US firms call off Minbizcon plans

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

AMERICAN companies that planned to take part in the exhibit being organized by the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation (Oro Chamber) have called off their plans to participate in Mindanao’s biggest gathering of business and industry leaders here this year.

Ruben Vegafria, a former president of the Oro Chamber who is involved in organizing the 26th Mindanao Business Conference here, confirmed in a radio interview yesterday that the companies have canceled their participation in the exhibit.

The exhibit is part of the annual business conference scheduled from Sept. 7 to Sept. 9 at the Xavier Estates Sports and Country Club in Upper Balulang, this city.

The revelation came a day after the United Kingdom, through its Foreign and Commonwealth Office, updated its travel advisory to the Philippines. In its updated advisory on Tuesday, UK’s FCO cautioned British citizens against all travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups. It warned of terrorism and crimes, and informed its citizens about the Mindanao martial law.

The US, Australia and Israel earlier issued separate but similar travel advisories.

Vegafria said the companies that canceled their plans to participate in the exhibit had wanted a bigger place, and because “of the advisory pud ang ilang company gusto sab maniguro.”

He added: “It could be because of the effects of the Marawi crisis.”

Vegafria called the decision of the companies “very unfortunate.”

He neither identified nor did he say exactly how many withdrew from the planned Minbizcon exhibit. He later said there were less than 10 companies.

He however said that only participants in the exhibit called off their plans, and that the conference delegates were still coming.

He said this year’s Minbizcon would proceed as planned “to show to the world and the entire Mindanao that in Cagayan de Oro, it is business as usual.”

He said the Oro Chamber is expecting about a thousand business executives, investors, industry players, policymakers, and representatives of micro-, small- and medium-enterprises to come.

“Gani, ang different chambers of commerce in Mindanao are still coming,” he said.

Vegafria said a group in Davao has already provided organizers a copy  of a resolution that would be presented to President Duterte who would deliver a keynote speech.

“We are 99.9 percent sure that he (Duterte) is coming,” he said.

Vegafria said organizers are also expecting ambassadors from Russia and the European Union are also coming over to speak before the delegates.

He said Russians have expressed their interest on Mindanao’s agricultural products, and are also looking forward to helping in strengthening the island’s agriculture sector.