Bicol biz chambers to attend South Luzon area biz confab

By Jose B. Perez, Editor NAGA CITY --- President Gilbert Albero and his top officers and directors of the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry will lead the Naga delegation to the 26th South Luzon Area Business Conference that will take place on May 12-13 at the Queen Margarette Hotel in Lucena City. Other business chambers from the 6 provinces of Bicol to be led by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Regional Governor for Bicol Clarine Palomares-Tobias will also be heading off to the biggest annual gathering of business leaders in Southern Tagalog and Bicol under the theme: “Shifting Gears Towards Faster Growth.” Jeremie S. Lo, PCCI Vice President for South Luzon, will call to order the start of the conference on Saturday, May 12, while Elsa Rubio, president of PCCI Quezon, the host chamber, will welcome the guests and participants. PCCI President George Barcelon will deliver the Opening Statement. This year’s keynote speaker is Rep. Joey Salceda of the 2nd district of Albay. Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, and President Mark Dumol of the South Luzon Tollway Corp. will be among the resource speakers during the plenary sessions. Sec. Tugade will tackle the topic, “Catalyzing Local Economies thru Transportation Infrastructure” during the first plenary session. This is seen to be an interesting point of the conference in view of the government’s green light for the start of the expansion of the South Luzon Expressway to Lucena and its subsequent headway to Bicol. Incidentally, the Metro Naga Chamber has prepared a resolution strongly supporting the project with a prayer to fast track its implementation. The chamber also will submit resolutions to follow up previous resolutions asking to expedite the rehabilitation of the Bicol southline of the Philippine National Railways and the expansion and modernization of the Naga airport. The annual area business conference, with its counterparts in North Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, has always been seen as one of the biggest convergences of business enablers, entrepreneurs, government executives and members of the academe to discuss issues that pertain business environment, and urgent ways to promote local economic development. The local business sector within the South Luzon area do not just meet but also network and build partnerships with other entrepreneurs and investors. The MNCCI, in cooperation with the city government, will set up a booth to promote and market Naga as a tourism and economic hub during the conference.