Ilonggo trade ‘missionaries’ work like octupus

“A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

--Colin Powell

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- We expect our private sector-inspired Ilonggo trade “missionaries” to sustain the momentum of what they have delivered, so far, in the New York leg of their week-long quest to “introduce” Iloilo City to the global market via the East Coast when they storm Fairfax, Virginia starting June 6 and conclude their mission in Washington D.C. on June 7 before flying home on June 10.

The blistering Iloilo Trade Mission and Investment Forum Ilonggo Fashion and Jewelry Show, oiled by Philippine Council of Management (Philcoman) Research Institute, Inc., is expected 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 Designers Guild of Iloilo (DGI) led by Jaki Penalosa, Aisha Penalosa, D’Jhon Clement, Bo Parcon, Hector “Totong” Gellangarin, Regine Sarabia Espinosa, and exhibit director Gilbert “Bombette” Golez Marin mesmerize the American market with exhibit shows of Habol Ilonggo, a heritage of traditional weaving in one event, our very aggressive, technologically equipped, and technically competent “servants” and their staff from tourism, academe, city planning and business see to it that US-based potential investors, Infotech and property developers, students, tourists, medical and Information Technology (IT) professionals are sufficiently tipped off and shown the ropes of how great is Iloilo City and why they can “Invest, Work, Create, Study, Retire, Live and Grow” there, in another simultaneous event.

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They work like an octupos with all tentacles doing a yeoman’s task and leaving no stone unturned from Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III and his wife, Gina Sarabia-Espinosa, to Secretariat chief, Florence Hibionada, and the following 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, senior staff members Rosita Camacho and Shin Julienne Galon.

Also in the team are: Dr. Emily Hagad Noserale, Ph.D, DTM, Philcoman project coordinator; Dr. Carmencita “Menchie” Robles, dean of College of Communications, West Visayas State University (WVSU); Mary Ann Gumban, vice chancellor, University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV); Carla Margarita Perez, sales director, Iloilo Business Park-Megaworld; Felicito Tiu, founder and CEO, Eon Group of Companies; and Billy Shung Hei Yuen, founder and CEO, StackTrek Enterprises, Inc.

They have one common goal and that is to elevate Iloilo City in the totem pole of good government, trade and investment, tourism and further academic execelence.

They all deserve the support of the Ilonggos living in the Philippines and in other parts of the world beginning in the United States’ East Coast.