P4.6B steel project gets conditional approval

DAVAO CITY—The P4.6-billion steel bar rolling mill project in Davao City inched closer to reality after getting a conditional approval from the Sangguniang Panlungsod recently, a councilor said.

The steel bar rolling mill was proposed by New Carcar Manufacturing Corp., a subsidiary of SteelAsia, last year.

Councilor Arnulfo Cabling recently told reporters that the steel bar rolling plant would  rise in Bunawan district and would be Mindanao’s first steel rebar plant.

He said the city council had asked the steel bar company to submit a greening program within 90 days before it could start construction of its processing plant in Barangay (village) Bunawan Proper.

“It is one requirement the city council imposed prior to the approval of the request of the company,” he said.

The greening program required of the company would also determine how much carbon will be emitted by its operation.

“The program includes plans to protect the environment through conducting activities like planting and growing trees,” Cabling said.

He said the city council also asked the company to submit a solid waste management plan.

Councilor Bernard Al-ag said the steel company wanted the city council to reclassify its site in Bunawan from medium industrial zone to heavy industrial zone. But he said the company’s compliance of the requirements set by the city council was the only way to speed up the reclassification of the area.—Judy Quiros