THE Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce (Oro Chamber) is gearing up for the challenges in the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) integration through Asean Economic Community (AEC) this year.
With AEC on, Oro Chamber expects new investors arriving in the city to take advantage of the market.
The Asean integration is aimed at improving the standard of living and quality of life of the people in the region.
Cerael Donggay, president of Oro Chamber, said that they are expecting much from this integration.
“Our role, with the upcoming Asean Regional Integration, is to help our members – industries, sectors, commercial establishments, trade and commerce, services, etc. survive the [upcoming integration] competition… so we should find ways for them to survive,” Donggay said.
Donggay added that they are now in the “planning stage” on how to make local businesses and entrepreneurs compete and collaborate with foreign investors.
He said that one example in helping local businesses is for Oro Chamber to promote more industries to come in and put up their business here and generate employment through vertical integration – upstream and downstream.
He added that as part of the AEC, inclusive growth should be achieved in which there is a reduction of poverty along with increase of employment – if this happens, there is peace and order.
“A country with a low economic development will create disorder – militant movement, rebellion – subversive element… we can eliminate this by ensuring that there is an inclusive growth where more people are employed and businesses improve,” Donggay said.
He also said that if foreign investors put up their investments in the city, there will be more job opportunities and that there is no barrier if they are given free tariff; thus smuggling will be lessen.
“No one will be left-out,” Donggay said.
But Wildon Barros, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Northern Mindanao spokesperson, said otherwise.
Countering integration in BRICS
“Asean Integration is part of US consolidation to their economic alliances in Asia Pacific to counter the consolidation of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). The US is again facing another economic crisis… so they need to gather support from its colonies and semi-colonies (countries),” Barros said.
He said that under the Philippine Development Program, there are substantial incentives to lure foreign investors like free tariffs; tax holidays and others.
“Yes, there is employment but there is no security of tenure. What is happening is the perpetuation of the contractualization of workers – it’s just a matter of everyday survival,” Barros added.
Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on February 21, 2015.
