LEGAZPI CITY -– Samie Lim, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), has urged all Filipino businessmen to be one globally competitive for the love of the country.

        Lim made this appeal in his keynote speech at the 16th South Luzon Area Business Conference (SOLBC) which was held at the Alicia Hotel here last Aug. 3 and 4.

        “We must exert more efforts to be globally competitive. We must be united. What will benefit the Filipinos should be topmost in our minds. We should be proud to be Filipinos and fight for the benefit of the Filipinos,” Lim said.

        To lick poverty the country must achieve a 7 percent growth rate, he stressed.

        “We are a business organization. Therefore, we are in the business of creating wealth not only for ourselves but for the country,” he said.

        He lamented that before agriculture used to contribute 24 percent to the GNP; today, however, agriculture accounts for 15 of the GNP while services account for more than 50 percent growth.

        Speaking before the 300 delegates of the SOLABC, Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda said that the province of Albay has better chances for development after it was battered by two supertyphoons last year.

        In his message before the delegates, the former congressman and former Presidential Chief of Staff said that the province is “pro-trade, pro-business, pro-investments, pro-markets and pro-growth and that’s the only way to create jobs and reduce poverty.”

        He also revealed his 10-year medium-term development plan which is anchored on Albay Mabuhay, a strategic investment plan, and Albay Mabuhay which targets social services on health, education, agriculture and livelihood.

        He disclosed that the feasibility study and engineering plans for the P3.4 billion Bicol International Airport in Alobo, Daraga town had been bidded out.

        Congressman Al Francis Bichara (Albay, 2nd District), former governor and former Ambassador to Lebanon, said that he is close to the world of business as he was a former businessman before he entered politics.

        “Business and politics go hand in hand. Without the businessmen, the government will not survive. Therefore, the government should be more generous and creative in treating businessmen,” he said.

        At the same time, Bichara disclosed that Presidential Arroyo had issued Executive Order 634 creating the Bicol Calamity Assistance and Rehabilitation Efforts (Bicol CARE) with an appropriation of P10 billion.

        Henry Buban, president of the host Albay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), said the conference seeks solutions from the government to some of the problems facing the industry.

        He reiterated that the government should help businessmen because they are partners of the government in nation-building.

        Topics tackled during the two-day convention included tourism, agriculture, power and environment.

        Maria O. Ravanilla, DOT-regional director for Region 5, discussed updates on tourism in South Luzon; Cecilla Gloria Soriano, administrator, Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA), talked on the status of the fiber industry particularly abaca.

        Edilberto de Luna, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) regional director for Region 4-A and Alfredo Rillo, PCA regional director for Region 5 discussed the status of the coconut industry in South Luzon.

        Jose Alejandro, PCCI vice president for energy, dissected the problems of the power industry in Regions 4 and 5. Engr. Orlando Roces, DPWH regional director for Region 5 talked about the on-going rehabilitation of Bicol highways.

        Manny Agcaoili, president of Rapu-rapu Processing Inc., presented a paper on the Lafayette Mining experience.

        Among the guests during the business congress were Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal;l Marcus Romero, PCCI vice president for South Luzon and SOLABC chairman; Francis Chua, chairman, 33rd Philippine Business Conference; Apolina Aure, PCCI governor for Region 4 and Nicolas Beda Priela, PCCI governor for Region 5.