WEST CEBU ESTATE is home to some of the world’s leading maritime companies such as Australia’s Austal Philippines. Austal Philippines recently delivered the largest, high-speed Catamaran ever constructed in its 35-year history — the Express 5. — COMPANY HANDOUT

ABOITIZ InfraCapital Economic Estates is planning to develop commercial areas within the West Cebu Estate this year.

The plans include building the West Cebu Exchange, a commercial complex that will host food outlets, retail shops, basic services, a supermarket, and a transportation hub.

“Beyond West Cebu Estate’s strategic location, its skilled population and lower cost of doing business make it a viable investment destination that can significantly drive growth in Balamban and the province of Cebu. This is largely underpinned by our expanding employment opportunities, combined with our well-established mixed-use Economic Estate catering to more light, medium, and heavy industries,” said Rafael Fernandez de Mesa, president of Cebu Industrial Park Developers, Inc. and head of Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates, in a statement.

A joint venture between the Aboitiz Group and Tsuneishi Holdings of Japan, West Cebu Estate is a 540-hectare mixed-use development in Balamban, Cebu.

It is home to some of the world’s leading maritime companies such as Australia’s Austal Philippines.

Austal Philippines recently delivered the largest, high-speed Catamaran ever constructed in its 35-year history — the Express 5. The 115-meter smart passenger ship can carry 1,610 passengers and 450 cars.

Express 5 is the 21st ship delivered to an overseas operator by Austal Philippines, highlighting the tremendous value added to the Philippines shipbuilding industry since 2012. It’s fitting that our latest and greatest ship is also the largest ever delivered by an Austal shipyard, anywhere in the world. The team is rightly very proud and deserve to be congratulated,” Austal Philippines President Wayne Murray said in the same statement.

“This would also not have been possible without the infrastructure and resources that West Cebu Estate provides us with.”

Aboitiz InfraCapital, the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, launched the 39-hectare industrial expansion of West Cebu Estate to cater to the growing demand of other industries such as automotive, manufacturing, and logistics.