Legazpi City Has Recovered from Reming – Mayor Rosal

LEGAZPI CITY - - ON THE EVE of the 50^th Charter anniversary of this city, Mayor Noel E. Rosal revealed that after two years the city had finally recovered from the destructive effects of typhoon "Reming" in November of 2006, with the help of the private sector, the national government and foreign agencies which poured in some P 5-Billion in economic and infra investments in this prime Bikol city.

With the City at a calamity stricken state having some 40,000 families displaced; about 26,000 dwellings destroyed; and 325 hectares of agricultural lands covered by lahar-flow after typhoon "Reming", many investors here feared that it will take a long-time for the city to regain its progressive status.

In 2007, Rosal appealed to his constituents, "Buhayon niato liwat an ciudad nin Legazpi" ("Let us restore the City of Legazpi to life"). Despite the difficulties, many investors had responded and deemed the city as still a major investment area in Southern Luzon.

This year alone, investments continued with another tourism destination opening in July, "the Embarcadero," a P 2-Billion worth of a resort-hotel complete with 40 rooms, restaurants, and a wharf developed by the Sun West Construction firm.

With the City being named after Spanish "Adelantado" and "Conquistador" Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Spanish Government through its "Agencia Español de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarollo" (AECID) has given the grant of 1.5-Million Euros, or an equivalent of P 88.3-Million pesos for the establishment of an Ecological Solid Management facility at Barangay Banquerohan to be operational by 2011.

The Spanish Grant for the material recovery facility (MRF) were signed by Mayor Rosal and the Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines, Luis Arias Romero, representing the (AECID) last March 5 of this year.

In the meantime, Rosal also revealed that recently the City Government has started construction of its Central City Terminal, the tourism development for Lignon Hill, and the rehabilitation of the city's canals and drainage with some P 20-Million projects from the DPWH.

City engineer Orlando Rebato said recent expansion of the city canals had put a stop to perennial flooding in barangays Taisan and Gogon where most of the floodings have occurred during heavy rains.

Rosal added that site development in Legazpi City has moved to the Sourthern barangays for new commercial sites and homes; these locations are situated in high-lands and face lesser risk during calamities.

Since the late Spanish and into the American period, Legazpi City had been a major port city; in the last 50-years, the city has become the trade center, port embarkation for sea travel, and educational-hub for Bikolanos in the Eastern part of the region which include those from the provinces of Sorsogon, Masbate and Catanduanes.

Legazpi City became a Charter City on June 12, 1959, based on Republic Act No. 2234 enacted by the Philippine Congress. (SONNY SALES)