PROJECT EVENTS >>

INVEST : ILOILO CITY BUSINESS FORUM DRAWS MORE THAN PHP 1 BILLION IN
LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS

Iloilo, one of the three cities being assisted by USAID under the INVEST Project. Led by its Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, Iloilo City successfully held the Iloilo Business Forum on March 12, 2014 at the Grand Ballroom of Intercontinental Manila. The forum was held in partnership with the Provincial Government of Iloilo, the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, the Iloilo City Trade and Investment Promotions Board, and the DTI/BOI Regional Office.   The Iloilo Business Forum is the third in a series of cities investment promotions under the USAID INVEST Project. The first two forums have been held in Batangas City and Cagayan de Oro City.

Senate President Franklin Drilon delivered the keynote address, while DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson gave an overview of the planned infrastructure projects for Iloilo City. A message of support was also given by Reed Aeschliman, USAID Deputy Mission Director.

The forum was well attended with more than 350 participants from national and local government offices, the House of Representatives, different local and foreign business chambers, trade attaches and embassies and investors. Representatives from the Philippines’ top business conglomerates delivered testimonials on their experience of doing business in Iloilo as well as future investment plans in the city. The representatives came from Ayala Land Inc., Global Business Power Corp., PHINMA Corp., SM Investments Corp., Megaworld Corp., and In Japan Investments Inc. These companies, in partnership with foreign investors, have pledged over PhP100 billion in investments in Iloilo for the next decade. In the testimonials, the representatives cited Iloilo’s good governance practices, skilled manpower, adequate infrastructure facilities, good educational institutions, and rich natural resources among the factors that make the province and city attractive.

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