INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES. Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, speaks with the Chinese businessmen from Fujian, China during the governors/mayors' forum of Fujian-Asean Friendship Provinces/Cities Conference and online signing ceremony held on Sept. 16, 2020. In his statement on Wednesday (Sept. 23, 2020), Dino invited the Chinese traders to explore investment opportunities in Cebu and the Visayas. (Photo courtesy of OPAV)
CEBU CITY – Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, has encouraged the business sector in Fujian province in China to look at Cebu and the rest of the Visayas as a potential site for investment.
“It is hoped that we will continue to maintain the strong friendship and relationship shared by Fujian, the Visayas, and Cebu in particular, in the coming years, just as we have always done for the past decades,” Dino was quoted as saying in a statement from his office released on Wednesday.
Dino was among the guests during the governors/mayors' forum of Fujian-Asean Friendship Provinces/Cities Conference and online signing ceremony held Wednesday last week.
The event aims to further strengthen the relationship between the Fujian province and the Asean cities and provinces, the statement from OPAV said.
Fujian is a sister city of Cebu and had donated medical masks to Cebuanos in the early months of the pandemic.
Dino invited Chinese businessmen to invest in Cebu, especially that Cebu remained to be spared from the African swine fever (ASF) contamination.
“Luckily, Cebu has been spared from contamination of ASF. Because of this, Cebu hogs are in high demand since Cebu island is considered ASF-free. Maybe, Fujian businessmen can explore avenues for investment in the Cebu livestock industry,” the official said.
Dino also urged foreign investors to participate in the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration since the infrastructure projects under this program can help stimulate the Visayan economy.
He cited the challenge faced by the Visayas due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Cebu is now in control of the virus, and the numbers of positive cases have been decreasing in the entire island. Now, Cebu is the Philippines’ showcase in how to fight against Covid-19," Dino said.
He added the Philippine government is now assisting the local government units in combating the virus.
"Not only that, but the national government has dispensed funding for the augmentation of medical personnel and increasing isolation facilities in the provinces. Nonetheless, we in the Philippines have always been thankful with the support shown by the Chinese government, especially during these hard times," Dino said.
He added the pandemic is a challenge that all countries must face together.
"Living with the new normal will pose many challenges ahead, especially since the vaccine for the virus might not be accessible at the same time to the entire world population," Dino said.
He thanked the Fujian government and the Chinese for the continued support to the Cebuanos and the Visayas.
“Filipinos share many of their cultural traits with their Asean neighbors, including our brothers and sisters from Fujian, where most Chinese Filipinos trace their ancestry from, myself included,” he said. “While things may seem difficult now, I believe that the friendship that the Fujian government has always shown to the Visayans and to Cebu will always be maintained”.
Mayors Sara Duterte of Davao City, Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City, and Jonas Cortes of Mandaue City also attended the event. (With report from Minerva Newman/PNA)
