Largest PH business group backs call for peace in South

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippines’ largest business organization has joined the rest of the local business community in supporting President Aquino’s call for peace in Mindanao.

In a statement, Alfredo M. Yao, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the country could best honor the sacrifice and bravery of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos who died in a clash with Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25 by bringing peace and prosperity to Mindanao.

“The best way to promote peace is to expose our brothers and sisters in the affected areas in Mindanao to the prosperity that we enjoy and which they should be sharing,” Yao said.

“If we are distracted in securing peace in Mindanao, we will isolate our brothers and sisters in the affected areas from benefiting from the gains of the economy,” he said.

Alfredo Yao. PHOTO BY LYN RILLON

Rebuilding trust

Yao also called on all parties to have an open mind so that the rebuilding of trust and confidence for the peace process would continue.

He urged the leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to help in the rebuilding of public trust and confidence in the group.

“Let us give peace a chance. Besides we will never solve the problem of poverty if we do not have peace and order,” Yao said.

Supporters of peace

Earlier this week, seven business groups reaffirmed their support for the Aquino administration as well as the peace process with the MILF amid growing calls for President Aquino’s resignation and for an all-out war in Mindanao over the Mamasapano tragedy.

Signatories to the joint statement were the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc.; Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop); Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex); Makati Business Club (MBC); Management Association of the Philippines (MAP); Mindanao Business Council; and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

The business groups said they were extending their “utmost respect and sympathies” to the families of the 44 SAF members who were killed in Mamasapano.

The groups, however, cautioned the public against allowing “political manipulation to take advantage of legitimate emotion and grief, to the point of trumping reason and endangering the gains we have made over the last few years.”