TACLOBAN CITY- There seems to be a construction boom in this city which is still reeling from the aftermath of super typhoon “Yolanda.”
Since January up to April of this year, 72 commercial buildings were constructed across the city generating an income for the city government of about P1 million for building fees.
Last year, 113 commercial buildings were constructed or at repaired generating P7 million income for the city government.
Engineer Roberto Gabriana of the City Engineering Office said that the construction of these commercial building in Tacloban only shows that investors, both coming from outside and within the city, still believes on the competitiveness of the city.
“This only means that our businessmen still believe that we have not lost our competitiveness. After all, Tacloban remains to be the regional capital of Eastern Visayas,” he said.Thus, they expect more new building constructions will take place within this year and in the succeeding year.
Gabriana said that the construction of this commercial building is a welcome development considering that aside from generating an income for the city government, it also help in employment generation not only among residents of the city but those coming from other parts of the region.
He disclosed that representatives from some of the country’s mall operators visited their office looking for the possibility of constructing their own shopping malls in Tacloban.
Gabriana, however, disclosed to provide details on this saying he is not authorized to divulge this matter.
In an earlier interview, businessman Jack Uy, president of the Tacloban Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that after Tacloban was hit by Yolanda, businessmen slowly return to the city to do business.
With a population of more than 200,000, Tacloban remains to be attractive to business, Uy said.