Pre-registered delegates to 2013 MinBizCon highest in Congress history

The number of delegates who have pre-registered for the 22^nd Mindanao Business Conference slated in Davao City from August 8 to 10, 2013 is the highest so far compared to the past conferences.

“Filipinos do not really pre-register their attendance to conferences since they prefer to go directly to the event but I tell you that the pre-registered participants for this year’s MinBizCon is the highest ever,” 22^nd MinBizCon Conference Director John Gaisano, Jr. said during Monda's Kapihan at SM City Annex.

Gaisano said they aim to gather a thousand participants for the Conference, mostly coming from key industries all over the country and from the economic growth area of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area).

The organizers have previously consulted around 250 businessmen and industry leaders in five Mindanao regions as to the economic concerns they want to be presented during the Conference. “What makes this year’s MinBizCon different is the expected participation of 11 cabinet secretaries who will address the specific cluster of concerns identified by Mindanao business players and leaders,” he said.

He said there is a need to prepare Mindanao’s business sector for bigger markets abroad considering that the Philippines is set to enter into the Asean Economic Community (AEC). The AEC aims to merge members of the ASEAN community into a single market economy. Among its members are the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Singapore, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

However, Mindanao Development Authority’s (MinDA)Romeo Montenegro said that recurring issues on power problems, rotating brownouts as well as the short and long-terms measures which will be undertaken by the government will also be discussed during the MinBizCon.

Gaisano said Mindanao produces 40% of the country’s food production requirement and generates 60% of the country’s exports amounting to P130 Billion. However, Mindanao also has the greatest number of population and the greatest number of poor people.

“If they really care for the island then they will actually come here and address these issues,” he said.

Coconut still top priority over palm

The Mindanao Development Authority reiterated that coconut is still a top priority for the government despite the growing popularity of palm oil.

“The production of palm oil is only being encouraged and promoted in idle lands and in no way should palm compete with the existing coconut plantations,” Mindanao Development Authority’s Romeo Montenegro said at a press conference held at the Marco Polo Hotel.

He said coconut copra and palm kernel remains the top dollar earner of Mindanao with a 21.26 percent share in the total exports of Mindanao as of 2012. However, he said that coconut exports decreased by 19.48 percent, from $1.1055 billion in 2011 to $.89 billion in 2012.

The MINDA report shows that coconut or copra got the largest share of Mindanao’s exports to the United States amounting to $359 million or 43.2 percent of the total exports to the US. Coconut copra was also Mindanao largest export to the Netherlands amounting to $303.68 or a share of 61 percent of the total exports to the said country.

“Despite the challenges faced by the coconut industry demand continues to increase but there seems to be a reduction of supply,” he said. Montenegro said this is why the government is encouraging the planting and production of more coconut and its byproducts.

He mentioned the increasing demand of Franklin Baker which enjoys robust demand for its coconut water in the export market. Farmers are also encouraged to intercrop coconuts with cocoa and coffee as these are also in demand top commodities.