Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Business, trade leaders unfazed by bomb attack
LOCAL government, business, and trade leaders played down the effects to the local economy of the deadly blast here that authorities have yet to blame on any group.
Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. said the business climate of General Santos City would not reel from the blast that killed six persons and wounded more than 30 others Wednesday night.
Another blast went off later in Cotabato City where another person was killed and injured five others.
An explosion also hit Kidapawan City, which left three people injured.
The bombing in front of the main public market here came just as the joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front finished their two-day meeting, which was also attended by Malaysian military officials.
"As long as there are rains, our largely agriculture-based businesses won't be hampered. We will face this (bombing effects) squarely," Acharon told reporters.
But Acharon conceded that the local tourism industry would be hurt by the incident.
Pilar Afuang, executive director of the city's business chamber, condemned the incident as she expressed confidence the locality would overcome the effects of the bomb attack.
She projected that business would lie low in two to three months but would later pick on from there.
"I think investors are not afraid. Most of the investors in the city are local people. We have bombings before but they never left," she said.
She said the negative effects of the blast would be short-lived.
Arnel Sayco, acting head of the city's Department of Trade and Industry, said business is usual in the city.
"The bombing has not really caused a negative impact to our business climate. It's business as usual. We're resilient," he said. (BSS)
