The whale sharks of Oslob are among Cebu’s attractions. Gov. Hilario Davide III says he hopes to spread the benefits of hosting the APEC meetings to areas outside the metro. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
Anticipating an increase in economic and investment opportunities after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said the provincial government is looking into developing more economic zones and infrastructure.
This includes improving entry points in the province like the Cebu International Port.
“There is also a need to set up more economic zones (ecozones) for future investments, which is one of the programs the provincial government is looking at,” Davide said in a press briefing at the APEC International Media Center yesterday.
He said the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PDDO) will discuss the establishment of ecozones with member local government units (LGUs) in the Provincial Development Council (PDC).
“This is an opportunity for Cebuanos to put our best foot forward and to promote Cebu as an investment and tourism hub,” he said.
“When these delegates leave Cebu, they will have fond memories of this place. Surely, they will come back to enjoy more of it in the future,” said Davide, who chairs the APEC Cebu Organizing Committee.
TOURISM
He said he hoped to spread investment opportunities to towns and cities outside Metro Cebu as part of inclusive growth, the theme of APEC 2015 meetings.
“This will discourage migration to Metro Cebu, especially in the highly urbanized cities. That is why we encourage the private sector to focus on the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the countryside,” Davide said.
He noted how some delegates have explored as far as Oslob town in the south, which is famous for whale shark watching.
“We would like our delegates to see Cebu and we’d like our LGUs to do more and showcase their own tourist destinations or native delicacies,” he said.
More than 100 delegates have availed of tour packages offered by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the past week, which Davide said they found enjoyable.
“We hope to sustain that. After all, Cebuanos are known for their friendliness and hospitality. We hope to really show the best of Cebu to the delegates of APEC,” he said.
SO FAR, SO GOOD
Aside from the tourism sector, the local manufacturing industry also stands to benefit since around 3,200 delegates are expected to go out and shop outside their meetings.
“Cebu is known for its furniture, fashion accessories, gift items, and even food,” said Davide.
So far, the governor said he has not received any report of untoward incidents involving delegates.
“Since (the hosting) began last Aug. 22, so far, so good,” said Davide.
Traffic in Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu cities has been handled well by the concerned LGUs, he added.
After the APEC meetings, Davide said the local organizing committee will assess where it can improve in terms of hosting major international events in the future.
Cebu will also host the International Eucharistic Congress in January next year.
“We hope that after this experience, after past experiences, we will be able to make some improvements. There’s always room for improvement, ” he said.
Cebu first hosted some APEC meetings in 1996. The last major international event that Cebu hosted was the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in 2007, during the term of former governor Gwendolyn Garcia.