By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
AFTER the successful staging of the Golden Dinagsa Festival on Jan. 12-28, this is the next page for Cadiz City: “Golden Era’.
Mayor Bading Escalante on Sunday declared Cadiz an “Open City” for investors.
He said Cadiz has (still) more than 50,000 hectares of land ready and available for all types of business venture – poultry, livestock, farming, etc.
They also have a vast sea for agri-fishery. In fact, Cadiz’s newly-inaugurated parola (lighthouse), stressed Mayor Bading, signifies the grand welcoming of interested investors.
“We are also planning to expand-slash-upgrade our two-hectare Cadiz City Commercial Port (CCCP) for huge business influx soonest,” the mayor added.
And complementing all these plans, Cadiz, said Mayor Escalante, has the newest investment and tourism tagline: “Cadiz City: Land of Splendid Opportunities”.
‘ON THE SAME PAGE’
But what’s also notable is, the pronouncement of Mayor Bading that Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel envisions Cadiz as the next “agri hub” of the country.
Laurel was impressed with Cadiz’s coffee venture plus coconut and pineapple farming.
Yes, Cadiz’s coffee farms in Barangay Luna are quite impressive. And Mayor Bading earmarked a substantial amount to make Cadiz’s coffee industry so sustainable.
And take note, “Kape de Luna” is now “brewing” worldwide.
Also, casting an ambition to make Cadiz a “Fruit Basket” of northern Negros Occidental is quite possible.
And such a trajectory makes Mayor Bading and Secretary Laurel almost “on the same page” right now.
‘GO THE EXTRA MILE’
This is quite well for Cadizeños for having a chief executive whose vision is infinite for the sake of change and progress of Cadiz.
To “go the extra mile” beyond the limits is Mayor Bading’s “trade mark” in the field of politics or public service.
His being amenable and friendly keep investors coming to Cadiz.
And believe it or not, aside from the existing 132.5-megawatt (MW) solar farm of Helios currently thriving in Barangay Tinampaan, Mayor Bading said three to four more solar farms coming soon.
These include the 100-MW floating solar farm, the first in the Visayas, to be established in Tinampaan still.
And to make all these solar farms in Cadiz viable (at all times), the mayor revealed, there’s another company willing to put a 1,000-MW storage or battery facility.
‘AHEAD OF THE PACK’
Jotting down all what Mayor Bading had told the media on Sunday, one thing that plays in my mind right now is that he’s really, really going “ahead of the pack”.
And the proof is, “Cadiz today” – where progress and development are so visible.
Tagged as a “visionary mayor” of Negros Occidental, Mayor Bading never rests in thinking what’s the “best” for Cadiz.
And having an utmost priority on agriculture makes him more relatable to ordinary Cadizeños, especially to farmers and fisher folks.
But his “focus” is immensely great – to be friendly to all investors- be on land or sea.
Highlighting such a” focus” is its outstanding mandate re: “11-minute” time frame in the processing and release of business permits (be it new or renewal).
GAME PLAN
Some brand Mayor Bading as a “gooey”, but his “game plan” for Cadiz City is superb.
Posting the largest solar farm in Southeast Asia right now is one proof that he has a “great leadership”.
And making the Golden Dinagsa Festival truly beyond success was a sort of his launching pad for his vision to also bring Cadiz to the next page – the “golden era”.
And this is not a remote possibility for a man who had already opened a gateway for “splendid opportunities”.
So, beyond oga (dried fish), which Cadiz is known yesterday and today, it seems that it is now positioning to be one of the “great cities” in southern Philippines.
Realistically attainable.
God bless Cadiz!/PN
