July 31, 2019

NEGROS. Provincial Consultant Alfredo Benitez presented before the provincial board his investment plans for Negros Occidental on July 30. (Photo by Teresa D. Ellera)

NEGROS Occidental will launch a proactive campaign like road shows to bring in investments to the province, former Representative Alfredo Benitez and now provincial consultant for economic affairs, said Tuesday, July 30.

Benitez made a presentation of the investment status and plans before members of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan during its regular session yesterday, July 30.

“We will not wait for the investors to come to our doorsteps and be passive. We will be proactive and open our doors,” Benitez said.

The campaign or road shows, he said “will entail a lot of traveling and a contingent from the provincial government.”

The provincial consultant also presented the investments made in the province in the last three years. The province had P4.5 billion in investments in 2016, P3.7 billion in 2017 and P1.7 billion in 2018, he said, which is in contrast to the investments made in Bacolod City which was P1.9 billion in 2016, P2.1 billion in 2017 and P2.7 billion in 2018.

However, he clarified that most of the investments in Bacolod is on provincial government properties. “It is now time to bring investments in provincial areas so that the income will stay with the provincial government,” he said.

Benitez also cited the basic infrastructures that are needed to attract investors. These are seaports, airports, highways and digital “highways”. These is where we lag from our neighbors like Cebu and Iloilo provinces, he also said.

He said “We can always go to tourism as a quick fix investment with our culture, food and natural resources. It is an inclusive industry,” he said. (TDE)