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Tuesday, February 10, 2004
City not in economic slump, says Acharon
By Merlyn F. Velarde
MAYOR Pedro Acharon Jr. debunked claims Monday that General Santos City is in deep economic slump.
He said contrary to public perception, the local economy has been slowly inching up as manifested by the increase in power consumption and the recent opening of a can plant owned by the RD Group of companies.
The city mayor, however, failed to cite statistics, including the list of new investments last year although the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry said the value of export products coming from General Santos went up in 2003 compared to 2002.
The city mayor's reaction came amid admission from newly inducted General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Manuel Yaphuckon, who said last week that business climate in the city has gone down.
Yaphuckon said some residents are doing their shopping in cities of Davao and Koronadal.
Aside from the GSCCCI president, transport groups here, particularly taxicabs, also cited the reduction in the number of operators and units now operating city.
"Lisod na gyud kaayo karon kay bisan gani og gamay na lang mi nga nag-operate, menos pa gyud kaayo ang income (Times are hard; even if there are only few operators, our income has gone down)," said Paulino dela Peña, a taxi driver.
Acharon said the business environment in the city remain sound and ideal.
The mayor explained that the crisis now facing transport groups could not be attributed to the past bombing incidents in the city.
"Ang nahitabo, daghan na gyud ang mga katawhan dinhi ang nakapalit og sakyanan ug dili na kaayo viable ang panginabuhiang transportasyon tungod sa kadaghan usab sa mga kakumpetinsiya (What is happening now in that residents here have bought their own vehicles and the transportation sector is no longer viable because of competition)," Acharon added. MFV
(February 10, 2004 issue)
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