7th ARMM Business Congress launched in Marawi City

COTABATO CITY – The ARMM Business Council (ABC) and the Office of the Regional Governor of the autonomous region officially launched today [June 4] the 7th ARMM Business Congress in Marawi City, province of Lanao del Sur. The actual congress will be held in the same venue on August 4-5.

Themed “Maximizing Investment Gains to Propel Economic Development in ARMM,” the congress serves as a door for investment and business opportunities to local and foreign industries amidst economic recession wreaking the country and the world.

Datu Haron U. Bandila, chair of ABC and president of Maguindanao Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, “Despite news of economic crisis, we in the ARMM are safely and continually doing our businesses. The region’s business climate is getting better and making revenue better. We are hopeful that this congress would futher entice investments into the region.”

The autonomous region, composes of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi is showing off its vital industries such as rice, corn, rubber, seaweeds, aquamarine, poultry and agro-marine production and Halal. The ABC is undertaking efforts to develop ARMM as the center of industry in the country.

ARMM Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan is pleased with the unremitting economic progress of the region despite unavoidable conflicts transpiring in some of its communities.

“We are on the 7th year of our continuing advocacy for business and economic development. This is part of the ARMM regional government’s economic agenda – encouraging our local and foreign businessmen to embark on various business ventures in the region given its rich potentials,” Governor Ampatuan said.

The Regional Governor further said, “This activity is one of the vital links of the regional government to the business sector. We hope that the congress could draw in more businessmen to further improve the trade and industry mood in the region.”

The 7th ARMM Business Congress is a joint undertaking of Lanao del Sur provincial government, Department of Trade and Industry-ARMM, Regional Board of Investments (RBOI), Department of Tourism-ARMM and Department of Agriculture with partnership of Growth Equity in Mindanao (GEM).