Northquad launches program to attract investments

SAN FERNANDO, La Union – A program to enhance the capability of local government units to attract investments has been launched in North Luzon.

Known as Local Government Enhancement Project (LGEP), the program was initiated last week by the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Commission (Northquad) and the Ateneo Graduate School of Business — Center for Continuing Education (CCE).

Undersecretary Hermenegildo Dumlao, Northquad chief, endorsed the municipalities of Bauang and Agoo in La Union and Lingayen and Bolinao in Pangasinan as recipients of the project.

It was noted that the would-be LGEP recipients practice transparency and good governance.

Helping Dumlao in the program are Gerry Rabuya, program director of Real World Real Time Information Management Program (RWRTIP) of Ateneo-CCE, and Dr. Yoshiro Takano, senior consultant of World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and OADA.

It was learned that Takano will tap ODA funds to implement the project in the places that Northquad endorsed.

RWRTIP endeavors to promote a strong countryside SME and private sector community through an enhanced local governance by transforming LGUs from being regulatory bureaucracies to business-friendly, customer-oriented, and knowledge-based units.

The program also reportedly aims to develop globally effective SMEs and private sector communities under the transformed LGUs and establish knowledge-based economies locally by empowering LGUs, SMEs and private sector groups. – Teddy Molina