Mindanao Is BIMP-EAGA Chair, Zambo To Host Business Gab

EAGA STALWARTS: Paul Dominguez, right, who once served as chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council and Philippine Signing Minister for Brueni-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) shares a light moment with his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, during a recent meeting at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City.

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Darwin Wee / 23 Mar) Mindanao's economy with its dynamic investment hub areas that include the Zamboanga peninsula takes another step forward as the chairmanship of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine East ASEAN Growth Area) Business Council (BEBC) was formally handed over by Malaysia to the Philippines.

Severino Lanfingin, executive director of the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc., (ZCCIFI), said the Philippines through the Mindanao Business Council (MBC) is the new chairman of the BEBC.

"With its chairmanship of the BEBC, the MBC is now challenged to exert efforts to pave the way for strategic policy recommendations to strengthen the economic ties between the BIMP-EAGA regions," he said.

EAGA is comprised of the entire sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; 10 provinces in the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku,and Irian Jaya; Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan islands in the Philippines.

Its land area of roughly 1.54 millions quare kilometers is home to about 45.6 million people. It is a joint public-private sector mechanism designed to mobilize investment and trade opportunities for the business community through initiatives of the four member governments.

Countries that are members of the EAGA have forged an agreement to achieve certain objectives, which include facilitating the free movement of people, goods, and services; share common infrastructure and natural resources; and pursue economic complementation.

Landingin said Romeo Serra, who is currently the chairman of the MBC, also sits as the new BEBC chairman.

Serra said he will give the MBC a year to support the BEBC to prove its capacity to deliver projects that would further boost economic activities within the region.

Serra is expected to visit Zamboanga on April 5 to launch the promotional campaign and the official logo of this year 15th Mindanao Business Conference(Minbizcon), which the city will host from August 31 to September 2.

Teresita Sebastian, regional governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (PCCI) for Western Mindanao, said the job given to Zamboanga to be this year's Minbizcon host will boost the local business sector and promote the city as a safe and peaceful place to visit and invest.

She said Zamboanga was chosen as the venue for the main plenary of the Minbizcon in order to "promote the city to the rest of not only Mindanao but to the international business community in the Philippines and to the world.

Landingin said Zamboanga Cityy and the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. are fortunate enough to host the activity for the second time.

The first came during the 6th Minbizcon in 1997. This year's theme of "Mindanao: The Best of The Philippines," will serve as an occasion to review and examine programs that will helpboost the local products especially the huge agricultural sector of Mindanao and the critical role of the small and medium enterprises(SME) in countryside development.

ZCCIFI is expected to draw in all the big traders in Mindanao and other parts of the country, as well as those from the BIMP-EAGA, which stand to benefit from the various sessions and activities of the conference.

"It is expected that at least 1,000 businessmen from all over the country and the BIMP-EAGA region, foreign dignitaries and investors who are willing to do business in Mindanao especially in Zamboanga City are expected to attend the international conference," Landingin said.

The Minbizcon is an annual conference of all businessmen in Mindanao and had been held in different regions of the island since 1992. Its main objective is to promote Mindanao as an investment haven and to serve as venue for the enactment of resolutions that would address the concerns and problems of Mindanao businessmen.