INVESTMENT PROFILE
Fast Facts about Biliran | Utilities | Transportation | Communication
Trade and Commerce | Investment Priority Areas | Cost of Doing Business
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FAST FACTS ABOUT BILIRAN
Biliran, an island province basking in natural
splendor and teeming with natural resources,
is located 1,115 km southwest of Manila.
It belongs to the Eastern Visayas Region,
and it became a regular province in May 1992.
The province has 8 municipalities
and 132
barangays, with Naval as the
capital town.
The total land area is 55,542
ha., of which
60% is considered alienable and
disposable
while the remaining 40% are made
of forestland.
Biliran is strategically located.
One can
easily reach the place via a
1-hour plane
ride from Manila to Tacloban
and 2 ˝ hours
from Tacloban to Naval by land.
Or one can
board the fast ferry in Cebu
City and reach
Ormoc City in 2 hours, and then
take the
land trip to Naval.
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UTILITIES
POWER SUPPLY
The NPC Geothermal Plant in Tongonan, Leyte
supplies the energy needed by the province
through the Biliran Electric Cooperative
(BILECO). BILECO has energized 96% of the
barangays. Power supply is estimated to be
3.5 megawatts; the demand over the past few
years is a little over 2 MW.
WATER SUPPLY
Forty-four percent of the total households
are served by Level 3 systems (individual
household connections), 39% by communal faucets
and the rest by wells and other sources.
The Naval Water District provides potable
water service in the provincial capital.
A total of 13,477.63 hectares have been irrigated
to date, leaving a potential irrigable area
8,361 hectares.
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TRANSPORTATION
SEAPORT
Naval, the capital town, has a commercial
seaport that serves inter-island vessels
plying mainly the Cebu route and to other
cities.
AIRPORT
Although Biliran has a 1-km airstrip that
can accommodate light aircraft, the province
can be reached through the following airports
as landing points:
· Tacloban - daily flights to Manila &
vice versa
· Cebu - daily flights to domestic &
international routes. Once in Cebu, you can
take the fast ferry to Ormoc City and then
proceed by land travel to Naval.
LAND TRANSPORT
From Manila, the province can be reached
by land through bus lines that ply the Pasay
or Cubao to Naval route. Travel time is estimated
to be 28 hours.
It may also be reached from Tacloban City,
the regional center, by bus or mega taxi
in 2-1/2 hours, or from Ormoc City in 2 hours.
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COMMUNICATION
Postal Offices/Telegraph Stations
Each of the 8 municipalities has a post office
and/or a telegraph station located in the
poblacion.
Telephone Companies
GlobeTelecom (Islacom) operates a local phone
exchange in Naval and offers national &
international direct dialing service. It
likewise provides Internet access and fax
transmission lines. In addition, PLDT, Bayantel,
and Islacom have public calling offices;
Bayantel also offers fax transmission.
Courier Services
LBC, JRS and Kabayan Forwarders hold offices
in Naval.
Cable TV & Radio Stations
BILINET provide cable TV broadcasts in the municipalities
of Naval, Almeria & Biliran while Naval Cable covers Naval and Kawayan. There is also
a radio station broadcasting in the FM band
in Naval.
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TRADE AND COMMERCE
TRADE
Biliran's major trading partners via land
are Manila, Tacloban City, & Ormoc City.
Its trading partners using sea transportation
are Cebu City, Calbayog City in Samar, and
Masbate.
Copra, rice, fish and bananas are the major
commodities that go out of the province while
the major goods that come in include prime
commodities, canned goods, garments, and
construction materials.
During the year 2000, 231 business establishments
were registered. These establishments generated
employment to 500 persons and the declared
capitalization amounted to more than Php
23.6 million.
BANKS
Three financial institutions operate in the
province: the Land Bank of the Philippines,
the Philippine National Bank, and the Rural
Bank of Naval. In addition, three lending
investors and five credit cooperatives extend
financial services.
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INVESTMENT PRIORITY AREAS
A. Agriculture-Based Industries
- Warehousing, drying & milling of grains
- Abaca plantation & processing
- Japanese rice production
- High-value crops production (pepper, coffee,
cutflower and vegetables)
- High-value crops production (pepper, coffee,
cutflower and vegetables)
- Livestock raising
- Industrial tree plantation
- Corn production
- Coco-based processing
B. Aquamarine-Based
- Ice plant & cold storage
- Fish preservation/processing
- Seaweed production
- Fish hatchery
C. Tourism
- Theme park/tourism estate
- Tourist facilities (resorts, hotels)
- Local tour packages enterprises
D. Other Industries
- Ceramics
- Furniture
- Mineral water bottling
E. Infrastructure (utilities, schools, transportation,
etc.)
- Water supply (potable water)
- Mini hydro plant/power plant
- Fast ferries
- Seaport, airport (cargo plane/bus terminal)
- Communication facilities
- Housing project
- Private hospital
- Schools
- Internet service provider
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| << MINIMUM DAILY WAGE RATE >> |
| C a t e g o r y |
Rate(PhP) |
| Agricultural |
| Plantations (5M up AGS) |
120.00 |
| Plantations (AGS less than 5M) |
90.00 |
| Non-Plantation |
100.00 |
| Non–Agricultural |
| Skilled |
200.00 |
| Unskilled |
120.00 |
| Cottage Handicrafts |
100.00 |
| Retail Services |
100.00 |
| << REAL ESTATE >> |
| NAVAL(Capital Town) |
| Residential |
2,000/sq.m. |
| Commercial |
2,500/sq.m |
| All other municipalities |
| Residential |
400/sq.m |
| Commercial |
700/sq.m |
<< TRANSPORTATION RATES >> |
Passenger Bus
from Naval To |
Rate |
| Biliran |
10.00 |
| Cabucgayan |
25.00 |
| Culaba |
40.00 |
| Caibiran |
35.00 |
| Kawayan |
15.00 |
| Almeria |
7.00 |
Outside the province;
Bus from Naval to: |
| Ormoc City |
100 |
| Tacloban City |
100 |
| Metro Manila |
|
| **> Aircon |
928.50 |
| **> Non-Aircon |
721.00 |
| Sea Transportation |
| From Naval to: |
|
| Cebu City |
|
| **> Economy |
200.00 |
| **>Lower Deck |
190.00 |
| Nearby Islets |
25.00 |
<< COMMUNICATION RATES >>
TELEPHONE (Long Distance) |
| Bayantel |
| Naval to: |
|
| Tacloban |
P4.00 per minute |
| Ormoc |
4.00 per minute |
| Cebu |
4.50 per minute |
| Manila |
5.50 per minute |
| Davao |
5.50 per minute |
| PLDT |
| Naval to: |
Day Rate |
Night Rate |
| Tacloban |
4.00/min |
3.25/min |
| Ormoc |
4.00/min |
3.25/min |
| Cebu |
4.00/min |
3.60/min |
| Manila |
5.50/min |
4.25/min |
| Davao |
5.50/min |
4.25/min |
| GLOBE TELECOM |
| Naval to: |
|
| Tacloban |
4.00/min |
| Ormoc |
4.00/min |
| Cebu |
27.80/3 min + 5.50 succeding min. |
| Manila |
15.00/3 min + 4.50/succeeding min. |
| Davao |
30.00/3 min + 6.50/succeding min |
<< UTILITIES >>
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| POWER RATES |
| Residential |
4.40/kwh |
| Commercial |
4.80/kwh |
| Industrial |
4.75/kwh |
| WATER RATES |
| Residential |
53.80/10 cu.m. |
| Commercial |
94.15/10 cu.m. |
| Wholesale/Bulksale |
516.45 |
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