Malaysian firm to build 12 gov’t centers, biz hubs outside Manila

FILE: MTD Philippines, Inc. Chairman Isaac David told reporters that the company plans to build government centers and business points in 12 cities outside Metro Manila. (Photo: MTD Philippines)

MANILA — Malaysian infrastructure firm AlloyMTD Group will pour in PHP18 billion in the Philippines for the construction of government centers and business hubs in provinces across the country.

MTD Philippines, Inc. Chairman Isaac David told reporters that the company plans to build government centers and business points in 12 cities outside Metro Manila.

MTD Philippines President Patrick Nicholas David, on the other hand, noted that the firm will be spending an average of PHP1.5 billion for each project.

The local unit of the Malaysian company has already embarked on this kind of projects in the cities of Calamba in Laguna, Palayan in Nueva Ecija, and Balanga in Bataan.

The top executives said AlloyMTD’s next government and commercial centers will rise in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Batangas, Cebu, and Surigao, among others.

Under this project, AlloyMTD develops an idle land into an economic zone, where buildings are in place for government offices and for commercial uses.

Last Friday, the company received its Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) registration for the Palayan City Government and Central Business Hub (PCBH) as an information technology park.

The government center component of PCBH houses 16 government agencies, making it a one-stop-shop for transactions with government offices.

“This aims to bring national government agencies together in one building,” David said.

“With this, we are promoting ease of doing business, which we are lacking,” he added.

He said putting together government offices in one building promotes efficiency and aims to encourage businesses to invest in the city.

It also helps overseas Filipino workers processing their requirements in government offices.

But the largest government center and business hub projects of AlloyMTD will be the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) within the New Clark City in Tarlac.

Construction of government and business buildings are ongoing in the NGAC.

For the construction of Phase 1-A of the NGAC, the company is spending PHP13.7 billion.