Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will lead an investment mission to Saudi Arabia to look for business opportunities for Mindanao as she was scheduled to leave the country Monday.
Arroyo will be accompanied by Mindanao Reps. Mauyag B. Papandayan Jr., Macmod D. Mending Jr., Amihilda J. Sangcopan, Bai Sandra A. Sema, Ruby M. Sahali and Shernee A. Tan in the investment mission.
Arroyo was originally invited by her Saudi counterpart, Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Ibharim Al Sheik, President of the Majlis Al-Shura or the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia, to the KSA for an official visit.
With the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, she saw it as a good opportunity for an investment mission to enable the representatives from Mindanao to look for investors for their region.
In an earlier interview, Arroyo said the representatives from Mindanao were now keen on inviting investors to Mindanao in the light of the passage of the BOL.
“The Bangsamoro congressmen are now eager to go to the next step—try to get investments. So that having the Bangsamoro they will be able to bring down the poverty there by having business activities so we’re helping them out. We are going to have an investment mission in Saudi Arabia,” she said.
During her visit, she will meet with Dr. Abdullah in Riyadh. She will also meet with the Council of Saudi Arabia Chamber of Commerce in Riyadh together with the Mindanao representatives to explore business opportunities in Mindanao.
Speaker Arroyo with the help of Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia has also arranged a meeting for the representatives from Mindanao with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah.
The Speaker will return to the Philippines on Wednesday in time to attend oversight committee hearings and the session in the House of Representatives.