Business leaders eye Sarangani for investment

By CHARITO S. ANSAGAY

MANILA (April 4, 2014) - Sarangani, one of the growth areas in Mindanao positioned to lead in agricultural and marine resource development for ASEAN economic integration in 2015, has given the assurance to the business community that it will take a pro-active role in good governance and pursue its poverty alleviation program to bring about economic progress in the region.

In his presentation before the Management Association of the Philippines’ (MAP) general membership meeting recently, Sarangani Governor Steve Chiongban Solon reassured business leaders that his province is making efforts to address bottlenecks hindering growth prospects in his province by marketing the investment and tourism potentials of Sarangani, among others.

The governor cited his resolve for the province to acquire ISO certification as a testament of his commitment to good governance and sustainable development, a move backed by Congressman Emmanuel D. Pacquaio and his wife Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao.

“The efficiency of Sarangani’s provincial government is among our top priorities and the expected outcome would be improving interest from the private sector on investment,” Gov. Solon said in his report on “Governance Reforms and Best Practices at the National, Local and Agency Levels of Government.”

Solon told MAP that investors and local businesses have already started to take interest in Sarangani. San Miguel Corporation has signaled its interest in agro-industrial business in the province, and a group of investors from Bahrain is interested in a 200-hectare expanse of land for banana plantation, and another group is interested in producing palm oil.

Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad who also attended the forum said that the Aquino government would allocate this year a bigger budget for social protection noting that the debt servicing for 2014 dwindled down to 15.6 percent of the national budget.

Abad said this reduction in debt servicing would translate to bridging the “lingering gaps” in the provision of classrooms as well as teaching personnel. The budget would also provide more social services for the “poor and near poor.”

MAP president Greg Navarro said during the forum that good government matters. MAP is one of the leading business organizations tasked to conduct fora on ASEAN integration to discuss the risks and opportunities for member countries. The organization agreed to adopt its advocacy for this year charting the future of inclusive growth with good governance.

According to Gov. Solon, the launching of his new program against poverty dubbed as “Sulong Sarangani”, would implement projects that would do away with duplication of budget. This would ensure that good governance is in place noting that the national budget agency led by Secretary Abad has given support to the project through budget allocation.

A number of private investors have expressed interest in pouring capital in the energy, agri-food business, sea-resources and tourism sector. Solon revealed that he is in talks with the other eco-tourism groups who have committed to advocate and promote adventure tourism in Sarangani.

Emphasizing the rich sea resources along the province’s coast, Solon said that aside from pilot whales, dolphins and dugongs, butandings (whale sharks) have been sighted in the waters of Sarangani Bay, a protected seascape that helps the development of a robust tourism industry in the province.

The governor also said that one of their promotion campaigns for Mindanao and Sarangani is the Sarangani Bay Festival slated this May 16 to 17. (Charito S. Ansagay/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)