Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Ledesma: Challenging time for City Chamber By Jun Ledesma Sunbursts
THE Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been a recipient of various awards and recognition. Even when it cut its umbilical cord from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry a year ago following some arbitrary changes in the rules to suit the agenda of a few influential doyens in the PCCII, the local Chamber remained focused on its programs and objectives.
President Domingo "Doming" Duerme who steered the Chamber during this year when the industrialists organization has to charter its own course, refused to be cowed by threats that PCCI will no longer extend the Davao Chamber the kind of assistance it used to receive.
DCCII, however, on the record, was never a recipient of any aid from the parent organization. On the other hand, it managed to directly and successfully linked up with other international Chambers and grant agencies which had been satisfied with the performance of the local Chamber.
The controversy over membership with PCCII has become a non-issue. This week, the Davao City Chamber will elect its new members of the board of trustees who will in turn elect the next chamber president. Duerme who is the Philippine Airlines vice president for Mindanao is not seeking reelection for president saying other leaders in the industry should be given the chance to preside over the Chamber.
The year ahead holds great challenges for whoever the next president of the Chamber will be. The recent Davao Trade Exposition which was chaired by entrepreneur Ferdinand "Ferdie" Mara¤on offers a glimpse of what could be the most exciting and eventful year for the Davao Chamber. Maranon succeeded in inviting foreign capitalists and traders who saw the potentials of Davao by way of direct investments and trade.
Maranon who's running for president of the Davao Chamber is the prime advocate for the establishment of an Export Zone Authority in Davao. Maranon knows whereof he speaks.
On record he is the only Davao City-based businessman who had a firm registered with an export zone in Laguna.
"Firms operating inside an export zone authority have a decided advantage. Importation of expensive equipment and machinery are tax exempt. No VAT to worry about. The BIR or customs authorities do not even bother you," Mara¤on explained in a capsule.
In the Davao Trade Expo (Date 2007), no less than 40 businessmen and traders came to touch base with local entrepreneurs. A group of 14 Taiwanese buyers, 16 US-based product exhibitors, dozens of delegates from Korea, Japan and Indonesia among others attended and linked up with their local counterparts.
I personally cannot agree more to what Maranon hopes to happen in Davao. Davao is an agri-based region with so much potential in its other industries.
He said the stable peace and order condition in Davao City under the leadership of Mayor Rody Duterte makes it an ideal site for an export zone authority.
Actually, I think that this can be private-sector led or the City Government can sponsor that under its bureau for enterprises. Now that Sara Duterte Carpio is vice mayor of the city and presiding over the Sanggunian, establishing an export zone will not be a problem. I am talking here of the dynamism of the youth that is in Inday Sara.
I share the enthusiasm of Maranon in his vision to establish an export zone authority. He is not saying it but last week I learned that his importation of modern blast-freezing facility has arrived in Sasa port.
The machinery costs P35-million. Because there is no EZA in Davao he has to shell out P3 million plus on taxes, an amount which could have been used for the operations of his firm.
I also found out from Maranon that practically any kind of fruits produced in Davao can be processed and exported. Using cruder equipment, Maranon actually made a trial shipment of frozen fruits to the Middle East.
Encouraged by the demand in that single market alone, Maranon fast tracked the acquisition of state-of-the art equipment. I visited their plant site the other day and there is no let-up in putting the facility together. Maranon estimated that by mid-January 2008 the facility will start operating.
Other than fresh fruits, I knew of Korean and Japanese investors who are into processing and exporting coconut coir and manufacturing quality tiles. The prospects are boundless. As far as Maranon is concerned, the key to revving up the development of industries in the region is to set up an export zone authority not only in Davao City but also in Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur.
Mabuhay ka Ferdie! I cannot help it if I sound like am campaigning for your presidential bid in the Chamber, but for what you have done, and hope to achieve, I think you well-deserve that presidency. Good luck!
