TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov. 9 (PIA) -- Local Government Integrity Circles (LOGIC) Network capped its three-year presence in Bohol with a virtual business mission on Oct. 20, 2020 which aimed to explore business opportunities to aid their partner local government units (LGUs) in achieving faster business recovery and match investments to create new jobs.

The Virtual Business Mission, organized by the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP), along with Bohol Investment Promotion Center (BIPC) and LOGIC Network composed of eight towns, placed Bohol as a potential investment location.

It also presented the province's and the LOGIC partner towns' business interests and requirements for starting businesses, as this forms an initial attempt to match mission delegates with the business opportunities presented in towns.

BIGGEST SALES PITCH. Bohol Gov. Arthur Yap (on screen) making a "sales pitch" during the virtual business mission as he dangled Bohol as a huge EU potential for investments with LGUs now receptive and the business environment already set for investments. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Moreover, it hones a dynamic dialogue venue between potential investors and the local communities, which should continue as towns strive to create their own business-conducive climate.

While BIPC chief Maria Fe Dominese presented doing business in Bohol, Gov. Arthur Yap took the chance to present Bohol's investment potential to the European Union.

There are many reasons why it makes sense to invest in Bohol, said Yap who at that time was in Manila and joined the business mission online.

He cited Bohol's track record in managing the COVID-19 pandemic by setting up a COVID-19 dedicated hospital with operational PCR laboratories, a P400-M equipment and hospital modernization, and a family-based contact tracing card which runs an online tracking, registration and contactless payments system that can also be used by tourists and transients.

With the country's bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, shipping to the Philippines and to Bohol is an advantage, the governor said.

On sustainability of manpower, Yap boasted about Bohol's youthful manpower that continues to be educated, dedicated, and competent, providing an efficient labor force to power the industries that would locate to Bohol.

Yap pointed to the pre-Covid statistics of 1.5 million tourist arrivals and the 1.4 million residents in the island province with freshwater basins and more than 4,000 square kilometers in area as a critical positive base to grow from.

"Close to 24 towns in Bohol with water issues would tend to benefit from over a billion pesos in investments that would serve close to 329 barangays and 450,000 Boholanos as we build water systems to serve the needs of our residents," the governor said.

"Many local government units are also investing," he added.

Yap also called on the foreign investors to come to Bohol to see for themselves how the province is doing in tourism that can make a dramatic change for food security and food processing in Bohol.

"Not only will we be showcasing how we are taking care of our environment but also how environment and water resources will be used as the fundamental basic platform to launch agriculture, fishery, and food processing programs," the governor bared during the mission attended by LOGIC ECCP representatives, local investment promotions officers, local government units and mission delegates from the private sector.

The Bohol governor also talked about the development of local ports, Bohol power upgrades, third bridge for Panglao, and a world-class airport and an instituted strong cultural program integrated in its tourism.

"COVID-19 has definitely put a delay on our programs and our projects are stymied, but we do not mean to forego with these, we need to execute them," he said.

With Bohol's position of being at the center of the country on the route of the central nautical trading highway and at the center of more than 30 million people as a market in Central Philippines, Yap said he is more than confident that Bohol is the right place for the European investors and prepare for a resurgent local economy. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Philippine Information Agency
Source: Big News Network