BIMP-EAGA urges traders to open more trade links

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A senior official of the Brunei-Indonesia-MalaysiaPhilippines, East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) yesterday urged traders in Mindanao to open more business link with countries in the BIMP-EAGA to propel business development and job opportunities to the people in Mindanao.

BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC) Director Hadji Mohammad Faizal Jamalul said opening more business link with BIMP-EAGA will mean more business and job opportunities for the people in Mindanao.

Jamalul issued the challenge to the traders during the RBOI-ARMM Investment Priorities Plan (IPP) roadshow held Saturday at the La Viña Hotel in this city.

Jamalul also hailed the management of J. Sayang Shipping Lines Inc., for making the first move in the shipping industry towards this end when it registered with the RBOI-ARMM a P33.5-million passenger-cargo vessel that will provide cargo shipping services to the businessmen of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao provinces.

According to Jamalul the passenger and cargo vessel is now providing shipping services to traders in Tawi-Tawi through a 494 metric tons (MT) capacity general cargo vessel.

The vessel is now serving the ports of Basilan, Jolo, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Polloc, Maguindanao going to Malaysia and other member countries included in the East Asian Growth Area.

Another 150-seating capacity passenger fast craft of the J. Sayang Shipping Lines is also expected to be launched on its maiden voyage in the coming months from Bongao, Tawi-Tawi to Lahad Datu in Malaysia.

Lahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo.