Gov. David Suarez (2nd from right), Steel Asia chairman and chief executive officer Benjamin Yao (3rd from left), House minority floorlead...
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| Gov. David Suarez (2nd from right), Steel Asia chairman and chief executive officer Benjamin Yao (3rd from left), House minority floorleader and Quezon 3rd district Rep. Danilo Suarez (2nd from left), Candelaria mayor Macario Boongaling (3rd from right), vice mayor George Suayan (left) and Bgy. Malabanban Sur chairman Perfecto Alcantara (right) pose after the groundbreaking ceremony of Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp.steel facility in Bgy. Malabanban Sur, Candelaria, Quezon. (JOHN A. BELLO) |
by John A. Bello
CANDELARIA, Quezon – A historic first in steel manufacturing for Quezon province was achieved with the groundbreaking of Steel Asia manufacturing facility in Bgy. Malabanban Sur here on Monday.
Quezon Gov. David ‘Jayjay’ Suarez, Steel Asia chairman and chief executive officer Benjamin Yao, House minority floorleader and Quezon 3rd District Rep. Danilo Suarez and Candelaria mayor Macario Boongaling led the event, along with other provincial, municipal and barangay officials to usher in further development for the province in the next 3 years.
“The establishment of Steel Asia manufacturing facility will play a significant role in Quezon province development as this will provide lots of jobs and opportunities for our people. This is part of the master development plan of our province where the 1st and 2nd districts are identified as our commercial-industrial areas and the rest are for agricultural purposes to balance our growth and development,” the governor said in his speech, noting that the groundbreaking of the steel facility followed the similar groundbreaking last month of the Toll Road 4 - South Luzon expressway project spearheaded by San Miguel Corp. and both are expected to accelerate further development for the province.
Yao, a native of Lucban, Quezon, said that Steel Asia will be putting up the first and the best modern wire rod manufacturing facility in the country.
He said wire rod is used to make wires, nails, screws, steel mesh, steel cables, welding rods and many others which are needed for industrialization and manufacturing resurgence in the country.
Yao said wire rods are previously 100% imported and is costly to import which makes it hard for small and medium industries to grow in the country.
The P1 billion facility, which occupies 32 hectares, will make the Philippines equal with other neighboring countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia which are locally producing wire rods.
Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp. has its main headquarters in Taguig, Metro Manila and had its first steel mill in Quezon city in 1965. Former Phil. Charity Sweepstakes Office director Betty Nantes who spoke for her son, vice governor Sam Nantes during the program; Steel Asia vice chairman Adrian Cristobal, Boongaling, vice mayor George Suayan, and Bgy. Malabanban Sur chairman Perfecto Alcantara joined the governor and congressman Suarez and Yao, all wearing helmets and holding shovels in the noonday heat in the symbolic groundbreaking outside the huge tent put up for the historic event.
Boongaling assured any business investors that they are welcome in his town and no red tapes and ‘grease money’ will be involved in processing and approval of their documents in the municipal government of Candelaria.
Yao said that this month they held two meetings with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte who expressed elation that the establishment of the steel manufacturing facility in Candelaria will generate jobs and development in Quezon province.
Former Candelaria mayor Ferdinand Maliwanag also expressed gratitude that the huge project will have at last its groundbreaking as it was on April 11, 2016 during his 3rd and final term that the Sangguniang Bayan had passed a resolution approving its establishment in his town.
Resolution No. 073-2016, signed by vice mayor Anatalia Atienza and Maliwanag, states “A resolution favorably endorsing the steel rolling mill plant of Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp. to be located in Bgy. Malabanban Sur, Candelaria, Quezon.”
