Cebu officials eye bringing businesses,

progress to the countryside

By Wilfredo Rodolfo III

CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Tuesday committed P2 million to the Mandaue Business Month (MBM) celebration next month, which plans to bring businesses and progress to the countryside.

Days after announcing the province’s P17 billion in assets, the governor said it is high time for businesses to move out of the congested city and bring development to the towns.

“It is the time to move out of the increasingly inhospitable city, congested as it is...[and] spur the province into unprecedented heights and progress,” the governor told businessmen during the MBM launching.

City Mayor Jonas Cortes has also committed P1 million to the project and is pledging to add more.

Organizers have set a P10-million budget for the event.

According to MBM 2008 chairman Wilson Ng, the thrust of the chamber will be to partner with the provincial government in beefing up business in the province. “We are energizing industries in the city to go out to the province and do business,” he said.

One of the long-term projects of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the Countryside Enterprise and Business Upliftment (Cebu) program, which brings small entrepreneurs from the towns and have them trained and mentored by experts in the city.

According to chamber president Eric Mendoza, Mandaue City is hoping it could provide a vehicle for businessmen from the province to prosper.

The MBM celebration will also feature expositions for the towns in the province, public auctions and is hoping to organize a unique and biggest Local Area Network party in the country.

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Cebu officials eye bringing businesses, progress to the countryside

CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Tuesday committed P2 million to the Mandaue Business Month (MBM) celebration next month, which plans to bring businesses and progress to the countryside.

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