GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/23 April) — The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) in Mindanao has chosen this city and nearby Sarangani Province as hosts of the 23rd edition of the Mindanao Business Conference or Minbizcon in September 2014.
Raymund Salangsang, president of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GSCCCII), said Tuesday that officials of PCCI Mindanao approved in a recent meeting its joint bid with the Sarangani Chamber of Commerce and Industry to host the 2014 Minbizcon.
“It was approved by a consensus of PCCI Mindanao regional governors and chamber presidents,” he said in an advisory.
Salangsang said they formally submitted a bid before Minbizcon organizers to host the 2014 gathering during its 21st edition last year held in Butuan City.
The move was supported by Rey Billena, president of the Sarangani Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (SCCII), he said.
Alfredo Hebrona, regional governor for Southwestern Mindanao of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the joint hosting of the 2014 Minbizcon by the General Santos and Sarangani is a positive development for the area’s business sector.
“This is a very good move. Gensan has a lot to offer in terms of investment opportunities, as the local economy is very vibrant, while Sarangani offers a lot of potentials in tourism and agribusiness and stable power source by 2014,” he said.
The GSCCCII last hosted the Minbizcon in 2007 while the SCCII has yet to host the conference.
The 22nd Minbizcon in 2013 will be hosted by Ozamis City, which submitted a bid in 2011.
The Minbizcon is the biggest annual gathering of business leaders and members of the chambers of commerce in Mindanao.
The Minbizcon traditionally gathers local and national businessmen, top government officials, ambassadors and business representatives from other countries.
Among the main features of the Minbizcon are the business and investment opportunities presentations and the conferences on the most important and current business issues.
Hebrona said the Minbizcon highlights the Mindanao Business Policy Agenda, a list of recommendations from the Mindanao business sector, which is presented to the President for proper response and action.
The annual Minbizcon is a major event of the PCCI, the biggest organization of businessmen in the country. It is organized and implemented as a partnership among PCCI, the host chamber, and the host local government.
The event is chaired by the PCCI area vice president for Mindanao, and co-chaired by the local chief executive of the host local government unit.
The PCCI Regional Governor serves as the vice-chairman while the president of the host chamber serves as the conference director. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
