Fil-Ams visit Antique to explore business opportunities
San Jose, Antique -- Thirty two Filipino-Americans mostly businessmen, businesswomen and potential investors were in San Jose on weekend to explore business opportunities and develop partnerships both for business in the Philippines and the United States.
Cynthia C. Flores, President of the Phil-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago (PACCGC) and a successful Antiqueña businesswoman in Chicago, Illinois emphasized that PACCGC wants to contribute to the growth of the Philippine economy by heeding the call of PGMA to support the administration's flagship program in the countryside especially the "One Town One Product" (OTOP) under the Department of Trade and Industry.
A Business Forum facilitated by the DTI, Antique Development Foundation (ADF) and the Provincial Government of Antique gave the businessmen an opportunity to know more about Antique's potential as tourist destination and investment hub.
Among the business interest that gained attention were eco-tourism to include hotel, resort and restaurant, Information and Technology, Medical Tourism and Call Centers, Real Estate, Financial Services, development of local industries like muscovado sugar, nitocraft, processed foods and development of coal fired power plant.
The chamber to chamber dialogue also give the Antique Chamber of Commerce and Industry the opportunity to expressed the need to have an additional firefighting equipment and facilities since there is only one firetruck in San Jose.
A matching of business interests among the Fil-Ams and local businessmen gave way to identification of business areas for future support and financing by PACCGC.
The Business Forum outlook was so positive in favor of Antique's development and growth and DTI Antique committed to follow-up agreements made during the forum to assist the local entrepreneurs pursue business interests/tie-up with members of the PACCGC Trade Mission 2006.
The Business Forum is part of the Phil-American Business and Investment Expansion Event which hopes to build partnership among investors and local entrepreneurs that will eventually help propel our economy towards a strong Philippine Republic.
The Phil-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago is a non-profit organization founded in 1984. It is a voluntary state-wide membership organization of Fil-American professionals and business entrepreneurs with good, solid reputation in the community or financial credibility and impressible character.
Governor Salvacion Z. Perez in her message was emphatic in saying that Antique has vast natural and mineral resources but its true wealth are its people.
She rallied the businessmen to unlock the minds of young children by investing in education because in doing so "you invest in the future of our children for a brighter tomorrow," Perez said.
Accompanying the group was Mr. Glenn Peñaranda, Trade representative based in Chicago while the PACCGC trade mission team leader is Mr. Aristotle dela Cruz - Vice President.
(PIA)