Local Malaysian execs push for Samal Casino reopening

LOCAL Malaysian officials agreed with their Philippine counterparts
to touch base with Ekran Berhad for the possible reopening of the
mothballed multi-billion-peso Samal Casino Resort.

South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance Fuentes, chair of the recently
concluded 2nd BIMP-Eaga Chief of Ministers, Governors and Heads of
Local Government Forum here, said Malaysian officials from Sarawak
will initiate talks for Ekran Berhad to resume its casino operations
in the Island Garden City of Samal.

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“There’s no time frame to reach the objective but we hope we can do
it as soon as possible,” she said.

The Malaysian delegation, headed by Minister of Industrial
Development Datuk Ewon Ebin, vowed to constantly keep in touch on the
development regarding efforts to urge Ekran Berhad to reopen its
casino venture.

Ebin vowed the “full assistance and cooperation” of Malaysia to
accelerate development initiatives in the sub-regional economic
grouping.

Pushing for the continuation of the venture, Igacos Mayor Antonio
Antalan said the possible reopening of the casino resort would be a
welcome development as it would boost economic activities and
generate employment for the constituents.

With the closure of the Samal Casino Resort in 2000, the locality is
reportedly losing P12 million in real estate taxes annually.

The resort, developed at a cost of more than $250 million in the
early 1990s, is valued at P2 billion before it was shut down due to
continuing financial losses as a result of the Asian financial
crisis.

In 2001, it was reported that Ekran Berhad was selling the facility
at half the price of its estimated value.

Long-term lease was another option offered by Ekran Berhad to
investors.

Samal Casino Resort is located in Samal’s Kaputian district where
Davao Gulf’s best beach resorts are located.

The resort’s total land area is 250 hectares but only 18 hectares
have been developed.

The original plan by Malaysian investors was to develop an economic
zone on the site, which used to be a coconut plantation.

The resort started operating as a hotel and casino in late 1997 with
300 rooms and a ballroom that could accommodate 3,000 people.

About 300 locals lost their jobs when the Malaysians pulled out of
Samal Island.

The resort is about 30 minutes by boat from Sta. Ana wharf, Davao
City, Mindanao’s premier economic hub.

Ekran Berhad is a highly diversified Malaysian conglomerate listed on
the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

The company’s biggest project was Bakun Dam in Sarawak which it
reportedly failed to complete, but was paid a hefty sum for its
expenses by the Malaysian government.

Samal Casino Resort was Ekran Berhad’s contribution to the East Asean
Growth Area concept promoted by private business chambers in the
region during the early ’90s.

The growth area straddles the countries of Brunei Darrussalam,
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

contributor: davaohive@yahoogroups.com

PAL mulls opening of Davao-HK flights

By Joy Romares-SevillaPHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) senior assistant vice president for
Mindanao Domingo Duerme said Wednesday that flag carrier is also
looking at the possibility of opening direct international service to
Hong Kong from Davao.

This developed after Cebu Pacific announced Monday its decision to
expand operations in Davao by making it the third hub after Manila
and Cebu by May next year.

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“As far as tourism is concerned, the more flights we have, the more
we can draw tourists to visit Davao City,” Duerme said in Wednesday’s
edition of the Club 888 press forum, adding the announcement of the
Cebu Pacific is a very welcome development in the city.

Duerme said that aside from the Davao-Hong Kong route, which PAL is
closely considering for tourism development, two more destinations in
China will be proposed by PAL.

“Aside from the one more flight from Davao to Manila that PAL will
open this December, two more destinations in China are still on the
study stage,” Duerme said.

Duerme, on the other hand, failed to mention as to when the service
flights from Davao City to China will be made available.

Meanwhile, Mary Ann Montemayor, chair of the Bimp-Eaga Tourism
Council and one of the guests at the same forum, lauded the
announcement of the Cebu Pacific to service direct flights from Davao
City to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Iloilo.

“Bimp-Eaga Tourism Council has been encouraging airlines to service
air routes, this is a very laudable move,” she said.

Montemayor recently returned from Kuching in Malaysia where the 3rd
Bimp-Eaga Travel Exchange was held.

“The Kuching airport is very nice, but Davao International Airport is
not left behind,” she concluded

contributor: davaohive@yahoogroups.com

PHILIPPINE CARRIER CEBU PACIFIC TO EXPAND OPS IN DAVAO CITY

Asia Pulse – Cebu Pacific (CEB), the country’s leading domestic airline, is set to expand its operations in Davao by making it the third hub after Manila and Cebu by May 8, 2008. The airline will base an A-319 aircraft and its necessary crew and support at the Davao International Airport (DIA) to service direct flights from Davao City to Singapore and Hong Kong. The airline will also offer direct domestic flight to Iloilo. Such move is expected to boost Davao Region’s economy, with the future influx of tourists and prospective investors from both neighbouring Asian countries. “This is part of our commitment to develop Davao as a gateway into the Philippines and make the Philippines, particularly Davao or Mindanao, a more attractive destination for tourism and trade,” Lance Gokongwei, CEB president and chief executive officer, said. The decision to make Davao as the airline’s third hub is in preparation for a more expansive inter-island connectivity, as they plan to acquire more aircraft within the next few years. He said their direct service from Cebu to Singapore and Hong Kong have been “very successful and there’s no reason we can’t do it in Davao.” “We recognize Davao as very attractive in terms of promoting trade and tourism. Davao offers the same potentials as Cebu,” Gokongwei said. Gokongwei said about 30 per cent of the 75 per cent traffic for direct international service to Hong Kong and Singapore comes from Davao. New jobs for Dabawenyos will also be generated, he said, adding that support crew is needed for the maintenance of the aircraft. “From our 40-man ground crew at present, we will increase it to about 60 as we need engineering support to the aircraft,” he said. Both services from Davao to Singapore and Iloilo will start on May 8 next year while service to Hong Kong on May 9. These new services will be introduced with a seat sale from November 13-20 this year. “We will continue to expand our operations to achieve our goal of flying more travelers. And, with our continuous aircraft acquisition and base expansion, we hope to boost the country’s tourism and trade agenda in the region,” Gokongwei stated. The airline also continues to pursue a 4th operational hub in Clark as soon as all the necessary government approvals to operate to Bangkok, Macau, Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore are granted.

(PNA) contributor: davaohive@yahoogroups.com

Happy 4th Monthsarry!

Happy 4th monthsarry! We are thankful for your continuous support! Last month, there was an increase of unique page visitors and readers to more than a thousand. And we thank you for that! 

October was a busy month for Davao City. Davao City hosted a number of international and national conventions and exhibits from ICT summit to business and investment confabs – all in just a month. A proof that Davao City is indeed the Convention Capital in Mindanao.

Join us this month as we check the up and coming developments in Davao. By the way, we have just received words that Sutherland Davao will now start their operations in Davao. Proof to that is the arrival of the first wave of Davaoeno technical specialists who were trained in Luzon for more than a month.

It’s November, and we’ll expect alot of great news and developments for Davao City and Davao as whole!