GMA Network Chief Financial Officer and SVP for Corporate Services Group Felipe S. Yalong urged businessmen in Mindanao to unite in order to maximize the region's potential for growth during the 19th Mindanao Business Conference held last September 17 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Yalong was the plenary speaker in the conference themed, “ONE. GLOBAL. MINDANAO. Maximizing Potential,” which delved on crucial issues about agri-business, exporting, manufacturing, mining, power and water.

In his speech, Yalong stressed the "urgent need to focus efforts towards a cohesive development agenda that will fully harness government and private sector initiaves and partnerships" in Mindanao.

"For Mindanao, the shared goals of focusing on matters concerning peace and order, formulating a comprehensive energy plan, optimizing agricultural potentials, strengthening industry growth by providing transportation linkages, stimulating SME-led growth, promoting eco-tourism, maximizing educational development and riding on the information technology wave are critical not only for the development of Mindanao, but the whole country in general," Yalong said.

Yalong also noted an Asian Development Bank (ADB) study that said, "while the province is the main source of agricultural products and a rich source of mineral wealth, the region has yet to capitalize on its development potential."

However, despite the drawbacks, Yalong said that the same ADB study stressed Mindanao's 18% share in the country's gross domestic product.

“Mindanao is a vital cog in the prosperity wheel and things will not get moving for this country unless Mindanao is in the game," Yalong said. "Mindanao is a land of opportunities just as it is a land of challenges… To be candid about it, GMA Network is a believer in the promise of Mindanao. We firmly believe that things can only get better in this part of the country,” he added.

Yalong shared how GMA Network changed the history of television in the country by maximizing its own potentials and believing. These, according to Yalong, "catapulted a poor and far second (TV station) to become the number 1 television network in the country today."
Yalong also highlighted GMA Network's "vote of confidence" in Mindanao by investing more than 200 million pesos in capital expenditures to increase its presence in the province in the last five years. GMA Network, according to Yalong, has alloted 50 million pesos for facilities upgrade in Mindanao next year.

With 1,000 heads in attendance, the Mindanao Business Conference is the largest gathering of business leaders and stakeholders in Mindanao. The conference is organized by the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (ORO CHAMBER) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

GMA talents led by Grazilda lead stars Glyza de Castro and Geoff Eigenmann, Party Pilipinas’ mainstays La Diva composed of Maricris Garcia, Aicelle Santos, and Jonalyn Viray, and Kapuso star Katrina Halili graced the Kapuso night held in the same conference. The event was hosted by the GMA Regional TV Group.