BY CARLA GOMEZ
The two Negros Occidental provinces are joining the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Visayas area business conference in Dumaguete City July 16 and 17 for the first time as part of the Negros Island Region.
Joining the conference are business leaders from Region 6 (Western Visayas), Region 7 (Central Visayas), Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) and Region 18 (NIR), Frank Carbon, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said yesterday.
Business leaders at the conference will discuss ways to boost progress in the Visayas, he said.
Carbon said the Negros Occidental delegation also aims to discuss with their Negros Oriental counterparts ways to enhance their business relationships under the NIR.
Among their targets is the coordinated building of roads and other infrastructure of the two Negros provinces to hasten development, he added.
The coordinated planning of infrastructure development will be funded by the Australian government through Asia Foundation, he added.
The Negros Occidental delegation hopes to meet with Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo to discuss the joint projects, Carbon said.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said national agencies are already scouting for spaces for their regional offices under the NIR.
One such agency is the Department of Interior and Local Government, Marañon said.
The governor said the DILG is looking at leasing office space at the first floor of the Negros First CyberCentre in Bacolod City, that is owned by the provincial government.
However, he said spaces on the upper floors of the facility are not up for
lease by the regional offices as they are reserved for Business Process
Outsourcing firms.*CPG
