Officers of the Mindanao Business Council (MinBC), together with the ARMM Business Council and the Bangsamoro Development Agency, are set to convene with about 150 members of the Manila- based Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) in the Mindanao Peace Investment Forum at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel on Thursday, November 5.
The forum, which is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through The Asia Foundation (TAF), aims to establish strategic areas of partnership, collaboration and alliance between the Mindanao-based organizations and the members of MAP.
“As citizens of the country, we cannot continue looking forward to achieving a lasting peace without doing our share. Business investments do not follow geographic boundaries but rather respect all colors of race and beliefs, and collaborate in a socially-responsible and culturally-sensitive way with all stakeholders “ said Vicente Lao, MinBC Chairman, on the continuous peace efforts in Mindanao.
The forum is also an offshoot to the GRP-LGU-Business Sector Dialogue held in Davao City late last year where the Mindanao Business Declaration for Peace and Development was crafted. The declaration seeks to enjoin the commitment of both public and private investors in the peace building process.
During the forum, ARMM Business Council Chairman Datu Haron Bandila will be presenting the general investment climate in the ARMM Region and the role that the council plays in achieving peace in the region through investment promotion and facilitation. Another highlight of the Forum will be presentation by the Bangsamoro Development Agency Executive Director, Dr. Danda Juanday, of their local economic initiative called the Program for Local Economic Development through Enlightened Governance and Grassroots Empowerment (PLEDGE). A Memorandum of Cooperation will also be signed among the MinBC, MAP and the ARMM Business Council to sustain the partnership among the three (3) organizations in intensifying the promotion of ARMM and Central Mindanao as a viable investment destination.
USAID’s program in the Philippines, valued at approximately $91 million in 2008, focuses on strengthening peace in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao, promoting good governance, increasing economic opportunities, protecting the environment, strengthening health services, and improving basic education. TAF, on the other hand, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region. The Foundation supports programs in Asia that help improve governance, law, and civil society; women empowerment; economic reform and development; and international relations. Media partners include EARTH Institute Asia and DZRH – Kalikasan, Kaunlaran. [MinBC]
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