7th Non-Life Insurance Summit

The spate of natural disasters occurring in the past years around the globe poses another daunting challenge to the insurance and reinsurance industry. This is why Insurance Philippines in collaboration with the Insurance Institute of the Asia and Pacific and Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association, Inc. (PIRA, Inc) presented the 7th Philippine Non-Life Insurance Summit last April 28, 2010 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makatii City.

With the theme "Risk Managing the Increasing Incidence of Natural Disasters—The Insurance/Reinsurance Challenge," the event will feature discussions on topics which include the Economic Challenges for the New President, the State of the General Insurance Industry, and other wide range issues governing the insurance industry.

Speakers on the said summit include: Dr. Benjamin Diokno from the University of the Philippines, Mr. Michael Rellosa from PIRA, Inc., Mr. John D. Casey, President and CEO of Blue Cross Insurance Inc., and Dr. Karlo L. Queano of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, among others.

The successful summit was supported by the Insurance Commission, Philippine Insurer’s Club, AIBP, and the Business Mirror.

For information, contact Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association, Inc. at (632)815-10-64, 811-45-87, 811-46-29 or e-mail pira@pirainc.com.ph.

North-South Mindanao Highway Pushed at First Mindanao Logistics Confab

To boost the mobility of goods and people and propel the socio-economic development of Mindanao, a proposed integrated logistics highway was proposed and approved in the first ever Mindanao Logistics Conference held in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental last Nov. 25 and 26.

Mr. Vic Lagdamen, president of the Mindanao Federation of Shippers’ Association (MINFESA), said that the while the proposed integrated logistics and transportation plan concentrates on connecting the northern and southern regions of Mindanao, the “corridor” should also include Zamboanga and Caraga. Usec. Virgilio Leyretana, chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) also concurred with this plan, saying that it is “high time for Mindanao to have something like a logistics corridor given that infrastructure development in Mindanao is being fast tracked.”

In the two-day conference, spearheaded by MINFESA, participants were made to recognize the importance of a Mindanao-wide mechanism to be able to harmonize the logistics and infrastructure activities. The resolution requesting the Senate to fast-track the passage of the Mindanao Economic Development Authority (MEDA) Bill was consequently and unanimously approved in the same conference. Usec. Leyretena commented that by enhancing the country’s transport system, a unified and integrated economy shall not be far behind.

One of the speakers for the conference was the port director of the Muara Port in Brunei Darussalam, emphasizing the port and infrastructure development in this part of the country. Cold-chain and banana industries, including a suggested “banana logistics corridor” were also discussed in the two-day gathering, bananas being one of the best products of the region.