VABC in Ormoc seen to boost Leyte's biz potential

Almost 3 years after being hit hard by typhoon Haiyan, Ormoc and the whole of Leyte are opening their doors for more investments and business opportunities through the 25th Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC).

Setting the theme: “Change is Here”, the Ormoc Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been busy in promoting the event together with its sister chambers in the Philippines. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has extended its full support to its sister chamber in Ormoc City. Melanie Ng, CCCI’s president, said that collaboration among chambers is a great way to promote inclusive growth and increase productivity in the region and in the Visayas.

Ted Locson Jr.,  vice-president of CCCI for external affairs division, said the VABC will be different this year as it will focus on the promotion of  Eastern Visayas and bringing businesses to the Visayas regions. Previous conferences tackled on concerns of the businesses in certain locations, various issues and problems, resolutions and position papers to be presented to the government.

The conference is aimed in attracting investments in the Eastern Visayas area, which has a good potential for mining and manufacturing, sectors that would possibly bring inclusive growth in the area.

“If we don’t industrialize, we cannot have inclusive growth that we’re looking for,” Locson said during the VABC press conference in CCCI board room in which he shared service sector alone can’t bring the country to a much-needed economic growth where people in various classes can experience economic improvement.

Jude Abenoja, president of Ormoc Business Chamber, cited agriculture, tourism, human development,SME’S, BPO and information and communications technology (ICT) to be the focused industries during the 3-day conference happening on Sept. 14-16, 2016. It is expecting to gather 500 participants from various sectors.

Ormoc City will host for the first time the Visayas conference this year. The event has the support of the local governments including the incumbent mayor Richard Gomez and Vice Mayor Toto Locsin.

Aside from the sister chambers, the organizers got support from Department of Science and Technology, where 74 new technologies will be highlighted during the 3-day conference in an exhibit.