By BEVERLY PAOYON
ALABEL, Sarangani (September 10, 2011) – The sisterhood agreement between Sarangani Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (SarCham) and Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ICCP) would result to advancement on agri-fishery technology for Sarangani, a trade official said.
Engr. Nenita Barroso, trade and industry provincial director, added the sisterhood ties would “increase foreign tourist arrivals and tourism investments in the area (SOCCSKSARGEN), generate livelihood projects and result to higher market share of Sarangani products.”
SarCham and ICCP executives signed the sisterhood agreement on Friday (September 9) to expand opportunities for business and trade particularly on agriculture.
Ferdinand Sarfati, ICCP executive director, said Israel has “one of the best technologies in the world specifically on agritech,” the foremost among those they could offer aside from tourism.
Israel is just the size of Palawan with 65 percent desert, he said, yet his country was still able to “export fruits, vegetables, and other things” to Europe and North America “by just actually utilizing 35 percent of (our) land area.” This, he explained, was what advancement in technologies could do.
ICCP president Josef Gueta said the bilateral relations with Sarangani could have potentials “for developing agriculture and tourism” in the area.
Governor Migs Dominguez said the success of Israel in many fields of industries which resulted in breakthroughs in technology is an advantage not only for Sarangani but for the entire Region 12.
According to the governor, the “biggest challenge of Philippine agriculture today lies primarily on the ability to adapt to major trends especially in the use of technology,” therefore, Sarangani would make the most out of the agreement with ICCP to “shift to cultural practice to adapting new technologies.”
With effective partnerships and system technology transfer, Dominguez was hoping that Sarangani would soon be the “front door” for the rest of Mindanao.
SarCham president Cherrylin Marie Espinosa expressed optimism that partnering with ICCP would facilitate trade, industrial cooperation, and joint ventures in the future.
The agreement stipulated that Israel would be “the economic partner for the southern part of the Philippines in realizing a harmonious domestic and international trade and industry by encouraging business to businessmen working and linkaging” specifically on agri- and aquamarine culture.
Core programs like symposia, seminars, workshops, and business conferences on agri and water technology would be initiated to commence first quarter next year. These activities shall encourage participation from top agricultural players in SOCCSKSARGEN area, exporters, small and medium enterprise, and entrepreneurs.
SOCCSKSARGEN or Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City. (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
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