Albay hosts SL business confab

By JOSE B. PEREZ LEGAZPI CITY --- Some 500 delegates from the various business chambers of commerce and industry in South Luzon will be coming to this city for the 27th South Luzon Area Business Conference (SOLABC) of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) that the Albay Chamber of Commerce and Industry is hosting. With the theme, “Boosting Business Competitiveness in South Luzon,” the business conference is an annual activity of business chambers throughout the country with separate business conference on separate dates in such areas as Northern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Bicol conference which takes place on August 24 to 25 is being hosted by Albay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) with full support by the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Bicol. Principal venue is the Oriental Legazpi Hotel. Rose Quinto-Rey, ACCI president and chair of the business conference, said top government executives, as well as those from the private sector will lead the battery of speakers during the plenary sessions of the 2-day business conference. These include Sens. Cynthia Villar, Sherwin Gatchalian, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, USec Atty. Karen Olivia Jimeo of the DPWH Legal Affairs, and Reps. Karlo Nograles and Joey Salceda. From the private sector, the organizers have invited Hans Sy of China Bank, Dr. Bernardo Villegas of the University of Asia and the Pacific, and Jonathan de Luzuriaga, president of Philippine Software Industry Association. The participating chambers in the South Luzon conference are those coming from Region IV-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, or CALABARZON), Region IV-B (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan or MIMAROPA) and Regio V (Bicol). Other chambers from other regions, such as NCR, North Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are also expected to attend. Topics to be discussed during the plenary sessions include: Developing the Potentials of South Luzon; Updates on Build Build Build Projects in South Luzon, Emerging Trends in Sustainable Tourism, Agriculture Opportunities, Competitiveness of Philippine Enterprises, Stable and Competitively-Priced Power, Building Business Resiliency and Innovation and Technology Support for Agriculture and MSMEs, among others. Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara, Rep. Joey Salceda, and Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal will welcome the guests and delegates during the grand opening ceremonies, with opening statement by PCCI President Alegria Sibal-Limjoco.