The officials from the Western Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC VI) attended the 8th Belt and Road Summit at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, Hong Kong on September 13-14, 2023.

RDC VI Chairperson Alfredo Abelardo B. Benitez and Vice Chairperson Arecio A. Casing, Jr. led the delegation in soliciting infra investments for Western Visayas.

The Belt and Road Summit is a premier international platform for promoting business collaboration along the Belt and Road. It gathers senior government officials and business leaders from over 70 countries and regions along and beyond the Belt and Road to exchange insights on multilateral cooperation and explore concrete business opportunities.

During the project pitching session, Dr. Frances Mae Llamas of the Bacolod City Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office presented the profile of the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project (PRBIDP).

At the deal-making session, General Manager Song Jun of the Huangshan Jiaheng Private Equity Fund Management and Deputy Director Wang Liyan of the CRRC Puzhen Alstom Transportation Systems expressed interest in the connectivity projects of Western Visayas, particularly the Iloilo-Sta. Barbara and Bacolod City Bus Rapid Transit projects.

“We prepared and distributed the Western Visayas Investment Guide during the Summit to ensure that the potential investors/partners have a comprehensive understanding of the proposed projects and other opportunities in the region,” said RD Casing.

The RDC VI’s engagement in the Summit aligns with the PDP and RDP strategies, particularly on promoting investments and linkages, increasing employability and upgrading infrastructure. (MLBrotarlo/NEDA 6)