Gutalac will be the site of the first ethanol plant in Mindanao and there are serious and interested investors. This was recently stressed by Gov. Lando Yebes when some sectors were pessimistic about its establishment.

He also disclosed that President Gloria M. Arroyo witnessed the Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement in Nanning, China and passed the scrutiny of Malacañang and Board of Investment. Those interested investors included Henry Sy of the SM Group of Companies, Banco de Oro and Fabribas Bank of France.

It was learned that the initial investments of P400M will be released as soon as the Zanorte Bioenergy Corporation shall have secured the required area of land for planting sugar cane which is the raw material of ethanol plant. The governor disclosed further that they have already secured two thousand hectares in Gutalac which will be placed under the lease agreement and shall be rented at P1,300.00 per hectare for the first year and three year advance payment if the land owner agrees to the price.

Aside from Gutalac, other areas eyed for plantation are Kalawit, Liloy and Tampilisan. Gov. Yebes explained to landowners that the P1,300.00 rental per hectare is just for the first year of operation, but the amount may change during the succeeding years. He urged landowners not to be gain-oriented at the start because it is always normal that a business enterprise will have a wobbly beginning.

As regards its effect on food production, Gov. Yebes assured all sectors that it could never have a negative effect on food production since areas planted to corn, rice and other staple crops are never disturbed. The areas committed to sugar cane production are only those areas not committed to any agriculture production. (Press Freedom, Vol. XIX No. 7)

Malacañang finally approved to release the P1.032B for the diffeent infrastructure projects of the province which seek to boost agriculture and tourism. This was disclosed by Gov. Rolando Yebes in his message read by Provincial Atty. Jes Gal Sarmiento, Jr. before the 1st Mindanao Trade Investment and Tourism Congress held here recently.

The National Government finally approved to release the P1.032B for the diffeent infrastructure projects of the province which seek to boost agriculture and tourism.

One of the projects cited was the road expansion going to Dakak Park and Beach Resort amounting to P84M. Another P30M was appropriated for Zamboanga Coastal Road which will connect Sibuco, Sirawai, Siocon and Baliguian to Labason.

The Dipolog Airport Improvement Project was placed at P731M and Sicayab-Bucana road project which would end all the way to Pulauan Wharf at P18M. Both agricultural and tourism were eyed by the provincial government especially that ZaNorte is included in the Central Philippines Tourist Circuit Program alongside with Camiguin Island and Surigao del Norte. (Press Freedom, Vol. XIX No. 1)