Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email

Speaker bullish on foreign investments from WEF 2025 stint

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez yesterday expressed strong optimism for more foreign investments into the Philippines that would create more jobs and propel economic growth following productive engagements of the Philippine delegation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, a press release from the House of Representatives said.

“The discussions we held in Davos reaffirm the immense potential of the Philippines as a key destination for global investments,” said Speaker Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives.

Earlier, as one of the featured panelists in a discussion, Romualdez recalled a chance meeting with a top industrialist from India in WEF 2024 that developed into a fruitful partnership with a local business.

The Speaker thanked members of the Philippine delegation, which included Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Trade and Industry Secretary Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, and influential business leaders from various sectors for their significant contributions to promoting the country’s economic opportunities.

KEY ENGAGEMENTS

As part of the Philippine delegation, Romualdez participated in high-level discussions and engaged with prominent global business leaders and officials.

One of the highlights was his participation as a panelist in the Stakeholder Dialogue titled “Navigating Asia’s Hotspots,” where he emphasized the country’s balanced geopolitical approach and commitment to economic stability.

The Speaker and the Philippine delegation also hosted the Philippine Breakfast Interaction at WEF which convened close to 50 international public and private sector leaders for a briefing on the Philippine economy and its bright potential as the next big investment destination.

Among the notable guest during the event were Marcus Wallenberg Chairman of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken; Philippe Amon, Chairman and CEO of SICPA SA; Catarina Amon, CEO and Founder of Classeek; Anthony Tan, CEO and Co-Founder of Grab; John Riady, Group CEO of Lippo Indonesia; Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia; and Calvin Choi, CEO of AMTD.

Also present were Jay Collins, Vice Chairman of Citi; Helena Lersch, Vice President of Public Policy of Tiktok; Amit Kalyani, Vice-Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited; and Albert Chang, Managing Partner of Southeast Asia, McKinsey & Co., among others.

During the discussions, the PH delegation showcased the Philippines’ robust domestic economy driven by e-commerce, making the country the fastest-growing digital economy in ASEAN in 2024.

INVESTMENT-FRIENDLY REFORMS

The PH WEF 2025 delegation also highlighted legislative reforms under the Marcos administration as concrete manifestation of the readiness of the Philippines to listen to investors’ concerns towards enhancing the business climate in the country.

In particular, they cited the CREATE MORE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy) law, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in November last year.

Romualdez explained that the CREATE MORE law is meant to accelerate investment momentum by offering enhanced tax incentives, streamlining the investment approval process, simplifying VAT rules, and providing targeted incentives for strategic investments.

He reaffirmed the Philippines’ readiness to capitalize on the momentum generated by the WEF engagement in its third straight year of participation in the prestigious forum.*

ARCHIVES

Read Article by date

February 2025
MTWTFSS
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
2425262728 

Get your copy of the Visayan Daily Star everyday!

Avail of the FREE 30-day trial.