Mindanao Investment Forum focuses on region-wide energy projects, agribusiness

MANILA—Mindanao-wide projects in the energy sector were among the investment proposals showcased at the Mindanao Investment Forum held in Manila on September 1, as part of the lead-up to the 19th Mindanao Business Conferences.

“We presented investment packages in energy—including renewable energy—shipping, agribusiness, mariculture and other key industries,” said Ralph Paguio, president of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc.

“The energy sector proposals are for strategic Mindanao-wide projects with a minimum value of one billion pesos” said Linda Boniao, assistant regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry (Region 10), which organized the investment forum. “The biggest project would have a generating capacity of 200 megawatts.”

Boniao added that among the non-energy projects from five Mindanao sub-regions were proposals for marine and freshwater fish farming, coco decorticating, palm oil processing, island resort development, and moringa production.

The Mindanao Investment Forum is a prelude to the annual Mindanao Business Conference, which this year is being hosted by the Oro Chamber, and which will run from September 17 to 18 at the Grand Caprice Restaurant in Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City.

The conference is organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), with support from the Cagayan de Oro City government, USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, the Mindanao Development Authority, and other partners.

“We’re supporting Mindanao’s development by helping its chambers to network, present investment proposals and conduct business matching through this event,” said PCCI secretary general Crisanto Frianeza.

President Aquino and other dignitaries are attending the “MinBizCon”, which annually draws business leaders, ranking government officials, policymakers, and investors from the other Philippine regions and abroad.

“There will be plenary sessions championing Mindanao’s winners. In these sessions we will be highlighting the important products, or ‘product champions’ of each Mindanao sub-region, which is a new element in the event format,” said Paguio.

He added that the Oro Chamber, in partnership with the U.S Commercial Service, will hold its annual OroBest trade show simultaneously with the conference.

Over the last few months the organizers, headed by conference chairman Ruben Vegafria, have been following previous policy recommendations for improving the competitiveness of the business environment, and consulting the private sector on more recent issues and challenges.

“The business community annually presents its recommendations to government at the MinBizCon, in the form of the Mindanao Policy Agenda,” said Edwin Capili, PCCI vice president for Mindanao.

“Another conference innovation we are introducing this year is the holding of high-level roundtables with the different government departments prior to the MinBizCon,” Capili added.

The roundtables are designed to serve as a review of policy actions taken over the previous years with regard to key economic sectors, Capili said, and to provide an early opportunity to address crucial issues in this year’s Mindanao Policy Agenda at the highest official levels, for eventual presentation to Malacanang.

“The conference would be an opportune venue for President Aquino, who is of course invited as an honored guest to the MinBizCon, to present his administration’s agenda for Mindanao,” Paguio said. “We are very interested to hear the government’s plans both for energy security and peace and order.”

The Mindanao Business Conference is the largest of the five area conferences organized by PCCI. The others are held in North Luzon, South Luzon, the National Capital Region and the Visayas, leading up to the largest business sector gathering at the national level, the annual Philippine Business Conference. GEM

Soldiers unload workbooks

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 2, 2010) – Soldiers from 11th Mechanized Infantry led by Captain William Rodriguez unload workbooks from UnionBank Thursday, September 2, at the Sarangani Agricultural Company, Inc. compound. The books arrived in Davao City ferried from Manila by navy ship the other day and brought to Sarangani by personnel from the Alcantara Foundation, Quality Education for Sarangani Today and the soldiers. The 17,220 student workbooks will be distributed throughout the province to accomplish the 1:1 student-workbook ratio for Grade II pupils. The UnionBank Learning System has been giving books to Sarangani children since 2008. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

GTZ Brings ‘Sports for Peace 2010’ in Butuan

September 1, 2010

BUTUAN CITY – The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) or German Technical Cooperation of Germany implements for the 9th time, the Sports for Peace project to promote peace-building efforts in Mindanao and this time, Butuan will take part of the project.

Sports for Peace 2010 will be held on September 4 – 5, 2010 to be participated by young athletes from different ethnic groups and religions.

They will compete in team sports of football, volleyball and basketball and as team mates and as members of competing contingents, they will learn and compete with discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play.

The young athletes will also be engaged in self-discovery journeys on peace concepts and historical perspectives on conflicts in Mindanao.

The “Sports for Peace” initiative has been broadened as an instrument of peace-building with its unique feature because of the mixture of sporting events and games, competitions and lectures on the topics of peace and conflict that brings together children, parents and teachers of differing ethnic groups and religions.

The project began in 2005 as a component of the GTZ Poverty Reduction and Conflict Transformation in Mindanao Project between the governments of the Philippines and Germany.

Children participating in Sports for Peace become aware of and are enabled to understand the cultures of their playmates wherein, during the 2-day gathering, they participate in activities that teach the importance of respect for and acceptance of cultures and faith traditions that are different from their own.

The accompanying adults and coaches also engage each other in peace awareness exercises that empower them to become peacemakers.

Sports for Peace have been held in Cotabato City, Zamboanga City, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao, Davao City, Iligan City and now in Butuan City.

On September 4, a news conference will be held at the Morelos Campus of Father Urios University with expected guests; Secretary Teresita Q. Deles, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, and Ambassador Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch of Germany and Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr.

Organizers likewise invited the presence of young campus writers and journalists together with Julie Kristine de Guzman, the 16 year-old winner of the recently-concluded “Dear P-Noy” Letter-Writing Contest organized by the Voice of Mindanao. (striker_jem)

Vice Governor’s message

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 1, 2010) – “I wish that this month of Ramadan has purified all of you and that as we move forward this pure spirit will enable you to continuously love and serve God, love and serve your neighbor” were the words from Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon during the celebration of 2nd Grand Iftar or breaking of the fast of the Muslim community in the month of Ramadan at the provincial gym Tuesday, August 31. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Bon-Bon Quiño)

Sports supplies

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 1, 2010) – Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon’s representative Asma Akmad (left) delivers sports supplies to GKK President Alejandro Garcira (right) of the Provincial Jail together with representatives of Marian Priest Movement in celebration of their patronal fiesta on August 26. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Bon-bon Quiño)