Bizmen see potential in Davao's manufacturing

MANUFACTURING is one business sector that has a promising potential here in Davao City, said Association of Young Filipino-Chinese Entrepreneurs (Anvil Business Club) executives.

On the sidelines of the Officers’ Induction of the association, Anvil president Stephen Cua said it is high time for the entrepreneurs in Mindanao to start innovating and to continue to produce and process products that are of higher value.

He cited as an example that banana growers and exporters should not only rely on importing raw bananas but to create by-products that are of higher value as well. “We would like to create enterprises within our club members to then create a higher value added products for tourism and exporting. That’s one opportunity for produce industry,” he said.

On the other hand, Anvil Chairman Wilson Y. Lee Flores shared that when they were at Taiwan, they noticed that they have nicely-packaged pineapple cakes available in different designs.

Flores and Cua agreed that Mindanao can very well compete with this as the islandregion can produce more pineapples than Taiwan specifically South Cotabato and Cagayan de Oro City.

“There is an opportunity for us to do better production, better packaging,” Cua said.

Flores also mentioned of their club member that is currently into manufacturing and has already visited Davao City the previous year. He said seeing the lanes going to factory areas in the city to have been extended from 2-lane to 4-lane roads is a good indication that manufacturing is improving and has a potential in the city. Because of this among others, the particular club member is contemplating the possibility of expanding his business to Mindanao, particularly in Davao City.

“Metro Manila is not the only place to do business so we want to encourage our officers and members to go to Mindanao. Davao is really popular. We hope that other Asian entrepreneurs all over Asia will also realize that Philippines is not only Metro Manila,” Flores said. JPA