Cocpo, Traders: Business sector in Oro back to normal

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

POLICE officials and business organizations here announced that business operations in this city has stabilize despite being chosen as the area to conduct preliminary investigations and inquest proceedings for the Maute rebels and its supports.
The declaration was made over the weekend during a special meeting by the City Council’s Committee on Trade, Commerce and Industry chaired by City Councilor George Goking along with Misamis Oriental Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Incorporated (MOFCCCII), Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Oro Chamber), Department of Tourism – 10 (DOT-10) and Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo).
Goking said the business sector agreed to declare the tagged as “Business as Usual in Cagayan de Oro and Stay Vigilant” in all responses as a way of helping the business organizations and police authorities in thwarting criminal activities in the city, including any terror attack.
He said the emergency committee meeting was done in response to the declaration of the Oro Chamber who claimed that they had lost P200 Million in less than a week during the declaration of Martial Law.
“What is the basis of loss. How come mi-abot og P200 Million, there should be a basis in all this claimed,” he added.
Oro Chamber representative Chris Ivan Lagapa said their claimed that they have a loss of not less than P200 Million already is based on the declaration of Martial Law and the Marawi City siege.
Lagapa said they received information that among the sector who had experienced so much losses is the service sector like hotels due to the cancellation of bookings and events.
“We also received reports coming from the wholesale and the retail sector in the cancellation of book sales and negative feedback of withdrawing investors that are supposed coming-in and placed their investments on hold including tourism sector,” he said.
City Council Committee on Tourism chairman and city councilor Jay Pascual admitted that tourism sector was greatly affected on the earlier stage of Martial Law due to cancellation of bookings and
events.
“DOT-10 regional director May Salvaña can confirm this cancellation of events,” he said.
However, MOFCCCII President Adelfa Sia downplayed the claim of other sectors in the community considering that wholesale and retail sector has already reported the rapid increase of sales.
“Sa sinugdanan siguro sa Martial Law pero after several days mi-increase na ang sales due to the coming-in of internally displaced persons from Marawi City in staying various places in Cagayan de Oro,” she said.
She said in the recent days, business as usual and even increases because of the additional population that were coming-in and stayed temporarily with their relatives.
“Even in food and refreshment sectors is now experiencing in sales,” she pointed out. She said even retail sectors on various items were also increasing.