A 67-hectare investment hub soon to rise in Barangay Bani here is expected to boost the local economy, including the town’s coffers.

“We are anticipating a surge in unemployment, especially among the youth, but this project will usher in investments, and job opportunities. It is not for the economy alone but also for culture and commerce,” Mayor Mary Clare Judith Phyllis Jose Quiambao said during the groundbreaking of the Bayambang (BYB) Metro on Monday.

The PHP2.5-billion BYB Metro is a commercial-residential township project — which includes a theme park, open spaces, hotels, housing, and business areas — is expected to be completed within five years.

Quiambao said the project will also benefit nearby towns in central and eastern Pangasinan.

“It would also boost tourism in the town and neighboring areas since it is adjacent to the famous St. Vincent Ferrer Prayer Park, where the tallest engineered bamboo statue is located, and pilgrims visit,” she said.

Meanwhile, Agricultural Infrastructure and Leasing Corp (AILC) president Cezar Quiambao said the new metro area will generate around PHP50 million to PHP200 million income for the town annually when it is fully operational.

“It will generate income for the town from real estate tax,” he said.

BYB Metro’s Blue Sky theme park will feature a 50-meter-high Ferris wheel and a roller coaster as the main attractions, as well as14 other rides, a snow world, and an ice-skating rink.

Quiambao said the first phase of the theme park is expected to be opened by November 30 this year, initially creating 5,000 jobs.

Meanwhile, a digital theme park would also be opened in June 2025.

The commercial business district will include a shopping mall, restaurants, and an amusement park, while the residential subdivision is designed to provide modern living spaces for the community.

Quiambao said they are expecting to cater to over 500,000 local tourists from neighboring towns. (PNA)