‘We are bouncing back’

MAYOR Vicente Emano said Cagayan de Oro is getting back on track following the onslaught of Toprical Storm Sendong in December 2011.

“We are bouncing back,” he said during the opening of the two-day “Mega Job Fair 2012” Thursday at the City Hall in time for the city’s 62nd Charter Day celebration.

The mayor said that with the overwhelming support of local and international companies offering close to 12,000 jobs to local residents, it is a living statement that the city is gradually overcoming the effects of “Sendong.”

The job fair was a partnership venture between the City Government and Ayala’s Centrio Mall to address employment needs of job seekers in the region.

Centrio Mall has about 400 merchant establishments set to open by the fourth quarter this year at the city’s central business district.

The mall will house stores with popular international and local brands.

According to a report, a president of one of the merchant partners aired confidence with the city’s economic status even after the devastations brought by the December flash floods.

“We can feel the strength of the CDO (Cagayan de Oro) economy,” said Anton Gonzalez, president of Planet Sports Inc.

The report also quoted Debenhams and Marks & Spencer executive Steven Sarmenta saying their company is excited to be part of the development in the city.

“We want to show our confidence in the province. We are betting on the resiliency of the people,” he said.

Public Employment Services Office head Juvy Paza said there are 75 local business establishments, 300 Ayala merchant partners and 22 international companies seeking thousands of employees from Cagayan de Oro, the most favorite destination of hiring corporations.