BY MARCHEL P. ESPINA
A virtual business mission to Negros Occidental was held recently to explore business opportunities to help in the province’s economic recovery amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The meeting was organized and implemented by the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP), in partnership with the Local Government Integrity Circles (LoGIC) Network and the provincial government of Negros Occidental.
It aims to look into the possibilities of making investments and creating new jobs for Negrenses.
It also targets to introduce the province as a LoGIC project preferred investment destination, exchange information on business interests and the investment requirements of localities, orient and match the business mission delegates to opportunities in the province, and strengthen the network between and among local stakeholders and potential investors for continuous consultations and dialogs on business opportunities.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said that “transparency, good governance, efficiency, and accountability – all these must remain even in the haste and urgency to respond to Covid-19.”
He added that sound and sensible processes must be present to avoid corruption and even the appearance and suspicions of corruption.
“Crisis like this, although unwelcome, is a great window of opportunity to create and rebuild trust and solidarity between the government and the people,” he added.
He also said that today’s generation, both the public and private sectors, will be judged on how they faced and handled the unprecedented challenge which encompasses both health and non-health implications and that cooperation and strategic partnerships need to be magnified to limit the health, social, economic, and political impacts.
Joining the governor in the virtual meeting were Economic Affairs consultant Alfredo Benitez, ECCP project coordinator Gerry Constantino, and KAS project director Stefan Jost, with participants from local government units, local economic and investment promotion officers, LoGIC ECCP representatives, private sector, and investors.*
