Why Visayas? Why Mindanao?

The Visayas, a group of islands at the center of the Philippines, is the easiest area in the country to sell to foreigners.

For astute businessmen, the Visayas is no doubt a brilliant choice as a prime area for investments.

With its excellent geographic location, English-speaking population, hardworking labor resources, favorable investment laws, and a variety of industry opportunities, the Visayas is truly ideal for business.

The attractive business environment in the Visayas revolves around the country’s competitive incentive package and solid financial reform program. With deregulated banking, oil, shipping, telecommunications, and insurance industries, the Visayas is more than adequate for any foreign investor.

Currently, all infrastructure development is geared towards enhancing its competitive edge in tourism. The Visayas presently attracts more than half of foreign tourists to the Philippines.

Investors would do well to take advantage of the opportunities in the Visayas, especially at this time when the area hasn’t yet been congested with too many industrial and tourism developments.

Currently, Cebu is a ready and logical choice for business investments. Among the many reasons to consider Cebu as a place for investment are the following:

Excellent location. Cebu’s location in the center of the Philippine archipelago makes it a natural port of utmost importance. It is the most accessible place in the Philippines, with more domestic air and sea linkages than Manila. More than 80% of inter-island shipping capacity in the country is based here.

Fastest-growing economy. It is not just a promise or potential, Cebu has demonstrated capability with an excellent economic track record. It has an average growth rate significantly higher than that of the entire nation, and any other province. Cebu leads 78 other provinces in gross assets, equity and total income.

Export opportunities. Cebu leads many export industries in the Philippines, including those of furniture, fashion accessories, carrageenan and gifts, toys and housewares.

Tourist paradise. Cebu consistently draws the biggest chunk of visitors to the Philippines per year. It is considered the tourist gateway to the Central and Southern Philippines.

Modern and Industrialized. The development of its infrastructure is balanced; it has all the ingredients necessary to be competitive and sustain investments. It is a cosmopolitan area with all the support facilities and amenities needed for an ideal lifestyle. Cebu is fast transforming itself into an I.T. and call center capital of the country.

Safe from natural disasters. Compared to the rest of the country, Cebu is naturally safe. It is not in an earthquake zone or typhoon belt. There are no volcanoes on the island.

Peace and Order. Cebu has one of the lowest crime rates and the best peace and order record of all cities and provinces in the Philippines. Cebuanos are independent, self-reliant, and entrepreneurial, a highly educated workforce geared towards non-agricultural lines.

Mindanao, on the other hand, is the virgin resource paradise of the Philippines.

Agriculture is where Mindanao has an advantage over other islands in the Philippines. The island accounts for over 40 percent of the Philippines' food requirements and contributes more than 30 percent to the national food trade.

Mindanao grows most of the Philippines' major crops such as rubber (100% of national production), pineapple (91%), cacao (90%) as well as banana, coffee, corn and coconut (over 50%). The island also produces exotic fruits like pomelo, mangosteen and durian.

Situated outside the typhoon belt, Mindanao enjoys a generally fair tropical climate, evenly distributed throughout the year. It is ideal for year-round crop production.Mindanao is strategically located within the

East ASEAN region, almost equidistant to the eastern sections of Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. This key geographic location underscores its potential to be a major transshipment point and center of trade in the region.

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"There are always opportunities in places undiscovered.”