Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Business stakeholders in Visayas to discuss issues, pass resolutions
CONCERNS ranging from improvement of infrastructure to rising prices of fuel to food security are some of the pressing issues that might be taken up in the upcoming 17th Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC).
The VABC, which will be held on Aug. 14 to 16 this year at the Cebu International Convention Center, is an annual meeting of business and public leaders that is meant to enhance ties among chambers of commerce. It is also a venue where members of the business community discuss current issues and government policies that affect the industry.
Jose Ng, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)-Visayas vice president, told reporters that issues to be discussed during the conference are urgent in nature.
Since VABC is only for one day, participating chambers are urged to discuss separately issues among their respective members, come up with draft resolutions and submit these during the event. These resolutions from each chamber will form as basis for collective resolutions that will be passed during the VABC, which will then be submitted to the PCCI.
Policy-making
After PCCI has reviewed the resolutions, these will be submitted to the National Government for consideration and, eventually, policy-making.
Last year’s VABC was hosted by the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.
In the conference, participating chambers pushed for an informed review and assessment of the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) and its implementation by the Department of Agrarian Reform. The chambers proposed that an independent body, like the Congressional oversight committees, review the implementation of the Carp.
This year’s VABC will be hosted by the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry and organized as part of the Mandaue Business Month (MBM) 2008 that will kick off next month.
At least 200 delegates coming from the 16 active chambers in the Visayas-Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas-are expected to attend the VABC.
MBM 2008 organizers foresee more guests and more tourists to come due to the “convenient location” of Cebu being in the center of Visayas region. They also expect a bigger budget—from P8 million to P10 million—for the MBM this year due to the VABC.
Among those who have been invited to speak during the conference are Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano and PCCI chairman emeritus Donald Dee.
Ng, however, said this year’s VABC may be the last as the PCCI is “strongly encouraging” satellite business conferences to be jointly organized by all chambers of commerce of a certain area every year. (NRC)
