BLIST officials push ‘super corp.’ to create P2.9B ‘university town’

By Isagani Liporada

BAGUIO CITY – Four of six mayors comprising the proposed Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) growth link and a municipal mayor agreed on formation of a “super corporation” to establish a “world-class university town” within the area.

National Economic Development Administration – Cordillera chief Juan Ngalob and Commission on Higher Education – Cordillera director Freddie Bernal presented the “university town” concept in an Oct. 11 meeting.

Present were mayors Mauricio Domogan ( Baguio ), Greg Abalos (La Trinidad), Florencio Bentrez (Itogon), Ruben Paoad (Tublay), and Benguet governor Nestor Fongwan.

Ngalob revealed a pre-feasibility study ha been conducted placing initial project cost at P2.9-billion stretched through a 25-year development period.

Of the amount, P1.8-billion shall be spent in the first 5-years of the dream project.

The pre-feasibility study was conducted in a 314-hectare government property in an undisclosed area within BLISTT. But Ngalob clarified, “No definite location has been identified.”

“Once completed,” Ngalob said, “it should be able to accommodate 50-thousand students comfortably housed within the site. Student facilities shall be complemented by an auditorium, a sports complex, shopping centers, and other amenities found in a regular city.”

Bernal meanwhile said, “It is high time we place the BLISTT area in the international academic map. Of all the schools nationwide, only the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University have been able to break into the best 500-univerisities in the world.”

Domogan said he subscribes to the idea considering the need to disperse businesses in Baguio towards its environs.

But not all the mayors willingly shared enthusiasm with the others. Bentrez expressed reservations on how to raise the amount necessary to realize the dream.

But Fongwan said “once the corporation is established, we could sell idea to the investors like subdivision developers do. We could even invite investors directly on build-operate-transfer set-ups.”