COTABATO CITY–The Bangsamoro Government, through its Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism (MTIT) and the Bangsamoro Business Council (BBC), today, Jan. 17, at Cotabato State University (CotSu) in this city formally opened the first-ever Bangsamoro Business Congress to strengthen strong industrial partnerships with various industry and business experts.
More than 500 stakeholders from various national and international chambers, BARMM provincial and municipal business sectors, including development partners, came together to foster unity and create partnerships among leaders, economists, and technical experts both from inside and outside of the Bangsamoro region
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim stressed that a symbiotic relationship between the regional government and private business sectors is vital to boost BARMM’s economy.
“It is only the desire of the Bangsamoro government under my leadership to commit ourselves to take all measures and courses of action to support all businesses, trades, and investments,” Ebrahim said.
The Chief Minister said the congress will greatly serve as a platform for exchanging business ideas; and building partnerships in creating a highly developed, competitive, and sustainable economy in Bangsamoro.
“The Government of the Day also recognizes the importance of the business sector as partners for economic development, as they always have daring business and marketing ideas,” he added.
During the first day of the event, MTIT Minister Abuamri Taddik, Secretary of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Maria Belen Acosta, CESE, BBC Chair Atty. Ronald Hallid Torres, and Vincente Lao of Mindanao Business Council (MBC) signed the Sisterhood Agreement to begin the process of forging an agreement between key stakeholders and the development of the business community in the region.
BBC Chairman Torres said that entrepreneurs and business experts must start creating a space to engage among the concerned industry stakeholders.
“Policy-makers and development partners should treat rebuilding stronger with the business sector and co-create more resilient institutions as a top priority,” Torres said.
“We started talking with the MTIT and came up with the idea of convening the BARMM business sectors along with the concerned government agencies, policy-makers, and business communities outside the region. Since we (BBC) are also cognizant of the fact that the business sector cannot address issues alone,” he added.
Meanwhile, Baby Ebrahim, Value Chain Facilitator of Rural Agro-Enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) project, said she was grateful for being part of the said event since it will help the business sector, particularly in boosting Bangsamoro local products to international and national business entrepreneurs.
“Ang programa ay nagbibigay ng mga paraan upang maisulong at maiangat ang iba’t ibang mga produkto mula sa mga sektors ng MSME business. Nagkakaroon ng partnership sa pagitan ng mga producer kasama ang iba’t ibang business minded at mga entrepreneurs sa loob at labas ng BARMM,” she said.
At the end of the congress, a resolution shall be formulated to improve Bangsamoro’s economy and address business challenges.
The event, with the theme, “Strengthening Partnership Towards a Resilient Bangsamoro Economy”, runs from Jan. 17 until Jan. 19, 2023. (Johaira Sahidala/BIO)
