BUSA
Local business leaders were unfazed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement that Cebu has the highest drug use rate in the country, with one of them saying that it won’t make a difference.
Donato Busa, past president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), said businessmen are not bothered by the President’s statements.
“The (drug) problem may be prevalent in the rural areas, but not so much in the city. What we’re more concerned about is that traffic is smooth, businesses are operating well, and employees are able to report to work,” he said.
Last Wednesday, Duterte said the drug problem in the Philippines has reached epidemic proportions with Cebu having the highest drug rate in the country.
Busa said while illegal drug use and trade are considered an epidemic in the Philippines, businessmen in Cebu don’t feel like it is.
He said Cebu remains “alive and booming” despite Duterte’s statements and that it wasn’t seen as something that would affect the province’s image to potential investors.
Busa said traders in and out of the country are optimistic that something good will come out of the government’s war on illegal drugs.
On the flip side, Busa said some businessmen have expressed doubts on safety in the country.
He said these investors were concerned about the number of suspected drug lords and pushers that have been killed in the last eight months under the Duterte administration.
But Busa said he has assured them that they will not be harmed here for as long as they operate legitimate businesses.
Melanie Ng, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president, called for continued support to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs while also promoting the province as a prime investment destination.
“There are a lot of great opportunities for Cebu in the horizon. Interest among potential investors in Cebu is increasing. It is also the chamber’s objective to continue to develop and support this potential for growth,” she said.
Gordon Alan Joseph, president of the Cebu Business Club (CBC), said statements issued by President Duterte’s will always have an impact on Cebu’s image.
But he said it is also a call to action for an end to complacency about illegal drugs and other issues that are affecting Cebu’s competitiveness and livability.
“Among these are traffic, waste management, septage management, and environmental degredation,” he said.
Joseph also said he would like to see the basis for the president’s pronouncements to determine whether Mr. Duterte was stating fact or was only picking up on rumors.