British firms eye Mindanao for business opportunities

30/31 March – The Trade and Investment Mission to Davao City brought a total of 50 delegates to explore commercial/ investment opportunities in Mindanao and expand business networks. Represented were companies from cross-sector industries, mostly from high priority sectors in Mindanao such as infrastructure, transportation, agribusiness, ICT/ BPO and energy.

 

31 March – The Mission Delegates with the lead delegation and attendees of the Mindanao Trade and Investment Forum held at Marco Polo Hotel.

 

DSC_633331 March – (L – R) BCCP Chairman Chris Nelson, British Ambassador Asif Ahmad, DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno at the Mindanao Trade and Investment Forum, Marco Polo Hotel.

 

The high-level delegation engaged in numerous networking activities, business meetings, site tours to ecozones/ homegrown companies, and the Mission’s highlight, the Mindanao Investment Forum. This focused on the projected economic growth in Mindanao and the areas of collaboration between the public and private sectors. In his Keynote speech, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno shared the priority projects in the region under the Mindanao Logistics Infrastructure Network, and the different implementation reforms. These projects include the Mindanao Railway System, Davao City By-Pass Construction Project and Panguil Bay Bridge.

 

Secretary Diokno also shared the President’s Budget message, “Progress cannot be achieved if crime, conflict, and corruption continue to reign. Thus, this Budget funds our vision for an orderly, just, and stable society through a professional military; a justice system that works; and a clean and lean bureaucracy.”

 

Organised by the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP), the Mission was led by British Ambassador Asif Ahmad, BCCP Chairman Chris Nelson, PBBC Co-Chairman Ambassador Jesus Tambunting and PCCI President George Barcelon.

 

Networking Coffee 130 March – Mission delegates and Board of Trustees and members of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce during the Networking Coffee, the Mission’s kick off activity.

 

DSC_196530 March – (L-R) Captain Ronald Go – DCCCII President, Chris Nelson – BCCP Chairman, Jimmy Dureza – City Councilor, Atty. Zuleika Lopez – City Administrator, HMA Asif Ahmad – British Ambassador to the Philippines and Ambassador Jesus Tambunting – PBBC Co-Chairman during the Networking Coffee.

 

Sector Briefing 230 March (L – R) Damosa Land Inc. VP Ricardo Lagdameo, British Ambassador Asif Ahmad, and ANFLOCOR CEO Alexander Valoria during the Sector Briefing hosted by ANFLOCOR Group.

 

DSC_500830 March – The Mission delegates visit the Davao International Container Terminal operated by the ANFLOCOR Group at Panabo, Davao Del Norte.