John Tria

What the South Korea FTA means for Mindanao

A bilateral free trade agreement is an instrument that sets special conditions to spur trade between states.   A multilateral trade agreement, on the other hand, is between a group of nation-states or territories. 

Supporting local startups will boost innovation

One of the prominent issues facing local economies is the need to add more value to the economy. This means creating more income out of the products and services available in the local market. Producing goods of higher value means more income for businesses and employees. As a result of this collective effort, the economy expands. Time and again we have discussed in many forums how innovation will be needed to achieve this. This week I would like to focus on specific areas where local innovation can add value and how startup businesses can drive innovation.

Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond

Since we are entering the “ber” months many of us who run businesses are already thinking about how we will take on the challenges and opportunities of 2024.

Mindanao’s business community pivots to the future

About 400 business delegates from all over Mindanao converged in Pagadian City last Aug. 23 to 25 for the annual Mindanao Business Conference (MINBIZCON) to collaborate toward further boosting business and economic growth in the island’s almost ₱2 trillion economy, now the Philippines’ second largest.

Strong MSMEs for rural economic growth

It has often been said that Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) form the backbone of the economy. MSMEs are firms employing 10 to 199 staff at any given time.