August 1, 2000, The Philippine Star, Estrada refutes Mindanao business losses,

August 1, 2000, The Philippine Star, Estrada refutes Mindanao business losses,

NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) -- President Estrada dismissed yesterday the claims made by a Filipino businesswoman that Mindanao traders are losing P1 billion each day due to the region's image problem caused by the ongoing conflict between the military and Muslim rebels.

The President told reporters here yesterday that he would never agree with the claims of Joann Emiline de Belen, head of the Mindanao Economic Development Council, that the exaggerated image of lawlessness and instability in Mindanao is causing the island to lose some P1 billion daily in business opportunities.

"That is not true. Businesses are very robust in Davao, General Santos City, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga and the majority of provinces in Mindanao, except in very few areas," he said. Mr. Estrada added that De Belen's figures have not been validated, and so cannot be taken as fact.

De Belen cited a report by the Mindanao Business Council which estimated Mindanao's loss in foregone exports and production by small and medium- size businesses. She said damage is not widespread throughout Mindanao, but the closing of several key airports and roads because of the conflict affected economic production as farmers and businessmen were prevented from getting their goods to the market.

"Mindanao is suffering from an image problem. Not really too much damage from conflicts, but it's because of the image problem," she pointed out, adding that reports of violence have also scared tourists away from the region.

The government launched in March an offensive against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a large Muslim secessionist group which has been fighting for a separate state in Mindanao for the past 25 years. At the same time, the government confronted a crisis involving the taking of mostly foreign hostages by the Abu Sayyaf, a smaller rebel group based on the island of Sulu.

Mr. Estrada said Mindanao traders have nothing to fear or complain about since his government already earmarked some $1 billion or P40 billion for the development of the region.

The money, he said, would come from the $10.3 billion official development assistance given to the Philippines by other countries, and it will be used to finance projects to boost Mindanao trade. The President noted that except for isolated attacks by MILF guerrillas on military and civilian targets in some parts of Mindanao, the situation in the island remains generally peaceful.

Meanwhile, Mr. Estrada said he would no longer push for the proposed measure which seeks to give him emergency powers in handling the Mindanao conflict. He explained that such a measure will no longer be needed if Congress will approve a pending bill that would prevent courts from issuing halt orders on government projects. "The ultimate objective of the emergency powers bill is to fasttrack the development of Mindanao," he said. "If there will be no more TROs (temporary restraining orders) on government projects, the bill is no longer necessary." - Marichu Villanueva, Paolo Romero