Dumaguete locals were taken by surprise when local government officials last week bared an ambitious plan to build a 174-hectare “smart city” on reclaimed land along the city’s shoreline—and environmental groups, scientists, and citizens were quick to protest.

The development plan is a public-private partnership between the Dumaguete LGU and E.M. Cuerpo Inc (EMCI) that aims to reclaim a massive amount of land to build a “Smart City” with shopping malls, residential condominiums, parks, and other structures. With a reported budget of P23 billion, the project is set to be completed in three years and is being billed as both a win for the city’s economy and for the environment.

The project’s video brochure envisions a futuristic and prosperous Dumaguete equipped with, among other things, a heliport to welcome “the visitors and all the dignitaries can land their choppers, demount on their rides and proceed to their respective destinations and commitments using the waiting 5G-connected e-cars transport system.”

+INFO: Yahoo News