The plan for the development of Eastern Visayas is focused in the creation of jobs. This is expected to occur if the region succeeds in increasing in agriculture, industry and services.

Increasing investment requires providing the proper climate that builds
confidence in investors-local, national, and foreign.

Confidence is a mixture of both fact and perception. That this region has plenty of lands that are idle or not very productive – is a fact. That planting crops in many of these areas is hazardous or problematic could be perception. It’s what people commonly think.

Therefore, creating jobs is not a matter of having resources – such as land and labor. It is also a function of what people believe is the situation. More precisely, it depends on what inventors think about the place.

Much of it is “image”. So, we can ask - does Eastern Visayas convey an image that it welcomes investors? Such an image has to be created. It is planned and, in a sense, scripted.
It requires the cooperation of all.

A single discordant voice can ruin what all others are trying to create. For example, a single kidnapping could jeopardize confidence building and image building efforts. It will build a negative image that would scare inventors.

What seems important is for us to build that image and the foundations on
which it is built.

All “image” and no “fact” will not produce the desired result.

All slogans and no action will mean loss of credibility.

We cannot have investors come in and when they are in, they are not assisted. More so if they are unduly taxed or made to pay fees that threaten their survival.

The image must go all the way to successfully assisting investors. They would in turn spread the word. Once they do this, we are on the road to success.