Vows easy transactions thru green lane policy
TACLOBAN CITY– The provincial government of Northern Samar continues to invite big economic players for them to invest in the province.
The latest to be invited by the provincial government was the Robinson’s and Gokongwei Group with Governor Edwin Ongchuan meeting the group last July 5 in Manila.
The meeting focused on exploring collaborative efforts to advance the industrial and agricultural sectors within the province.
During the meeting, Ongchuan, joined by his own economic team, invited the Robinson’s’/Gokongwei group to invest in the province, considered to be among the fastest-growing economy in Eastern Visayas though poverty remains to be a serious concern.
Ongchuan hope that the Manila-based conglomerate will invest in the province by putting its Robinsons Mall, a Go Hotel, and even return of Cebu Pacific flights to the province.
It was learned that the Cebu Pacific flights stopped during the pandemic and since then, has yet to resume.
Its rival, Philippine Airlines, is the only air company that services the Manila and Catarman, the provincial capital, route, five times a week.
Gov. Ongchuan expressed optimism following the meeting, emphasizing the importance of forging strategic partnerships to unlock Northern Samar’s full economic potential.
“With the Robinson’s/Gokongwei Group poised as potential partners, the province looks forward to a future marked by innovation, job creation, and heightened prosperity for the Nortehanon people,” he said in a statement.
In his sales pitch to the Robinsons/Gokongwei Group, Ongchuan said that investors should not worry on the process of needed documents as they are implementing the green lane policy which aims to streamline in securing business permits and licensing.
This initiative aims to remove bureaucratic hurdles for the Robinson’s/Gokongwei Group should they decide to invest in projects within the province, the governor said.
Supporting the governor in this investment pitch were key officials invested in the development of Northern Samar, including Dir. Ernesto Delos Reyes of the Board of Investments, Jhon Allen Berbon from the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (PEDIPO), and Jay Keenson Acebuche from the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO).
Representing the Robinson’s/Gokongwei Group were ng Atty. Jose Luis Aliling, external affairs director of Robinson’s Land Corporation; Atty. Jose Angelo Cunanan, government relations corporate affairs, and sustainability at JG Summit Holdings, Inc.; and Atty. Domingo Hamilton Tutaan III, government relations manager at Universal Robina Corporation.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
