TOURISM is the top choice of Dabawenyos as an industry that government and private sector should heavily invest in to spur the economic growth of Davao City and adjoining cities and provinces in Region 11.
Tourism, sometimes known as hospitality industry, is followed by agriculture and information and communication technology (ICT).
The choice was made by mobile phone owners among Dabawenyos who were asked in an opinion survey to name two to three industries which they want the government and the private sector to pour investments in. The question was “texted” to close to 200 people by Edge Davao last Wednesday and Thursday, in an opinion poll whose results became part of the input of editor in chief, Antonio M. Ajero, as a panelist/reactor in the orientation seminar on the 2010 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP) by the Board of Investments at the Apo View Hotel, in Davao City last Friday. No less than BOI Gov. Geronimo Sta. Ana led the team of resource persons who explained the IPP plan, including the government incentives to local and foreign locators.
More than 100 persons responded to the mobile phone survey, a number of them through e-mail and calls.
Fifty-one respondents opted for urism as an industry that government and the private sector should put more money on.
Tourism is followed by agriculture, with 45 “votes” and ICT (information, communication and technology) with 38.
No. 4 choice areas of investments are energy and transportation, with 25 “votes” each. Infrastructures, which the “texters” did not specify; property development and housing; and micro finance are in No. 5 spot with 18 votes each.
Six respondents mentioned new government center; education; fruit processing; research and development; manufacturing; livelihood; recreation facilities; complete health care delivery system; convention center; sports complex; mariculture; and lifestyle of health and safety (LOHAS) as investment areas that should get priority attention from the government and private sector investors.
Only one of the respondents endorsed mining while one other who mentioned mining was actually against it.
The selected top investment areas uncannily jibe with the published priorities of the new city administration under Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio, who assumed as the youngest, and first ever lady, chief executive Davao City last July 1st.
Lizabeth “Wit” Holganza, former president of ICT Davao, Inc., owner of the Medical Transcription Academy and now a ranking officer of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., was one of those who participated in the opinion survey. She said “there is a synergy between the local government’s and the chamber of commerce’s short-term objective whereby both institutions have identified agriculture, tourism and ICT as among their priority industries.”
“Clearly, Davao possesses competitive advantages in these industries as evidenced by the presence of aggressive industry players, rich natural resources and wonders complimented by a typhoon-free geography as well as a huge talent pool that fuels the growth of all three industries,” Holganza said.
She said, “If we only put our resources into developing research and development and market promotions our growth potential will be tremendous.”
Interestingly, lawyer Domingo Duerme, vice president for Mindanao of Philippine Airlines, and himself a pillar of local tourism, would rather that Dabawenyos first focus their efforts in promoting agriculture among domestic and foreign investors.
“We should focus first on agriculture since we are not yet prepared for industrialization which will simply follow anyway,” Duerme said, adding, “let’s focus on rice, palm oil, rubber, coconut and bananas.”
Once established, he said, “we can go to rice milling, oil milling, banana chip production, caplam production for rubber, etc.”
“Agriculture must be the top priority of investors because this is the biggest source of employment in the countryside where unemployment is very high. It is in agriculture where manufacturing activities emanate,” said Teresita Pascual, top executive of Bonifacio Motors and Cecilia Farms, and who is also into poultry-raising.
The answers of the city councilors included in the poll also mirrored the priorities of Inday Sara.
Councilor Bernie Al-ag and his wife, Cherry Faye, who is an executive of a banana company, placed tourism No. 1 in their list because the industry has great potentials in the Davao region.
“We can provide job and business opportunities to our people if we maximize the full tourism potential of our city,” texted the Al-ags.
Next in the young couple’s list is agricultural facilities and technology. Since we have vast agricultural lands, we can be the No. 1 supplier of agri products in Asia, they said, Third in their list is mass transport system “which will create great economic activity in the region.”
The following are the opinions of some respondents:
Question: As a businessman, professional or leader in our community, please name 2 to 3 industries into which the private sector and/or government should pour investments. If you wish, please state why.
Vicente T. Lao, contractor and poultry-raiser and chair, Mindanao Business Council:
TOURISM, because it creates jobs. AGRICULTURE, for food security. ENERGY, because we can’t move forward without a stable and reliable energy supply.
George Regalado, Dabawenyo member of the board of directors, Land Bank of the Philippines:
POST HARVEST FACILITIES; TOURISM-related infra projects; and TRANSPORTATION-related big ticket projects.
Emily Zen Chua, lawyer:
Of course, investment is needed in AGRICULTURE.
Lito Cruz, school owner and businessman:
HOTEL business is good because of the projected six million tourist arrivals by year 2016.
Evelyn Lavina, landscaper, farmer and entrepreneur:
1. AGRI 2. TOURISM 3. ICT. Agri for food sustainability, health, wellness and greenliving. Tourism for value adding to anything whether agri or just shanty. ICT kasi it’s a need and it will really happen. The three will be bigh income generating, with domino effect on other industries.
Ramon Edison Batacan, lawyer:
1. TOURISM. If a system is put in place, it’s going to spur economic activity in the city. The rest will follow.
2. EXPORT INDUSTRY. Establish an export processing zone. It will attract the needed foreign investments to the city and employment opportunities will increase.
3. REALTY DEVELOPMENT. A comprehensive zoning plan should be passed to guide future expansion of business and housing development. Wider roads and traffic system will be easily implemented as the city grows in time.
Aileen Gajo, NCCC Mall executive:
Agricultural productivity for food security. MICRO ENTREPRENEURSHIP development—jobs and income generation.
