By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed support for the revival of the steel industry in Northern Mindanao to propel the country’s industrialization.
This, as Marcos acknowledged that the local production of steel is “critical for any industrialization” that his administration is planning.
During a meeting with the Regional Development Council of Northern Mindanao (RDC-X) in Cagayan de Oro City on Tuesday, Marcos said there are ongoing discussions with local and foreign groups keen on collaborating to reopen the National Steel Corp. (NSC).
“There are already discussions among certain groups, both foreign and local, that would ensure a partnership to revive the steel mill,” Marcos said, as quoted by the Presidential Communications Office in a news release on Wednesday.
Members of the RDC are pushing for the revival of the 500-hectare property previously occupied by the NSC, citing its potential to create jobs and restore the city’s status as the “industrial city of the South.”
Marcos said he would instruct the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the capability of the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Complex (APHC) to supply the necessary power needed to operate a steel mill.
“I will bring your concerns to Secretary (Raphael) Lotilla of the Department of Energy to see what’s possible. We need to do a technical analysis to determine if we can meet the 1,500 MW (megawatts) power production threshold,” he added.
Located in Maramag, Bukidnon, the APHC is composed of seven run-of-river hydropower plants with a total installed capacity of about 1,000 MW.
However, steel production in Region 10 would require at least 1,500 MW of consistent power supply.
The NSC, once known as the country’s biggest steel plant located in Iligan City, went bankrupt and ceased operations in November 1999.
During a policy forum held in Cagayan de Oro City in December 2024, stakeholders discussed the plan to establish an Integrated Steel Mill (ISM) in Northern Mindanao, to transform the region into a steel powerhouse and prime destination for investors in the steel industry. (PNA)
