TACLOBAN CITY: The Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc. (MPAV) led by business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan is eyeing to set up a 500-hectare corn plantation in Northern Samar province, the local government said on Wednesday. The Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (PEDIPO) said Governor Edwin Ongchuan recently met MPAV chief operating officer Toby Gatchalian and chief finance officer Reginald Gripal in Makati City to discuss potential investments. 'During the meeting, MPAV expressed its desire to secure 500 hectares of land in Northern Samar specifically for corn cultivation, to which the provincial government committed to assisting the company. This assistance centers around the facilitation of their ocular investigation and addressing bureaucratic hurdles as they establish their business in the province,' PEDIPO head Jhon Allen Berbon said in a phone interview. The provincial government is interested in partnering with MPAV as the firm has set a remarkable precedent in sustainabl e farming, as showcased by its greenhouses around the country, most notably the one in San Rafael, Bulacan, the largest hydroponic vegetable farm in the Philippines. 'This positions the company as an ideal partner for advancing the agricultural sector of the province, sharing the sentiment of producing more with less," Berbon said. MPAV is the agriculture arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and has been engaged in various farm ventures in the country. Aside from MPAV, the province also earlier welcomed key investments such as Savemore Store by SM Group, common cell sites by Philtower Consortium, offshore wind power projects by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Aboitiz Infrastructure, and tidal energy projects by Energies PH Inc. Source: Philippines News Agency