BUTUAN CITY (PNA) -- With an educated workforce, reasonable labor cost and strategic business location, some local and foreign investors are now taking a second look at Butuan City as the new investment destination in Mindanao, Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. said on Friday.
Because of its strategic geographical location, Butuan City is ideal for offices and investments especially in the transport of people, products, and services to different or points in Mindanao.
With the ongoing Butuan City-Bukidnon road up for completion, the movement of agricultural products between Bukidnon, Visayas and Luzon will be easier at a lower cost.
An international seaport in Barangay Masao will soon be established which would complement the busy Nasipit International Wharf here. Atty. Gemma Reserva, Butuan City general services head, added that a P1-billion shipyard facility will also be soon established in the city.
In a recent meeting with his close advisers and staff, Amante said good governance and transparency have attracted many local and foreign investors who have signified interest to invest in Butuan City, the capital of the Caraga Region.
At present, almost all regional offices of different national government agencies, development foundations and institutions, local and international non-government organizations (NGOs) and branch offices of many local and international businesses are located in Butuan City.
Business process outsourcing giants Convergy's, i-Telecare and other call centers have also expressed and already sent proposals to the mayor to establish their branch offices in the city.
Many local and foreign investors mostly big players in the tourism industry have also expressed intense desire to develop eco-tourism, adventure and historical and culture tourism projects in Butuan City.
Several plantation-type agriculture, livestock and aqua-marine-based investors have also expressed keen interest to invest in Butuan City including planted wood species based businesses are keen to establish wood processing plants here in Butuan.
Amante vowed to further improve other infrastructure needs of the investors, saying Butuan City needs to have better comprehensive land use and master development plan including cheaper electricity and water rates to be competitive with other cities and entice more business investment opportunities whether it be local or international.
Amante also challenged the academe sector to produce a world-class workforce that would cater to local and foreign investments. (PNA)
