Traders to plot new ARMM growth blueprint in 2-day congress

COTABATO CITY — All is set for the opening tomorrow of a two-day congress in Marawi City of businessmen from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and nearby countries, who hope to plot a new growth blueprint for the region’s impoverished, war-torn communities.

Three of the five ARMM component provinces — Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Sulu — are among the country’s most impoverished, their growth hampered by armed conflicts among feuding Muslim families and the presence of criminal gangs, such as the notorious Pentagon kidnapping syndicate, and secessionist forces.

ARMM Gov. Parouk Hussin, chairman of the Regional Planning and Development Board, said among those invited to participate in the two-day congress are representatives of the business communities in member-states of the Organization of Islamic Conference, which are helping in the government’s peace initiatives with local rebel forces.

Hussin, the foreign affairs chief of the Moro National Liberation Front, said the event will also group together businessmen belonging to rival political clans in the region.

"We will not only be graphing a new growth chart for the ARMM, but will also be building linkages among rival families who control big businesses in key trading spots in the region," Hussin said.

Hotelier Antonio Santos, vice president for Mindanao of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the regional business congress would also serve as a venue where some 500 participating local businessmen and foreign traders can discuss the prospects of the newly revived peace efforts between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

"Local and foreign investors have always been keen on the direction of the government-MILF peace process. Favorable developments in the peace process also improve investors’ confidence and the business climate in the region," said Santos, owner of the biggest hotel here.

President Arroyo has been invited to address the congress which will be capped by the launch of the newly created Regional Economic Zone Authority (REZA).

The REZA, approved last week by the 24-seat Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA), would assist foreign investors in putting up viable ventures and extend tax and tariff incentives.

The RLA’s newly installed Speaker, Abraham Burahan, said they would be sending representatives to the congress to explore legislation they can initiate to help boost investors’ confidence.

The two-day congress will also be capped by the launch of banana plantation projects costing $300 million in the towns of Wao and Bombaran in Lanao del Sur by the Paglas Corp. and its foreign partners from the Middle East and Europe.

The Paglas Corp. pioneered the large-scale propagation of export-grade bananas in Datu Paglas town, now the main agricultural hub of Maguindanao.

Datu Paglas, the most hostile town in Maguindanao during the 1980s, has generated $78 million in investments in the last six years, providing jobs to some 4,000 former Muslim guerrillas.