Resolutions adopted during the 18th Visayas Area Business Conference

18th Visayas Area Business Conference
One Visayas: Regional Economic Development, Key to Progress
July 17-18, 2009, Sarabia Manor Hotel & Convention Center


The adoption of resolutions was headed by the Regional Governors of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry Region VI & VIII, Mr. Guidon I. Dela Cruz & Mr. Francis Monera respectively.

A resolution was passed by the Area Vice president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry for Visayas Area, Mr. Jose T. Ng for the adoption of said resolutions. It was duly seconded and approved.

The adoption of the resolutions signals the end of the 2 days conference hosted by the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Iloilo through the leadership of Mr. Joe Marie Agriam, President.

Adopted Resolutions
COMPETITIVENESS
1. Resolution urging the National Government to further enhance and intensify infrastructure development to improve the country’s competitiveness ranking;

2. Resolution urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure timely approval and release of budget for priority infrastructure projects in the country;

3. Resolution urging the National Government to come up with serious and sustainable campaign that will penalize oil smuggling in the country as it causes distortion of fuel prices in the country;

4. Resolution urging the national office of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), through the PCCI Western Visayas Regional Governor’s Office, for the endorsement and implementation of the Kalibo Circumferential Road Projects;

5. Resolution urging the Local Government of Guimaras to explore other sources of funding, through Executive Order 809 which allow LGUs to access multilateral financial institutions, to further develop an efficient water system for Sibunag, San Lorenzo, and New Valencia;

6. Resolution urging the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to prioritize the review of the new ruling declaring Caticlan Airport as “one entry, one exit” as it greatly affects tourism flow in the Visayas region;

7. Resolution urging the National Government to prioritize the construction of ferry boat terminals in Iloilo City, and in the Municipality of Buenavista and Jordan, Guimaras under a public- private partnership arrangement (Build- Operate- Transfer Scheme);

ENERGY

8. Resolution urging the Department of Energy to issue a Department Order requiring oil companies to sign supply and purchase agreement with the local bio- ethanol investors and producers qualified under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Bio- Fuels Act of 2006

9. Resolution urging the Department of Energy to review and come up with a more transparent system of monitoring of oil companies’ competitive pricing of fuel;

10. Resolution urging the National Government, through the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to put a moratorium on any proposed National Power Corporation (NPC) electricity rate hike in Visayas;

HEALTH

11. Resolution urging the National Government to immediately implement the provisions of the Cheaper Medicines Law to require medical practitioners to recognize the urgent need to prescribe and inform the patient or his family of the generic medicines;

LOCAL GOVERNANCE

12. Resolution requesting the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for additional PNP personnel to be detailed/ assigned at the Ati- Atihan Town of Kalibo, Province of Aklan and San Jose, Antique;

13. Resolution urging the National Government to provide the much needed funds for the establishment and creation of the
support facilities/ structures to fully implement the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Law to help prevent offenses committed by minors;
MINING

14. Resolution urging the national office of PCCI to intervene in preventing major mining activities from taking place in Guimaras;

TOURISM

15. Resolution urging the National Government to come with an integrated tourism plan that will cater to traffic demand and supply, benefiting both the Caticlan and Aklan airport terminals and spur tourism activities in Boracay.

16. Resolution urging the Department of Tourism (DOT) to ensure private sector participation in the finalization of the IRR of the Tourism Act;

17. Resolution urging the PCCI through the regional offices to organize a Tourism Summit for Visayas stakeholders;

TRADE POLICY

18. Resolution requesting the President to appoint a permanent trade negotiator and create an Industry and Services Advisory Council (ISAC) to institutionalize private sector participation and consultation process in trade negotiations.

OTOP Highlights of Accomplishments for 1st Quarter of 2009

Key Result Areas

1. New Jobs generated from 2005 - 1st Quarter of 2009 in Aklan from the OTOP Program
totaled 17,698(community-based & home-based). Direct Jobs - 9,902; Indirect jobs
-7,796
2. New OTOP investments for the period amounted to Php18.3567M.
3. One hundred forty (140) new OTOP MSMEs developed.
4. Domestic and export sales for the same period reached Php319.7M and USD469,000
respectively. Only two(2) LGUs (Kalibo& Ibajay) have OTOP-MSME exporters
> LGU Kalibo (loomwovers) - USD394,036.70 (US, Japan & Other Asian Countries
> LGU Ibajay (coco based) - UD75,563.30 (China)

TRaining/Seminars & Product Development
> Ninety-five (95) OTOP trainings reported since 2005 by the 17 LGUs benefiting
approximately 2,500 beneficiaries
> Three (3) Product Development Clinics conducted, twenty (20) OTOP-MSMEs benefited.
Result: 198 prototypes executed
Domestic sales: Php2.706M
Export Sales: USD9,050

Memoranda of Understanding/Resolutions Passed
> Twenty-nine (29) MOUs (17 with DTI & 12 with other partners
> Fifteen (15) resolutions passed in support of OTOP

Trade & Pasalubong Centers/market Outlets
> Four (4) Trade Centers (assisted by DTI) carrying OTOP products
- Hugod Home Lifestyle Trade Center Boracay
- Kabuhi-an Livelihood Skills Training & Exhibition Center (LGU-Balete OTOP)
opened October 21, 2005
- Aklan OTOTP Corner & Pasalubong Center (Kalibo Airport) opened August 30, 2007
- Hugod Regional Trade Center (Boracay) opened in MArch 2008
> Forty-six (46) market outlets (spread out in the 17 municipalities) established
where OTOP products are showcased

