Toyo University presents final report on “PPP Possibilities for the Future of Butuan City”
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 20 (PIA) -- Toyo University Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Research Center presented recently its final report on “PPP Possibilities for the Future of Butuan City” at the Japanese university’s main campus in Tokyo, Japan.
The presentation was attended by the Butuan delegation composed of representatives from the local government unit led by City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr., with representatives from the business and academe sectors of the city.
The Butuanons were formally welcomed by Dr. Makio Takemura, President of Toyo University, and Prof. Yuji Nemoto, PPP Research Center Principal. Also present to witness the presentation were Mr. Geoffrey Hamilton and Mr. Michael Flynn, PPP experts from the United Nations, and Mr. Froilan Pamintuan of the Philippine Embassy in Japan.
The final report contained observations in the fields of agriculture, recycling, renewable energy, economic enterprise and tourism. The most noteworthy recommendations include the mechanization of the agriculture industry, the conversion of waste to energy and the use of wood pellets as biomass fuel.
Prof. Sam Tabuchi, team leader of the group that conducted the study, emphasized that Butuan City is rich in timber and has the ability to grow trees, such as falcata and ipil-ipil, in three to five years. He said that this is a major advantage over Western countries which need approximately 40 years to grow trees for biomass fuel production.
In his response, Mayor Amante expressed that his administration is serious about the current efforts to strengthen PPP in Butuan, in line with the PPP advocacy of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, and that the city government is committed to work on the recommendations of Toyo University for economic development in Butuan City.
The presentation of the report is a component of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Toyo University and the city government of Butuan which allowed Toyo University PPP Research Center to conduct a study on possible Public-Private Partnership Projects in Butuan City.
It can also be recalled that a team from Toyo University conducted interviews and site inspections in Butuan City last September. The study marks the first time that Toyo University conducted such study outside Japan, choosing Butuan City as its first non-Japanese LGU subject.
The activity also included the signing of the MOU for academic, scientific and cultural cooperation and exchange between Toyo University, Caraga State University, Father Saturnino Urios University, Saint Joseph Institute of Technology, and the City Government of Butuan.
Said activity was immediately followed by a business forum wherein Mayor Amante presented Butuan’s investment opportunities to potential Japanese investors, and a reception dinner was then hosted by Toyo University for the Butuanon guests. (CMO-PIO/PIA-Caraga)
