The foreign chambers in Mindanao have lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for lifting the State of National Emergency in Mindanao due to lawless violence declared by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.
Through Proclamation No. 298, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin last Tuesday, Marcos lifted Proclamation No. 55 placing Mindanao in a State of National Emergency.
Nilo Claudio, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Davao, said on Monday that the lifting will change the negative perceptions of Mindanao.
“The lifting is important but to me, this is not just important but this is a milestone because we know very well that we have been seeking the change in perceptions about the security problem and situation in Mindanao,” Claudio said during the Kapehan sa Davao at SM City Davao on Monday.
Claudio said they have been collaborating with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the joint foreign chambers on how they can remedy the negative perceptions.
“Finally, a week ago we learned that President Marcos has issued a Proclamation lifting the Executive Order issued in 2016 declaring a state of national emergency in Mindanao. And partly because of that the perceptions about Mindanao are giyera tayo rito,” he said.
He said this has created problems among the business sector, tourism, and many stakeholders in Mindanao.
Claudio thanked MinDA for coming out with a study from the security sector and submitting it to the President.
“We have had several meetings with MinDA, which presented a study coming from the security sector and we are welcoming the efforts of MinDA to really reach the President and the issuance of the Proclamation is the first step. With this proclamation officially Mindanao now is not in a state of national emergency. We thank MinDA for doing this, and for initiating this. We thank the government and we thank the President for doing this because this will have a big impact in Mindanao,” he said.
Meanwhile, Keisuke Nakao, president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce-Mindanao, said the lifting is just the first step for a more progressive Mindanao.
“Even when there was Martial Law declared in Mindanao after which there was a state of emergency in Mindanao, we did not really feel the impact that much because sanay na tayo sa Mindanao. Its always business as usual . Di ba merong tangke de giyera na naka display sa harap ng city hall, sa harap ng Sangguniang Panlungsod but hindi tayo nabahala because it was part of the scene of Mindanao. Business went along, business will always be as usual kasi sanay tayo sa ganito,” said Secretary Mabel Sunga-Acosta, chair of MinDA.
