By Mia A. Aznar
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
NOTING the lack of processing plants in Mindanao, organizers of the Mindanao Business Conference are hoping entrepreneurs from Cebu and the Visayas will attend the two-day event and establish links with entrepreneurs from Mindanao.
Officials from Pagadian City and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry were in Cebu yesterday to invite local businessmen to attend the conference on Sept. 7-9 in Pagadian City and discover opportunities for investments.
Mercedes Lourdes Quisumbing, president of the Pagadian-Zamboanga del Sur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc., said their provinces have many trade relations with Cebu for products like lumber, seaweed and mangoes.
Processing industries
However, she said there are few processing industries in Mindanao.
They hope to invite Cebuano businesses to invest in their areas, assuring the easy access of Pagadian with other key areas of Mindanao.
Pagadian Councilor Bienvenido Culve also announced an incentive package for investors, saying tax holidays will be afforded to businesses that come in to Pagadian.
Culve said businesses that construct their own buildings can enjoy up to five years in tax holidays, depending on the cost of construction of the building. He noted companies like Gaisano Capital, Robinson’s and SM as having taken advantage of their incentive packages.
Culve said that commercial buildings that are at least four storeys will not have to pay for all local permits for three years.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Mindanao and ARMM regional governor Edgar Bagarinao said businessmen from Cebu and the Visayas will benefit from the conference, as members from all chambers across Mindanao will converge in Pagadian City on Sept. 7.
Growth projection
According to the Mindanao Development Authority, Mindanao is expected to grow at 4.5 to 5.5 percent due to industry and service sectors seeing new investments in power, manufacturing, mining and housing construction. The region has also seen growth in business process outsourcing and tourist arrivals.
The conference will feature plenary sessions on the success models of public-private partnerships, Mindanao tourism destinations, Mindanao product champions and responsible minerals development. They will also have as guest speakers President Benigno Aquino III and US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr.
Aside from the sessions, Bagarinao said they will also have business matching for suppliers, manufacturers and consumers so they can establish partnerships.
Apart from having daily flights to Manila and four weekly flights to Cebu, Culve said Pagadian is accesible via other provinces. It is a five-hour drive to Zamboanga, a two-hour drive to Dipolog and another four hours via the Ozamis route.
Bagarinao urged those who will attend the conference to pass these provinces and see the sights of Mindanao.
Cebu Chamber of Com-merce and Industry president Samuel Chioson said economic business relations can be established with the conference, pointing out that Cebu is a consumer province while Mindanao is a producer.
Important partner
“We want Mindanao to prosper as well,” he said.
CCCI past president Jose Ng said Mindanao is an important trading partner and that Cebuano businessmen can benefit by seeing what they can offer.
Now on its 20th year, Bagarinao admitted this was the first time they came to Cebu to invite participants.
While they are expecting 300 to 500 participants, Bagarinao hopes 100 participants from outside Mindanao will be present, with half this figure coming from Cebu.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 25, 2011.
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