MinDA, PCCI ink agreement to stimulate regional trade

DAVAO CITY – A joint agreement was recently entered into by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) designed to enhance the business climate and competitiveness in Mindanao.

The agreement was signed by MinDA chairperson Luwalhati Antonino and PCCI president Alfredo Yao during the41st Philippine Business Conference (PBC) last Tuesday at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City.

“We commit to work together to encourage investments in Mindanao and enhance further the competitiveness of key sectors in efforts to facilitate a more business-conducive environment in the island-region,” Antonino said in a statement after the signing of the agreement.

The forged partnership, Antonino stressed will also focus on the conduct of policy dialogues on prevailing concerns affecting Mindanao’s business sector particularly those that involve the local chambers of PCCI, industry key stakeholders and trade associations.

“Our goal is to develop and implement trade and investment promotion activities such as business matching sessions, exchange of information, and market analysis that will support investment generation in Mindanao.”

For its part, PCCI said it recognizes the tremendous potentials in Mindanao specifically on its role in the development of the local economy, export growth, jobs generation and the overall international competitiveness of the country.

“Mindanao’s strength in agriculture and agribusiness and its burgeoning business process outsourcing are among those that will attract investments in the region, along with the emerging industries such as construction, infrastructure, creative industries, and research and development,” Yao said in a statement.

He added that the 41st Philippine Business Conference focused on the building of strategies between the government and the business sector to intensify strategic synergies and alliances that would build and strengthen competitiveness in an integrated global marketplace.

The newly forged agreement between MinDA and PCCI will also strengthen the conduct of the Mindanao Business Conference, the annual gathering of the biggest business players in the region and enhance further the participation of Mindanao in the BIMPEAGA or the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area.