ABS-CBN, Isuzu Opens in Mandaue
Cebu City  Mandaue City   Lapulapu City

Mandaue City -- The country's leading media network and worldwide-known manufacturing companies are among those new firms now doing business in Mandaue city.

TV - Channel 3 and its sister radio dyAB, both of ABS-CBN networks, started its full broadcast operations mid-August bringing to two major televisions and AM broadcast stations currently operating.

Vehicle manfacturing Isuzu company also joined the new group of business firms which opened last August. Isuzu's products are distributed by Don Fernando Zobel de Ayala, persident of the giant corporation Ayala Group of companies.

The low income taxation scheme has emboldened the businessmen whose aim is more profit margins from their investments which led to the entry of additional foreign and local investors in the city.

The relatively cheap labor, skilled workers, low taxes and a strategic location. All of those factors can mean higher profit yield for businessmen.

Mandaue city has close to 4,000 major industries comprising manufacturing and food processing plants, stonecraft industries, export-quality furniture shops, shell products and carageenan, among others.

The city earns an annual income of P337-million derived from business taxes and other forms of earnings.

MANDAUE CITY -- City Mayor Thadeo Z. Ouano plans to relocate the local traffic personnel office and occupy part of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) here in the city.

In his letter addressed to LTO assistant regional director Isabelo Apor, Ouano said the move is to provide traffic police personnel with a decent office, adding, a good working environment is one of my promises to employees here.

Ouano cited Section 6 of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) entered into by the city and the LTO, the latter of which reserved as portion of the building's left wing for local government use.

"Since a part of the LTO building is owned by the city, I personally find it appropriate to use it for the benefit of the new traffic group, locally know as the Traffic Efficiency Development and Management (TEDMAN) Board of Mandaue," Ouano in the same le tter said.

The TEDMAN is a new traffic personnel group created by Ouano through an executive order aimed to minimize traffic problem caused by various road widening projects currently undertaken by the city government.

The new office will house some 100 traffic personnel.

MANDAUE CITY --- The city government projected a 13 percent increase in its annual income for next year with the implementation of an intensified tax collection campaign schemes that will generate an expected increase of revenues from export of locally produced products.

City Mayor Thadeo Z. Ouano said the increase is substantial enough, although 12 percent lower that the expected target collection, because of the economic crisis faced by the country arising from the peso-dollar devaluation caused by a slump down of the Japanese yen against the U.S. currency.

Ouano, however, said he sees a bright future in incoming foreign investments here in the city caused by the entry of Japanese investors since he assumed office last July 1.

Isuzu company, owned by Japanese nationals, opened up a subsidiary corporation here forging a joint partnership with the Ayala group of companies headed by Don Fernando Zobel de Ayala.

Another group of Japanese investors known as the Alma Group is also eyeing to open up businesses focusing in banking and lending operations.

Ouano is currently negotiating with foreign firms to boost the city's economic status and increase sales in the world market for our local produce.

"We compromise almost 40- percent of Cebu's export yet our city is not well-known for its fine rattan, shellcraft, woodcraft and wrought iron furnitures and fixtures. It is high time that the world will know that Mandaue is producing those goods not in any other place of the Province, " he said.

Ouano stressed that our locally produced products are of world-class category with prices competitive to other Asian neighboring countries, adding, "our cost of production is lower compared to competing nations selling the same items."

Mandaue is currently earning P337-million in revenues arising from business taxes. It has adopted a low taxation scheme which lured investors to the city.

Rattan and elegant wrought iron outdoor furnitures, stone and shellcraft products, carageenan, among others, are locally produced in Mandaue. Ouano assured the government will do its best to help promote the market of Mandaue's produce outside the country.