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GENERAL SANTOS CITY EXPLORES TRADE WITH INDONESIA

General Santos City, Feb. 4, 2000 There could soon be an increase in the volume of trade between General Santos City and Tahuna, Indonesia.

On the invitation of Tahuna mayor Freddy Manahampi, a team of city officials left Tuesday for Tahuna to explore possible trade opportunities with that Indonesian city.

Manahampi visited Gen. Santos City last month and found that most of basic commodities needed by his constituencies can be sourced here instead of Menado which is farther from Tahuna.

Gen. Santos City Mayor Adelbert Antonino said the Indonesian official believed it would be cheaper and more practical to get their rice from here, “the reason why we are sending a trade delegation to Tahuna.”

This city has been trading with northern Indonesian cities under the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) trading concept.

Antonino said that trading with these cities will further spur the decentralization scheme of Indonesian President Wahid. “That would mean better opportunity for our people in terms of income and improved living standards,” Antonino said.