DEVELOPMENTS - Southern Mindanao, Indonesia strengthen trade ...

PNA, January 29 2007

The Southern Mindanao's Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Saranggani-Cooperation Triangle (JAGS-CT) third trade mission group is in Sangihe, Indonesia on Monday positioning itself as the forerunner of dynamic local government involvement in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philipines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).The four-day third trade mission is a follow-up undertaking to further strengthen the substantial trade and tourism links have been forged last year when JAGS-CT sent two trade missions to Indonesia.This year's trade mission, which started today until February 1, is headed by Glan Municipality Mayor Enrique Yap, Jr., and Sarangani Governor Miguel Dominguez with the participation of 60 private and public stakeholders of JAGS-CT.The Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) said this trade mission goes in line with the directive of the State Heads in the 3rd BIMP-EAGA Summit that was held during the ASEAN FORUM in Cebu City early this month, for local governments to work closely with the private sector in formulating and adopting a common strategic action that will accelerate and deepen economic cooperation in the region.The local governments of JAGS-CT, a mini-growth area composed of three strategically located municipalities in Southeastern Mindanao of the Republic of the Philippines, and the Regency of Sangihe, Province of North Sulawesi, Republic of Indonesia, have already gone ahead of their counterparts in the EAGA, in establishing direct cross-border socio-economic relations.

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