INVESTMENT FORUM. A group of Chinese investors visits Panabo City, Davao del Norte on Wednesday (Aug. 9, 2023) to explore possible investments in the province’s second district. The investment forum allowed five local government units (LGUs) in Davao del Norte to present their areas for possible investment opportunities. (PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.)
PANABO CITY, Davao del Norte – Three municipalities and two cities under this province's second district of this province showcased their potential projects for development to Chinese investors who visited here on Wednesday evening.
The local chief executives of the municipalities of Carmen, Braulio E. Dujali and Sto. Tomas, and representatives from this city and the Island Garden City of Samal presented their localities' respective business profiles.
Davao del Norte (2nd District) Rep. Alan Dujali said the meeting came after he joined the 8th Business Cooperation Visit of the Chinese Entrepreneurs Commerce Club in March and invited 12 Chinese investors to visit the province.
In an interview, Braulio E. Dujali Mayor Leah Moral said she presented to investors her town as a thriving agricultural area that can offer products that meet the interests of the Chinese investors.
“We are eyeing support in our organic black rice and organic products which is rarely seen in the market. We want them to know that our town can mass produce these products if given an opportunity and proper financing from the investors,” she said.
Moral also noted that they also have enough areas where the investors can put up warehouses and factories.
“As to electricity and power utilities, we can assure that we have no problem with that, and we are ready to attract and welcome investors in our town,” she added.
Meanwhile, Mayor Roland Dejesica of Sto. Tomas touted his town's low crime rate as a boon to thriving investments.
“The investors would always first ask about the safety of our town. We emphasize our commitment to peace and order to show that we are a safe community,” he said.
Being the heart of the banana industry, Dejesica said they presented their banana produce and hoped for a good market for such products.
“About 70 percent rely on the banana industry in our town. We are ready to accept investors,” he said.
Through an interpreter, Kuang Zhaohua, one of the investors from the Beijing CEC Investment Management Group Co., said they were happy to come to the Philippines, particularly in Davao, and hear the presentation of the local government units.
He said they already brought a group of Beijing investors for the ninth time in the Philippines, but it is their first time in Mindanao.
"We will try to arrange another big group to come and hopefully invest in Davao, in the Mindanao area," Zhaohua said,
He also regarded the negative news about Davao or Mindanao as completely false.
“The Chinese were afraid to come because of their dialect and the second is the fake news about the kidnappings, but I found out that it is safe,” he said. (PNA)
