General Santos City — Mall operator giant Robinsons Land Corporation is eyeing to establish the first-ever modernized "Mallengke" in Mindanao here.

A source from the Office of the City Mayor disclosed that the local government here is already meeting its Technical Working Group for the possible implementation of the first-ever modernized public market cum shopping mall in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, GenSan City administrator Atty. Franklin Gacal in a text message confirmed that indeed Robinsons Land Corporation — which also operates Robinsons Mall of Gensan is dipping its hands to the Mallengke Project at the tune of P2.3 billion.

He also informed that the TWG — as per instruction of City Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao — is in the works to iron out the supposed partnership but did not elaborate if the planned "Mallengke" will be a Build-Operate-Transfer or a Public Private Partnership scheme.

The City Administrator also assured the current stall owners of the General Santos City Public Market that they will be accommodated and be given priority.