Monday, March 23, 2009 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
GENSAN Shipyard will break ground on March 24 for a new shipbuilding facility with a combined 10,000T capacity slipway.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be the invited principal sponsor.
When completed and fully operational, the P250-million facility of Gensan Shipyard, a member company of the RD Group, would be the biggest in Mindanao.
"Our goal is to become a major player in shipbuilding in the Asean region and help push for BIMP-Eaga development in southern Philippines," said Rodrigo E. Rivera Sr., RD Group chair and CEO.
"The Philippines and most of the Asean countries need ships and vessels to transport their products. By expanding our business reach within the region, Gensan Shipyard and all member-companies of RD Group are paving the way for other investors, both local and foreign, to come and invest in the province of Sarangani, which is ready to welcome them to become partners for economic development," Rivera added.
The RD Group expressed gratitude to President Arroyo and Sarangani government officials for laying down an investment climate conducive to the development and growth of Filipino-owned enterprises.
The board of directors of Gensan Shipyard and the whole RD Group of companies fully support the government programs in establishing a balanced industrial, economic, and social development in the country that will provide jobs to people in rural areas and uplift the living conditions in depressed communities, Rivera said.
Gensan Shipyard, a pioneering industrial facility of RD Group in Southern Mindanao, is envisioned to be a catalyst in the BIMP-Eaga trade development.
The project will play a key role in the RoRo sea transport program of the government.
The shipyard expansion is RD Group's little contribution to help achieve the objectives of Republic Act 9295 towards promoting shipbuilding in the country and respond to the new vessel construction market niche in the Asean region.
When completed and fully operational, shipbuilding projects will bring jobs to more than 700 workers.
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