DAVAO OCCIDENTAL, the newest province in the country, broke ground on June 8 for its P3-billion provincial capitol and business complex in the capital town of Malita. The Davao Occidental Provincial Capitol and Government Business Center will cover a 30-hectare (ha) area within the 800-ha industrial property of former Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco, Jr. “The whole property of (Barangay) Lais is an industrial park. The capitol is situated in the center of the property to manifest that the seat of power of the province is situated in the middle of industrial businesses of the province,” said Gov. Claude P. Bautista during the groundbreaking ceremony over the weekend. The construction, to be administered by the Department of Public Works and Highways, is targeted for completion within three to four years. Davao Occidental, which was formally created in Oct. 2013, elected its first set of local government officials in 2016. — Maya M. Padillo

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