Mandaue to set MIPAC rolling before year-end

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) announced to start off the operation of Mandaue Investment Promotion and Action Center (MIPAC) before the end of this year.

To be managed by private sector led by MCCI, together with Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc., Mandaue Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, MIPAC is a local government unit funded, and will serve as the investment and promotion arm of the Mandaue City government.

"We need to activate the MIPAC already. Investors and inquiries for investments are coming in, and we don’t have a proper office to facilitate this kind of activities," said Soco in an interview.

Aside from accommodating investors and promoting Mandaue as an industrial investment hub, MIPAC's flagship project will be to help the restoration of CICC (Cebu International Convention Center) depending on the outcome of the negotiation between the Mandaue city government and the Cebu Province.

Soco said, if CICC will be properly restored, it could provide a big boost to Mandaue City's economy. However, it has to be repositioned and rehabilitated.

"We [MCCI] are also tasked to help in determining what to do with CICC," Soco added.

With regards to the problem of infrastructure and traffic, the government and the private sector through MCCI have been on constant dialogue on the possible immediate resolution of these two primary concerns.

Already, Mayor Luigi Quisumbing promised the business sector that serious attention will be given on the traffic problem in the City, as it certainly affects business.

Quisumbing said that part of massive infrastructure fix of the City is to develop the circumferential roads.

Part the development is also to update the technology in traffic management, including the establishment of LED billboard system across the major intersections in the City and on time connection with Land Transportation Office (LTO) of the City's traffic management report, among others.

MCCI had been pressuring the Mandaue City government to take a serious look on the worsening traffic problem in the City.

The establishment of MIPAC will be the first hands-on involvement of the private sector in the investment and promotions efforts of the city. (FREEMAN)