3rd Bicol Business Month to reel off in July

By Jam Madrid NAGA CITY --- “Building Bigger Milestones” will be this year’s theme for the most anticipated staging of Bicol Business Month (BBM) in July which will also coincide with the 30th foundation anniversary of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI). The event, which scaled up from week-long to a month-long lineup of activities, used to be staged in November but for its third year, the MNCCI decided to hold it on an earlier date this year. This was announced by last year’s BBM chair and MNCCI Vice President for Chamber Management Jose B. Perez during a press conference held late last month at the Board Room of the Avenue Plaza Hotel, this city. “November is a typhoon month and it’s hard to get sponsors since it’s almost towards the end of the year. Since July is a lean month for business, there is a need for an intervention within this period, so the holding of the BBM is timely. Besides, the traffic of people is back to welcome another season right after the summer”, Perez explained. This year’s BBM chair is Ferdinand ‘Dondon’ Sia who was recently inducted as MNCCI’s VP for Finance. He promised to present more colorful and significant events this year. Naga City Mayor John G. Bongat expressed his full support to the local business chamber’s decision affirming that there is indeed a deviation in the business cycle which usually happen before the year ends. The MNCCI and the City Government of Naga are co-presentors of the annual local business month. He reiterated that the city government will continue to support all the programs and activities of MNCCI as he sees how all of these activities have impacted on local as well as regional businesses. Regional Governor for Bicol Clarine P. Tobias of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said she is excited about BBM 2017’s perfect timing especially that results of the rankings of LGUs in the National Competitiveness Index that determines the year’s most competitive cities, municipalities and provinces throughout the country will be released this July. “One of the indicators for the competitiveness is the influx of tourists or visitors, as well, as vibrant business organizations in a particular place. Naga City always wins because of the support of the private sector. If we get the award this year, it will be a grand slam for Naga. So, this year is very critical because if this happens, it will be a first for Naga and in the Philippines [since the search for most competitive LGUs was launched in 2014,” Tobias shared. According to Sia, this year’s BBM boasts of an array of exciting activities. Lined up are the Agri-Aqua Best of Bicol Exhibits & Trade Fair, ICT Week, Travel Mart, Naga Palooza, DRR/A-PAD Expo, Directors and Presidents’s Night, Culinary Festival, Women’s Congress, Beauty and Wellness, Car and Motor Show, Bingo, Natural Healing, and Taxation Seminar, and the colorful Halyao Awards. PIA5/Camarines Sur