ARMM starts regional investment road shows

COTABATO CITY -- The Regional Board of Investments (RBOI) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) organized yesterday its first Investment Priorities Plan (IPP) Regional Roadshow in Cotabato City for the year 2017. The Plan is focused on the theme Scaling Up and Dispersing Opportunities which will serve as the blueprint in guiding investors in matching their business capacities with the opportunities identified in the IPP to steer economic growth.Other IPP road shows will be scheduled in some key areas of the region such as Maguindanao, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. This is to fully cover the whole region and bring investment concerns and services to the public especially to investors.Lawyer Ishak Mastura, Chairman of RBOI explained that the reason for the conduct of regional IPP roadshows is to inform the participants’ specifically potential and existing investors, members of the business community, government agencies, academe, banks and other relevant organizations about the salient features and implementing guidelines of the new IPP.Discussed in the forum are the investment opportunities in ARMM and the fiscal and non-fiscal incentives that the government is providing to qualified investors. Also included in the presentations are the requirements and processes for RBOI registration to avail of incentives. Program Officer of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Rosamond Belderol discussed on Inclusive Business (IB) Models which is also in the national IPP list. Belderol said that IB covers business activities of medium and large enterprises (MLEs) in the agribusiness and tourism sectors that provide business opportunities to micro and small enterprises (MSE’s) as part of their value chains. She further said that including IB in the IPP could help push for more IB business models and social enterprises that will result to more sustainable economic growth. According to Mastura, the Brokering Business Investments in the Bangsamoro for Inclusive Development and Growth (BRIDGe) Project being implemented by PBSP, Hineleban Foundation Inc. and RBOI is considering Inclusive Business (IB) as one of its business models under the Business Sustainability Framework (BSF) to be carried out in some ARMM areas with strong presence of existing and potential of investors. The 2017 IPP ARMM List is a three year rolling plan that is applicable until 2019.The ARMM List has the following as priority activitiesand export industry agriculture and aquaculture basic industries infrastructure industrial service facilities engineering industries logistics BIMP-EAGA related investment enterprises tourism health and education services and facilities Halal industry bank and non-bank financial institution including Islamic banking and finance and energy.