Manila Gold-coast Development Corp (MGDC) is reclaiming three islands in Manila Bay to create Solar City, a 148-hectare mixed-use development that will run entirely on renewable energy.
These islands will apparently be the "Dubai of the Philippines"
The islands will have an international cruise ship terminal as well as an artificial beach, among other proposed amenities likened to the emirate. Also on offer is a monorail system, precluding the need for carbon-emitting automobiles that have been a perennial problem for Metro Manila.
Solar City will reportedly generate 100,000 jobs during the construction phase and up to 500,000 upon completion
Bringing back Filipino workers
The project presents a beguiling alternative to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in a ceaseless quest for higher-paying employment prospects in the UAE and other parts of the Middle East. Dubai alone is home to 450,000 Filipinos.
Solar City is on tap to generate up to PHP10 billion (USD200 million) in real property taxes for the Philippine government. It is one of 80 reclamation projects in several coastal cities that are being fast-tracked under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, including the Mactan North Reclamation and Development project in Cebu and a 108-hectare venture in Bacolod.
And even more to come!