STATE-LED Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) has received interest from local and foreign companies to locate in two of its properties in Batangas, with four entities already in the application process of reserving lots in the industrial parks, company officials said.
“We are coming up with one [industrial park] in Bauan, one in Limay, kaya excited ako doon (that’s why I’m excited there),” PNOC President and Chief Executive Officer Reuben S. Lista told reporters last week.
PNOC is leasing out 90 hectares in Limay, and another 24 hectares in Bauan, both in Batangas. It is requiring a P200,000 application fee for locators that intend to build their projects in the area.
Mr. Lista said the first entity the pays the application fee is given priority on the property. The two properties are among the PNOC landholdings that its top official expects to provide a regular stream of revenues in the near term, he added.
Efren A. Legaspi, PNOC department head of estate management, placed the rental value at the Limay property at P220 per square meter. At 10,000 square meters to a hectare, the 90-hectare property could bring in rent of around P198 million.
He said four entities are keen on locating their businesses in Limay. He declined to disclose their identity because of a non-disclosure agreement, but said they are into liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant, micro-refinery, petrochemicals and solar energy development.
Of the four, three are foreign and one is a local company with foreign partners, he added.
“What they sent is letters of interest. We treat that as part of application process for us to release certain information for them to conduct their study. They have to pay the application fee if they want to reserve,” he said.
For the Bauan property, PNOC has signed a memorandum of agreement with a Thai company to explore possible partnerships, Mr. Legaspi said.
“They are doing their study now. Aside from them meron pang iba (there are others),” he said, without identifying the interested parties. He said the others are either interested in using the property as a grains terminal or a container yard.
He said the possible partnership is for a depot for petroleum products. At the very least, PNOC would be the lessor, or it could beyond that arrangement and use the property as equity in a joint venture, he said.
Asked when PNOC expects the Bauan property to result in a partnership, he said: “By next year, late next year.” — Victor V. Saulon

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