Guv to promote business potentials in Australia

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. will be promoting agribusiness, organic agriculture, tourism, and the business potentials of the province during the two-day Regional Australia-Asia Chamber Forum in Darwin, Australia.

The forum which started yesterday was attended by 250 businessmen and representatives from chambers of commerce in Australia and across the Asian region, like Cambodia, China, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam.

Former governor Rafael Coscolluela, consultant on Investment Promotions of the provincial government, Ma. Lina Sanogal, coordinator of Provincial Planning and Development, Cristina Orbecido, administrator of Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center, and Christine Mansinares, provincial supervising tourism operation officer, as well as officials from the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) were also invited to the forum.

Marañon, who was invited by the Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce for his pioneering engagement with the Northern Territory government, is set to deliver a 20-minute keynote speech in the forum today.

Other keynote speakers are Samir Modi, president of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Martin Frick, managing director of Temenos Group AG, Daryl Guppy, Australian representative of Silk Road Chambers of International Commerce, and Don Susantha Katugampala, Sri Lankan Airlines board director.

Among the topics to be discussed in the forum are economic outlook for the Asia/Australia region over the next 10 years, business opportunities and challenges for regional tourism growth, new infrastructure and supply chain developments in our region, improving regional connectivity including transport and communication links, strengthening global entrepreneurship across the region, and opportunities for strengthening regional business partnerships and networks.