ABOUT 200 hectares of submerged land that will emerge from the ongoing construction of Cagayan de Oro City’s coastal highway is being considered for reclamation in a development similar to Cebu City’s South Road Properties (SRP).
“The submerged areas that will come as a result of the ongoing construction of the coastal highway from barangays Lapasan to Bugo, will be our priority for reclamation. (Based on our estimates) we can recover about 200 hectares or more depending on how the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) will adjust or redesign the highway knowing that said areas (will be reclaimed),” said Councilor Edgar Cabanlas in a phone interview.
Cabanlas, who co-chairs the City Reclamation Authority with Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy, led City Hall officials in a recent three-day meeting with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and SRP administrator Roberto Vasquez.
Cabanlas said the meeting was a ‘benchmarking’ activity that will serve to guide City Hall’s pursuit of its own reclamation projects.
The meeting with Cebu City officials came days ahead of a series of meetings with Philippine Reclamation Authority officials scheduled next week, Cabanlas said.
“The (300 hectares) reclaimed by Cebu City (that constitutes what’s now known as the South Road Properties) came as a result of reclamation of submerged areas due to the construction of their coastal highway,” Cabanlas said.
The councilor said the city will follow a similar path but will be guided by both Cebu City’s SRP experience and the guidelines set forth by the PRA.
“The SRP began in the late 90s and from an initial estimate of P2,000 per square meter back then, the SRP land is valued at P300,000 per square meter. And SRP is nearly filled with developers like SM, Robinson’s, and Ayala,” Cabanlas said.
The councilor said the city can follow a similar development trajectory.
“Our coastal road project is ongoing, the DPWH is now headed to Barangay Cugman up to Barangay Puerto. And the coastal highway project will connect to Bukidnon province…and we are interested in reclaiming the land after the coastal highway which is foreshore land heading towards the sea,” Cabanlas said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)
