In response to claims of “slow development” of the Megaworld Corporation Upper East Township project, Megaworld Senior Assistant Vice President Harold Geronimo clarified the matter by insisting development is underway.

He explained, development at the site began late last year and they are presently conducting pipe-laying for underground utility lines, as well as sewerage and drainage facilities.

Geronimo added, “The soil at the site was soft and it requires [workers] to dig deeper in order for the stable construction of the building on the site and to make them earthquake-proof.”

The Megaworld official also explained it will take time before residents living nearby are able to see buildings rise.

He used the development of the Iloilo Business Park as an example, stating, development of the site began in 2010 but buildings were only constructed in 2013, and the site was more difficult to build as they were constructing in an area which had softer soil than in Bacolod City.

Meanwhile, Geronimo said construction of the mall annex has already started as they will soon demolish the old Lopue’s East annex building in order to give way for the one-kilometer long, six-lane Upper East Avenue.

The development of the P28 billion Upper East Township project began in 2018 and is expected to take 10 to 15 years to complete./DGB, WDJ