Gateway to north bids to become industry hub.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Trina A. Lagura

HIS vision to make Valenzuela an industry hub of the country might be too ambitious, but Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian believes the city is fated to become one in 10 years.

A gateway to the northern province, Gatchalian debunks claims that the city is too far from Manila to be the center of the industry action, saying that Valenzuela City's strategic location to bigger markets has made it an ideal spot for commerce. These bigger markets, he says, include Quezon City, Makati City, and Caloocan City. Businessmen can source their raw materials in Valenzuela, he says.

"(But) most of our consumers are from Metro Manila although numerous workers from the north are employed in our city," Gatchalian says.

Investors are also scampering to locate their factories in Valenzuela because the value of the property there is cheaper compared with other cities. For instance, Gatchalian says, the property in Valenzuela is 30 to 40 percent cheaper than QC.

Business in Valenzuela is thriving. The city registered an additional 1,000 small and medium-sized industries for this year, 39 of which are manufacturing firms. However this is is still far from the 8,000 registered last year, with no record of any closure.