BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Chamber Development Institute (PCDI) disclosed there is a bright prospect for agriculture-based businesses in Northern Luzon in the next several years considering the enormous demand for food among the growing population coupled with huge investments on infrastructure development.
Renato G. Simbulan, president and chief executive officer of Simbulan Industries Philippines Inc. and PCDI chairman, cited the expansion of development is now moving towards the north after previous administrations concentrated the development in the south, thus, existing agriculture-based businesses must venture into expanding their operations in preparation for the projected influx of people due to migration and the growth in population among others.
Simbulan was one of the guests during the 1st Strategic Planning Workshop of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) North Luzon headed by its area vice president Engr. Alfonso T. Lao which was held at the Villa Rosal Hotel, Gen. Luna Road, here, last January 29-30, 2015.
“We are now reaping the fruits of hardwork and sacrifice over the past several years where business was not doing well. Now, it is business that should grab the available opportunities for growth,” Simbulan stressed.
The PCDI official explained Northern Luzon is already an agriculture area and what is needed is just to enhance the agriculture-based industries considering the expected influx of people to the different areas of growth and development.
According to him, the ecotourism industry of Northern Luzon will complement the agriculture-based industries which will contribute in spurring the economic growth and will augment the expected increase in employment opportunities among qualified local residents, provide increased economic opportunities and open up added sources of livelihood for all concerned sectors.
He challenged local chapters of the PCCI in the different parts of Northern Luzon to empower their members to grab available opportunities for potential investments in growing communities because there is a rapid growth in the population that will always utilize agriculture-based products.
Simbulan explained wherever people go, they always look for food or they try the best delicacies in the areas, thus, the importance of venturing into agriculture-based industries in order to be able to gain a lion’s share of the available market.
He revealed the robust business in a certain area depends on how PCCI local chapters are able to expand the operations of their members in order to be able to access the existing market as local businessmen are now benefitting from the growth of the economy.
Engr. Lao cited Simbulan for sacrificing part of his valuable time to join the PCCI Northern Luzon chapters in their strategic planning workshop, saying that his insights on the national and local economic scenarios played a key role in guiding the members to craft the needed plans and programs on how to continue enticing small and medium businessmen to establish their desired businesses in strategic areas in the north.
Lao expressed his gratitude to all the PCCI chapter officers in the north for being able to spend time in attending their first-ever planning workshop. By Dexter A. See
