Business group to meet with QC bets

The Quezon City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCCI) is set to host a forum that will feature mayoralty, vice mayoralty and congressional candidates in the four districts of the city.

Nathan Zulueta, QCCCI president and CEO, said members of the group will be holding discussions with incumbent Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of the Lakas-CMD and former Mayor Ismael Mathay at Sulu Hotel on March 31 and April 6 at 7 p.m.

Mathay and his team under the opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino will meet with the business group tomorrow, while Belmonte and his SB Performance Team will have their turn the following week.

Zulueta said the forum is part of the efforts by the QCCCI to take a proactive stance in the coming national and local elections.

He said among the issues to be discussed with candidates are peace and order, environmental management, the traffic and street vendor problem, drug abuse and carnapping, livelihood and employment programs, business and realty taxes as well as their program on population management.

"Since Quezon City is now one of the largest populated areas in the entire country, the program of the mayoralty candidates on population is very important. Currently, the city is faced with various development challenges greatly affecting the local economy. The city needs to properly respond to such challenges to continue to become competitive and to retain its stature as a premier city," Zulueta said. – Perseus Echeminada