Dipolog is national finalist for Most Business-Friendly LGU By Mary May A. Abellon DIPOLOG CITY, Oct.

17 (PIA) After a rigorous deliberation by the panel of judges, the city government here has emerged as one of the national finalists in the search for Most Business-Friendly LGU (local government unit) for category three cities recently. Sponsored by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Incorporated (PCCI), the awarding will be held at Manila Hotel in Manila on Oct. 24, 2013. Dipolog has to slug it out with the other three national finalists, namely, Laoag, Masbate and Calapan. During final judging, Mayor Evelyn T. Uy presented before the judges the citys accomplishments in relation to the six-point program upon which the judgment for the 2014 Most Business-Friendly LGU is based. The six-point program includes trade, investments and tourism promotions; public-private sector partnership; micro, small and medium enterprises development; quality management system, innovations, and human resources development; quality customer service; and inter-local government relations. The lady mayor bared that the judges had also asked her about the citys tourism industry, power supply and other industries. They also asked me the reason behind the citys Swigapore 2030 vision, Mayor Uy added. Swigapore 2030, which is a combination of Switzerland and Singapore, has been adopted by the Uy administration in pursuit of a good, transparent local governance aimed at making Dipolog a peaceful and self-reliant super city by 2030. The panel of judges was composed of PhilExport President Sergio Ortiz-Luiz, PCCI LGU awards chair Jose S. Alejandro, former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Undersecretary Austere Panadero of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Assistant Secretary Bles Lantayona of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other PCCI members. (FPG/MAA/PIAZamboanga del Norte)