BY JOHNNY NOVERA
LAST week, we asked in our column, “Is Iloilo ready for Asean?”
We hope that the different business organizations in our city will take up the challenge to prepare for this regional integration plan with other nations in Southeast Asia, to be implemented next year.
But there is another opportunity open for us to expand. We wonder if you have seen on television the serious traffic congestion in Metro Manila, not only of airplanes at its airports but also of the chaotic and crowded situation on the railroads and on its streets.
We wish that our city mayor and our Sangguniang Panlungsod will see how this can become a new business opportunity for us.
By asking support from our business organizations in the city, we can organize a mission to Metro Manila. We can sell the idea for corporate groups there to consider moving their headquarters to Iloilo where we can offer them a more conducive business environment with lower cost of doing business.
As base for its head office in the Philippines, Iloilo is geographically located in the center of the Philippines and is the business hub of Western Visayas.
It has the safest and all-weather international seaport south of Manila, access to three international airports in Iloilo City, Bacolod City and Aklan, a network of expanded roads and bridges, and a good supply of workers and qualified employees. And our airports and seaport are not overcrowded.
Now, with our recommendation to campaign for business firms to move their headquarters from Manila to Iloilo, it is urgent that our police department fix our traffic problem.
We should especially apprehend illegally parked vehicles making the streets their regular garage, otherwise, we will just be like Metro Manila.
As they say, let us seize the moment! Maybe, when increased business comes to Iloilo, we would not need anymore the real estate tax hike next year, as that is counterproductive in attracting new investors to “My City, My Pride.” (For comments or reactions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com)/PN
