FOR CENTURIES, IT has always been the western side of the Philippines—the one facing the South China Sea—that has enjoyed economic growth and development.

Proof is Metro Manila and the various ports and special economic zones south of it, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales and recently, the Poro Point Freeport Zone in San Fernando, La Union.

Interestingly, the eastern area facing the Pacific Ocean has experienced quite the opposite as most of the provinces located on this side have remained among the country’s poorest and most isolated.

“It’s unfortunate because there’s so much history along this side of the Philippines: (Portuguese explorer) Ferdinand Magellan reached our country through the east side, landing in the island of Homonhon in the province of Eastern Samar. The Allied and the Philippine Commonwealth forces saw the strategic significance of landing in Palo, Leyte in order to begin their mission of retaking the Philippines from occupying Japanese forces. Even smugglers ship their goods using the Pacific,” noted Felino Palafox Jr., principal architect and urban planner/founder and managing partner of Palafox Associates.

Talking with the Inquirer during the blessing of his new office at the corner of Ayala Avenue and VA Rufino Street, Palafox believes that developing the eastern side will create new opportunities for growth.

“While it has the potential to bring in billions of pesos in revenues to the country, it could also reduce settlement pressure as well as relieve existing traffic-saturated roads of Metro Manila and outlying areas. The development will also create an international gateway on this side linking up with the rest of the countries and cities around the Pacific Rim,” Palafox explained.

Impossible you say?

For Palafox, the task is not so different from when he first arrived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates almost three decades ago.

Becoming the only Filipino member and the youngest team leader of a quality planning team, Palafox had helped transform this once tiny fishing and pearling village into today’s major business and tourism hub.

“Dubai is an excellent example for the Philippines. A few decades ago, its ruler realized that they can’t forever rely on their oil, which is very little when compared to their other Arab counterparts. To confront this challenge, he created a welcoming social and investment climate, along with special zones with independent laws, that soon attracted investors,” he remembered.

The result was just phenomenal as Dubai, in a matter of decades, successfully turned itself into a post-oil economy that feeds in part on the oil wealth of its neighbors, who are more than willing to invest in the city’s red-hot real estate market.

“Dubai’s property sector started its tremendous growth in 2002 when the city first announced that foreigners would be legally permitted to acquire freehold residential titles for designated areas. When that promise came to reality in 2006, an enormous wave of buying ensued,” he remembered.

Emulate

Palafox said the Philippines could emulate the Dubai experience and become “one of the most successful business hubs in the region, offering topnotch facilities such as state-of-the-art container terminals, airport, seaports and free trade zones.”

“I recently met with Sen. Edgardo Angara who plans to set up similar infrastructures, coupled with tax incentives and transportation and telecommunications facilities in the province of Aurora. The planned Aurora Special Economic Zone ch Palafox will help design) establish the province as the gateway to the Pacific, and could even unlock the resources of its rich and fertile neighboring provinces like Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya,” he said.

Dingalan Bay, located in the southern part of Aurora, will have a pivotal role in this transformation.

Palafox also reported that Romeo Roxas, who owns 30,000 hectares of waterfront property running from Dingalan, Aurora down to Infanta, Quezon is planning to develop a property—Pacific Coast City—that would become an alternative site to Metro Manila for industries, homes, schools and recreation.

“Building an international port here, will put the Philippines ahead of its Asean neighbors as it could cut shipping time by several days for those coming from the Pacific,” Palafox said.

To connect this area to the rest of the Philippines, Aurora is now drawing the plans for road networks (Baler-Casiguran Road and the Pantabangan-Maria Aurora Road) as well as airports.

“Manila and Dingalan are just over a hundred kilometers apart in a straight line moving northeast. A road network via Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija or through the mountains of Montalban in Rizal could make Aurora accessible in just a few hours.

“If you build the roads, people and business will follow. In my experience, this is a foolproof way to jumpstart growth,” Palafox assured.