Manuel “Jam” Jamonir, civil engineer/devt planner:
NEW GOV’T CENTER thru PPP to decongest CBD (central business district) area, support it with RIVERINE TRANSPORT SYSTEM. NEW REGIONAL BUS TRANSIT SYSTEM along major corridors. NEW LAND USE PLAN promoting socialized medium rise housing.
Ednar Dayanghirang, lumad leader, tv program host:
AGRI, POWER, MODERN TRANSPORTATION, INFRA, HOUSING, CYBERTECH, TOURISM.
Jonallier M. Perez, Mindanao Tourism Council corporate secretary:
TRANSPORTATION. New roads and other infra projects where there are none, improving dilapidated ones. We need connectivity of people, goods and services.
TOURISM infra, such as convention centers, sports complex, action centers, retirement villages, outdoor adventure. Tourism is a fine engine of growth.
SCHOOLS that offer courses demanded by local and international economies. Eliminate mismatch of graduates and jobs. Nurses become caregivers, HRM graduates becoming welders, etc.
Maria Luisa Jacinto, director of the Davao City Water District, Rotary assistant governor:
AGGIE, specially research in product and productivity improvement, as well as market development. The region should capitalize on strong aggie sector and funds are needed to maximize output of this sector .
ICT, being typhoon-free, our area is ideal for ICT centers. We can very well serve as the seat of a competent and reliable ICT center in Mindanao.
Ricardo “Ricky” Jimenez Jr., journalist/consumer advocate and newspaper columnist:
LIFESTYLE of health and safety (LOHAS) is a $209-billion industry worldwide, which investors cash in. It means producing safe, healthy foods, good renewable energy. These are investments with a viable future here and abroad. We are an agro-industrial region with the natural bounties to back us up.
Cheldone “Don” Canes, entrepreneur/ Rotarian:
It should be in TOURISM and infrastructures, like hotels, malls, etc.
Reynaldo “Boy” I. Reyes, bank owner/ Rotary past district governor:
Government and private sector should invest in the following:
POWER/ENERGY
MASS TRANSPORT SYSTEM
INFRASTRUCTURE
Ms CRISTETA GALLANO, consultant on Davao River initiatives and environment; Rotary club president:
MARICULTURE and COASTAL PARK development which can employ displaced fisherfolks and address food and environment security 2. Honest-to-goodness TREE PLANTATIONS which can increase patrimonial equity and supply other forward linkages and help address Global Warming 3. REASEARCH and DEVELOPMENT projects which can jumpstart new industry innovations with renewable energies.
Joey Dalumpines, journalist/broadcaster:
POWER SOURCES to sustain business and industries; RAILWAY SYSTEM to hasten movcment of goods and people; MICRO FINANCING for small businessmen to free them from modern-day loan sharks and traditional Hindu usury.
Cesar Ledesma, former city administrator:
Maybe sustainable AGRI, renewable ENERGY and FRUIT PROCESSING. Definitely NO to mining and exploitation of natural resources.
William “Willie” Yong, architect and Rotary club president:
TOURISM—make citizens conscious of the importance of maintaining our environment.
INFRA-structures that can house citizen activities like government center, convention center, parks, open spaces, hospitals, schools, terminals, business centers, and widening of road system.
LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS
Jade Zaldivar, young newspaper reporter, also business writer:
MSME, pour finances through money lending;
RECREATION facilities, sports complex, as these would also boost tourism;
SOCIAL SERVICES—health and education
Arturo “Art” Boncato Jr., newly-assumed regional director of the Department of Tourism:
TOURISM: Invest in multi sectoral advocacy to realize direct flights. New markets stir local economies and create ripples to development
LIGHT MANUFACTURING: Davao’s raw materials + Value = vibrant livelihood and healthy receipts
Asec. Romulo Busuego, Department of Health
I am more interested as usual in HEALTH INVESTMENT. I believe Mindanao needs a comprehensive or complete health care system that will cater also to the East Asean Growth Area
Robbie Alabado II, City Planning and Development Coordinator
We need to harness EXISTING RESOURCES of our city: Human resources and material resources + presence of good educational facilities + agri products + existing transportation links + increasing urbanization as regional center = opportunities in tourism, ICT, agro industries, housing, power and service industries.
Councilor Joan Bonguyan
IT industry and BPO, especially because Davao is identified as the next wave for IT Hub, we have to take advantage of it.
Araceli Ayuste, tourism operator
The first to be prioritized is TOURISM, the private sector will be the one to develop our priorities and the government will provide infra. Example is the Samal private-led tourism. Government should provide good roods, good sewerage facilities and not solely rely on the private sector.
Another area is REAL ESTATE. The government should help developers, not thru indiscriminate fees and charges but by helping control the area for housing build up which just sprout anywhere.
Andrei Fournier, Technopreneur, IT consultant
Definite ICT due to the potential for jobs and income security. Secondly, FOOD PROCESSING to address spoilage of raw materials and add value to production. Lastly, investment and researches in TRADITIONAL HERBAL remedies to provide our people with cheap medicines.
Conrado Hernaiz, former DCCCII executive director
Deeper attention to needs of MSMEs, TOURISM AND RICE PRODUCTION.
Councilor Pilar Braga
IT, AGRI, ENERGY
Nikki Gomez, Journalist
TOURISM, for Mindanao especially. The government should provide policy climate and infra support and international marketing while the business sector can develop destinations.
Ferdinand Subido, Banker and Rotarian
INFRASTRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURE
Councilor John Louie Bonguyan
IT, IT PARK to continue generating jobs
Convention center that can accommodate 8 to 10,000 people
MODERN SPORTS COMPLEX
