Tourism and ICT seen to fuel Cebu's growth in 2007

Cebu’s tourism and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors are expected to fuel the province’s economic growth this year, senior officials said.

Cebu Investments and Promotion Center (CIPC) managing director Joel Mari S. Yu said improved infrastructure catering to Cebu’s tourism and ICT sectors may result in the doubling or tripling of the province’s growth within the year.

”The games for 2007 will be played by ICT, and tourism,” Yu said.

Cebu will be one of the major cities in the Philippines and is bound to win this game, as this has been the priority sectors for Cebu in the last couple of years, he noted.

According to Yu, Cebu’s infrastructure has been established to accommodate these two winning industries. In 2007 where ICT and tourism are the main players, he said “Cebu is already ahead of everyone.”

He noted there are a lot of factors that will lead to robust economic improvement for the year 2007, despite the upcoming elections in May.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Cebu provincial office director Nelia F. Navarro said “the action for 2007 will be in the export services sector.”

According to Navarro, the export services sector will push employment, revenue generation and economic boost for 2007 includes ICT, tourism, business process outsourcing (BPO), construction services, computer-aided design (CAD), ship crewing, among others.

This means that more and more Cebuanos will be able to earn dollars without having to go abroad, because of this emerging export services industry sector.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Francis O. Monera said the year 2007 will bring intense excitement for Cebu, as active business activities will never be as profound and fruitful.

”I am excited for 2007, we cannot think of something that can be a burden or problem, for Cebu in climbing up to the international level of competencies," Monera said.

Banker Prudencio Gesta said the good management of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in curbing the government’s huge budget deficit is a big plus for Cebu to in the international investment community. (PNA)