Universal Robina Corp., the food manufacturing unit of the Gokongwei Group, said Monday it agreed to allow the city government of Passi in Iloilo province to use a portion of its property for a road project.
“This is our way of giving back to a community that has been a gracious and generous host to us. It is our hope that through this effort, Passi City can achieve its goals to bring growth and prosperity to its population,” URC president and chief executive Lance Gokongwei said in a statement.
A deed signed by Gokongwei, URC Sugar and Renewables Business Unit general manager Renato Cabati and Passi City mayor Jesry Palmares grants the city government the “right and privilege” to use 40,329 square meters of the company’s property for the construction of a road leading to and from an economic zone.
Passi City is a largely agricultural town with produce that mostly include sugarcane, rice and pineapple.
The local government’s move to develop an economic zone is in line with efforts to spread growth from urban centers to farm-dependent regions. The agreement would prevent traffic from building up inside the city itself.
“It’s going to be a major artery that this road will bring about in the heart of Panay Island. It will make the flow of all transports connecting Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Northern Antique more feasible” said Palmares.