational na ang Waterfront Development Project, ang projected budget sa Barangay Booy mosaka to Php60 million, kada tuig, nga puedeng gamiton para sa dugang projects og serbisyo sa Booy. Mosaka pod ang business tax collection sa syudad, from Php120 million, mosaka ni to Php800 to Php900 million.
Kining income na ma-generate sa project, makahatag kini og dugang na serbisyo sa katawhan na nagkinahanglan og tabang sama sa hospitalization, tenement housing, scholarship grant, school buildings, senior citizen benefits, opening of roads, livelihood, burial assistance og daghan pa. Bahin sa job opportunities, makahatag ang proposed project og projected 57,000 jobs, equivalent sa katunga sa population sa Tagbilaran. Nasayod ta na daghang ikahatag na kaayuhan ang proyekto para sa city,
PERO kinahanglan pod unahon ang pag-submit sa Environmental Impact Statement para makahibaw ta sa environmental effects sa maong proyekto, kay sa atong mga series of public consultations mao gyud ni ang pinaka importanteng gi-pangita sa mga tao. Og ikaduha, ato pod nga i-update ang atong Public Private Partnership Ordinance para sa mga new developments nga mo sud sa Tagbilaran City pohon. Particularly ang requirement sa pag conduct ug Public Consultation sa earliest stage sa process.
Tungod kay ang inyong tingog, mao ang akong tingog, WE WILL NOT CONTINUE WITH ALL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE TAGBILARAN CITY WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, tungod kay consultative ug participative ang atong style of leadership. Akong balikon para klaro, Tagbilaran City Government WILL NOT CONTINUE WITH ALL ACTIVITIES pertaining to the proposed Tagbilaran City Waterfront Development Project!
Series of public consultations on the proposed project were made, even down to the grassroots level.
The heartfelt sentiments of the people, especially the statement made by Bishop Abet Uy (A person I respect so much and whose guidance I treasure the most) Every other area of our life is built on top of our spiritual life, therefore, we will listen to the advice of our Church through the discernment of Bishop Abet Uy. Tagbilaran City will NOT CONTINUE WITH ALL ACTIVITIES pertaining to the Tagbilaran City Waterfront Development Project.
My priority will always be our people and our natural environment.
The City Government of Tagbilaran will always listen to the voice of the people through its mission of consultative and participative governance.
As the FIRST Woman Mayor and the Mother of Tagbilaran City, it is my duty to nurture our people and environment. A mother always listens to her children in order to make decisions that will be/ for the benefit of all. Following the leadership example of my husband, former Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap, we have always recognized that for real progress to be realized in the City of Tagbilaran, collaboration of all sectors in society is essential.
While we envision economic growth for Tagbilaran in order to provide more employment opportunities in our communities, we always consider the environmental impact of our economic policies and programs as a way to protect our rich natural resources for the future generations of Tagbilaranons.
We take our role as responsible stewards of God’s creations/ to heart, as part of our mission to protect the trust that has been given to us by the People.
Allow me to borrow the words of Bishop Abet Uy that; “Our duty is to uphold and nurture the integrity of our environment through preservation and protection”. Rest assured that the City Government of Tagbilaran is open for development. As one of the fastest developing local government units in the Philippines, we will always refer to our advocacy of balancing economic progress with environmental protection in making any executive decision. Tagbilaran will keep going, and not only that, it will continue to grow as we support the dreams of each Tagbilaranon towards shared progress in our beloved City. To God be the Glory! #AsensoPaMoreTagbilaran
