Mindanao businessmen submit policy wishlist to Malacañang

MANILA, Philippines — Mindanao businessmen have submitted to President Duterte a list of policy recommendations seen to ensure the region remains a conducive place to invest in.

The resolutions crafted by the Mindanao chapters of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) during the 26th Mindanao Business Conference covered the sectors of transportation, infrastructure, agribusiness, manufacturing, and services.

On top of the list is the rehabilitation, expansion and upgrading of ports to international standards to ensure the full implementation of the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act or Republic Act 10668.

The chambers also requested for Board of Investments (BOI) endorsement in the registration of tourism and agricultural production projects to be decentralized to the regional offices of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Agriculture (DA), respectively.

“In recent years, while there has been a steady increase in investments in these sectors in Mindanao, investors are not able to register with BOI and avail of incentives because of the lack of endorsements from DOT and DA. The DOT and DA endorsement for BOI registrations are centralized at the head office in Manila,” they said.

“Because of these, tourism and agricultural production projects, especially of the small and medium enterprises in Mindanao, are not able to enjoy the needed incentives,” the chambers added.

For infrastructure projects, PCCI-Mindanao called for the implementation of the Bongao Airport facilities improvement and expansion, the construction of a new port at Brgy. Malassa, Bongao in Tawi Tawi and fasttracking of the implementation of the repair of the Surigao City Airport.

The chambers also sought presidential intervention in finding solutions to the issue on the closure of Sabah ports to Tawi-Tawi traders.

PCCI-Mindanao said the policy recommendations would help local enterprises and industries in the region become productive, competitive and world-class.

“They encompass strategic road maps that are expected to strategically position Mindanao to seize the ASEAN market, gain a foothold in the world market and capture investments coming into the ASEAN region and into the country,” it said.

“The resolutions will further move the country closer toward achieving your goal of having an inclusive and sustainable economic growth, moving toward the long-term vision of a high-income economy by 2040,” it added.