Thursday, October 05, 2006 Zambo gab opens, to bare 'super region' potentials
A GATHERING of business stakeholders in Zamboanga Del Norte opens in Dipolog City Thursday to discuss opportunities for economic growth as well as industry potentials that can bring about progress in this part of the Mindanao super region.
Dubbed as the 1st Mindanao Trade, Investment and Tourism Congress, it will highlight trade, tourism, and investment potentials and opportunities in Zamboanga del Norte as well as the whole of Mindanao under the newly-adopted Super Region strategy of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In a statement, Dipolog Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that the congress is a joint effort of the local business community and the province of Zamboanga del Norte, along with the city governments of Dipolog and Dapitan, to contribute to promoting business in the area through interactive discussions, business matching and forging trade linkages.
Slated October 5 and 6, the congress will also gather government policy makers, economic leaders and foreign dignitaries.
"We consider this event as our local business community's contribution to the efforts of promoting our place as an ideal destination for tourism, investments and conventions," said Edgar Bagarinao, president of the Dipolog Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He added that this congress is "unique in the sense that this is the first time that the three key engines of development -- trade, investment and tourism -- will be presented alongside each other in one forum."
The Federation of Business Chambers of Mindanao Foundation (FBC-Mindanao) has also called on local business chambers and associations in Mindanao to participate in the congress.
FBC-Mindanao, composed of 15 local chambers in Mindanao, organizes the two-day congress in partnership with the LGU and local institutions.
"This congress comes at a most propitious time that Mindanao has been identified by our government as one super region. This event will show what Mindanao is contributing to our national growth and at the same time look for what we can give to further the development of the region," the federation said.
It added that the holding of the congress indicates a good business upswing in Zamboanga Peninsula.
Last year, the region posted a remarkable growth rate of 7.02 percent, the highest among all regions in the country, boosted by sustained increase in trade and economic activities in the agro-fishery sectors.
