President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade are expected to grace the upcoming Mindanao Business Conference (Minbizcon) in Tagum City on September 13-15, said Arturo Milan, president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Milan said Tugade will be the keynote speaker on the opening of the event, while the President will speak on the closing day.
“We have lined up very good speakers because the theme for this year’s conference is building a shared future for Mindanao. We feel that with the developments happening now in Mindanao, we really need to collectively unite for its development,” said Milan.
He said people of Mindanao should join hands so that it could make the best of the presence of President Duterte at the top of the government. “Before we always complained about being left behind; but now, we have no less than the President who is really from our city and from the island of Mindanao so we really have to make the best out of this,” he added.
Among the key issues that will be discussed during the event is the “Build, Build, Build” Program, a multi-billion peso infrastructure program of the current administration, as well as the implementation of its peace program.
He said government needs to also outline its programs for Mindanao including those for tourism, agriculture and other sectors.
“(Peace) is very important in the development and progress in Mindanao,” Milan said, adding that key to the discussions will be the implementation of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
Another key issue, he added, is the proposed shift to federalism as well as the call of the business sector for the establishment of economic and Freeport zones.
