Arroyo to open trade exhibit 2006

Sunstar Davao

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to open the Davao Trade Exhibit (Date) 2006 and lead the launching of the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (Nerbac) at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in Davao City on September 15.

Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) president Bienvenido Cariaga announced during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Monday that the President will be the keynote speaker and will delve on the growth of small and medium entrepreneurs.

Cariaga said other personalities invited to the event are Budget and Management Secretary Rolando G. Andaya Jr., Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban.

Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and other local officials will be among those who will join the President's party during the opening of the trade exhibit.

Cariaga said they are expecting about 5,000 participants coming from all parts of Mindanao and from the Visayas and Manila to attend the affair.

There will be foreign participants who will join the round table discussion on global opportunities and among those who confirmed are from the embassies of Britain, US, Sweden, and Indonesia.

He said they are still awaiting confirmation from the embassies of Malaysia, Japan, India, Australia, Canada and Taiwan.

Of the 140 target exhibitors, 90 percent of those invited already confirmed and have signed contracts and the remaining 10 percent are with reservations.

Figures released by DCCCII showed that Date in 2005 had an income through sales generated from business of P82 million or 32 percent higher in 2004 with only P55.5 million, which was much higher with 55 percent over the 2003 sales of only P36 million.

Cariaga said they projected an increase in sales this year by 20 percent as against that of 2005.

Aside from the exhibit, the other activities are business matching, product and service presentation, jobs fair, and reverse trade fair.