Cebu Province is positioning Naga City as its next major growth hub following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with infrastructure firm MTD Philippines Inc. for a proposed integrated government, sports, and food security estate.
The project aims to develop a large-scale complex that will combine government services, sports facilities, transport infrastructure, and food security operations in a single centralized location.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro and MTD Philippines Inc. president and chief executive officer Patrick Nicholas David led the ceremonial signing on Tuesday, together with Malaysian Ambassador Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, provincial board members, and Capitol officials.
The proposed development includes plans for a satellite provincial government center, a 20,000-seat stadium, an aquatics center, a transport terminal, a fish port and market, food handling facilities, renewable energy systems, and other support utilities.
A consolidated provincial government center is also being eyed to house frontline services and administrative offices outside Cebu City.
David said the project is intended to improve access to government services for residents outside Metro Cebu by centralizing key offices in one site.
“We envision a consolidated complex that will bring together administrative offices and frontline services under one roof,” David said.
“The goal is simple — to make government service accessible, seamless, and efficient to every Subuano,” he added.
He said the initiative also supports efforts to decongest urban centers while promoting development in surrounding areas.
Baricuatro said Cebu continues to face food security challenges due to the absence of centralized post-harvest infrastructure.
“As you know, in Cebu, we are so food insecure. We don’t have a post-harvest facility here,” the governor said.
She added that uneven agricultural supply distribution remains a concern across the province.
“What’s really happening now is we have vegetables in the south and we don’t have any in the north,” she said.
“If we have a mega food hub, like what we will be building in Naga, it would be very easy for both north and south to access food,” she added.
The governor said Naga City was chosen due to its coastal location and the availability of provincial land in the Balili property.
MTD Philippines Inc. said the site also supports plans to improve logistics and distribution of food and fishery products across Cebu.
David said the company envisions the project as a way to help decongest urban areas while linking development across the province.
“It’s also one of our visions to help decongest the urban center, bringing the province closer to the south and hopefully later in the near future to the north,” he said.
He estimated that the project could generate between 5,000 to 8,000 jobs during its two-year construction phase.
“Employing Cebuanos is the priority,” David said, adding that the company also aims to introduce modern construction technologies and support skills development for local workers.
He said increased tourism activity is also expected once the sports and commercial components become operational.
David clarified that the agreement remains a non-binding MOU and serves only as a framework for cooperation.
“The MOU we signed is an intent and a framework for cooperation. It’s not yet binding,” he said.
He added that the project will still undergo feasibility studies, master planning, and procurement processes required under Philippine public-private partnership rules before implementation. (SBA)
Photo courtesy of Cebu Province
Comments