Regional Model OTOP (Kalibo's loomwoven products)

> Total Industry workforce as of December 2008 totaled 9,893
> Domestic Sales(2005-1st Sem of 2009) - Php184.7125M
Export Sales (2005-1st Sem of 2009) - USD75,563.30

> Development of province-wide industry standards for loomwoven piña/piña seda
cloths and single-ply abaca cloths

>Annual conduct of Aklan Piña and Fiber Festival cum Agro-Industrial Fair every
April (Aklan Anniversary) highlighting the indigenous fiber loomwoven
fabrics/products and the OTOPs of the 17 municipalities

> Aninag Indigenous Fibers Fashion Show showcasing loomwoven apparels and fashion
accessories of OTOP and non-OTOP MSMEs

> Annual conduct of Kalibo Ati-atihan product Showcase every January in Kalibo and
and Aklan product Showcase in October or November at SM City Iloilo. OTOP Products
showcased together with other top-of-the-line products of Aklan

LGU Numancia (vermicast organic fetilizer
> Lakbay Aral/study mission destination for vermicast organic fertilizer production
> Gawad sa Pangulo sa Kapaligiran (GPK) program: provincial, Regional and national
Awardee

MILESTONE
Registration of Aklan Quality Seal with the Intellectual property Office on May 13, 2006 as trademark for indigenous fiber-based loomwoven products of Kalibo (Aklan)

Highlights of Accomplishments

Municipal OTOPs in the Province of Aklan!

1. Altavas - Swine/Livestock
2. Balete - Kabuhian Livelihood Skills Training & Exhibition Center
3. Banga - Organic Vegetables, Citrus-Calamansi & Rambutan
4. Batan - Grouper Culture
5. Buruanga- Eco-Tourism
6. Ibajay - Coco-based
7. Kalibo - Indigeous Fiber-based Loom woven products
8. Lezo - Potteries
9. Libacao - Abaca Fibers
10. Madalag- Abaca Fibers
11. Makato - Seafoods (Prawns, Shrimps, Crabs)
12. Malay - Tourism
13. Malinao- Abaca Slippers
14. Nabas - Bariwcraft
15. New Washington - Deboned Bangus
16. Numnacia - Vermicast Organic Fertilizer
17. Tangalan - Bugna it Tangalan

A Successfull 18th Visayas Area Business Conference!

This year's Visayas Area Business Conference was held at the Sarabia Manor Hotel at the City of Iloilo hosted by the Chamber fo Commerce & Industry of Iloilo headed by thier able and aggressive President, Mr. Joe Marie Agriam. The rooster of speakers were ehaded by no les than the Honorable Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Hon. Bayani Fernando, ASEC. Raul Banias, Asian Institute of Management representative and a lot more!

The area conference was attended by a hundred businessmen from all over the Visayas area as well as from PCCI Manila.

A Fellowship night was held on July 17, 2009 in which a Fashion SHow of the locally woven cloth "Hablon" displayed showcasing the works of renown coutourier, Poli Abastillos.

The 2nd day topics were more on Tourism that was discussed by the Vcie Chairman of PCCI, Mr. Samie Lim and the GTZ representative, Ms. Victoria Antonio.

VABC 2009 is one of the most successful area conferences hosted by the region.

ILOILO CCI GALING ILONGGO BUSINESSMEN AWARD

Eight exemplary Ilonggo businessmen will receive the GALING ILONGGO Award by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Iloilo, Inc. (CCIII) during the18th Visayas Area Business Conference to be held in Iloilo City from July 17-18, 2009. The awardees include Dr. Rogelio M. Florete, Sr. of Radyo Bombo, Phils., Edgar J. Sia of Mang Inasal, Rodolfo C. Tiu of Imperial Appliance Corporation, Marcelino M. Florete, Jr. of F&C Jewelry, Dr. Alfonso A. Uy of La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp., Arch. Johnny O. Que of Waffle Time, Angel De Leon of Taytay Sa Kauswagan, Inc. and Alejandro O. Que of Iloilo Supermart. The award will be given during the conference’s Fellowship Night on July 17 at the Kalantiao Hall of Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center.

Joe Marie Agriam, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Iloilo and publisher of CREAM Magazine, said that the eight businessmen are honored by the Iloilo Chamber for having exemplified Ilonggo ingenuity, tenacity, strength and power in business and industry. They have successfully established investments in several parts of Iloilo City and in other key cities of the country, employing skilled Ilonggo manpower. These men embody the indomitable Ilonggo entrepreneurial spirit vis-à-vis the bigger players in the industry.

The awarding ceremony will take place during the conference’s fellowship night on July 17 at the Kalantiao Hall of Sarabia Manor Hotel.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Iloilo, Inc. is an organization of local businessmen, established to promote trade and investments in Iloilo for the attainment of sustainable and equitable development. It is an affiliate of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the biggest business organization in the country and considered the voice of Philippine business.

The Visayas Area Business Conference is one of the five business conferences organized by PCCI in the country where regional business concerns are discussed and relevant area policy recommendations, strategies and plans of actions are formulated. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Iloilo, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Iloilo Provincial Government are jointly hosting this year’s two-day conference.