Smart Citi Teknologi to develop ‘smart island’ in Palawan
LOCAL IT company Smart Citi Teknologi plans to develop a “smart island” in Roxas, Palawan with Hong Kong-based partners as it aims to promote sustainable tourism.
The entities under Hong Kong’s Xtreme Business Enterprises Ltd. (XBE) that will be part of the partnership are Coinllectibles and Marvion, which are both digital ownership token firms.
“Through this island, we will introduce a blockchain-enabled membership program for sustainable tourism,” Marvion Corporate Finance Director Gerald Gn said in a press conference on Monday.
The project, called North Verde Island, is set to be inaugurated in September this year. It will integrate modern technology and high-tech systems, according to Smart Citi President and Chief and Executive Officer Mario P. Marcos said.
“Our target date for inauguration is September. We will try to expedite the process as soon as possible,” Mr. Marcos said.
The more than 500-hectare island will house a smart hotel, entertainment hall, convention center, air taxi airport, sports center, administration and control center buildings, yacht club, airport, village hotels, golf and country club, and golf hotels, among others.
The smart hotel will have five five-storey buildings with a total floor area of 17,640 square meters (sq.m.), while the three-storey entertainment hall will be housing a casino inside its 19,000-sq.m. area.
North Verde will have 70 units of village hotels, which will have a 326-sq.m. floor area and a 33-sq.m. pool per unit. Its golf hotels will have five three-storey buildings with a total floor area of 9,095 sq.m.
The convention center will have four floors and a total floor area of 10,871 sq.m., while the sports center will have 27,997-sq.m. area.
The island will have two airports: one for the air taxis that Smart Citi plans to develop and launch inside North Verde and a regular airport inside a 190,800-sq.m. area.
“These are world-class buildings because we will be using 3D printing to build this island. Using state-of-the-art 3D printing technology, instead of building the island in 10 years, we can do it in five years,” Mr. Marcos said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
