Radaza eyes jobs for drug ‘surrenderees’

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City Government wants to get jobs for drug "surrenderees" at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and at the ongoing project of Megaworld in Mactan.  Lapu-Lapu Mayor Paz Radaza said she has already communicated with the two groups to express her plan.

"I had a talk with them already. Willing sab sila kay nanginahanglan man sad sila og daghan tawo with their construction," Radaza said.

At least 937 drug personalities from 30 barangays in Lapu-Lapu have surrendered to the police in line with the government's crackdown on illegal drugs.   Radaza said the "surrenderees" underwent profiling and monitoring by different police stations under "Operation Tokhang", a directive of Police Regional Office-7 Director, Supt. Noli Taliño.

At present, GMR-Megawide, the company managing the airport, is working on a resort-themed airport terminal adjacent to the existing airport facility. Construction is expected to be completed in February 2018.

Meanwhile, Megaworld, the country's leading real estate developer and business process outsourcing (BPO) developer, is undertaking The Mactan Newtown project, a complex of state-of-the-art office towers, in Barangay Mactan.

The Mactan Newtown has been declared a "Special Economic Zone" by former President Benigno Aquino through Presidential Proclamation 407.

Harold Geronimo, the company's assistant vice president and head of public relations and external affairs, told The Freeman that they have coordinated with their contractors and asked that the latter support the city government.

He clarified that the men working on the ongoing construction are not direct employees of Megaworld but from a third party contractor.

"They are under third party contractors. We have already coordinated with our contractors in The Mactan Newtown project to cooperate with authorities on this matter," Geronimo said in a text message.

The Freeman tried to reach GMCAC for comment but received no reply as of last night.

Aside from providing the "surrenderees" jobs, Radaza said some of them can also avail of livelihood programs implemented by the city through the Lapu-Lapu City Cooperative and Livelihood Resource Center, as well as the cash-for-work program of the City Social Welfare Services. (FREEMAN)