Zamboanga to host 2 business confab

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / October 5, 2009) – Zamboanga City is hosting two major events in Mindanao this month – the One Town, One Product Mindanao Island Fair - and the 2nd Mindanao Investment Conference, government media reported on Monday.

Regional trade director Nazrullah Manzur, who is the head of the organizing committee, said this year's OTOP Mindanao Island Fair will be called "Orgullo de Mindanao 2009," which will be held from October 9-12.

He said other activities include business matching sessions, Jardin de las Flores (Garden Show), livelihood seminars and technology demonstrations.

The fair will showcase an array of the best product lines from the five regions in Mindanao. A flaunt of jewelry and fashion accessories; furniture and furnishings; fresh and processed food; holiday decors; organic and natural products and raw material components abound for takers at affordable prices.

The 2nd Mindanao Investment Conference, on the other hand, is scheduled on October 9-10 and is jointly organized by the Mindanao Business Council and the Department of Trade and Industry with the theme "Steer the wheels to Progress, Invest in MindaNow".

Manzur said the conference aims to contribute to an increase in trade and investments in the Mindanao regions; generate project ideas that will lead to the creation of small and medium scale industries and forge strategic industry alliances within Mindanao and in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines East-Asian Growth Area.

During the two-day conference, industry experts are expected to tackle investment opportunities in the production and processing of Pangasius – a genus of catfishes; halal food, seaweeds, coconut by-products, banana, moringa – the fruit of the kelor tree, whose leaves and seed pods are edible and are reported to taste like asparagus; high value vegetables, bamboo, and high value marine culture.