Western Visayas biz chambers: Patronize local products

BUSINESS chambers in Western Visayas are urging the buying public to patronize the region's produce as well as local stores as a means to help the economy grow faster, a business leader said.

Frank Carbon, chief executive officer of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), said there is a need to produce more than the region's requirements and sell the excess to other regions in the country.

Carbon pointed out that charity begins at home and one of the many ways for the region to grow faster is to keep the resources within the region.

"Our resources should also be used to generate more wealth and employment," he said, adding that "we should produce more, buy local and sell national."

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), together with the MBCCI, is currently helping the white shrimps or vannamei producers in the province produce three crops per cycles per year.

The business leader said the main market of white shrimps are hotels and restaurants in Metro Manila which offer good price for the region's produce.

"Just like sugar, swine and blue crab, the white shrimp industry contributes to the enlargement of the region's economy and job generation," Carbon said.

The MBCCI is encouraging the national government agencies (NGAs) to refocus their rehabilitation funds and efforts to industries that drive the region's economy or considered as the main drivers of the economy.

The chamber is appealing to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the NGAs to look at the current and the next wave industries and not the future ones "while we (MBCCI) are working with government financial institutions in designing loan facilities for the current and next wave industries."

"Let us work together and help the region recover faster from the adverse effects of the pandemic," Carbon appealed.