Firm seeking city council’s endorsement for IT center

CEBU, Philippines - A Mandaue City-based property development and leasing company is seeking the endorsement of the City Council for the presidential proclamation for its information technology center.

Anne Madelaine Liu, the chief operating officer of Oakridge Business Park, said they are requesting for a favorable endorsement for their IT Center to be known as Oakridge IT Center Towers, as one of the requirements for their application for registration with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

Oakridge Business Park is located along the busy street of A.S. Fortuna in Barangay Banilad.

"The Company's proposed project is in response to the Government's efforts to encourage and support private sector investments in the development of economic zones rather than establishing public economic zones," Liu said in her letter addressed to the City Council.

The Mandaue City Council, however, deferred the request of Liu and opted to wait for the report of the council's committee on trade and industry.

Liu told the council that the locator of IT enterprises will attract jobs for the residents in the city.

"Once it will be duly proclaimed as an IT Center and will be duly registered with the PEZA, it will attract IT/BPO businesses," she said.

Also, Liu said the city will also benefit in the form of income tax from the locator IT/BPO enterprises as the PEZA law requires that two percent of the gross income tax earned by the locator IT enterprises will be paid to the host local government unit.

The Oakridge now proposes to construct two 12-storey BPO/IT interconnected buildings at the site adjacent to the existing PEZA-registered Oakridge IT Center, Liu said.  (FREEMAN)