AT least five investors expressed interest to invest in Cebu during Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III’s visit to Tokyo, Japan for the 10th International Forum on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Forum last Aug. 4.
Davide, who arrived from Japan last Monday, said the investors will come to Cebu to check which area they can invest in. He said the investors come from two prefectures and three private companies.
The forum was attended by government officials in Saitama and Yokohama, including former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, who served as keynote speaker during the event.
Davide said that Mahathir is the honorary chairman of Asian PPP Institute of Toyo University.
Participants
In his speech, Davide invited participants to invest in Cebu and check the business climate in the province.
He told them that Cebu is ready to engage prospective investors with the right investment environment and opportunities.
Mayors
Davide was accompanied by Mayors Raymond Joseph Calderon of Samboan and Lisa Marie Durano-Streegan of Sogod, and Vice Mayors Wilson Wenceslao of Santander and Richard Streegan of Sogod.
Rep. Wildfredo Caminero (Cebu, 2nd district), Provincial Board Members Peter John Calderon, Christopher Baricuatro and Jude Thaddeus Durano-Sybico also attended the forum.
Davide went to the city of Yokohama and met with businessmen there.
Help
“In fact two of them expressed interest to come to Cebu and to to see for themselves unsay mahimo nila, unsay matabang nila (what and how they can help),” Davide said.
Davide instructed Cebu Investment Promotion Office Chief Benjamin Yap and other consultants to immediately communicate with the investors who expressed interest in coming to Cebu so that the Province can send a formal invitation.
The governor is open to PPP for the development of provincial properties like the old Baex building, which he intends to convert into a disaster risk reduction resource center, and the Cebu South Bus Terminal.
“I said (my trip was) fruitful and productive because we are able to engage them, engage these private companies and invite them to Cebu, and some of them have expressed their interest in coming to Cebu and sharing their best practices,” he said.
During his visit to Japan, Davide said that the Taiheiyo Cement Corp. chairman and officials announced that they will donate 10,000 bags of cement to the Province.