Monday, April 02, 2007 Koronadal banks on Palaro hosting to entice investors
KORONADAL CITY -- This fledging city is expecting a temporal economic boom of 30 to 40 percent with the holding next month of the country's biggest annual sporting event, the Palarong Pambansa, officials said last week.
An estimated 11,000 people, including athletes, coaches and parents, are expected to provide economic boost to vegetable, poultry and livestock, catering, hotel and transport sectors, among others, based in this city, the regional seat of government of Central Mindanao, and neighboring areas.
"Palarong Pambansa is a big affair that will boost local commercial activities. It will also promote Koronadal as a potential investors' haven," said Elric Batilaran, head of the city investment and promotion center.
Batilaran said various committees created by the City Government for the sporting affair are on the end stages of preparation as influx of people is expected to peak after the Holy Week.
This year' Palarong Pambansa is slated on April 22 to 28, with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo invited as the key guest although there's still no confirmation if she will come, he added.
At least 300 producers from as far as Baguio City have confirmed participation to the trade fair that would last for two weeks starting on April 14, 2007.
The City Government has designated Rizal Park, a stone's throw away from the main sporting venue, as site of the trade expo that would showcase products such as ceramics, furniture, processed foods, toys, brass wares, jewelries and others.
Mayor Fernando Miguel said the trade exhibit is a revenue-generating measure for the City Government, with each exhibitor charged a fee of P3,700 for the booth and electricity consumption.
"By hosting this big event, we are hoping that investors would be more interested in our place. Essentially, peace and order is stable in our locality (which is one of the factors that investors take into account)," Miguel said.
Seventeen delegations of elementary and high school students will be vying for supremacy in various athletic events.
Batilaran said the local government has established a price monitoring team to look after unscrupulous traders taking advantage of the mammoth crowd.
Suppliers of vegetables, chicken, pork and beef have assured steady supply of the products amidst the foreseen increase in demand with the thousands of additional people, he added.
This would be the second time that the city will be the venue of Palaro. In 1996, it hosted the affair together with nearby General Santos City and Sarangani province.
A heightened security is already being implemented in the city to contain possible terror threats, with a police source who declined to be identified disclosing augmentation from other stations.
The city, which houses three big department stores, several banking institutions and hotels, is still largely reliant on the agriculture sector. (BSS)
