Imee lures investors: Ilocos Norte has great potential

LAOAG CITY- Ilocos Norte Governor Imee  Marcos urged investors to use talent and social capital of the province aside from engaging in conventional projects.

                Speaking at the Asia CEO Forum on March 8, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos shared with potential investors her personal principles in local governance and ensuring economic growth for the province.

                Boosting and expanding Ilocos Norte development beyond rice, roads, and schools (RRS), she initiated efforts for the Provincial Government to include small and medium enterprise (SME) financing, on-the-job training, tourism events, street parties, and triathlons for a more vibrant province.

                "To do all this, not only must I hire the best and most creative. To keep them, I must also INcentivize: overwork and overpay talent," she shared, saying that the task alone of keeping Ilocano creatives within the province is a difficult one "when Dubai deposits $5,000 advances for IT (information technology) engineers, and Singapore offers permanent residence to writers, architects, and other talent!"

                She pointed out flexible working hours as well as travel and study opportunities as incentives for Ilocano creatives, telling potential investors how they "INcentivize creatively and with feeling.

                "It can take very little to make our people work very hard," she added, sharing how simple efforts to motivate people, from engineering and general services personnel to administrative clerks and creatives, accelerated economic growth in Ilocos Norte as the different industries and sectors were revitalized.

                "From a mere P600 million-odd budget in 2010, Ilocos Norte will earn over P2 billion this year, not only from national taxes but more importantly from its own self-generated revenue."

                Turning to how issues like climate change, pandemics, terrorism, and the national drug war are address in the province, Governor Marcos also shared her principle to "INvoke Ilocano social capital."

                She highlighted how leadership in Ilocos Norte is a question of the citizenry's trust in their leaders, in their families, and the community including those abroad.

                "Trust is the bulwark of Ilocano social capital, timpuyog (unity) encompassing global networks of affection, loyalty, and support provided in times of disaster," she said, saying that social capital weighs over labor supply and financial capital especially in times of crisis.

                "We are INviting INvestors," she pitched, boasting of Ilocos Norte having five times the land area of Singapore and three times the area of Hong Kong with 85% belonging to the government and awaiting development from willing investors.

                In addition, the province sits 400 kilometers from China, also in close vicinity to Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, all major international markets.

                "Our infrastructure is built and ready for business," she added, "we have an educated, motivated, and loyal workforce.

                "With new investment I hope I can finally convince young Ilocanos that they have a future here at home."━Mizpah Grace G. Castro, PGIN-CMO