DIPOLOG CITY -- Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Sec. Teresita Quintos-Deles told the region’s top business leaders at the second day of their two-day Mindanao Business Conference (MinBizCon) being held in Dipolog City September 2-3 that “if the Philippines is to grow, if it is to gain a leading place within the Southeast Asian region and the entire global community, we will have to continually work towards the intertwined goals of peace and progress.”

This year’s conference adopted a theme: “Winning the ASEAN, Gaining the Global Market.”

Deles said among the crucial factors that will help Mindanao propel in its position in the ASEAN trade is a stable peace process.

The BBL is designed to be the legal foundation of the new Bangsamoro region in Mindanao that will replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, speaking to the same assembled businessmen immediately preceding Sec. Deles, said Mindanao is standing on the threshold of a “golden age.”

“It is a golden age where the two sides of the coin, peace and prosperity, can reign," he said.

He cited President Aquino’s priority to get the BBL approved by Congress soon. “The President, our government, has tried its best to bring forth peace to Mindanao. There are some who are against certain (BBL) provisions,” and so he urged the business sector to express their views to Congress.

“This is the time when you in Mindanao have the most to gain and the most to lose if in the event the efforts of peace will not come to pass,” he said.

The confab adopted a resolution “expressing Mindanaoans full support to government’s effort towards the realization of lasting peace, economic prosperity and security in the region.”

The business leaders also urged Congress “to accurately reflect the results of “the consultations “in certain provisions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.”

Deles updated the businessmen on the status of the BBL, saying that despite the time constraint Congress is facing to pass the law, the government peace panel remains optimistic that the House and Senate can still enact it within their present term. House Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL chair and Cagayan de Oro second district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Congress will work overtime to ensure the passage of the BBL.

“Can we still do it?” Deles asked the businessmen during her speech and emphasizing that, “Yes, I believe so. The two parties remain committed to the peace process; PNoy retains substantial political capital, including political capital for 2016; top leaders of the most influential social institutions like churches, business, the academe, and so on are now speaking up; the international community is fully supportive and engaged; more importantly, ordinary Filipinos are standing up and taking action. And with PNoy, we at OPAPP continue to be willing to take all the blows—for our people, and for peace.”

Deles said the holding of the MinBizCon in September when the month is being observed nationwide as National Peace Consciousness Month underscores the pre-requisite that “If we are to win the ASEAN, if we are to gain the global market, then we will need to build peace and progress, to do this, we will have to remain united and we will have to work with all hands on deck so that the government can successfully bring its comprehensive efforts to find peace” in cooperation with the business sector.

She reiterated the pronouncement of economist Cielito Habito in his talk to the businessmen on the first day of the conference when he also highlighted the need to pass the BBL to establish requisite peace in Mindanao.

Habito told the businessmen that “there is huge investment opportunities in Mindanao, but we have to get that Bangsamoro government in place. The BBL or whatever version it takes, it will unleash so much more investment opportunities in Mindanao especially the untapped Muslim Mindanao.”

“Mindanao is very well positioned already because ASEAN is an Islamic market," Habito said when interviewed by media.

“Even if we see Muslims as a minority in the Philippines, we must realize that Muslims comprise the majority of the ASEAN.  So the opportunities for serving the ASEAN market which is an Islamic market can be best tapped by Mindanao, especially the Mindanao Muslim areas, especially Halal industries.  That’s why the opportunity for Mindanao for the ASEAN economic community is simply huge because it is an Islamic market,” Habito added.

Retired general of the Armed Forces Angelo Sunglao, one of the businessmen from Zamboanga City attending the conference, said he supports the BBL and peace process “because it is our best chance to bring peace to Mindanao now."

Moreover, Teotimo Tambolona, who is the business manager of Coconut Small Farmers Multi-Purpose Association in Sergio Osmena, Zamboanga del Norte said “I am sure the BBL will bring peace if all parties involved are sincere and serious.”