By: Emme Rose Santiagudo
SAN Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB) on Friday broke ground its P6.7-billion production facility expected to rise in two years and become the springboard for the development of Leganes, Iloilo.
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang alongside Senator Franklin Drilon, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., Leganes Mayor Vicente Jaen II, Barangay Captain Alberto Capajay Jr., and other local government officials led the ground breaking on Friday at Barangay Gua-an, Leganes, Iloilo.
The 40-hectare production facility will be SMB’s third production facility in Visayas apart from those in Mandaue and Bacolod.
SMB President Roberto N. Huang said that the completion of the facility will allow more convenient and efficient delivery of San Miguel products to customers in the region.
“The management believes that putting up a facility strategically located in IIoilo is instrumental in achieving our vision that is to lead the growth of beverage industry,” he said in his speech.
Jaen said he considers the project a milestone for their municipality that has long awaited such huge investments.
“For us in Leganes, San Miguel will help us realize one of our three-point agenda and that is ‘Progressive Leganes’ where we envision big investments, create employment for Leganesnons and increasing revenues for our town. It will be the driver of the other points of our agenda which is providing quality livelihood, and prioritizing the needy,” he said.
The mayor believes that with San Miguel’s help, Leganes will come full circle, particularly “in achieving the dreams for Leganes in contributing to the awareness that Leganes and Iloilo is the place to be when it comes to big investments and worry free business”.
Two years from now, Drilon said that the new SMB facility in Iloilo will provide additional jobs to the Ilonggos and generate more economic activity.
He underscored the need to sustain the momentum of the economic growth in Iloilo.
“We have made huge strides in our efforts and we have made Iloilo word-class. The emergence of shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, in curtailing spaces in the city is proof of Iloilo’s growing economy and consumer confidence. But this cannot be sustained unless we expand our economy here in with new investments like SMB,” he stressed.
Drilon said he is confident that more investors will be interested in Iloilo following the move of SMB.
“We need investors who move faster and decide faster like Mr. Ramon Ang. I am certain that with San Miguel here, the rest will follow,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ang lauded the politicians, workers and businessmen in Iloilo assuring that he will invest more projects to benefit the Iloilo
“Dito sa Iloilo, napakabuti ng mga politicians dito from the senators, governors, congressmen, mayors, councilors and barangay. Ang SMB pwedeng magtayo ng maraming investments dito. Nakita ko very progressive itong Iloilo, napagaling na negosyante, napakasipag ng mga tao dito
Makakaasa po kayo na we will invest more in Iloilo,” he said.
