Tuesday, April 17, 2007 Kudarat pins hope on gab to attract more investors
IT'S all systems go for the second Socsksargen area business conference this week in Sultan Kudarat, an effort seen to spark investors' confidence in the province, organizers said.
The area business conference, slated on April 19-20 serves as the highlight of the Business Week celebration on April 16 to 21 of Socsargen growth area, which covers South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and this city.
Conference director Elena U. Haw, also chair of the Federation of Business Chambers Mindanao Foundation, said the events will be spread between Isulan, the provincial capital, and Tacurong, the lone city of Sultan Kudarat.
"The conduct of this event aims to determine what business opportunities the region has to offer with primary focus given to the province of Sultan Kudarat," she said.
"It hopes to harness and promote what we have in Sultan Kudarat and seize what the region has to offer to the local businesses and to the people," she added.
The conference carries the theme "Seizing Regional & Global Opportunities: Enhancing Agribusiness Competitiveness."
Business leaders in south and central Mindanao would gather during the event to map out strategies that aims to support and strengthen the position of the private sector as an active partner of the government towards economic development, organizers said.
The business conference will also feature financing forum, jobs and trade fair, and business matching for livestock and poultry, aquaculture and high value crops.
Haw said they have invited key national figures "so that economic and social policies as well as issues special to Socsksargen can be tackled and relate them to the national level."
Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila is expected to be the guest of honor and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap the keynote speaker of the business conference.
Others, invited as speakers, were Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, Economic Development Council Undersecretary Tomas Aquino and Philippines Export Chair Sergio Ortiz Luis, Sr.
Vispocious Ramos, Sultan Kudarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc president, said the business summit would increase the chances of the province to become an investment destination.
"We expect to lure in more investors to our place so that our economic climate will be enhanced," he said.
The host province is composed of 11 municipalities and one component city including three coastal towns.
Sultan Kudarat's economy is essentially based on agriculture. The province is actually synonymous to oil palm having hosted one of the oldest palm oil plantation and mills in the country.
Other important crops include palay, corn, coffee, and high value crops.
