US, Canada firms to boost RP tourism, investment

CHICAGO —Undeterred by the negative impact of the Aug. 23 hostage-taking incident on Philippine tourism, some 40 business leaders from six US states and from Canada will be in the country starting Monday bringing tourists and investments. Business executives from Canada as well as Texas, California, New Jersey, Arkansas, Michigan, and Georgia are coming in as delegates to the first Trade, Tourism and Humanitarian Mission to the Philippines under the Aquino administration. Gus Mercado, chairman and CEO of Dallas-based Datalogix International and former Philippine Consul General to Houston, said that the North American business leaders will converge in Manila “to shore up the Philippine economy and offset whatever negative fallout may have come from the isolated hostage incident." “We have been bringing investors and tourists to this country for a long time even under much worse circumstances and there is no reason why we should not do it again," Mercado said, adding that the visit was in response to President Benigno Aquino III’s call to boost the country’s tourism and bring in investments. According to Mercado, the trade mission will focus on joint venture opportunities, as well as business partnerships in finance, legal services, import-export, IT-telecom outsourcing, real estate and logistics, ecotourism, medical tourism and retirement. The mission will engage its members in high-level business forums on investment and joint venture opportunities, featuring top tourist attractions in the Philippines that will focus on the CALABARZON region, and Clark, and Subic. “Unlike previous trade missions which were focused on indoor conferences and presentations, the 2010 Mission will be heavy on tourism — visiting some of the best tourist attractions in southern Luzon," said Mercado’s wife Ethel, who is also the State President of the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce of Texas which is sponsoring the event. “We want to show the world that the Philippines is still one of the most attractive and safest places to visit," she added. Some of the tourist spots the delegation will visit Oct. 11-16 are the Anilao Vivere Azure beach resort in Batangas, the Lucban Kamay ni Hesus (Hands of Jesus) in Quezon, the tourist-friendly Villa Escudero in Laguna, and the countryside of Subic in Zambales, and Clark in Pampanga. US-based companies joining the mission are Verizon, Bank of America, Datalogix, American Airlines, Progressive Funders, Valhalla Corp., Lotus Marketing USA, Nuclear Logistics, Somiscrest, Silver Lining Corp., DesJardins Law Offices, Benchmark Logic LLC, Approved Capital LLC, Good Life Secrets Investment Co., Adriatico Investments Corp., Global Dynasty Corp., Uniworld Travel, FBC Group of Companies, and Good Live Secrets Investments. Other US-based, non-profit humanitarian organizations sending delegates to the Philippines are Fil-Aid, Our Barangay Inc., and Living Waters Ministries. The mission will also have a “Humanitarian Day", where delegates will spend a day with 60 medical volunteers in a medical and dental mission to Ibaan, Batangas to hold free clinics and give out cash, medicine, and new wheelchairs to about 1,000 indigent patients from 26 barangays. The executives are also expected to meet with Aquino. “As a former colony and long-time ally of the US, the Philippines enjoys tremendous advantages over other countries that also provide outsourced services. The Philippine educational system, legal and political system, accounting practices and business protocols are patterned after the US making the country a more intelligent choice as an outsourcing partner country," said former Consul General Mercado. — With Jerrie Abella/VS, GMANews.TV