“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” –Colin Powell
We expected our private sector-inspired Ilonggo trade “missionaries” to sustain their momentum from the week-long “introduction” of Iloilo City in New York when they storm Fairfax, Virginia last Wednesday, concluded their mission in Washington, DC yesterday, and prepare to fly home on Sunday, June 10.
The blistering Iloilo Trade Mission and Investment Forum Ilonggo Fashion and Jewelry Show, coordinated by the Philippine Council of Management (Philcoman) Research Institute, Inc., is expected to chalk up positive results for Iloilo City in terms of investment, tourism, education, and more profound economic opportunities.
While our world-class fashion designers from the Designers Guild of Iloilo, led by Jaki Penalosa, Aisha Penalosa, D’Jhon Clement, Bo Parcon, Hector ‘Totong’ Gellangarin, Regine Sarabia Espinosa, and exhibit director Gilbert ‘Bombette’ Golez Marin mesmerized the American market with exhibit shows featuring habol ilonggo, a type of traditional weaving, in one event, our very aggressive, technologically-equipped, and technically-competent “servants,” and their staff, from the tourism, academe, city planning, and business sectors saw to it that US-based potential investors, information technology (IT) and property developers, students, tourists, and medical and IT professionals were sufficiently informed and shown the ropes of how great Iloilo City is and why they can “invest, work, create, study, retire, live, and grow” there, in a simultaneous event.
They worked like an octopus, with all their tentacles doing a yeoman’s task and leaving no stone unturned from Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III and his wife, Gina Sarabia-Espinosa; secretariat chief Florence Hibionada; and mission bigwigs City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia, Executive Assistant and Commercial Diplomat Rex Aguado, Local Economic Enterprise Officer Ariel Castaneda, City Planning and Development Office Coordinator Jose Roni Penalosa, City Tourism Assistant Florence King Erlano, and senior staff members Rosita Camacho and Shin Julienne Galon.
Also on the team were Philcoman Research Institute, Inc. president and project coordinator, Dr. Emily Noserale; West Visayas State University-College of Mass Communications dean, Dr. Carmencita ‘Menchie’ Robles; University of the Philippines Visayas Vice Chancellor Mary Ann Gumban; Iloilo Business Park-Megaworld Sales Director Carla Margarita Perez; Eon Group of Companies founder and CEO, Iloilo Trade and Investments Board co-chair Felicito Tiu; and StackTrek Enterprises, Inc. founder and CEO Billy Shung Hei Yuen.
Their common goal is to elevate Iloilo City on the totem pole of good government, trade and investment, tourism, and academic excellence.
They all deserve the support of Ilonggos living in the Philippines and other parts of the world, beginning on the east coast of the United States./WDJ