SMC’s Spade Works in San Fabian Start after Relocation of Squatters

P55 BILLION INVESTMENT 

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN FABIAN, Pangasinan – The U.S $1 billion (PhP55 billion) mammoth infrastructure to be built by San Miguel Corporation (SMC) would start its construction this month after the illegal settlers in the vicinities of the projects have been compensated and relocated.

San Miguel Brewery in Malaga, southern Spain. Photo credit: Alamy.com

“Baka itong July na kasi na delay ng kaunti dahil doon sa nililipat e. Ngayon nalipat na namin iyong mga squatters (galing sa malapit) sa dagat,” Vice Mayor Constante “Danny” Agbayani told Northern Watch Newspaper.

He added that each of these households who resided in Barangays Bolasi and Mabilao have been paid P450, 000 each by the juggernaut Philippines conglomerate corporation’s SMC.

The payment for the squatters include the cost of their demolished abode.

San Miguel Brewery, Inc. (SMB) – an affiliate of the SMC – would be constructing a brewery in Barangays Bolasi and Mabilao here – its second in northern Luzon. It broke ground on July 2019 attended by SMB President Roberto Huang, officials of the SMB and the local government unit here led by then Mayor Agbayani. 

President Roberto N. Huang of San Miguel Brewery Inc. (left, photo) and San Fabian Vice Mayor Danny Agbayani.

Agbayani projected 2,000 to 3,000 workers will be needed by the brewery corporation when it starts its operation. He said the presence of SMC in his first class town will see big companies investing and relocating here as multiplier –effect.

The area, he added, has alluring beach, near the national highway and mountain areas but remains a “sleeping giant” before SMC set foot here.

The project from the top Philippines' conglomerate here would not only settle for the brewery but is seen to usher for another commercial, recreational and tourism facilities in the 100 –hectare area of the two coastal villages.

With the P55 billion investment by the SMC in this town, it would burgeon because of the revenue she would get from the yearly business and real property taxes from the SMC.

Former Speaker Jose de Venecia projected this coastal town to become a satellite city once SMC starts to operate here, other giant projects like cement grinding plant, pier, jetty, Petron tank and LPG farm, grain terminal, feed mill, and poultry processing plant and abattoir - which will be the most state of the art  in the Philippines - will be the next to be invested.

SMC is ranked 174 among 800 top firms in the world according to Forbes Magazine.

Agbayani–a former chief executive whose wife Marlyn is the present mayor here – said that the government here is transparent to investors.

“The local government is open to investors as long as they meet the requirements,” he said.

His administration did not ask for grease money as quid pro quo from businessmen for them to put shop here.