Clark, Pampanga—A joint venture between a Filipino investor and a Korean businessman has expressed keen interest in investing in Zambales, particularly in the dredging and desilting projects of its river channels clogged with lahar sand.
AJ Marketing and Consultancy Services, a partnership between Filipino businessman Jonathan Mendoza and Korean Andrew Lee, signed a Memorandum of Agreement with L. C. Soliman Marketing headed by Lydia Soliman for the joint venture in the dredging and desilting of Sitio Nahuko River in Barangay Santa Fe in San Marcelino, Zambales.
According to Mendoza, the project will enable the river to be cleared of lahar sand and give them a supply of materials in their infrastructure projects in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
“We are aware that Gov. Deloso wants the rivers in Zambales dredged and desilted so that the residents of the province will not suffer from floods, so we are happy to embark on this project,” Mendoza said.
He added that his partnership with the Korean partner was also a result of President Duterte’s recent visit to South Korea, where he called upon Korean businessmen to come and invest in the Philippines.
“Mr. Lee is one of the 15 Korean investors who answered the call of the President,” Mendoza said.
He said the sand they will remove from Sitio Nahuko River will be taken to Cebu where their firm has a 400-hectare reclamation project.
Aside from the Aetas, who will benefit from the project, Mendoza said the venture will provide additional revenue to the provincial government in terms of taxes and livelihood for the town’s residents.
Mendoza said the joint venture will work closely with the provincial government as well as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to ensure the environment will not be abused.
Mendoza said he and his Korean partner will bring in new technology and funding to the project.