21st MinBizCon opens in Butuan City

By Robert E. Roperos

Friday 3rd of August 2012

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 3 (PIA) -- The 21st Mindanao Business Conference (MiBizCon) opened Thursday in one of the local hotels here.

Anchored on the theme “Invest Mindanao: Towards a more inclusive, progressive and greener future,” the conference highlighted undertakings of local government units and its partner stakeholders through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program of the Aquino administration.

In his keynote speech, Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III underscored the importance of peace to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao, saying that if peace will be achieved in the island, then progress and development come next.

“When it comes to Mindanao, I am guided by a long-standing belief: Walay kalambuan kung walay kalinaw sa Mindanao (There would be no progress if there is no peace in Mindanao),” Guingona said.

Guingona added that the Filipino people need to have a government that can be trusted. “Trust is the fundamental ingredient for long-term peace,” he added.

He said there will be no peace if the people do not trust the government to do their job, may it be in the conduct of the peace talks, political challenges, and in economic decision-making.

“To foster peace, we must foster trust… to foster trust, we must have good governance,” Guingona said.

Guingona stressed good governance is achieved through transparency, accountability, and people’s participation.

Prior to his speaking engagement, Sen. Guingona together with his father, former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr., her mother Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona and their family graced the inauguration of the Guingona Park, the newly-renovated Rizal Park of Butuan City.

The park, through a resolution from the Sangguniang Panlungsod, was named after the Guingonas because of the family’s contribution to the city where they donated lots for the establishment of important infrastructures in the city.

One of their latest donations is the five-hectare lot in Brgy. Ampayon here, which was turned over to the city government on Wednesday for the establishment of the Philippine Science High School in this city.

Meanwhile, the annual MinBizCon serves as the official business conference of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) for the Mindanao area and is the biggest PCCI business conference in scope and number of participants.

Among the participants are senior business leaders, members of chambers of commerce, government policymakers, investors and foreign trading partners.

The conference will end on Saturday, August 4, 2012. (RER – PIA-Caraga)