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source: mindanews.com
Walter I. Balane
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/30 Aug) – The business community in conflict-affected areas are sounding off their stand: enough to conflicts, sign the peace agreement and start developing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Datu Haron Bandila, chair of the ARMM Business Council, said the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) must stay focused on the peace process for an immediate signing of the peace agreement.
He told MindaNews Thursday the biggest concern of the business community in the ARMM is the ongoing conflict.
He said they are calling on the government and the MILF to stick to the peace process and never to allow any more delays.
Bandila led a contingent of business officials from the ARMM for a
press conference at the Apo View Hotel to launch the Sixth ARMM
Business Congress in Cotabato City.
He said they are eyeing to craft a resolution to embody the business
community's sentiments during the annual gathering on Sept. 4 to 5.
Bandila said the business community is the first to oppose any
escalation of hostilities because it is counter-productive. "Our
businesses are really affected," he said.
"We call on both panels to continue and push for the peace process. We go for immediate signing," he stressed.
The theme of this year's congress focuses on the ARMM traders'
expansion of links with other business organizations nationwide and to
be "more responsive to the peace process."
Bandila said the ARMM is not a "bad region, with bad provinces and bad communities."
He said more than 90 percent of the region has a good business
climate." But he admitted that the remaining 10 percent are not so
business-friendly.
He said despite the conflict, the ARMM has managed to keep a good
business environment. He said labor and other production inputs in the
region are cheap.
Although Bandila described the conflict in the ARMM as "little
conflict" in his opening statement at the press conference, he said it
will be a lot better with the peace agreement because it will help them
clean their "bad image."
He admitted that the crisis in Basilan has affected business in the
area. "But in most of Basilan, it is business as usual," he said,
quoting an official of a business group in Lamitan City.
Bandila said they are seeking the help of the business community
outside the region, such as the Mindanao Business Council and
Manila-based business organizations.
He said ARMM is a part of the country that needs help. He clarified that image is a major problem for them.
"Kung hindi ninyo kami tutulungan, ano na lang ang mangyayari?" he asked. (What will happen if you will not help us?)
He said apart from the bad image, ARMM is ready to accept investments
from other parts of Mindanao, Luzon and the Visayas, and even from
investors abroad.
Larry Santos, chief investment specialist of the ARMM Board of
Investments, said they have initiated business matching with members of
the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Makati Business
Club.
He said the opportunity opened new links between ARMM businesses,
mostly agriculture-based, with Manila-based firms who could help market
their products to a bigger audience.
Santos cited that the matching prompted feasibility studies and deeper
negotiations on joint venture agreements that will be in the drawing
board soon.
From the recent engagements, he cited business matching among 30
ARMM-based firms on corn processing, cassava, coffee, oil palm, rubber,
seaweed, native bananas, abaca, among others.
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