The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sees more investments in 2013, especially in business process outsourcing (BPO) industry and tourism-related developments.

DTI Iloilo Director Wilhelm Malones said it looks forward to preparing the city and province of Iloilo to become more business-friendly with the help of the Project Investment Enabling Environment Project of the United States Agency for International Development.

"We are looking at Iloilo as one of the country’s Next Wave Cities, an ideal destination both for voiced and non-voiced BPOs," he said.

The new policy of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority provided more incentives to those that will relocate to Cebu, he said.

Malones said around three BPO firms have signified interests to explore the possibility of relocating in Iloilo.

Meanwhile, Malones added that a P10 billion investment in Sicogon Island, Carles by the Sicogon Development Corp. in partnership with a Singaporean Group will boost Iloilo as tourism destination. 

The expanded airport runway was also a big factor to increase tourist arrivals in the city as it could now accommodate bigger planes.

In Sicogon, the construction of a five-star hotel, seaport and airport at the 918-hectare area of Buaya, San Fernando and Alipata villages in Sicogon will surely boost the tourism industry in the entire province.

Sicogon is known for its white beach comparable to that of Boracay Island.

ECONOMIC ZONE 

Meanwhile, a special economic zone is being proposed in the town of Estancia, Malones added.

It will rise in a 10-hectare reclaimed property and will be utilized for industrial enterprises such as agri-based processing.

Malones said there is a big chance that the project will be realized. The key now is in the hands of the Sangguniang Bayan of Estancia for them to authorize their local chief executive (LCE) to negotiate with the FF Cruz to undertake the reclamation project.

FF Cruz is ready to do the project, he said.

Estancia plays host to Heron Point Inc., an exporter of pasteurized crabmeat with the United States as its captured market.

He said Heron Point is expected to do an expansion inside the reclaimed property to cater to the New Zealand market after its commercial attaché has taken interest of the product during a visit in February last year.

Meanwhile, as soon as local documents are ready, a proposal will be submitted to PEZA for declaration of the site as special economic zone, he stated.

Estancia is a source of the big bulk of marine products that are being distributed not only in Iloilo but outside of Western Visayas.*PNA